Review: Chamberlain’s of London

kiri | 12th August 2015

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By Tom Gatehouse
@tragatehouse
tomgatehouse.com

Leadenhall Market is a thing of beauty. Historically dating back to the 14th century, and beautifully realised in 1881 by Sir Horace Jones, it is still bristling with charm straight out of Victorian London. Some would even say – with its glass ceiling, cobbled streets, and ornate ceramic décor – that it is somewhat magical. The producers of the Harry Potter films certainly thought so, filming some of the now famous Diagon Alley sequences there.

But with the broomsticks and owls now gone, Chamberlain’s of London is once again the main bastion of wonder here among the green, cream and maroon.

A fish restaurant through and through since opening in 2001, Chamberlain’s benefits from its own stall at Billingsgate Fish Market in East London, which supplies Executive Chef Andrew Jones with the finest, freshest produce on a daily basis.

Andrew, winner of the Roux Scholarship award in 2004, took the helm four years ago after stints at Claridges, Mandarin Oriental and at The Westbury. Under him, Chamberlain’s has flourished, as my dinner guest and I discovered one warm August evening, dining al fresco in the belly of the timeless archways.

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For a starter, I chose the Home-Cured Smoked Salmon (£12.95), which arrived garnished with a ring of capers, parsley, egg, soda bread croutons and crème fraîche, a blob of caviar and a drizzle of lemon oil. I had visited Billingsgate a week before to see the home-curing first hand, using wood from a whiskey barrel to give the fish a subtle richness during the smoking process.

I also got to try their own port vinegar straight from the barrel. I didn’t much care for vinegar before that moment.

Too much smoked salmon can be a little sickly, but I could eat Andrew’s on its own from a bucket. Doing away with excess saltiness, he lets the fish do the talking, with the delicate garnish adding a little crunch and creaminess to every bite.

A tricky decision followed, what with the number of gorgeous-looking mains beckoning to me on the menu. Changing my mind at the very last minute, I decided on the Baked Paupiette of Lemon Sole with Crab Mousse (£18.75). My guest, meanwhile, couldn’t look past the Roasted Fillet of Wild Sea Bass.

I love seafood, so Chamberlain’s really is my Mecca. I was lucky enough to have spent a day in the kitchen there recently, helping prepare Thai Fish Cakes as an amuse bouche, and tasting lamb’s brains with Andrew as he experimented with ideas for new main courses. It’s true, Chamberlain’s is not exclusively fish, but the red meat dishes on the menu are well deserving of their inclusion, and are very popular with both the main restaurant and the adjoining brasserie in the basement.

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Predictably, my guest’s sea bass was exquisite. With confit courgettes as props, and a soft fennel and seaweed butter sauce, this was again another fine example of Chamberlain’s insistence on substance over style (not to say that the plate didn’t look great).

The fish stood out magnificently, earning the attention it deserved through taste and an expert hand on the stove. Much like my lemon sole. Snuggled deep in a bed of peas, crab cream, forest mushrooms and spring onion; the crab mousse-filled paupiette was of real decadence, but light on the stomach and certain to be long in the memory. I lapped up every spot and drizzle.

Cherry and Valrhona Chocolate Cheesecake (£7.50) from their talented, French dessert chef finished us off in excellent fashion, with the head chef James coming to ask if we enjoyed our meal as he started for home. To his surprise, my American guest thought it appropriate to stand as he arrived, as if he were royalty. “Really delightful!” she managed with just a hint of a bow.

I left it all up to my words. I was still pretty bowled over after a such a wonderful fish-filled evening. Classic, simple, and full of character.

Chamberlain’s of London
Address: Leadenhall Market, 23-25 Leadenhall Market EC3V 1LR
Phone: 020 7648 8690
Websitechamberlainsoflondon.com
Twitter: @chamberlainsldn

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