The Cavendish

Lovely evening,sat at an outdoor table, very enjoyable food, welcoming , helpful friendly staff.

I have reviewed The Cavendish several times before most notably in its last iteration when El Bulli trained chef Alfonso Lillo Fas offered classic  French, Italian and Spanish dishes with formal service, linen and a tableside Crepes Suzette that was pure theatre. With an interior that is a fusion between a masculine 1940s club and contemporary Soho, The Cavendish feels warm and comfortable without being overly stylised. The newly appointed Italian head chef, Douglas Santi, has some serious form initially working under gastro-god and  Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse and then as head chef of the award-winning Italian eatery Babbo in Mayfair.  With Douglas and a new general manager leading the charge The Cavendish is going for a more informal atmosphere now with a modern European and produce-led approach serving all-day brunch, lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Suppliers include butcher Audrey Allen, the Queen’s butcher and local cheese specialists La Fromagerie. I had been invited to sample dishes from the new menu with a cheery band of bloggers and things warm up quickly after a Negroni Sbagliato or two (the delicious younger lighter sibling of the classic Italian cocktail made with Prosecco replacing the gin as the medium for blending the Campari and sweet vermouth).

One of the most hardest things these days for a restaurant is not being that new restaurant on the block, word spreads quickly – but it’s change. New décor, new staff or a new chef – it’s hard work getting that word on the street, especially as so many reviews and articles about you in your old form are already spread across the internet. The Cavendish is one of those restaurants. The venue first opened late 2014 with a menu focusing on modern, European dishes with punchy flavour. I visited just a couple of months after its opening and personally I loved it, but was it offering something which you couldn’t find elsewhere? Probably not. But now that has all changed with a new head chef at its helm, his name – Douglas Santi. As you’ll soon discover, this is a chef who knows his food and importantly compliments the already delicious cocktails created in the well stocked bar on the ground floor.

This is a trendy place to come to. The offering for veggies is not very big. Cheese platter and salads are good. The service is also helpful and friendly staff.

For mains, I was unprepared for the sheer size of my Pan-Fried Dover Sole. The waiter brought it on the bone so I could survey the presentation, before stripping it for me to eat. It was cooked to perfection with the lemon and saffron sauce really sinking into the white meat and bringing out a lovely flavour. It was served with creamy desiree potatoes and spinach, which are two of my favourite vegetables so I was pretty happy

I seem to be writing endless reviews for new restaurants in Marylebone at the moment. I can easily understand the nether ending supply of openings in say somewhere cool and hip such as Soho - but Marylebone? Walking around this part of town in the last year and you'll notice things have changed considerably. A vast array of new restaurants all varying in cuisine and a huge influx of burger joints - but when it comes to bars, things have stayed the same. Marylebone is still yet to get any kind of speakeasy or luxury bar (unless we're including those located in a hotel). At least not until now anyway. The newest arrival, The Cavendish has everything under one roof - a luxurious white linen adorned restaurant upstairs, and a swanky cocktail bar with all the trimming downstairs. With that said we delved straight in to the cocktail menu and order an espresso martini laced with cardamom. it packed a good punch, had nice rounded flavours but the crushed ice filling the glass up was not completely to our tastes. But for £10 this wasn't bad as pricing goes, especially in the part of town.

The Cavendish sits on the former site of  which was up until last year, The Fat of The Land. It was a sort of pub serving tapa style dishes, derived from across the globe it seemed. I'd been a couple of times for a glass of wine and catch up with friends but rarely was I excited by it, so I hate to admit, I was slightly filled with joy when I heard it had closed. I had no idea what to expect from the newest instalment here, but it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise from start, right through to finish. Cocktails down the hatch we moved our way on to the starters and first out was this vibrant and fresh burrata, heritage tomatoes and parma ham. Classically presented but every ingredient was as fresh as one could hope and while everything on the plate was simple, it screamed quality. That burrata was on another level.

One dish that really stole the limelight was this gorgeous carabinero prawn risotto, which at £16.50 for a starter size is certainly commanding a high price - but one spoonful of it and you'll realise it's worth every penny. If you've not had a carabinero prawn before, then make it your mission to do so. It's so large, full of flavour and respected as one of the best examples from top chefs around the globe you shouldn't even treat it as a prawn, instead like something so much more. Described as a light bisque broth on the menu, it's actually rather more intense then it lets on. A lightly oily layer, a good amount of seasoning and the most beautiful and perfectly cooked risotto. This dish is Incredibly rich so expect it all to spend moments in the mouth, but no doubt a lifetime on the hips.

When it comes to my tuna, I'm an extremely fussy person - I like it to be a perfectly cooked medium-rare, cut through with ease, have a delicate, yet rich flavour and most importantly - expertly seasoned. Here The Cavendish got incredibly close to perfection which left us salivating. To hunky chunks of tuna steaks which were so tender you could have simply torn each apart with your fingers. Lashings of olive oil, gorgeous roasted baby leeks and a salty salsa verde. This dish has just about everything going for it and indulgent as it is, still manages to remain healthy - until you match it with their oh so cheesy mac 'n' cheese that is and some fried zucchini.

One thing I've been seeing a lot of lately is veal chops. I've eaten them countless times over the months recently and to see the sheer size of these chops is something everyone should be seeking out when dining in London these days - they truly are spectacular. Here it was no exception, although I much prefer the chop to arrive whole, it' always much more imposing and a great talking piece to wonder how anyone would manage to finish it alone (we did of course). The sauce in which this delicious chop was bathed and glazed in had a sweetness to it and flavour which I couldn't quite put my finger on, yet the unknown didn't distract us from every tender bite we put in to our mouths, of course.

Creme Catalana is a variant of the classic creme brulee and is perhaps the best example of this simple, yet satisfying dessert. So many places manage to still get this dessert wrong, whether it's because the custard is too thin and watery, or simply the burnt sugar on top isn't crisp and burnt enough. There was no sign of runny custard or limp topping here, it was quite simply faultless and its large portion size meant for a long affair which we was hoping would never end. The custard was full of zesty flavour and that topping - incredibly crunchy.

Full, drunk and wanting our afternoon nap by this point we still had room for one final, and refreshing dessert. From the menu it sounded rather simple but this pineapple ravioli was the perfect way to end a meal, dripping in its own ripe juices. Button done back up we stumbled down the stairs and back into the cold, only wishing we could curl up in one of the cosy corners in the downstairs bar. The Cavendish is a far cry from what used to be here on this site and a much welcomed addition to Marylebone. My advice, book now before everyone finds out about this hidden little gem.

An amazing experience! I'll make this my go-to place in London and gladly recommend it to others. The complimentary upgrade to a connected room was a pleasant surprise. The location is fantastic, with all of London within walking distance, and it's in a very safe neighborhood. The cleanliness is decent, but occasionally, there's an unpleasant smell after the room is serviced. Also, the room appears smaller than in the images.

The Cavendish, hidden in the maze of Marylebone streets. An anonymous offering of keg beers (there are no labels on the two groups of fonts). I guess identities of the beers live on a menu somewhere. Nothing I could see for the cask lovers. A simple street corner pub with lovely staff in a very peaceful environment. Be happy to call this venue sweet but limited. The staff alone get the fourth star. I bought my most expensive "Washing up" lager of the day, indeed ever in a London pub at £8.16 a pint, called Harbour, hopefully protects you from the worst storm!! It is an enjoyable place to spend an hour or two.

Best pub in London! Amazing establishment with great interiors, wonderful cocktail bar upstairs and a great selection of food and drinks. The cheeseburger is amazing and they have Kirin on tap. Karolina and the rest of the team are so accommodating. Never met anyone that pours a better pint than Mike. Anna and Vicki are so attentive and San always makes sure that you never have an empty glass. Couldn’t recommend more highly.

Delicious food with various options to choose from. The presentation of the dishes is lovely. The ambiance is welcoming, and the clientele is delightful. The staff is friendly and always helpful. Additionally, it's dog-friendly with a dedicated menu for your furry companions.

Had a great time at The Cavendish, came round on a Sunday so got the opportunity to try the Sunday roast which was delicious. This paired with the amazing service I received from Mya made for a delightful lunch. Will definitely be back.