Experience the Grandeur of The Midland Grand Dining Room – A Culinary Journey in London’s St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
If you’re a food enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates the finer things in life, then a visit to The Midland Grand Dining Room should be on your list. Situated in the iconic St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London, this historic dining establishment offers a gastronomic experience unlike any other. From its rich history to its delectable menu crafted by acclaimed chef Patrick Powell, every aspect of The Midland Grand Dining Room is a testament to the grandeur and elegance of British hospitality.
Step into the Past: A Journey through History
The Midland Grand Hotel, where The Midland Grand Dining Room is housed, has a fascinating history that adds to its allure. Built in a time when London’s plumbing system relied on servants to cater to its guests’ needs, it faced financial difficulties shortly after its completion. Thanks to the efforts of preservation champions Jane Fawcett, Nikolaus Pevsner, and John Betjeman, the hotel was listed for preservation in 1967, saving it from decay and providing future generations the opportunity to witness its architectural marvels.
The Midland Grand Hotel stood in a state of dereliction for decades, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of Gormenghast, the fictional crumbling castle from Mervyn Peake’s novel. However, after extensive restoration and modernization efforts, the hotel now stands as a testament to both its past glory and its present splendor. The Midland Grand Dining Room, with its double-height ceilings, elegant curves, and stunning ecclesiastical windows, is a prime example of the restoration’s success.
Culinary Excellence: A Feast for the Senses
At the helm of The Midland Grand Dining Room is chef Patrick Powell, renowned for his culinary prowess demonstrated through his works at Chiltern Firehouse and Allegra. Supported by the talented front-of-house expert Emma Underwood, the team at The Midland Grand Dining Room aims to create a dining experience that leaves guests astounded and delighted.
The menu at The Midland Grand Dining Room is a testament to Chef Patrick’s creativity and dedication. Each dish is crafted with precision and artistry, showcasing the best of British and international culinary traditions. From the classic pâté en croûte du jour to the innovative crab toast, every bite is a harmonious blend of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
For starters, the pâté en croûte du jour is a revelation. Traditionally regarded as a French pork pie, the version at The Midland Grand Dining Room showcases a light and jellied terrine of rabbit and chicken, accompanied by a celeriac remoulade flavored with assertive tarragon. The combination of textures and flavors is simply outstanding, elevating this classic dish to new heights.
The crab toast, a favorite at many gastropubs, receives a unique twist at The Midland Grand Dining Room. Instead of the usual dark and robust crab meat, this version features pure white crabmeat piled on a crustless square of fortified bread, reminiscent of pain perdu. Topped with a coral-pink cream sauce infused with delicate shellfish flavors and a hint of elderflower, this dish challenges conventional notions of shellfish and leaves a lasting impression.
For the mains, the use of chalk stream trout, though not what one might expect, demonstrates Chef Patrick’s ingenuity. While traditionally associated with tiny wild brown trout found in pristine chalk streams, the restaurant serves a sizeable tranche of farmed rainbow trout sourced from a fish farm fed with water from a chalk stream. Cooked to perfection and served with sorrel, a beurre blanc emulsion of vermouth, and smoked butter, this dish is a testament to the chef’s dedication to creating exceptional flavors.
To end the dining experience on a sweet note, the du jour soufflé offers a delightful surprise. With its deep mauve color, impeccable rise, and browned exterior, this forest fruit-flavored soufflé is a masterpiece in itself. Accompanied by a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert is a symphony of flavors that will leave you yearning for more.
A Legendary Dining Experience Awaits
The Midland Grand Dining Room not only offers a sensational culinary journey but also provides a glimpse into the unparalleled history and architecture of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Whether you’re a local looking for a memorable dining experience or a foreign visitor seeking a taste of British hospitality, The Midland Grand Dining Room is sure to exceed your expectations.
Contact Information:
– Address: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, London NW1 2AR
– Phone: 0207 341 3000
– Website: midlandgranddiningroom.com
Summary:
The Midland Grand Dining Room, located in the prestigious St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London, offers a unique culinary experience that combines history, architecture, and exceptional cuisine. Led by renowned chef Patrick Powell and supported by front-of-house expert Emma Underwood, the restaurant showcases a menu that is both innovative and rooted in culinary traditions. From the pâté en croûte du jour to the chalk stream trout and the du jour soufflé, every dish is crafted with precision and flair. The Midland Grand Dining Room promises to transport guests on a gastronomic journey that will leave a lasting impression. So, why not indulge in the grandeur and elegance of The Midland Grand Dining Room?
—————————————————-
Article | Link |
---|---|
UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
Sponsored Content | View |
90’s Rock Band Review | View |
Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
Receive free Restaurants updates
We’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Restaurants news every morning.
This will be the third time I’ve been to The Midland Grand Dining Room. The last time it was Marcus Wareing’s The Gilbert Scott, a fine English interpretation of a French railway station brasserie. The first time, I confess, was an act of trespass.
First, some history. The story goes that the Midland Grand Hotel was the last hotel built in London where the plumbing was premised on there being sufficient servants to empty chamber pots and ferry jugs of hot shaving water. The business failed soon after it was built and then, after a long campaign led by Jane Fawcett, Nikolaus Pevsner and John Betjeman, was listed for preservation in 1967. This saved the place for us all, but condemned it to decades in collapsing limbo as no one could agree how it could be modernised and made economically viable. And so, the Midland Grand Hotel was derelict.
More than that, it was the shattered Gormenghast of St Pancras, the steampunk, brick-and-iron skeleton of a Lovecraftian behemoth. Back before the turn of the century, like many other architecture nerds, I went in through the bust door behind a hoarding on Midland Road, knuckles white round a big police flashlight. I crept past the rough sleepers and the drug-shooting galleries to stand, ankle-deep in dead pigeons, and stare dumbstruck at the double spiral staircase rising through three floors.
It’s a lot smarter now. A hotel, apartments, some spectacular bars — and the dining room, restored to its double height, built on the gentle curve of the western wing and lit by high ecclesiastical windows. Like that stunning old staircase, the restaurant interior elicits an involuntary gasp.
Taking the helm at this great Gothic ship-of-state is chef Patrick Powell, the brains behind Chiltern Firehouse and Allegra — and he’s getting even better. Front of house is led by Emma Underwood, most recently of The Pem, whose effect upon any room she works seems indistinguishable from magic.
First, let us address the vexed question of the pâté en croûte du jour. I have always maintained that the classic PEC is a French pork pie. Of course, purists will argue that the pastry is different and, yes, I’ll grant you that the classic hot water crust pastry is superior, but the interior (technically referred to as a farce) is identical, save possibly a scrape of garlic or mace here and there.
At least, that was the prejudice to which I had happily cleaved until today. On this particular jour, the croûte contained a light, jellied terrine of rabbit and chicken, quite outstanding and absolutely not the sort of thing you’d want to shove a hard-boiled egg through. What really set the whole thing up, though, was celeriac remoulade with fresh mayo, flavoured assertively with tarragon. I should also add, with a profoundly unmanly squeal of delight, that miniature cornichons are, like, so cute!
I’m obviously unreasonably fond of crab toast in its robust, gastropubby incarnation — all the iron and iodine of the dark meat, quietly minging and putting everyone else off their tea — but this was something entirely different. A crustless square of some fortified bread, possibly an airy brioche, fried like pain perdu, and then mounded with the purest white crabmeat. Chilled but obviously recently steamed and retaining all of its sweetness. Just in case you didn’t quite get the message, there was a pool of coral-pink cream sauce containing more delicate shellfish flavours and a whiff of elderflower. It’s a rare thing that a simple dish really challenges you to think. This one posits a thesis — that good shellfish can be about sweetness — shows its workings and argues to an incontrovertible conclusion.
I’ve done a bit of fly-fishing, mainly up American mountains rather than in the UK, where I couldn’t afford to get near one of the fashionable beats. I am, as a result, programmed to respond with joy when I see “chalk stream trout” on a menu. In my limited experience, the fish you pay to catch in chalk streams are tiny wild brown trout that taste, though you are rarely allowed to eat them, sublime.
It was, therefore, initially disappointing to receive a sizeable tranche of farmed rainbow trout on the plate, although it was a very well farmed, clean-tasting and all-round-delicious piece of fish. It turns out that “chalk stream” is now used to describe a fish farm fed with water from a chalk stream. Perhaps this sleight of hand was for the best, as I’m not sure I’d want to eat anything pulled from Britain’s horribly polluted rivers right now. It was cooked precisely and served with sorrel, a beurre blanc emulsion of vermouth for fragrance and smoked butter for a cheeky little whiff of a riverbank campfire.
Finally, there came a soufflé. This was also du jour, a trend absent from London restaurants in recent years. I like du jour. I like the surprise. I like the feeling that some effort is being expended and I like the idea that if I come back tomorrow, there will be something new to try. I think I’ll definitely come back tomorrow. For now, though, I’m very happy to enjoy a deep mauve soufflé, impeccably risen and browned, flavoured with forest fruits and, alleluia, accompanied by a big scoop of vanilla ice cream to be spooned into it in the manner God intended.
I’ve spent happy times in some of the grand old restaurants near the Paris stations. They seem designed to welcome you to the city or to make you wish you didn’t have to leave. If the first example of British hospitality that French visitors hit is The Midland Grand Dining Room, I, for one, will rest easy, patriotic and proud.
The Midland Grand Dining Room Restaurant
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, London NW1 2AR; 0207 341 3000; midlandgranddiningroom.com
Starters: £14-£19
Mains: £24-£32
Desserts: £4-£14
Follow Tim on Twitter @TimHayward and email him at tim.hayward@ft.com
Follow @FTMag on Twitter to find out about our latest stories first
—————————————————-