In my quieter moments I sometimes ponder over why things are named the way they are. Why was chocolate named chocolate, why an apple and not something else, and so when presented with a restaurant named Wild Honey my interest was piqued. Is it owned by a fan of the Beach Boys (Wild Honey was their 13th Album), a fan of Checkov (a play based on a Checkov untitled piece), or are they just a lover of an organic sweet sticky substance? Having visited Wild Honey I am unsure it matters, as this is a restaurant with a name that will be ingrained on your memory, not for any other reason than its quality and amazing value.
Wild Honey is owned by celebrated chef Anthony Demetre, and is the sister restaurant to the multi award-winning Arbutus. It was opened in 2007, and since then has continued to wow restaurant goers with its contemporary European menu made with wonderfully fresh and seasonal English ingredients (a European collaboration that both ‘remainers’ and ‘brexiteers’ would approve of!).
Wild Honey is well located just off New Bond Street, near to Hannover Square just across the road from St Georges Church, and its discrete entrance leads you to a wonderfully proportioned oak panelled room which has an upmarket members club feel to it. Art Deco chandeliers look down on you, and on one side there is a marble counter where you can sample inventive cocktails and on the other red banquettes and crisp white tablecloths. There is a sophisticated elegance about the place that is welcoming and immediately makes you feel at ease.
We were warmly welcomed by the staff and taken to our table where, whilst scanning the menu, we nibbled on fresh white and brown sour dough bread, whilst deciding between the set 4-course menu for £39 or the treats on the a` la carte menu. Although the set menu offered incredible value, there were a few dishes which I truly had to try, so we plumped for the a` la carte, but either way I doubt we would have been disappointed.
There were 6 starters to choose from, and it is rare for me to say that I could have chosen any of them, as the creamy Burrata, crushed autumn Delicia squash, Brogdale pears and candied walnuts (£12) was nearly my choice, but instead we chose the Hare Ragu with fresh hand cut macaroni, olive oil and parmesan (£12), and the Grilled Sardines, wood roasted sweet pepper salsa (£9). I always have a soft spot for sardines as they are my Dad’s favourite, and they were a great tribute to one of his most loved dishes as the sardine skin was wonderfully chargrilled, and the bones I always remembered as a child, had all been removed, so I was left with crispy skin, oily fish and a robust salsa - my kind of heaven. The Hare Ragu was rich and truly gamey and the generous chunks of hare were moist and tender, and the macaroni slightly crunchy, creating a wonderful dish.
The mains selection is again a choice of 6 options, and once more I genuinely could have chosen any of them, so it was a really difficult choice. Despite the lure of venison and cod, I selected the Denbighshire Lamb, rump and slow cooked breast, grilled hispi cabbage and green vinaigrette (£24), and my wife selected the Ricotta Dumplings ‘Grundi’, Delicia pumpkin, olive oil and parmesan (£17). People think that dishes like lamb are simple to cook, but a meat as delicate as lamb needs tender loving care and this lamb was cared for very well! The meat was pink and just melted in my mouth. My wife’s ricotta dumplings were again a true delight, and the Delicia pumpkin treatment enhanced the sweetness of the pumpkin and that clash/marriage with the intense parmesan cheesy flavour made a dish that could convert me to vegetarianism, such was the intensity of the flavours.
Portion size is generous so we didn’t take up the optional cheese course (£14) as we wanted to leave room for dessert, and we were truly grateful we did. A number of restaurants have a signature dessert which is more hype than substance, but here that is not the case as the classic Tarte Tatin of apples is truly a must (£20 but serves up to 4 people). I still don’t know why apples are named apples, but when they are perfectly cooked, encased in moist layers of flaky pastry and covered in a rich caramel sauce I frankly stop caring and just delight in the explosion of tastes in my mouth! This is a masterpiece, so please leave room for it, as you will kick yourself if you don’t, although the honeycomb ice cream we also picked was also worthy of note.
Service is of the highest standard with highly trained staff attending to the guest’s every need, while a concise and eclectic wine list is available by bottle or by carafe, allowing visitors to try a range of different labels without breaking the bank. The selection of wines is extensive and with the option of selecting wines by the carafe rather than bottle you can select wines for each course which helps when your wine choice differs from your partner’s.
Wild Honey have thought of everything, from a wine dilemma to what food to choose, and this is all done in stylish surroundings with attentive but not pushy staff and I love it. Eating out should be an experience far more than just the food (although this is crucial), and Wild Honey delivers in spades, and for £39 for 4 courses in the heart of Mayfair this is really a steal.
Wild Honey 12 St George Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 2FB Telephone: 020 7758 9160