Shard to Beat: Brunch Above the London Skyline
Last weekend I was invited to brunch at Aqua Shard, and the lift doors had barely opened on Level 31 of The Shard before the view had my full attention.
Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and the Thames curling away into the distance make for a hard backdrop to compete with, but the staff more than held their own. Friendly, attentive and happy to accommodate, they kept the morning relaxed from start to finish.
Flipping Marvellous
I began with the fluffy pancakes, golden and light, which set an indulgent tone. The steak was my choice of main and did not disappoint, cooked just as I like it and full of flavour.
By then I was comfortably full, so a dessert was shared between us: the Seven Veils Cake, a rich Guanaja chocolate mousse with feuilletine crunch, brightened by yuzu gel and hazelnut ice cream. It was the ideal way to end the meal.
Good Things Come to Those Who Source
Beyond the setting, Aqua Shard has built its reputation on British provenance.
This year the restaurant has put the producers, fishermen and growers behind modern British cooking front and centre, changing the menu monthly so that dishes follow what its suppliers have at their best.
Bethnal Green Fish Supplies, a family run London business, and Smith & Brock provide the fish.
Aubrey Allen supplies the meat, including Wyndford Wagyu Farm, and The Wild Room delivers mushrooms and herbs foraged in the UK.
A Sea Change on the Menu
The current seasonal menu leans towards the water, and it is all the better for it. Poached Portland crab arrives with chilli, finger lime and pineapple purée, finished with a crab jelly, while the roasted wild halibut comes with braised white asparagus, Irish seaweed relish and fish roe velouté.
Elsewhere you will find grilled and glazed octopus with cod roe emulsion, and wild Cornish sea bass with roasted violet artichoke and black olive crumb.
Shaken, Stirred and Slightly Showing Off
For a night when brunch will not quite do, the newly launched Skyline Martini Experience is worth noting.
Created with Beluga Vodka and part of the restaurant's British Icons collection, it can be booked from 31st August and runs from Monday 7th September.
Your martini is prepared at the table, with a choice of garnish, whether a lemon peel, an olive or a pearl onion for a Gibson, and the eternal question of shaken or stirred left entirely to you.
It arrives with Oscietra caviar, taken caviar bump style from the back of the hand, and the warm, buttery roe against the crisp, chilled vodka is a pairing that suits a room this far above the city.
Last Orders, First Class
Whether it is a weekend brunch, a dinner built around the best of British produce or a martini with a skyline view, Aqua Shard offers a distinctly British take on fine dining, in one of the most memorable settings London has to offer.
To find out more and book a table, visit www.aquashard.co.uk.
