Criterion

Time Out says

Thu Oct 18 2012

Given its location, plumb on Piccadilly Circus, the Criterion needs to make a splash to distinguish itself. Does it manage the feat? On first impressions, wow. The spectacular interior (created 1874) is an uninhibited celebration of neo-Byzantine craziness: a huge hall, resplendent in white marble fittings, decorative archways and a glorious golden mosaic ceiling. HG Wells, Churchill, Lloyd George and Bertrand Russell dined here. Look closer, though, and the image becomes slightly tarnished – the drab carpeting, the hotel-lounge chairs in the front bar, the deadening muzak.

Likewise the food. The carte reads well, containing prime steaks, roasted rack of lamb, and lemon sole with truffle mash and brown shrimp beurre blanc. The wine list, arranged by style, is pleasing too. And our set lunch began splendidly with exemplary duck-egg benedict with parma ham. But a main of salmon on samphire screamed out for some lemony tang, and we struggled to discern gooseberry flavour in a sugary gooseberry tart (albeit well matched with tangy fruit and blackberry sorbet).

Service was also curate’s eggy: the waiting staff epitomising charm and efficiency; less so the kitchen team, whose roars and oaths could clearly be heard – a reminder, perhaps, of when Marco Pierre White ran the show here.