I have always had a soft spot for Hotel Café Royal as they have mouthwash in their loos which not many plush London hotels can say they have! And now, their destination restaurant Laurent Grill & Sushi is proof that London has fully embraced the New York style brunch culture for those later starts on weekends. Brunch at Laurent is done luxuriate style with views over Regent Street, sipping champagne with a live jazz band as you wait for the main attraction – an oozing popover. More on those little beauties later.
Executive Chef Laurent Tourondel gives Londoners a bite of the Big Apple every Sunday between 1230pm and 4pm. The menu is full of brunch favourites with that Laurent twist like a black garlic marinated steak frites with Béarnaise and country style pancakes with nutella and a banana rum flambe. You can also choose from two bottomless options with any main dish of either unlimited Bloody Marys or perfectly chilled Veuve Clicquot champagne.
Their Bloody Marys are not to be underestimated and there are three to choose from. In particular, a towering ‘Bloody Sluttie Marie’ (Belvedere vodka, celery, really fresh tomato juice, horseradish, yellow onion, lemon juice and slutty spice mix) will turn heads as it comes with a foot long skewer of garnishes including a jumbo tiger prawn, celery, lemon, tomato, gherkin and a whole chilli with an crispy rasher of bacon too. This could be considered as a complete lunch with most food groups rather than just a mere drink. You can also try this classic cocktail re-invented with gin or tequila.
Laurent’s signature popover twist of the classic eggs benedict is a showstopper. If you haven’t tried a popover, this thing of beauty is given to everyone at lunch and dinner as a welcome treat. It looks like a Yorkshire pudding infused with black pepper, Gouda and cheddar completed by a crispy crust and a silky soft inside. The truffle popover benedict is a perfectly halved popover layered with roasted ham, two poached eggs, spinach and truffle hollandaise. A total marriage and contrasts of flavours and textures. One is not enough!
We should mention a glorious peanut butter and jam donut that is part of their pastry basket. Alongside the brunch menu there is also the option to sample Laurent’s sushi and steak from the usual lunch offering. Sushi is very freshly made in the open sushi bar as you enter Laurent by expert sushi masters. The spicy and crispy shrimp sushi is not to be missed with a spicy lime mayo, avocado, grapefruit and sesame.
Brunch at Laurent is a deliciously relaxing start to your Sunday and a soothing cure for whatever you may have been up to the night before.
Brunch is available every Sunday from 1230pm to 4pm. To discover more about Café Royal and book, visit: laurentatcaferoyal.com
Read More: https://luxuriate.life/food-drink/