Restaurant of the Month: Penelope’s.
Nestled within Hotel AMANO Covent Garden, Penelope’s boasts a dazzling room adorned with oversized mood lighting, sumptuous drapes, and gilded furnishings that perfectly complement the flamboyance of the menu.
It’s no wonder Penelope’s snagged the prestigious 2024 British Restaurant Awards' "Best Luxury Restaurant" title. The secret sauce? Executive Chef Fez Ozalgan’s dynamic and innovative cuisine, serving up bold fusion dishes in an immersive dining experience. The restaurant impressively accommodates up to 160 guests, offering plenty of cosy nooks and spacious booths, along with a sleek, extended bar equipped with plush leather stools – ideal for cocktail sipping and people-watching.
Playfulness is the name of the game at Penelope’s, fitting for the first UK outpost of a Berlin-based group renowned for their party vibes, complete with DJ nights, table dancing, and belly dancers. Expect daring dishes that creatively blend Spanish recipes with Middle Eastern spices, creating a flavour fiesta on your palate. Oh, and the music's loud – just like the diners.
Our culinary journey kicked off with small plates that included: mouthwatering marinated olives, cheese bread with miso honey butter, and coca bread with salsa verde labneh. From the starters we savoured the gloriously fresh tuna ceviche with seaweed and mango which served a punch in the best way possible Next up, we dived into the Spanish hoso prawns with cider butter bisque and preserved lemon- they were juicy, succulent and moorish.
The prettiest dish of all was the roasted aubergine adorned with pomegranate pico de gallo and a hint of tahini. From the mains we can't rave enough about the beef short rib with mushroom jus, baharat potato, and onion ketchup which was melt-in-the-mouth magic. The pièce de résistance was the earthy octopus paella with freekeh, while the cod with brown crab XO shellfish crema and shimeji was a revelation. The flavoursome baharat patata with lime and confit garlic were a superb accompaniment to the fish dish.
We concluded with a delectable Baklava Cheesecake with pistachio and honey syrup. On its own, it was indulgently rich – which we adored – but the staff suggested pairing it with a Figue Collins cocktail. The citrus notes of this gin-based drink transformed the dessert into something unexpectedly divine.
Reservations: www.amanogroup.com/en/restaurants/london-covent-garden-penelopes