A La Colthard/ Goring Hotel and Outlaw at the Capital Hotel

Having recently been critical of Brighton restaurants I was pleased to dine elegantly at two London  hotels.

The Goring in Victoria is one of the few London hotels still in private family hands. It’s agreeably old fashioned with a comfy bar and a good dining room and a garden too. The dining room was full of Japanese tourists. The waiter explained that the dining room was not that full so they allowed in the tourists. I had a sea food cocktail concoction from the £55 lunch menu followed by a haunch of venison. Both were delicious. One of the advantages of hotel dining is that the tables are spaced far enough apart to hold a discreet conversation. It was a thoroughly enjoyable restaurant experience.

Saturday ‘s visit to the Capital Hotel in Basil Street was my first . Nathan Outlaw who started his restaurant life in Fowey close to Menabilly where the Rusters visit annually though not this year.

He set up a restaurant in Port Isaac, Cornwall, which received better notices that Rick Stein’s in Padstow, or Padstein as it’s known.

The restaurant in his name on the Capital Hotel is quite small, I only counted 10 tables and the seating was comfortable enough.

The occasion was the 10th birthday of Bob Tickler’s godson. His mother took the bill for food whilst we shared the drinks. The lunch menu was £33 for 2 courses. The fish is sourced from Cornwall. I had a John Dory in a rich lobster sauce which was delicious.

There was only one blemish, the serving of the wine.

The Cornish champagne was poured with a tasting soupçon for the guest who ordered it. He had to get hold of the waiter to pour the rest into his glass. An over priced Sauvignon Blanc, the Greywacke, was shown and then the waiter disappeared with it. Another in our party had to chase the waiter to get him to pour it.

The other advantage of hotel dining as I esperienced in my misspent youth  is you are never very far from a bedroom!!!