Dinner at Sanderson

Sanderson (without the 'the' apparently) will forever be London's coolest, most instagrammable, and stylish hotel in my mind. During the Summer months, there's no greater place to enjoy a fine meal, than in the hotel's garden courtyard, under heated lamps with a silk pashmina (provided by the restaurant) to wrap around your shoulders as the temperature drops. Serving classic-contemporary dishes in a typical English style, Sanderson is a glamorous but still very relaxed location which has passed the test of time as dining trends come and go in our foodie capital.

So on a balmy evening Charlie and I met at The Long Bar (it's 80ft!) for a cocktail or two before making our way to the restaurant. The surroundings are styled by Ian Schrager and Phillipe Strack - the fun, fabulous and always fashionable interiors of Sanderson are instantly recognisable. With inspiration drawn from Salvador Dali and Alice in Wonderland, the boutique hotel's lobby area is home to oversized lip sofas, a hanging egg chair, and other oversized and unusual artworks.

After finishing our killer cocktails, we ordered from menu which was teeming with fashionable takes on English favourite dishes; Charlie opted for a terrine of Chicken, while I enjoyed a beautifully presented goats cheese, beetroot and walnut salad. We couldn't help but try a taste of each other's starters, following the declarations of how delicious each dish was.

I opted for a slow cooked pork belly main course, served with scallops and a light salad, a dish which  was cooked wonderfully, and the flavour of the pork was like no other pork dish that I'd ever tried. We accompanied our mains with side portions of broccoli, hand cooked fries and a garden salad - perfect for breaking down what could have been quite a heavy but flavoursome main course.

With Rugby the following day, Charlie fuelled up on a perfectly marbled steak (and more fries), which judging from his squeaky clean plate in record time, I'd say he rather enjoyed! He proclaimed that the Bernaise sauce in particular was a highlight, resorting to ordering another pot of it after I couldn't resist dipping my fries in it too!

Throughout the evening the service was excellent, with our waitress offering recommendations, and leaving us the perfect amount of time before tempting us with the dessert menu. Of course, we couldn't refuse. 

A warm chocolate brownie and incredible passion fruit mousse dish later (both absolutely incredible, in fact I may return to Sanderson very shortly just to indulge in a plate of each) and Charlie and I left feeling incredibly satisfied, but not that overly full feeling that you get from a heavy meal. Our evening at Sanderson was the perfect date night; a fabulous location, delicious food and the perfect way to enjoy some time together after a hectic week.

Sanderson Hotel

50 Berners Street

London

W1T 3NG

020 7300 1400

Have you visited Sanderson? What dishes would you recommend?