DECOR OR FOOD?

Meeting up for the first time since lockdown with M&G, we are booked in to the Wolseley.  We had recently read a couple of reviews of the restaurant which were not especially encouraging: this from the Guardian: "People don’t come to the Wolseley for the food." Now while it's certainly true that the dining room is dramatic - high ceilings, massive chandeliers, loads of marble - it's not my number one criterion for choosing somewhere to eat. Owner Jeremy King had also been highly visible on TV recently, arguing about lockdown relaxations and hosting the London Mayor. 

We got there a little early and, after a high-tech temperature check, sat by the bar to wait. Without being summoned, the barman popped up and asked if we'd like a drink. We ordered two glasses of Sauvignon, and he immediately returned with glasses and the bottle (Ardeche Blanc, £28.50), explaining this was their house white wine. We asked to keep the bottle for the table.  

Another non-food treat of the restaurant is celeb-spotting.  On a previous visit,  we'd clocked Michael Parkinson and Melvyn Bragg. This time we see Mr King chatting to two guests, fairly evidently part of the establishment, but not ones we could identify. 

M&G arrive and help us finish off the first bottle of wine. Then we are shown to our table - coincidentally the same one as last time, up on the mezzanine, back left, giving a good view over the assembled diners. Still no celebs. 

Our waiter shares the specials with us - langoustines are "off", the fish of the day is sea trout. The menu is very appealing, much better than we'd expected, though still very "Middle European" with escalopes and choucroute. 

B scored the best dish of the day with her starter Queen scallops oriental. Beautifully presented in their cute little shells on a seafood stand, the nine tiny pieces sat in an oriental, vinegary sauce - effectively a ceviche. Really delicious. I also have scallops but the more standard ones (four) on a shell with mashed potato. G's steak tartare is deemed fine, and M's choice - "croustade" of quail's eggs - is another visual delight. More than that, they are carefully cooked so as to be soft-boiled. 

G had selected a Corbieres (£36), and this was certainly a class ahead of the white. He chose the house special Wiener Holstein (large), the egg a glorious yellow. Shamed to say he couldn't quite finish it. M had the the sea-trout special which came with veg - another colourful dish, which she really enjoyed. B's selection a duck salad - tasty, though she said she could have done with a sharper knife to cut it.  Sticking with the traditional, I went for calves liver and bacon. I know you can get that at your local greasy spoon, but this was certainly a cut above.

We also had some fries, water and coffee, taking the bill to £373 including 15% service, which had been efficient despite us being in a backwater. So not cheap, but it far exceeded the expectations we'd had at the start. Very enjoyable - and the decor was good too.