J'AIME JUNE 2018

marble floors.
We were shown to a cosy table for
two along the wall upstairs - the
kind of intimate table it’s said to
have been favoured by Laurence
Olivier, Noel Coward et al - and
furnished with a glass of chilled
Champagne. So far, so glamorous.
The a la carte menu is a notinsubstantial
selection of Ivy
classics; think steak tartare,
seared scallops and heavy dose
of Asian inspiration, as well as
The Ivy’s signature hamburger
and shepherd’s pie. We were
presented with a warm salt-crusted
sourdough, £3.95, and truffle
arancini, £5.50, to nibble on while
we made our choices.
The bread was a thing of baked
beauty, with the salt adding a
wonderful crunch to the crust, and the arancini - fried
balls of arborio rice with a hefty punch of delicious
truffle - were incredibly moreish.
To start I opted for the steak tartare, £9.95, which was
a rich and indulgent plate, the finely chopped steak
topped with a Tabasco dressing, cornichons, shallot,
parsley and a sizeable egg yolk.
My husband’s duck liver parfait with caramelised
hazelnuts, truffle and a tamarind glaze, £6.95, was rich
and silky, the savoury flavours complemented nicely by
a sweetness from the accompanying pear and ginger
compote and toasted brioche.
Onto the main event, and I just had to give the lobster
a whirl. It’s not something you find on many a menu
in these parts, so the chance couldn’t be passed up. A
luxurious dish for a luxurious setting, right? At £34,
it’s the priciest item on the menu, but you certainly get
plenty of bang for your buck. The whole - that’s right,
whole - lobster is simply grilled and served with garlic
and parsley butter, watercress salad and a bucket of
perfectly fluffy-yet-crisp thick-cut chips.
Thankfully you’re presented with the appropriate tools
for the job - it can get messy, but the succulent, sweet
lobster meat with a hint of smoky char is oh so worth
it.
My husband’s rib-eye steak, £27.95, was again cooked
to a perfect medium-rare, as recommended by our
waiter over my husband’s usual rare-to-blue to give the
fat in the meat chance to render down and add flavour.
Side orders of truffle and parmesan chips, £4.50, and
delicious zucchini fritti, £5.75, were tasty, and the
substantial portions all round meant -
admittedly with one eye on dessert - we
just couldn’t finish it all.
For a little sweet something to end
the meal, our waiter recommended
the chocolate bombe, £8.50, which
we opted to share, alongside coffees.
This heavenly dessert adds a touch of
theatre to the meal, with hot salted
caramel sauce poured over a dark
chocolate sphere which melts away to
reveal a honeycomb centre. A must for
chocolate lovers, it was a fitting end to
a fine meal.
For decadent - yet relaxed, convivial
and very reasonably-priced - dining
with a heavy dose of glitz and
glamour, The Ivy Temple Row it
the place to be. Celebrities, on this
occasion at least, not included.
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