Located in the luxury heart of London, Mayfair, The Punchbowl is uniquely positioned both physically and in their market. A pub is certainly something you don’t find in Mayfair. I think you’d find more super car dealerships than pubs in this area. Here are my thoughts on The Punchbowl and why I urge you to go and experience it for yourself.
The first thing you notice when walking toward The Punchbowl is the traditional pub front (Seen below). From the outside, it looks like a small, oddly situated pub but when you walk in, your preconceptions are flipped on their head.
When you walk in, you get mixed signals. You can’t tell whether you’re in a country pub or in a restaurant. It’s almost split right down the middle which works in a way I hadn’t really thought about until writing this review. What is the one feeling you want to feel when you enter a restaurant? For me it’s to feel warm and welcome. This is exactly the feeling you get walking into The Punchbowl and it’s thanks to the warm country pub you are exposed to first. It’s almost genius.
You could say, at this point in the visit, this is just like your average pub! What’s the real difference? Well let me take you upstairs.
Can you see this difference now? Yes, you’re seeing it right. No, I haven’t put the wrong images into the article. This is actually what the upstairs restaurant area looks like. It’s almost like you’ve put the most luxurious hotel tea room in London on top of a pub and joined them together. Experiencing this unique difference first hand showed me that The Punchbowl are doing something different, something fairly brave. A truly luxury pub.
The Food
Now for the part, you all want to hear about the food. I mean it’s the whole reason you’d go to a restaurant.
For my starter, I ordered the following:
West coast crab on toast, fennel, pink grape fruit, watercress, caper vinaigrette, crab aioli £11.00
For me, there was a bit too much salad on it all, but that’s just down to personal preference. The amount of crab I got made up for that in my book. If my main course was anything like this starter, it was going to be spectacular.
For my main, I ordered the warmest and most filling meal I could imagine. I even posted it on our Instagram.
250g dry aged fillet of beef, triple cooked chips, watercress & shallot salad, pepper corn sauce £29.50 (28 day Hung South Devon beef).
The succulence of the meat completely took me aback and I couldn’t believe what my mouth was tasting. The steak was so perfectly aged and seasoned that it really provided me with an eating experience I hadn’t had before. To make things even better, the chips were REAL chunky British chips. It’s probably the most simple dish you could imagine, but sometimes, the simple things done well can’t be beaten.
How you wrap up a meal really sets the tone for your whole meal, so I was highly anticipating dessert.
Lemon posset, citrus shortbread, raspberry £7
I had a few possets in my time so I feel like I am able to provide an opinion of some value to you. This posset was very creamy which is something I prefer. I know others who enjoy the strength of the dish to be in the lemon, but for me, the creamier, the better. The slight hint of lemon provided the most perfect sweetness and tang to it all.
After leaving The Punchbowl, I proceeded to return to the Milestone Hotel and told their very patient staff about my experience at The Punchbowl.
It was truly a unique experience and I’d certainly recommend The Punchbowl to anyone who wants a pint, a good meal or even a fancy dinner evening!
