Mews of Mayfair

It’s always been a dream of mine to live on a classic London mews. And when I say ‘of mine’, I of course mean ‘of my wife’. The other day, she introduced me to one of her favourites: just off the pedestrianised shopping idyll South Molton St, Lancaster Court is home to Jo Malone on one side and Elemis on the other. I was struggling to see the pull (apart from on the purse strings), until we entered Mews of Mayfair.

On the ground floor, a cocktail bar is graced by beautiful drinks – even the collections of spirit bottles are framed like works of art – and beautiful people, sprawling out onto the cobbled street.

After several hard-earned Tommy’s margaritas, we stumbled upstairs to the dining room. As crisp and white as the table linen, its simplicity is its charm. Décor is restricted to an extensive collection of decanters – more of which later.

For starters, I was treated to a healthy portion of seared yellow-fin tuna, complemented by soft, warm aubergines and a fluffy coating of sour burrata cheese. It was a nicely balanced dish – but was overshadowed by a stunning honeyed pouilly-fuissé that was so buttery I could have spread it on our freshly baked bread. I’m afraid I was so blown away that I didn’t catch the label – but as it’s the only pouilly-fuissé on the list, you shouldn’t have too much trouble tracking it down.

For the main, we were treated to Spring lamb from the Colchester coast. The farm is just minutes from where the restaurant also sources its oysters. The lamb has been reared on sea-sprayed fields, so it comes ready seasoned with salty, grassy freshness.

A giant swan-neck of a decanter was employed for the accompanying Reserve de la Comtesse (2006). A classic claret from Pauillac, its elegance was only enhanced by the mighty Riedel decanter – a work of crystal so impressive that it could even make a Hardy’s Nottage Hill glamorous.

Desserts are reassuringly comforting – hearty crumbles, rich crème brûlées and sticky toffee puddings. But lighter options are available (for wives – and wimps).

If you want to heighten the experience, booking the chef’s dining room is a great call for larger groups – especially as the window through to the kitchen adds some theatre to the proceedings.

I may never live on a mews – but I’ve definitely found one to call home.

10 Lancashire Ct,
New Bond St,
W1S 1EY

020 7518 9388
mewsofmayfair.com