It’s always a gamble when one of your favorite chefs opens a restaurant aboard. I’m a huge fan of Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich and Osteria Mozza is one of my favorite restaurants. I had a dinner at Osteria Mozza Singapore in January was so disappointed, I have not returned to the original location, despite the fact they amazing burrata they serve that I often dream about.
Other restaurants translate more successfully. Matsuhisa is my favorite restaurant in LA and I have had excellent meals at several satellites of the Nobu Empire: Nobu at The Shore Club in Miami, at Nobu Hong Kong at the Intercontinental, as well Nobu at the Crown Melbourne and I am particularly fond of Nobu’s London restaurants on Old Park Lane and Berkeley Street.
When I arrived at 45 Park Lane I learned at the Wolfgang Puck had chosen the stylish newly opened hotel to be the home of his first restaurant abroad. It’s inspired location, and interesting choice to open an outlet of his sophisticated Beverly Hills his steak house on Hyde Park Corner.
The flowers at CUT London
Truth be told, I don’t love CUT Beverly Hills and the reason isn’t the food (it’s very good). I find the setting a bit cold. The décor at the Beverly Hills location feels like your dining at an agent’s office. Perhaps the perfect vibe for a power lunch, but not my taste. So I was immediately impressed with the warm tones of the room of CUT London at 45 Park Lane. The warm gold tones are welcoming.
Butter Lettuce Salad
At lunch, CUT offers a 3 course set called On The Hour for £55 including two glasses of wine. Pricey, yes, but not outrageously so for the neighborhood. The lunch menu features the same farm-to-table ingredients as the dinner menu, just in lighter portions. I started with the Butter Lettuce Salad, with Avocado, Shropshire Blue Cheese, and Champagne-Herb Vinaigrette. This salad was so beautiful (topped with a gorgeous edible flower) and perfectly dressed that I even considered ordering another one from room service for dinner, and now regret not doing so.
A selection of mustards including violet mustard came with my petit filet
My entrée was the 6 oz filet, which I asked for prepared medium and was served perfectly cooked and finished on their 1200 degree broiler. Served along side were several mustards (including violet mustard, which was unusual but pleasant) and the best sauce was the Argentinean Chimichurri which is CUT is known for. On the side I had more than ample portion of hand cut French fries (not sure why they weren’t called chips) with herbs and sauces. They were deliciously crispy and golden and plentiful- I couldn’t come close to finishing the order.
The banana cream pie I got for desert. Yummy!
For dessert, I had Banana Cream Pie, with a 10 Year Chocolate Sauce and Butterscotch Gelato. The portion size was perfect and absolutely delicious, and a nice modern twist on the classic.
The service was great and friendly and the staff very helpful and, I had noticed, rather attractive.
The lunch crowd was a good mix of business people and couples and didn’t feel formal or stuffy. It was elegantly refined and and I left satifised but not stuffed. I should, however, have ordered that salad from room service- the CUT kitchen provides all the room service meals in 45 Park Lane.