Eyes to the left, Buckingham Palace; eyes to the right, Hyde Park. Oh wait — there’s The Shard in the distance too!
This is the view you’d get on a Sunday afternoon — a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of central London from the 28th floor of the London Hilton on Park Lane — all while you sit sipping your aperitif and nibbling on foie gras on toast.
Fancy. The sort of Sunday… really, who doesn’t dream of it?
Opened nearly a decade ago, Galvin at Windows is a Michelin-starred contemporary French restaurant that feeds Londoners into their most indulgent weekend dreams. With its swanky atmosphere, attentive service and a refined menu ranging from heirloom tomatoes to Casterbridge beef, it stands as a testament to Chris Galvin, alongside his South Korean head chef Joo Won and their team.
The chap took me there for a post-birthday lunch one Sunday. (Yes, such things do exist.)
The meal began with bread and butter, and glasses of aperitifs. We were then given two postcards, which they offered to send “anywhere in the world”.
I picked up a pen and, without a second thought, wrote a birthday message to my mum.
If you are looking for a bright, sleek and fuss-free, white-tablecloth dining experience, this place would fit the bill. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows and bold décor mirror the food on the menu. Deep-fried courgette flowers with braised coco beans, stone bass with stir-fried pork, and guava sorbet with eucalyptus foam — each combination feels modern, inventive, and expressive in its own way.
^ My seared foie gras with Cumberland sausage, caramelised onions and brioche to start. This pairing stood in stark contrast to the usual foie gras with apple combination. In the absence of fruit, the brioche retained a familiar sweetness. But make no mistake — it was the sausages that truly elevated the dish.
^ smoked salmon with horseradish cream, caraway and dill — a classic cold starter that seldom disappoints.
Now here’s my kedgeree with mussels, shellfish and a poached hen’s egg. I’m a great fan of runny yolks, Indian spices and seafood, so this was heaven on a plate. The rice was wonderfully soft, with distinct notes of saffron.
Kedgeree was, in Victorian times, a fashionable Anglo-Indian dish — a fragrant combination of boiled rice, flaked fish, curry powder, eggs and cream. It was once a popular breakfast dish in England; places like The Wolseley still feature it on their breakfast menus. But, honestly, I much prefer it as a hearty lunch.
Here’s a perfectly cooked rump of lamb, complemented by an array of spring vegetables.
We really took our time over the meal, determined to stretch out lunch for as long as possible. The longer the lunch, the slower Monday arrives, you see — a very handy mentality.
But amid our conversation, I caught a slight squeak of excitement from a table at the other end. I turned and glimpsed this through the gaps in the partition…
That strawberry mille-feuille!
I knew instantly what I wanted for dessert.
^ That longing look in the lady’s eyes said it all.
How do you say no to this bad boy? You don’t. You raise your hand and ask for a slice — immediately!
Even the server seemed amused by my greed. But I made no further apologies — sugar and self-control simply cannot coexist.
The strawberries were fresh, perfectly in season, and the mascarpone softened the edges of the pastry, both figuratively and literally. And, much to my surprise, it came with a scoop of black pepper ice cream — certainly a first for me.
It was an interesting combination and a memorable one, but not quite a favourite.
This was a hazelnut and almond Paris-Brest, served with a scoop of toasted almond ice cream. The taste can be summed up in five simple words — too good to be true. Alternatively, there’s nothing Paris can’t fix.
At this point, I noticed the couple had developed a fondness for pressing their desserts… I’m not quite sure why, but watching the cream ooze out in excess seemed oddly delightful. Very peculiar people…
As it was a birthday lunch, the meal naturally ended with a few sweet little touches from the Galvin at Windows team.
Ending this post with the view surrounding the restaurant. Also, a note to my future self — stop reacting to sugar.
My cheeks are ballooning!
With love x