As a twenty-something foreigner making my way through London, I often find myself in situations where I feel out of my depth and definitely not well-coiffed enough to be in attendance. When I first moved over here that was a regular occurrence, constantly trying to soften my accent, adjust to the social cues and generally make myself more palatable for a class of people to which I don’t think I’ll ever belong.
Knightsbridge sums up this feeling for me. Except now it comes tinged with an element of amusement, having spent a period of time at one of its iconic department stores writing about clothes I could never afford. The Aubrey is smack bang in the middle of this cha-ching borough, and was firmly pre-judged by me.
I was, on many levels, proven wrong. Yes, the Aubrey does feel like it’s taunting me. It’s all velvet booths, shiny staff members and diners in the loos talking about Botox (to be fair, she did offer some very helpful advice). And yet, it doesn’t feel cruel. It seems to look me dead in the eye, tell me I don’t earn enough to be there, and welcome me in anyway. Many places in this area (notably one just metres away known for its meme-famous patron) openly laugh at their wealthy customers. £300 for a gold-covered steak? More fool you if you can afford it. £20 for a red bull? Well, you’re just asking to be ripped off if you pay for it. Plus, it’s just a price to pay to see the man himself slice up the meat in some kind of animalistic display of manliness.
The Aubrey rejects this idea. Sure, you’re not going to come here and grab a bargain, but are you really in Knightsbridge searching for that? It calls itself izakaya – London’s favourite term at the moment for a Japanese-inspired restaurant that trots out a few dishes on sticks and isn’t actually izakaya at all, it’s just Japanese. But it’s pretty good.
Oysters are dotted with bulbous cylinders of roe in a kind of saline “inception”that works decidedly well. Dainty Japanese oysters are dwarfed by their Irish cousins, and seem a little unnecessary given the air miles I know come with them. Sushi arrives as a mixed platter. The rice is pre-seasoned, but could have done with a bit more of it. Some of it is swaddled by a particularly tender fillet of prawn, others are draped with yellow tail and sprinkled with dried ants, a sort of culinary theatre that doesn’t offer much more in terms of flavour. Charcoal karaage chicken is more like cremated, but below its barren depths lies a juicy, moreish piece of chicken, yuzu mayo offering a brightening twang. Crab cakes are lovely in a tasty yet unmemorable way.
Then along comes the lobster rice, with the price tag to boot. It is everything you would want it to be, despite the dent it leaves in the bill. Flecked with juicy nuggets of the crustacean, the rice is golden and nutty, whispers of spring onion and egg offering integrity without drowning out the seafood. Iberico pork comes with a charred exterior, blushing interior and a punchy sambal-esque chilli sauce. Wagyu curry udon noodle is as surprising as you might expect. It arrives on the table looking like a soggy, melted bowl of cream, but don’t judge a book by its cover, as what lies beneath is worth persevering for. Chewy udon noodles are drenched in that thick, creamy sauce that, when mixed together, reveals meltingly tender bites of beef. I understand this is a borough of excess, but just a little less sauce – something I never expected to hear myself saying – would have produced a far more balanced bowl of food.
The Aubrey is not just about the food, though. It’s one of those dining destinations that could easily get away with throwing a few plates of dry sliders at you because the drinks shine so brightly. Award winning Bar Director Pietro Rizzo oversees the lengthy cocktail list that shifts from classics to inventive additions with ease, creating drops that are almost as sexy as the interiors. It is rare to find a place that toes this line between bar and restaurant with such ease.
This is my last review for The Independent. It seems almost fitting to be going out in such an excessive style. While I hope I have shone a light on some lesser-known places during my time writing for this website, it would also be ignorant to pretend places like the Aubrey don’t drive a large part of London’s culinary world. It has been an awfully eye-opening year, but it has taught me one very important thing: paying more doesn’t necessarily mean the food is any better. In fact, sometimes it can mean the exact opposite. Thankfully, the Aubrey seems to actually want to serve its customers good food. I’m sure it will do strikingly well, particularly with the crowd who have big enough pockets for Knightsbridge. If I ever decide to take the plunge and go under the needle, you’ll know where to find me.
The Aubrey, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA | 020 7201 3899 | molon-aubrey@mohg.com | mandarinoriental.com/london/hyde-park/fine-dining/japanese-izakaya/the-aubrey
