There's something about eating lunch among the rails of a womenswear department that fails to inspire much culinary excitement. The latest eatery to grace the halls of New Bond Street stalwart, Fenwick, is a beautifully designed pearl of a place, let down only by its designated spot between the Joseph and Max Mara concessions.
Despite the unusual environs, Bond & Brook - a collaborative effort from both Fenwick and Fay Maschler's dining consultancy A Private View - provided everything the discerning diner could require; unfussy and elegant interior decoration from D-Raw, an intelligently edited and fairly priced cocktail list (the gin-sodden Bramble was a revelation) and solid, if pricey, food from head chef Daniel Taylor, who originally worked with Rowley Leigh at Le Café Anglais.
Designed with all day dining in mind - the restaurant shuts up shop with Fenwick at 6.30pm (remarkably early for central London) - breakfast is a good, if busy, time to pop along. The well-stocked menu features everything from the heart clogging croque mademoiselle (a fried egg-topped monsieur) to super-healthy egg white omelettes.
The lunch menu is nothing if not eclectic, we tried the Linguine alle Vongole, whose clams were perfect despite an over-salted sauce; a fragrant Pad Thai, and a sublime special in the shape of grouse breast complete with buttery bread sauce, all of which, when combined with the super-attentive service, impeccable interior design (D-Raw's sculpted central bar is a thing of beauty) and a spot of daytime drinking, makes for a very pleasant lunch indeed.
Bond & Brook is now open at Fenwick Bond Street 63 New Bond Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 1RQ. 020 7629 0273. www.fenwick.co.uk
