In Review: HIDE

The Basics

Address: HIDE restaurant, 85 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NB

020 3146 8666

https://hide.co.uk/

A Snapshot

We were lucky enough to try Hide Restaurant overlooking Green Park in June, on a beautiful almost-summer’s evening. Upon entrance to the restaurant which had the biggest door I have ever seen(!), we were met by warm and welcoming hosts and were shown to our table straight away. We had a window seat and we enjoyed watching the world go by.

The Food

Initially we were given the menu, which was beautifully presented, and the wine list which was on an iPad (save the trees!). We decided to order two glasses of champagne – these were poured at the table straight into our wine glasses – sadly the champagne didn’t last long… must have been a hole in both of our glasses!

The menu was fantastic and had a wide variety of dishes, including fish, meat and vegan and veggie options. We ordered the must-have breadbasket to start with whilst we poured over the menu trying to decide what to order – a difficult decision as everything looked incredible. Bread included Dorset buttermilk sourdough, fennel focaccia, fried bread, and baguette. These were all freshly made and cooked onsite, served warm alongside the best butter we have ever had, hands down! We were in bread heaven.

We then opted for a chicken liver parfait and soft-shell crab tempura to share for our starters. This was followed with a couple of the best oysters we have EVER experienced – meaty and served with a sharp vinaigrette and fresh lemon. We have not stopped thinking about these since we left the restaurant! The parfait was a smooth mousse served alongside brioche and a fig and hibiscus jam. It was incredibly rich but light at the same time and served on a large leaf. The crab was presented beautifully on hot stones as if walking across the seabed. It was crispy and the Thai basil puree provided a welcomed freshness against the tempura. We scored the starters 4 stars with special mention to the oysters.

On to the main course, we decided to share again, ordering the barbequed octopus, which was purple in colour, served with a beautiful crispy quinoa mixed with pomegranate seeds and roasted pistachio’s. When the dish arrived, the waiter poured a bright green feta and basil dressing through the middle of the plate which added a little excitement. You can tell a lot of thought has gone into crafting a menu that is not only delicious but also works hard to bring the very best of nature and the outdoors to your plate and the earthy feel of the interior design. Our second main was a Chilean seabass which had a plum wine sauce. This again was poured at the table by our waiter and the fish was cooked to perfection. It was meaty and well flavoured, served with wilted spinach and peas – delightful! Both mains were beautifully presented with edible flowers and looked almost too good to eat – we couldn’t wait to tuck in!

Being self-proclaimed obsessive coffee aficionados, we skipped dessert and ordered macchiatos from their curated coffee menu instead. This was diverse, with some exciting and rare options to choose from. The coffees arrived beautifully presented, delicious and served at the ideal temperature. It was the perfect end to a perfect meal really.

The Venue

The décor is modern, and they’ve done a wonderful job of bringing the outdoors in – taking inspiration from nearby Green Park. This theme is continued throughout the menu. We must give a massive shout out to the wait staff: they were warm, welcoming and attentive but unobtrusive from start to finish.

In Summary

A meal that won’t be forgotten…

Author Tiger Contributor Tiger Recruitment Team