Pavyllon

An amazing Taste Of Pavyllon set lunch in such a spacious luxurious space. Sitting at the dining counter you see how the chefs prepare food at the large open kitchen and learn how the dishes are put together. One of the best chefs dining counter we've had. Lots of natural light and a focus on comfort we began with an amuse bouche while we choose our starters of Soft Egg, Bluefin Tuna Tartare with a Ginger mayo and a Steamed Comté Cheese Soufflé with Watercress and smoked eel butter. Both delicious dishes. Mains included a perfectly cooked Cornish Lamb Cutlet Cooked Over Fire with a trio of sauces and the exquisite Brown Butter And Lemon Confit Cod served with Cockle, peas and a herbal emulsion. And what a divine mashed potato side dish with nutmeg! For desserts we had the “Not So Classic” Tiramisu with a Cardamom and Mascarpone ice cream and a coffee sauce while my partner had the Salted Chocolate Ganache with Yellow wine iced cream, mushroom extraction and honey. Both perfect. What made this such a memorable visit is the fantastic food and the great interaction with all the team led by Head Chef Benjamin creating a delightful Michelin-starred culinary journey.

Pavyllon is a bit of strange one, seeming to stay somewhat under the radar despite having Yannick Alleno’s name on the door, a chef with 16 Michelin stars to his name (3rd highest of the chefs still living). I have to admit I hadn’t heard much about Yannick myself until coming across Pavyllon. I visited with my wife on a Saturday evening and were one of just two occupied tables upon our early arrival, with the restaurant being perhaps one third full by the time we left, which was during peak dinner hours. Being located within the Four Seasons, the decor was as plush as could be expected. We asked to be seated at the counter and this was quite comfortable. Their counter setup is a bit unusual, being a step further back from the kitchen with the additional strip of space being used by the servers to attend to counter diners. We still had a decent enough view of the kitchen activities but couldn’t really see things in detail. We decided to order a la carte and were advised to choose 2 starters and 1 main per person, which were all served to share upon our request. We tried the tuna tartare, cheese soufflé, beetroot & spinach ravioli and runny yolk ravioli for starters, followed by the Wagyu stroganoff and lamb cutlets for mains. I was not too impressed with the starters, which all felt a bit too ordinary in both taste and presentation, apart from perhaps the tuna tartare which was slightly more enjoyable. The main courses were much better though, and I also enjoyed the signature chocolate soufflé for dessert. Portion sizes were typical for fine dining standards and the generous servings of bread were required as a top up. The end of the meal was a bit too chocolate heavy as after the soufflé, they gave us a complementary chocolate ganache dessert (we were celebrating a birthday) and then a chocolate based petit four. Granted the extras were all freebies but it would have been better to see a bit more variety here. Service was simply outstanding. We really couldn’t have asked for more. Staff were super attentive and with the set up of their counter we were always in direct view of servers who would show up instantly whenever we needed anything. Granted we benefitted from the fact they were very quiet at the time, but this level of service wouldn’t be out of place in a 2 or 3 star establishment. I’d also like to give a shout out to the sommelier who recommended some excellent wines by the glass to go with my meal. The bill for our dinner came to £440 of which £165 was spent on drinks. Overall the food was good rather than great, on this factor alone I’d give them 4 stars, perhaps drifting closer to 3 stars once pricing is taking into account. But the excellent service, nice wines and plush setting (including a nice counter setup) were all positives which helped to make this into a decent meal out. I would conclude that this could be a suitable option if you’ve done the rounds of fine dining in London and are looking for a new venue to try out, or alternatively if you want somewhere easily accessible (available on short notice, open 7 days a week, etc).

I was recently invited to my friends birthday breakfast at Pavyllon London, and it was amazing! The Arabic omelette I had was perfectly cooked, with fluffy eggs and a wonderful balance of spices and herbs that made every bite flavourful and satisfying. My friend loved her shakshouka. The elegant setting and attentive service made it a truly special experience. Highly recommend!