The Sybarite had the pleasure of visiting the secluded outdoor terrace in its first week of London terraces re-opening, and the harbour-like hideaway in Marylebone with their wide selection of delicious dishes warmed our hearts (and our taste buds).
Upon approaching the terrace, we were surprised by the decoration framing the doorway, a big ‘Welcome on Board’’ frame inviting you to step inside to the exciting seaside marina environment. We stepped onto the Pop-up Summer Terrace at The Churchill and instantly felt transported to the English coast. White, blue and vivid tones coloured the terrace from the tables to decorative ornaments such as anchors, shells, oak barrels.. making it modern, bright and really elegant.
The terrace was absolutely stringent on health and safety measures from the very first moment that we arrived, providing us with wipes, gel and everything that we needed. We were greeted by the lovely Marta, who kindly seated us at our table and took very good care of us during our lunch. I was a little bit concerned about the weather - but although London isn’t known for its alfresco dining, the terrace did not disappoint, it had blankets and roasty heaters to keep us warm!
The menu is varied yet still really exciting. It offers an a la carte menu strongly focused on finest quality fresh seafood. As a seafood lover, I wanted to eat just about everything the menu had to offer.
Before taking our orders, Marta attentively guided us through the menu, giving us every little detail of each dish as well as the recommendations of the chef, Roger Olsson. For starters, we already knew exactly what we wanted and so we ordered a trio of iced Whitstable Oysters with apple, black pepper, leek and chive and their little pieces of heaven (trust me, they are!) of Cornish Crab Choux covered with parmesan cheese. We were also treated with an extra starter, which was the English Burrata. Exquisite!
To accompany our food, we ordered a bottle of white wine, more precisely the Alvarinho, Conde Villar from Portugal. They have an extensive selection of wines but I’d definitely order the same one when I return to the restaurant. It was really fresh, had a lovely sweetness of peaches followed by a note of lemon to finish. A perfect accompaniment to our meal.
For our main course we ordered their signature dish, the Lobster and Fries seasoned with garlic, rosemary, charred lemon and a light rose mayonnaise.The lobster was succulent and cooked to perfection, really meaty. We were also treated again with an extra main course, their Barbecued Octopus with watercress, radish and onion. For me, this was a wonderful recommendation and absolutely the most vibrant of their dishes. Just like the lobster, it was cooked to perfection, really firm and not too chewy, full of flavour. An absolute favourite.
