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Please note, Shaun Rankin is no longer at Ormer in Jersey. Time Out Food Editors, February 2017.
Even phone signal can’t get into Ormer: that’s how exclusive this hotel restaurant feels. Upon entering the foyer of Flemings Mayfair – a boutique establishment two minutes’ walk from Green Park – you’re ushered into a dark and cavernous suite of brass-fitted, plush-furnished rooms. It all looks the part, but this kind of opulence can spectacularly backfire if you get the sense it’s all fur coat and no knickers. Luckily, Ormer feels like it’s worth every last penny.
Food comes from a kitchen run by Shaun Rankin, he of the Ormer in St Helier, Jersey, which holds a Michelin star. A silky lobster ravioli (which Rankin once tasked contestants to make on ‘Masterchef’) made for an excellent shared starter. Mains were sumptuous and complex. Roast duck and foie gras was perfectly offset with grapefruit – although, as it monopolises the menu, fish is clearly the beast of choice to go for here. The salt-baked sea bream with artichokes and an olive purée was a winner: light, delicate and tender. Our meals were smartly paired with a citrussy Surrey Gold wine.
But for all the quality of the food, what really made Ormer special – and the high prices worthwhile – was the service. The staff were friendly without being obsequious, attentive without being overbearing, and they were simply everywhere – seriously, I don’t think I once opened a single door for myself all evening. There’s a pretty decent bar here, too, doing a line of literary-themed cocktails to match the prints of Hemingway and Joyce on the walls.
Actually, if you don’t fancy giving the credit card too much of a pounding, then just opt for a drink instead. The hushed atmosphere and aching sense of class make it the perfect after-work spot on a weekday evening. Just remember to put on your smartest shoes.