I’ve said before that getting ever so slightly sozzled by 2pm is a thoroughly excellent way to spend a Saturday, and it seems London agrees. The concept of bottomless brunching continues to flourish, with more and more of them popping up in restaurants across the city. One of the latest brunches to give prosecco sans fond a whirl is at Oxbo, the restaurant of the new five-star Hilton London Bankside.
Perhaps a Hilton near the South Bank wouldn’t be an immediately obvious choice to venture to on a Saturday afternoon. But, it’s only a three minute walk from the Tate Modern and a visit to their newly opened gallery wing – that you’ve been meaning to get around to exploring for ages – is perfect to work off that post-brunch wooziness.
The menu is a riot of food and begins with a chef’s table of starters, which you can help yourself to as much as you’d like of. It’s an NYC styled selection, separated into salad bar, fish and meat dishes, and vegetarian fare. Highlights included a particularly good swordfish ceviche, ratatouille, beetroot grivadlax, peppered pastrami, roasted squash with honey, and a palm heart and avocado ceviche. At any time during your visit you can make use of the interactive “waffle and egg station” where chefs prepare various egg based dishes to order. Eggs Benedict and Royale and three egg omelettes are on offer alongside waffles and pancakes with a variety of toppings and fillings.
Main courses were even better. Three hearty plates of hot food are served to the table to share between two, which change weekly but consist of a meat, fish, and vegetable dish. When we visited the meat was sirloin of Cornish beef with asparagus, mushrooms, and artichoke puree. The fish was crisp fried haddock goujons, with soft roe, samphire and a béarnaise sauce. An accompanying vegetable dish of mushroom, walnut, and gorgonzola ravioli with halloumi and pesto was lovely and complimented the meat and fish well.
Pudding was again from a help-yourself chef’s table. A generous selection of miniature puddings is on offer from chocolate torte with praline croquant to pear and butterscotch mousse. Fresh fruit and excellent cheese boards with all the embellishments are also available.
Brunch is only on Saturdays, with the menu priced at £40 for three courses and unlimited prosecco, or £28 for just the one glass. When we visited the room was heaving with people and had a convivial and merry atmosphere; just the thing for weekend afternoons.
Brunch is available from 12-3pm every Saturday.