The Capital

Time Out says

Tue Oct 16 2012

Operating as a hotel restaurant for some 40 years, the Capital knows its place as a refuge for the dedicated Knightsbridge shopper: it promises sophisticated French cuisine within an hour, but also offers an aura of hushed, unhurried calm for everyone else. The absence of piped muzak in the main dining room is welcome – though this does mean you might drop in on an Alan Bennett-esque monologue, as we inadvertently did on our last visit; long-standing clients are as at ease here as in their own sitting rooms.

Cuisine and service are proudly French with frills, guéridon trolley at the ready, but that in no way signals absence of warmth from the smiling staff. There’s a lightness of touch too, with markedly respectful treatment of vegetarian options, from head chef Jérôme Ponchelle. While the carte and tasting menus carry luxury ingredients (foie gras, wild sea bass and the like), with wine and whisky suggestions and prices to match, the weekday set lunch represents markedly good value and it seems churlish to cavil at elements that miss the mark.

Nonetheless, the misses proved as marked as the hits on a summer set menu: while grilled halloumi with a medley of finely diced vegetables was impeccable, and the soft-shelled crab and tempura prawn addition to a well-judged gazpacho inspired, the pork fillet in a main course was tight fleshed, and somehow failed to marry with ‘smoked’ mash, roast peach and vibrant broccoli. The elements of a cinnamon ice, brownie and chunks of caramelised banana with an overly light chocolate sauce were well executed, but had the feel of hasty home-cooking assembly. Perfect petits fours and sound coffee, however, left all and sundry smiling.