Elystan Street

Elystan Street is a fresh new restaurant from Phil Howard and Rebecca Mascarenhas opening on September 27th, 2016

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Elystan Street - London Restaurant Reviews | Hardens

“A vast improvement over the late and not-lamented Restaurant Tom Aikens that previously occupied this space” – Phil Howard’s Chelsea yearling (in partnership with restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas) has proved one of the better openings of the year, with a “mature reinvention” of his style at The Square: a seasonal, ‘Flexitarian’ approach that’s “bang-up-to-date, light, fresh, modern and exciting!”

Feedback is not totally free of quibbles though – in particular even for the area it’s “pricey” (especially given the more fuss-free style) – and the interior is a tad “sexless”.

review of London British restaurant Elystan Street by Andy Hayler

Example labels were  Weingut A.J. Adam Riesling Trocken 2015 was £42 for a bottle that you can find in the high street for £25, Grosset Springvale Riesling 2015 was £65 compared to its retail price of £22, and the enjoyable Alain Chavy Puligny Montrachet 2013 was priced at £89 for a bottle that will set you back £34 in the shops.

Although the design of the dish was good, there was a problem in the execution: the duck was a bit overcooked, just barely on the pink side of overcooked.

This was certainly an enjoyable meal, but other than the lemon tart nothing really stood out for me as outstanding, and at this price you would hope for something more.

Nonetheless, Phil Howard brings a huge reputation from The Square and a loyal clientele that filled the restaurant on its second official night of opening.

Doubtless the kitchen will settle into a rhythm in due course, but in a year of lacklustre London openings I was hoping for something thrilling rather than merely very good.

Elystan Street, Chelsea, London: Restaurant Review - olive magazine

Elystan Street is the latest venture from restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas and chef Phil Howard, who sold his restaurant, The Square in Mayfair, in March this year.

The food is modern British, with dishes typically including smoked mackerel velouté with Porthilly oysters, leek hearts and eel toast; fillet of cod with lightly curried cauliflower purée, golden raisins, coriander and lime; and roasted figs with goat’s milk ice cream, lemon and thyme fritters and olive oil.

There’s also a dedicated lunch menu (£42.50 for three courses) and a Sunday lunch menu that includes a house cocktail (£50 for three as Phil Howard’s ‘accessible’ new venue, Elystan Street (on the same site as Tom Aikens eponymous restaurant, in an exclusive corner of Chelsea) is what you might think of as the foodie’s version of ‘smasual’.

The décor and food might have been pared-down since Phil’s Square days but the prices are not for the regular Joe – at my last check one starter was listed at a tear-inducing £45.

Burnt lemon cream with shortbread was nearly as sublime as the lemon tart on my last visit (that really is a must-order), while chocolate brownie sundae was as playful but sophisticated as the young diners sitting near me with their parents for their highfalutin Sunday lunch.