Amidst all of the recent hype about the reopening of The Savoy and the opening of Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental, it’s interesting to see that the re-emergence of the Four Seasons on Park Lane and the inception of its star restaurant Amaranto have gone almost unheralded. Part of this is a certain lack of big ‘da-dah!’ publicity that the other hotels have in spades; without a reality TV series or arguably the world’s most famous chef to hang the reopening on, it has to be judged entirely on its merits. Which, thankfully, are considerable enough to make this well worth a visit.
The first thing that you notice is Pierre-Yves Rochon’s design, which resembles an unlikely but rather beguiling cross between a Far Eastern tea palace and an Edwardian bordello. If you’re a fan of red velvet, then you’re going to be in seventh heaven. The cocktails at the adjoining bar are excellent; a novel twist on an iced tea involving gin was a perfect pre-dinner aperitif and sets up the meal splendidly.
Under executive chef Adriano Cavagnini, who attracted much acclaim for his tenure at the Eden Hotel in Rome, the menu does not attempt to reinvent the wheel but instead concentrates on a range of traditional Italian specialities, beautifully cooked and stylishly presented. A starter of rabbit ravioli is perfectly light and tender, and a main course of veal is every bit as delectably cooked as you’d hope for. My date’s sea bass, meanwhile, had her using distinctly Italian expressions of pleasure at the subtle, clean flavours that it embodied so beautifully.
However the reason why this seems likely to become a great favourite with diners is more to do with the quite stunning 250-bottle strong wine list, ranging from regions all over Italy, from Piedmont to Sicily. They’re on display in the bar in stunning glass-walled splendour, and, best of all, it’s possible to order any bottle on the list, provided that you have a minimum of two glasses; hardly much of an obligation. A quite exquisite Italian Riesling was a highlight, but then it’s easy to get carried away with such an eclectic and well-chosen selection. Our sommelier, Jack, proved a more than usually helpful and accommodating guide.
There’s no doubt that Amaranto faces some tough competition in the comparatively rarefied world of big-money fine dining. However, there’s equally no doubt that it’s doing what it sets out to do very, very well indeed. In the very near future, this is going to be one of London’s premier eateries.
Hamilton Place, Park Lane, W1.
www.fourseasons.com/london/amaranto
