Last week, I tried an Art Deco meets Brasserie sort of restaurant in the Mayfair area of London.
Think GQ-style doormen, voluptuous hostesses with fitted sea-green dresses and heels, loud music, a loveboat line up of barmen shaking exotic cocktails below the Frank Ghery sparkling fish, a Damien Hirst mermaid sculpture on the wall, mobile phones vibrating from “checked-in” likes by each table setting, and a heteroclite crowd – somewhat underdressed for the setting…
Sexy Fish opened in October and has guests longing for that confirmation of seating, weeks during. We got in with a little help from our concierge and having a two Michelin star chef in our party seemed to speed up the foretold wait. The open kitchen in the back is where the smokin’, grillin’, bakin’, bbq-in’ happens – best seats in the house – and all dishes are meant for sharing, as urbanites do.
From the pan-Asian menu, we shared the Sexy Fish roll, Octopus Carpaccio, Beef ribs and Chilean sea bass. I remember the spicy marinades that dominated the well-cooked produce.
Service was friendly, and included a tour by the French sommelier of the downstairs private dining room.
The room boasts a bar, lavish table wear, and two massive fish tanks – a perfect diversion to cut big deals.
And as the grand finale, I had to dodge a young maiden taking selfies alone in the powder room. All the way down to the hardware, the concept was mastered. Ahhh, life in the big city.
Tried it. Loved it. Shared it.
Sexy Fish
Berkeley Square House
Berkeley Square, London W1
(+44) 020 3764 2000
sexyfish.com
