Since opening over a decade ago, Novikov Restaurant & Bar has become a Mayfair stalwart: a place to see and be seen. Located in a prominent corner building on Berkeley Street, a stone’s throw from The Ritz, Novikov Restaurant and Bar has become a firm celebrity favorite, patronized by everyone from royalty to Hollywood stars, including Tom Cruise, Prince Harry, Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Novak Djokovic.
The reason Novikov Restaurant & Bar has become so popular with the in crowd is that it combines a superlative culinary offering that experiments with textures, flavors and the freshest ingredients, with an incomparably bijou atmosphere. Set across three floors, the venue’s gorgeous interiors are the work of Geometry Design, overseen by Keir Townsend Project Managers. Novikov is divided into two distinct dining areas: an Asian Restaurant that specializes in Chinese and Pan Asian cuisine on the ground floor and an Italian Restaurant that offers regional Italian fare with a contemporary twist upstairs. Both restaurants boast spectacular arrays of freshly caught fish and vegetables displayed bountifully from one of the open-plan kitchens to the other, harvested directly from Novikov’s proprietary two-acre Victorian walled garden at Brent Eleigh Hall in Suffolk. There is in addition a standalone Lounge Bar on the floor below the Asian restaurant, which has become a must-visit destination with its extensive cocktail menu, live music, and performances by some of the world’s top DJs. The Lounge Bar is furnished with an eclectic collection of objects from different countries and periods. Antiques are juxtaposed with contemporary furniture; Asian accessories sit next to classical chandeliers and brightly coloured velvets contrast with antique leather.
My husband and I visit the Asian Restaurant on a Friday night in mid-October, and the atmosphere when we arrive is electric, full of glamorous-looking couples and elegantly dressed groups and even some families. The cool granite walls complement the striking lacquered ebony bar-counter, which is decorated with a jade stone. The materials used throughout – wood, stone, and leather, are all natural, and are offset by subtle features such as a wall of cracked stone and bamboo chandeliers. A key feature of the Asian Restaurant is its open kitchen. The amazing display of seafood and produce is reminiscent of an Asian food market.
Our table, which is equidistant from the kitchen and the windows at the front, is a perfect perch from which to people watch. A friendly waiter hands us our menus, which are stunningly expansive. The front of the menu leaves almost no Pan Asian or Chinese dish overlooked, including favourites such as Crispy California Caviar rolls, Novikov Black Cod and Lobster Yuzu dim sum. The reverse of the menu is dedicated to the Fish Market options. There is no question that this a menu for deep pockets. Standouts include Whole Crab for £1000 and Novikov Wagyu Sando premium sushi for £85.
After much deliberation and consultation with our patient and very well-informed waiter, my husband and I opted for an all-encompassing approach, trying as many different parts of the menu as possible. We whet our appetites with the Wakame Salad, which was superb, and elegantly garnished with some dried seaweed. Edamame came next: warmed to perfection and served with a scattering Maldon Sea Salt Flakes on top. We shared two types of sushi rolls: California (which were perfection), and Rishi Rolls. The latter were vegetarian, containing freshly roasted pepper (still warm when served) and avocado. The tangy crunchiness of the pepper was offset delightfully by the cool, creamy avocado, and this was one of our favorite dishes of the evening.
We shared some shiitake dumplings, which were outstanding, and topped with a dusting of nutritional yeast, which enhanced the loamy earthiness of the mushrooms. The Novikov Black Cod was mouthwateringly delicious: the fish was tender, sweet and succulent: this is surely the benchmark for miso black cod dishes everywhere. We also enjoyed some grilled asparagus, which was perfectly al dente and served with a sweet soy sauce, and some wonderfully unctuous aubergine sauteed in ginger spring onion glaze. On the recommendation of our waiter, we ordered the Porcini & Truffl eKamameshi, which was a rich, tasty (and filling) rice hot pot.
In a final burst of decadence, we picked two puddings from the extensive and all-too-tempting dessert menu. My husband almost chose the sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream, but was steered by our knowledgeable waiter toward the hazelnut profiteroles. We were both very glad that he made this decision: the praline cream was utterly sublime, and nicely complemented texturally by some caramelized hazelnuts. I went for the interestingly named ‘Bananas About Cake’, which is an ultra-indulgent dulche de leche lava cake topped with caramel banana and peanut butter crumble, served with salted caramel ice cream – a sort of grown up banoffee pie. It was worth every calorie. As we were leaving, we noticed that a lady on the neighboring table had chosen another unusually named dessert - the ‘Oops! Side Down’, which looked delicious: like a soft serve ice cream in a charcoal cone had collided with some mixed berries on a plate. A good excuse to go back, as if one were needed.
The Novikov name has become a byword for high end dining, with a clientele that includes everyone from Bill Clinton to Naomi Campbell, and justifiably so: it really is a glossy playground of the rich and famous, but its enduring popularity is thanks to the superlative cuisine and ambience it offers to all guests. If you want to enjoy a night out in London with top class food with a great buzz and people watching opportunities galore, Novikov Restaurant & Bar is without a doubt the place to go.
50A Berkeley St, London W1J 8HA
+44(0)20 7399 4330
Reservations@novikovrestaurant.co.uk
