The dining room at Ormer in Mayfair
What's the story with Ormer?
This hotel restaurant has been around since 2016. When it first opened in London it was the sibling restaurant to Ormer in Jersey, then run by Shaun Rankin. Since then, it's had a number of chefs in the kitchen, but the only one you need to concern yourself with is the current one, Sofian Msetfi, whose work has just won the restaurant its first Michelin star.
Sofian's been in charge since 2021 having trained at Adare, The Hand and Flowers and Midsummer House before that. It was his idea for the hotel to acquire its own kitchen garden out in Essex. That's producing much of its vegetables and salads and Michelin praised his menu for its "carefully constructed dishes using classic combinations, that are lifted to a new level by hints of originality." Our meal here proved that's only scratching the surface of what this restaurant is doing right now.
Where is it?
You'll find it downstairs at Fleming's hotel in the heart of Mayfair. There aren't many family-owned hotels left in central London (The Goring is another) and this elegant townhouse now has a destination restaurant to its name.
The Michelin man watches over the restaurant at Ormer
Where should we meet for a drink first?
There is a decent-sounding cocktail bar here, Manetta's, which we didn't get around to trying on our visit. Another good bet for a pre-dinner drink would be to head to nearby Shepherd Market which has plenty of decent pubs and wine bars to hit up first.
So what's on the menu?
This is a fine dining affair - so we're going full tablecloths, wine pairing and all manner of additional dishes and flourishes. We opted for what is genuinely a bargain in this part of town, the five-course tasting menu for £79. There's also a seven-course tasting menu for £115 and pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan versions are all available too.
Here's a look at what that involves.
As with any good Michelin-level menu, dinner here starts with a parade of inventive canapes. There was a Duck liver and fig leaf tart, a teeny crumpet with English crème fraiche and n25 beluga caviar and this absolute belter of a canape.
Beignet of veal osso bucco with a smoked onion emulsion and garden herbs - every single bit as good as both the description and hopefully our photo suggests.
Waldorf 'salad' - A set Roquefort cream with candied walnuts, muscat grapes and a celery consommé made with their own garden celery. The essence of the salad in another form.
This was followed by the single best thing we've eaten in London in ages.
Even before it arrived at the table, our sommelier told us that it was a dish that would 'mess with your mind', having proved to be an extremely tricky thing to find a pairing for. This is a reason alone why you should be booking your dinner at Ormer right now.
Warm Iberico ham jelly with Parmesan, Bramley apple and nasturtium leaves. That's right. A jelly that's warm. We don't even understand how that's possible, but this intensely meaty morsel was memorably good.
Cured Cornish mackerel with sesame and kombu in a spiced nage
The tenderest milk-fed pyrenees lamb, served with cucumber, lime and lettuce with a lamb shoulder and merguez ragout
Room for dessert?
As you'll be expecting from a Michelin fine dining restaurant, the dessert is only the jumping-off point for the final flurries of service, ending with some stellar petit fours.
Tuma yellow Nicaraguan chocolate mille-feuille with brown butter and a scoop of Tahitian vanilla ice cream
Lemon meringue pate de fruit which is given a blowtorched finish in front of you - we love a bit of tableside theatre.
Is the wine pairing worth having?
Any reason that allows you more time with Ormer's wonderful sommelier Pietr Sikorski should be seized with both hands. His pairing, which included some revelatory bottles, such as a Koshu from Japan's oldest winery, were presented with pitch-perfect enthusiasm.
Sommelier Pietr kicking things off with Champagne.
Anything else we should know?
Yes, if you're coming here for a date and want a particularly cute semi-private space to eat, there is this lovely space off the main dining room that you can book.
The semi-private dining space at Ormer.
Overall thoughts:
If it's not already crystal clear by now, then let us spell it out for you - Ormer is a standout restaurant experience.
It's always lovely dining at a restaurant that's just had a Michelin star bestowed upon it, and the staff at Ormer couldn't have been more delighted at the recognition of their hard work. Faultless yet friendly service and wonderfully inventive food at what is genuinely a standout bargain for a Michelin-starred meal in Mayfair - what more could you want?
More about Ormer by Sofian
Where is it? Flemings Mayfair, 7-12 Half Moon St, 7-12 Half Moon St, London W1J 7BH
How to book: Details
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Ormer. Prices correct at time of publication.
Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners
