 |
| the entrance to hawksmoor guildhall |
i got back to london on sunday night
right in time for kbt’s birthday. now kbt is not a morning person and sure
enough on monday morning he grumbled (carefully under his breath) about having
to wake up. i was very confident though that a birthday breakfast at hawksmoor
guildhall would be worth the early start. in fact so sympathetic were the
reservation staff that they gave me the latest possible breakfast slot for ten
o’clock. kbt was a bit concerned that the lack of other breakfast eaters meant
that something was amiss so i had to explain to him why we were the only other
couple breakfasting at ten o’clock.
kbt’s first request was a filter coffee
that was literally meant to be an ‘eye-opener’ to wash the sleep of his face.
the glass carafes in which the coffee is served are designed by a laboratory
equipment company chemex. it’s exacting hourglass figure is made elegant by a
collar of wood and a leather tie. i loved the smooth bodied yirga cheffe that we started on. o’s choice of
anti-fogmatic marmalade cocktail was helped along by our waitress. as much as i
love delicate cocktails with fruity or bubbly notes, what i was craving was a
hard edged and savoury bloody mary. there is nothing like a well made
bloody mary to mediate a rich breakfast. the number seven has a peppery heat from
the combination of the horseradish infused gin and spice. even o who doesn’t
usually like bloody mary’s really enjoyed it.
 |
| steak, eggs and hash browns fit for a birthday boy |
 |
| omelette arnold bennett |
o had steak and eggs and i was
recommended the omelette arnold bennett whose deceptive description of an
omelette with flaked haddock did well to mask the calorific richness of this
dish. but then those of us who love food know all too well that good food is almost never good for the figure. hawksmoor guildhall breakfasts are for those with
hearty appetites. o’s steak with a little candle for a birthday wish came with
two large fried eggs and thick rounds of hash browns. my omelette came in shallow white ovenware. it’s top of cheese was softened under the grill and rimmed by
liquid butter. there is nothing more lovely than the smell of sharp cheese with
butter. the omelette arnold bennett at hawksmoor is between a soufflé and
scrambled eggs with thick flakes of smoked haddock and cheese. it’s perhaps the
most comfort i’ve seen on a plate and is perfect winter food. the heat of pan
continues to cook the omelette and so you get a lovely variation of textures from
top to bottom. i do think that jay rayner would be pleased with this omelette
arnold bennett given his scathing disappointment of the one he had at the savoy
grill, coincidentally the birthplace of this creamy calorific concoction. this
was the anti-thesis of his description of the savoy grill’s version which i
have reproduced here “omelette arnold bennett – a confection of eggs and smoked
haddock and hard cheese (cheddar or the like) and cream, burnished under the
grill – was invented here for the writer and is less a recipe than an
outrageous idea. it should arrive at the table on the dish upon which it was
grilled, so that you can scrape at the crispiest bits. here they have somehow
managed to replate so it arrives as a desperately clean and tidy disc. it is
too well-mannered, an outrageous concoction that is trying to hide its roots.
it reminds me of woody allen's gag about sex only being dirty when it's done
properly. omelette arnold bennett is only dirty when it's done properly. we are
at its birthplace, and it isn't.”
despite being uncomfortably full o and i
both decided that we couldn’t forgo the marmalade french toast. hawksmoor
guildhall only does breakfast weekdays and we aren't sure when we will get a chance
to come here again. so with that in mind we took the plunge and ordered one to
share. what we got was a light and airy french toast with streaks of marmalade
and a sprinkle of sugar. the french toast is markedly genteel in contrast with
the gutsy breakfasts we had just eaten. it was perhaps the most feminine
element of the day too with a delicacy of appearance and flavour. the
atmosphere here is one for men. in the days when smoking was a sign of
sophistication and not banned this would have been the den of cigar smokers
with glasses of whisky, scotch or port to close a carnivorous feast. the smell
of leather and meat hangs heavy in the air. i think i would have much preferred to be
seated near the bar which is slightly more intimate as it is not as expansive
as the main dining area. service is swift and the staff are friendly and
helpful. in the end o’s birthday turned out to be a birthday of many treats as
our drinks were on the house and our evening was spent drinking many a chai
made naughty with liquer, masala spiked mince pies and turkey raan at dishoom.
if you not working, or have a day of or
better still need a reason to take one, bookmark the breakfast at hawksmoor
guildhall. i’d be surprised if you were disappointed.
 |
| a photograph of the 'hawksmoor at home' cookbook |
No comments:
Post a Comment