CHILTERN FIREHOUSE

Location

In the old fire brigade building in Marylebone’s Chiltern Street, the fire station-turned-hotel and restaurant has elevated the neighbourhood from its yummy mummy status to hotspot haunt.

Vibe

Sleek, buzzy and notably fashionable. Like Chateau Marmont, it will probably have a steady flow of A-listers – in part due to its hush happenings during fashion week and the celeb status of owner André Balazs; having Michelin-starred Nuno Mendes in the kitchen probably helps too.

Flavours

With Nuno Mendes at the helm, the menu isn’t about concept or molecular dining (not a drop of foam to be seen) but rather beautifully presented, classic dishes with a few twists. Starters range from trendy fried chicken to more creative crab-stuffed donuts, but our squab with chicory and red currants was a strong favourite. On to the mains, we went for fishy options: the monkfish cooked over pines with barley and fennel was fantastic, while our maple-glazed salmon was fresh with hints of sweetness and crunch. But surprisingly, it was the humble side of spinach that stole the show – creamy, fresh, but with a hint of tobacco spice, a must-try. And lastly, points for the cocktail list for putting vermouth back in the limelight – five options with fresh twists from grapefruits, lavender, cucumber, pomelo and mandarin – goodbye vodka tonic.

Décor

If nouveau rustic were a term, this would be it – dimly lit via hanging lights, warm red and cream hues with homely large carpets and rattan chairs in the main dining room. The buzzier mezzanine gives way to a slicker vibe, thanks to the handsome open plan kitchen – if you’re a party of two, reserve a spot on the kitchen counter and watch Mendes work his magic. Downstairs – the bathrooms lead to a ‘secret’ outdoor bar – ladies, enter through the door marked “cigarettes and men” via the slightly more mysterious “wine…” scribed door. We’ll be heading back there for some post-dinner cocktails.

Upshot

Although no tables are reserved for walk-ins, they will be for hotel guests when the rooms open end of the month – so if friends are visiting, recommend the Firehouse – and bag a table out of it.