Restaurant of the Week: Rosi at The Beaumont

What was once the red leather, mahogany and meadow field walls of The Colony Grill has transformed into something much more delicate with Rosi. Named after Rosemary Saïd, the wife of the hotel’s owner, Wafic Saïd, the soft-toned space envelops diners in the social whirl of murals by artist Luke Edward Hall. Each a buzzing scene in motion, loosely sketched in muted bright shades and laid out in 360-degree vision. Like a colourful zoetrope dancing around you as you settle into your plush velveteen booth. 

If the ‘posh-takes’ on British favourites in the aisles of M&S are enough to pique your excitement and fill your trolley, look no further. This menu is the true epitome of a twist on your spread of picky bits. These dishes in question are the brainchild of Lisa Goodwin-Allen, who was appointed Culinary Director for The Beaumont back in April of this year. She has seen through the vision of Rosi right from fantasy to fruition, bringing with her modern British flair that ensured Lancashire’s Northcote held its Michelin Star for nearly 30 years (and counting!).

Snacks are often nestled into a blind spot at the top of a menu and are easily missed - at Rosi, such snacks certainly shouldn't be overlooked. The Cauliflower Cheese Bites are crisp, melty and, with a generous dunking of truffle mayonnaise, dangerously moreish. As for the Chipolata Sausages, served with a British Beer Mustard, they make for a peppery well-rounded bite that could rival any picnic-staple cocktail sausage.

One thing that Rosi doesn’t miss out on is tableside theatrics. Whether that be delivering drama straight out of the kitchen and flambéing tableside, or the magnificent props used in serving the dishes. Taking the cake for presentation grandeur has got to be the Rock Oysters. Available in sets of six or twelve, with your classic selection of shallot vinaigrette, Tabasco, or lemon, the oysters are served in a shell that Aphrodite could have stepped out of. Each a fresh shot of the sea, with overarching rich, buttery sweetness – as you would hope from your oysters, considering we have an ‘R’ in the month.

Gastronomic spectacle also makes its way into the starters with the Dry Aged Beef Tartare. Mixed tableside, the portion was generous for a beef tartare – a dish that commonly tends to present itself as an irritatingly small pickle-speckled disk of beef. That said, while you have a pleasing amount of tartare, there was not quite enough of the accompanying melba toast to go with it. For such a rich and sharp dish, you need your fair share of bread to balance it out. It’s like having a cheese board and running out of crackers.

Onto the main, I’d heard whispers that the John Dory Fish Fingers were a must-try so I gave them a go. I’m not sure I’d had fish fingers since my primary school days when they were accompanied with a heap of buttery peas. These fish fingers, however, stray quite far from what we may remember of Bird’s Eye. They are coated in Kataifi and fried to perfection, with buttery flakes of fish layered beneath the fragile webs of crisp shredded pastry. When something is fried to perfection, it’s no surprise that plenty of oil is involved, but any lingering richness is deftly cut through by the bed of tartare. With the tang of juicy capers dotted throughout, still plump as though straight from the jar, it’s clear just how fresh the sauce is.

If you’re up for some sweet nostalgia, there’s nothing that awakens your inner child like building your own sundae. Picking up a pencil and ticking boxes to place your order of flavours, toppings and sauces held the same excitement as circling items in the Argos catalogue on the run-up to Christmas. The flavours range from well-executed classics like Wild Bali Vanilla and Mint Choc Chip to more fanciful choices like Strawberry and Lime and Pistachio Stracciatella. There are endless combinations at your fingertips with the choice of two, three or four scoops. When it comes to toppings and sauces, you’ll be glad to know that you have no limits - as you can tick as many from the list as you please. Whether it be fresh berries and brownies drenched in salted caramel or tipsy raisins and vanilla Chantilly drizzled in chocolate sauce – the choice is yours. Double espresso is also on the sauce list, transforming your sundae into a caffeine-fuelled affogato to send you on your way.

Find out more and book a table via thebeaumont.com/dining/rosi/