Last Updated on September 8, 2024
Deliciously Refreshing Tea Cocktails in the Heart of Marylebone Village
We love 108 Brasserie, the restaurant of The Marylebone Hotel. There are three types of hotel restaurants. Special occasion places with a celebrity chef at the helm (Dinner by Heston or La Dame de Pic London for instance) are wonderful but will break your bank manager’s heart. Then there are the perfectly acceptable but unexciting venues where the menu has been picked to accommodate jet-lagged international travellers planning to fill their diary with London’s finest Michelin-star restaurants or new restaurant openings. Finally and perhaps rarest of all, places like 108 Brasserie, where you’ll find great food at reasonable prices – and where locals mingle with hotel guests because it’s just that good. With a vibrant atmosphere in the heart of one of London’s classiest areas, it’s hardly surprising that 108 Brasserie is popular.
It’s been refurbished since we were last there and the interior is now a swanky, mirror-lined affair with well-spaced tables, a large bar and comfy seating. But much the best place to sit if the weather allows is outside on the pretty terrace people watching while you eat.
Lunch for us was a chance to explore the limited edition tea cocktail menu developed in conjunction with Whittard. A long time ago I tried my hand at making tea cocktails in a masterclass with a very famous mixologist and was truly impressed with the results. I understand the concept – both teas and tisanes make a very good base for cocktails that have plenty of flavour but that are perhaps a little lighter and drier than those using liqueurs to complement the spirits. There are four options on the menu at 108 Brasserie and, having tried all of them, I can confidently say you won’t be disappointed.
We started with a 108 Mar-Tea-Ni (108 Gin, passionfruit, mango and peach tea cordial) and a Blushng Bellini (108 Gin, peach, raspberry and rose tea, lemon and Rathfinny Rosé Brut). My Bellini was utterly delicious. The fruit and floral notes of the tea paired brilliantly with the rosé sparkling wine while the house Gin added great aromatics. I fully intend to try my own version of this and am particularly impressed that there was no need for additional fruit juice. My companion loved her Mar-Tea-Ni, an elegant and delicate drink with a good kick from the gin.
Ordering from the all-day dining menu I was momentarily disappointed that there were no oysters (we were there the day after a Bank Holiday so that’s not unusual) but took it as an excuse to order the same as my companion, Devon white crab on toasted soda bread with watercress and apple salad. Super fresh crab was nicely presented on bread with the watercress and apple salad offering a textural contrast, this was a fabulous plate. We both felt the toast needed to be buttered, simply because it was just a little softened by the juices from the crab meat.
More cocktails arrived in the form of the Earl of London (Bourbon, lemon, Earl Grey tea, raspberry jam and lemonade) for my companion and a Passion Daiquiri (Rum, passionfruit, mango and peach tea cordial) for me.
Both were delicious – my companion’s Earl of London was our favourite thanks to the delicate dried passion fruit garnish and the excellent mix of flavours. The daiquiri, a long drink, was wonderfully refreshing with a lush foamy topping. It would make a good drink as an aperitif or indulgence on a warm summer’s afternoon.
For our main courses, we both picked fish. My roasted fillet of organic salmon with asparagus and hollandaise was perfectly cooked, just slightly pink in the middle with a lovely buttery char on the outside. Spears of al-dente asparagus sat under the fish and a little pot of homemade hollandaise on the side. My companion chose the cod, the Market fish of the day. which arrived with a herby butter, steamed broccoli and more of that delicious, creamy, just warm hollandaise We ordered totally unnecessary but very moreish fries and almost healthy buttered summer greens with garlic and lemon, cooked to have just the right amount of bite. It’s always a sign of class when your lemon arrives in one of those little muslin parcels – and it really does stop the pips scattering over your food and the juice squirting in your eye too!
On to dessert – a light, creamy creme brulée with a fine caramel topping was delicious and came with a tiny crisp shortbread biscuit on the side.
The Chocolate Fondant arrived with a beautifully oozy middle and with a good helping of raspberry sorbet on the side
All rounded off with good freshly brewed coffee, we could easily have sat people watching the afternoon away. I was truly impressed by the cocktails which are light enough to enjoy at lunch time but still have that kick from good-quality spirits. And, 108 Brasserie remains a favourite – worth a visit at any time.
The Whittard of Chelsea X 108 Brasserie Cocktail Menu runs to the 22nd of September. To book a table click here.
To find out more about Whittard of Chelsea, visit www.whittard.co.uk
108 Brasserie
108 Marylebone Lane,
London
W1U 2QE
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