If London’s outstanding restaurants have one deficiency, it’s that the quality of seafood that you get in many of the top places in town isn’t as stunning as it could be. Not that such delights as black cod at Nobu or lobster ravioli at Gordon Ramsay aren’t legendary, but there’s a slight sense when you go to many of the capital’s venues that you’d be better off with the more traditional pleasures of beast and field, rather than the more complex joys of the river and sea. Compared to, say, Paris or Venice, this can be a mildly frustrating experience.
It’s therefore a particular pleasure when visiting Knightsbridge’s One-O-One restaurant to realise that the quite outstanding quality of both the food and its presentation means that a really special fish-oriented restaurant can thrive here. A vast amount of the credit for this has to go to the innovative chef Pascal Proyart, who has been behind the stove for the past decade. Originally hailing from Brittany, Pascal’s particular skill is to avoid modishness and pointless ephemera in favour of high-class ingredients, beautifully cooked, and served in an accessible yet exciting style.
On a recent visit, my ever-glamorous blonde companion and I started with a beautifully considered dish of oysters, served conventionally with shallot vinegar, more daringly with yuzu sorbet and vodka and most compellingly as soya-injected baked tempura. The flavour was astonishingly fresh and vivid, without any of the slightly salty fishiness that oysters can sometimes suffer from. This almost ridiculously high standard was maintained beautifully throughout the meal. A starter proper of organic salmon confit with fried quail egg and pork belly saw a delightful mix of contrasts between the flavours, and a main course of slow cooked Arctic cod with chorizo risotto managed the difficult task of making the ingredients interesting and exciting. Desserts are more traditional, but the chocolate brownies with coffee and salt caramel ice cream are easy to recommend.
As you’d expect in a place of this quality, the wine list is extensive and French-oriented, and the extremely helpful sommelier is all too happy to guide you to a glass of something that will compliment your meal beautifully; a rather lovely white Burgundy proved the ideal accompaniment to both my cod and my guest’s sea bass. Those in the know have been patronising this excellent establishment since its foundation, but now the recent flurry of interest arising from Harden’s guide naming it the best fish restaurant in the UK might mean that all curious gourmands would be advised to pay it a visit sooner rather than later.
101 Knightsbridge, London SW1. www.oneoonerestaurant.co.uk
