Malmaison London
When Malmaison opened its seventh hotel in London's Charterhouse Square in November the location, on the edge of the City, close to Smithfield Market and plenty of lunching suits, cried out for hearty, meaty classics.
"We get lots of business lunches, lots of men," confirms 30-year-old head chef John Woodward, "and as a result we sell lots of côte de boeuf." The 360g piece of Scottish beef (£21.50) appears in the grill section of the menu and, unlike many of his British contemporaries, Woodward leaves the marrow in the bone.
"We are trying to go back to proper brasserie cooking," he explains. "People would expect the marrow in France, so why not here?" Post-BSE, why not indeed - and the punters are obviously keen. "We are about to swap to a new winter menu, and that is one dish that will definitely be staying," Woodward adds.
This selection of "proper brasserie" classics may not be ground-breaking, but Woodward and Malmaison reckon they are giving the customers what they want: simple, honest and attractive food that hasn't been messed about with - dishes such as a starter of eggs Benedict (£6.50) and, on the incoming menu, salt cod brandade (£6.50). "These dishes appeal to everybody. They are dishes that will be around in 10 or 20 years and beyond," Woodward says.
That said, customers have not been shying away from Woodward's less familiar offering of beetroot and tongue salad (£5.95). The tongue is cooked in boiling water with lots of vinegar, then in vegetable stock with mirepoix and bouquet garni, before the skin is removed and the delicate flesh thinly sliced. The beetroot is roasted in foil with shallots, garlic and thyme, plus some roasted and peeled walnuts "for crunch".
The Malmaison menu is largely designed by the group's executive chef, Keith Shearer, but for Woodward and his fellow head chefs across the company there is freedom to tweak dishes - or to add one or two of their own. The tongue salad, for instance, is Woodward's. "At least a third of the dishes end up being my own," he says. There is also a daily plat du jour to create, typically devised with the help of one of his six chefs.
Mains include classics such as grilled lemon sole (£19.50) - straight out of Escoffier with, naturally, lobster butter and turned potatoes - or, on the new menu, French country favourites such as cassoulet (£13.75) made with pork belly as well as the sausage and white beans, and cooked and served in individual pots for a rustic feel.
Woodward served an apprenticeship under Jacques Rolancy at the London Hilton and says he developed a love of unpretentious French food when he worked at the Canteen in Chelsea Harbour. And, as he loves simple food, he is also a fan of simple presentation. "We don't play around with the food; we don't touch it too much."
Woodward believes that an unfussy approach, coupled with consistent standards, will mop up much of the area's trade. "I've been to some of the well-known restaurants near here and been disappointed," he says.
So far, so good. Average spend for two courses at lunch (when the brasserie is at its busiest) is about £30 - including wine from the reasonably priced and concise list - moving up slightly for dinner. At breakfast and dinner the hotel's guests make up most of the clientele. "We don't do room service, so I like to think of it more as a brasserie with rooms," laughs Woodward.
Brasserie de Malmaison, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6AH, Tel: 020 702 3700
what's on the menu
Bayonne ham, celeriac r‚moulade and white truffle, £6.50
Chestnut and celery soup, £4.95
Thyme-roasted pigeon, £7.50
Monkfish with Jerusalem artichoke pur‚e, roasted salsify and mustard cream, £14.95
Châteaubriand b‚arnaise (for two), roasted winter vegetables, pommes fondant, £36.95
Darne of Orkney salmon, £11.95
Brioche bread and butter pudding, £5.50
Chocolate fondant, £5.50
Selection of French and British farmhouse cheeses, £5.50
Chef's cheat
When you want to crisp up the skin of confit duck but don't want the meat to dry out, cut a large raw potato in half, put that in the oven and then place the duck on top of it. The moisture from the potato stops the meat from drying out - and the same potato can be used more than once.
