Created by DaeWha Kang Design the pavilion housing Cafe Laperouse is quite the architectural statement
What do we need to know about Café Lapérouse?
This is the first London opening for the Moma Group who own both Lapérouse and Café Lapérouse in Paris. The former has been a stalwart of the Parisian dining scene since the 18th century and was the first restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars back in 1933. Café Lapérouse is the diffusion brand, if you like, with branches in Paris, Saudi, Miami and St Tropez.
Here at The OWO there's a mix of both with the Café taking over the pavilion in the courtyard of The OWO and Lapérouse being represented by an inner salon called Salon Orient.
So it's a restaurant of two parts?
It's actually three (we'll come to the third bit later on). Lapérouse is only open for dinner so if you're coming here for breakfast or lunch then you'll definitely be in the Café section. This is where the bar is too.
Where is it?
The main entrance is from The OWO's courtyard so you're better off coming in directly from Horse Guards Avenue rather than through the Raffles hotel entrance on Whitehall. The entrance is via the Café section, which is that space-age glass pavilion at the front (see the photo above). Once in the cafe, you can get into the Salon Orient through a doorway at the back.
The nearest tube station is Embankment which is barely a five-minute walk away.
The cocktail offering is strong here - our Sidecar might have been a bit on the small side, but it was perfectly executed.
Where should we sit?
Having seen all three parts, we'd definitely say that the Salon Orient is the most atmospheric part of the offering. The ruby-hued dining room is lit by crystal chandeliers and candlelight and there's a pianist in here doing classical takes on songs by The Killers and Amy Winehouse, so it's quite the vibe.
The one place we think you probably should avoid is the third section we mentioned. That's "Lobby Orient" which is a kind of halfway house between both the elements and looked a bit like sitting in the corridor.
The Salon Orient is a super place for more intimate parties and would be an excellent spot for a date. That's a guy on a piano at the back by the way, not someone on their computer.
What's on the menu?
Think French classics with a distinct focus on luxe ingredients, so you should expect to find plenty of dishes with lobster, truffle and caviar on offer.
Here's what we had to give you an idea;
Homemade duck foie gras, citrus chutney (£32) - a really very good foie terrine.
Potato charlotte with caviar (£68) - a signature dish from the original restaurant this features a timbale of warm potatoes topped with their own caviar and is every bit as lovely as that sounds.
Corn-fed chicken breast with cream and morels and pommes puree (£32) - almost worth ordering for the mash alone.
Tagliolini with blue lobster, broccolini and tomato confit, bisque sauce (£59) - served tableside, this may be pricey but they were very generous with the lobster and the pasta was perfectly al dente.
Room for dessert?
You could end your meal here one of three ways, cheese, patisserie or desserts. We opted to share one of the original Laperouse's classic patisserie options.
White vanilla cake (£16) - a towering slice of patisserie that managed to be incredibly light and rich at the same time, topped off with some fabulous soft meringue.
Overall thoughts:
Cafe Laperouse could so easily be a case of style over substance but, based on our visit, the food here can be pretty good. Service however was a bit all over the place, so that's one area that needs some improvement. And while it's going to be a pretty punchy meal price-wise (unless you opt for a light lunch), if you're looking for somewhere to enjoy premium gossip with a friend or take that date to the next level then the Salon is a rather sexy place to book.
More about Café Lapérouse
Where is it? Courtyard, The Old War Office – OWO, 7 Horse Guards Ave, London SW1A 2EX
How to book: Book online.
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @cafelaperouse.london
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Café Lapérouse. Prices correct at time of publication.
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