8th June 2008
Clos to perfection
I had heard great things about this restaurant and had wanted to try it out for some time. Finally an occasion presented itself: my mum's birthday. I booked a table for lunch at very short notice (ie. same day) with no fuss and no quibble when we arrived slightly early.
The interior is impressive - a cosy, intimate setting with quirky, stylish design features such as walls covered with foliage and a beautiful central room at the back of the restaurant with the famed fireplace and sliding glass roof. We didn't get to sit in that part this time, but the whole restaurant is charming.
The wait staff all have different set jobs, making the service extremely efficient and letting each person's expertise shine. From the Maitre'd who greeted us warmly, through the drinks waiter, the sommelier, the person we ordered our food with and finally our desserts waiter, each interaction was poised, polite, and effortlessly amiable. We were made to feel valued and special, something which should happen more often, as we discussed afterwards. We both felt as if our birthdays had come all at once.
The food didn't let us down, either. We plumped for the 3 course set menu for £19.50, incredibly good value considering a 3 course a la carte meal for two with wine would have worked out at maybe £70-£90 a head, but chose a starter of pea soup from the main menu, with the waiter adjusting our bill accordingly to make the price around the same. The soup was basically a gorgeous concoction of pureed peas and cream, with a poached egg and a hint of truffle oil, plus a lovely little chorizo crouton on the side. Mains were simply made with excellent quality ingredients: I had pan-fried salmon fillet with a fennel duxelle and crispy socca, an Indian-style fried chickpea crepe, whilst my mum's corn-fed chicken breast was exquisite, served with simple buttered greens. We asked the sommelier for two wine recommendations by the glass as the wine list is dauntingly extensive (a huge 100 page tome, complete with contents page, that they place on the table with a knowing smile), but no doubt incredible. Her choices suited our dishes perfectly. Mum finished with an Ile Flottante for dessert, while I plumped for coffee and petits fours- beautiful little handmade éclairs, truffles, and meringues.
I found Clos Maggiore to be a complete gem and the kind of place I’d love to be surprised with a visit to for another special occasion. The service and general dining experience really beats most other Covent Garden venues hands-down. Worth booking in advance next time you have a cosy tête-a tête to attend to.
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