Mayfair lacks neither glamorous restaurants nor private members clubs. Into the fray comes the Twenty-Two, located – you’ve guessed it – at 22 Grosvenor Square. Tucked into a listed Edwardian building, there is a restaurant upstairs and club below. There are also rooms to stay. It is a welcome addition to the existing plethora of similar nearby options but could be summarised more as accomplished than ground-breaking.
The team behind the Twenty-Two has good pedigree, with the backers having been involved in the Chiltern Firehouse and the chefs having worked previously at the now sadly missed Picture. They have also made decked the dining space out wonderfully. Sitting here feels wonderfully calm and comforting. There are plush gold chairs in which to sink, beautiful pale blue walls and a centrepiece fireplace with gilt mirror above. Think of the venue as somewhere that could work both for business meals and romantic encounters.
There is a strong Mediterranean influence on the menu at the Twenty-Two, even if the team does try and play to its British heritage wherever possible. Devonshire crab sits comfortably alongside sea bass crudo. Similarly, for mains diners could choose between pasta al limone or Dover sole. This being Mayfair, the latter will set you back £59 – hardly a bargain by any standards. A truffled roast chicken (admittedly intended for sharing) costs a mere £90. Nice margins for the venue.
Our group of four kept it relatively simple and non-extravagant with our choices. I went burrata for starter. It was well executed, with the cheese pairing off beautifully against tomatoes which actually tasted as if they were harvested from somewhere in the sun. One of my dining comrades chose as his opener grilled tiger prawns with seaweed butter, an impressive visual and taste composition. For the mains, I was delighted with the way in which my octopus dish with white beans was presented (see picture) even if the taste didn’t quite live up to expectations. Others’ choices of burger and steak were solid, but little more. When it comes to wine, choose carefully, since there are few value options on the menu. Our Rhone red was again decent, but broadly in-line with expectations. There will always be a market for places like the Twenty-Two, but there is no scope for complacency with so many rivals nearby.