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LONDON
Before Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, there was a Swiss-born culinary giant who set the stage for our revered culture of celebrity chefs, and his name is printed on the black canopied entrance of his exclusive private members' dining club on West Halkin Street, which was once a former 19th-century Presbyterian church – Mosimann’s.
With a global repertoire for unparalleled culinary excellence and an illustrious, extensive history of providing catering services for Her Majesty and the British Royal Family, the Olympics, the World Cup and countless other notable events and public figures, it is no wonder that members from around the world fly into London to dine at the club and try their renowned signature dishes such as the Mosimann’s Bread and Butter Pudding, Risotto ai Funghi and the Marinated Salmon and Dorset Crabmeat. Naturally, we were extremely excited to have the opportunity to share with you, our dear readers, this exclusive visit into their gorgeous and intimate venue to experience some of Mosimann’s famed cuisine naturelle dishes and their world-class service. Without further ado...
On a clear and sunny day, we pulled up outside the dining club. just below the exterior of a distinct Presbyterian church building, the only one amidst a row of white, Regency-style buildings. We were led up the stairs to the balcony bar where we enjoyed a glass of champagne each and took in our interior surroundings. It was exactly midday when we found ourselves peering over the wooden balcony, past the golden chandelier and the elaborate arrangements of vibrant roses and branches wrapped around the structured pillars of the building, down to the open main dining room. Noon light streamed in through the windows illuminating the stunning, open space around the balcony, all the way up to the highest point of the ceilings and shining right on Anton Mosimann’s golden bust sculpture right at the centre, opposite to where we sat. The ceilings have maintained the style and design of its former church, giving the general interior space a timeless sort of regality and opulence that can often only be obtained from homage paid to architectural heritage and tradition.
We then went on a tour around the property to take a peek into the seven unique and individually designed dining rooms that are available not only for Mosimann’s members’ exclusive use but also for private hire to any non-members. Ranging from intimate rooms with a maximum capacity of 2 diners to airy, open spaces seating up to 30, all of these stunning designer rooms named after some of the world’s most renowned luxury brands are perfectly suited for just about any special occasion one might hope to arrange.
Mosimann's Private Dining Rooms
The Mont Blanc Room
The smallest dining room on property seats two diners at a time in their own heavenly private sanctuary illuminated by the radiant glow of Montblanc’s exclusively designed cascading crystal chandelier as the room’s centrepiece. The brand’s signature monochromatic colours are enhanced by the subtle shimmer of oyster panelled walls in this timelessly glamorous and luxurious room. This room is simply ideal for special, private occasions like proposals or for anniversaries.
The Lalique Room
Classic European splendour from luxury French crystalware and glassmakers Lalique comes to life in this room's neutral grays, chrome, and translucent themes. A sense of effortless beauty and opulence is mirrored, literally, in all its delicate crystallised embellishments, particularly prominent in its showpiece glass table upheld by two stunning, robust table legs matching their intricate designs in the chandeliers hung directly above.
The Windsor Room
As its name might suggest, this neutral and elegant dining room is a dedicated tribute to Mosimann’s long-standing affiliation with the Royal Family, particularly to their catering services for the Royal Weddings of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011 and of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018. Menus from the respective royal weddings, photos and various royal memorabilia from past events are framed and showcased around the room. One long glass-encased wooden table stands at the centre with the rest of the room being composed of sophisticated and warm brown and cream colours, and golden decorative accents resembling animals.
The Davidoff Room
Legendary Swiss brand known for their premium cigars and smoker’s accessories headlines Mosimann’s second-largest dining room with their iconic golden cursive logo embossed above the elegant arched white windows on the centre wall of the room. Simple, understated contemporary refinement is at the very heart of this room’s design essence with white, gold and beige tones lit up under the exposed incandescent bulbs from above. There is also a gorgeous outdoor terrace attached to the Davidoff room, which at the time of our visit was a blooming vision of white floral arrangements which looked particularly inviting under the glow of the summer sun.
Casa Luiza
The property’s top floor room is a resplendent, vibrant haven to ultimate interior luxury and creativity curated by designer Luiza Marras from her Colony Interior’s extensive collection of stunning materials and fabrics from a diverse range of exceptional interior brands, selected exclusively for their unique designs and distinguished qualities. Completely original with decadent, distinctive prints and patterns are decked from floor to ceiling, quite literally, as the floor itself is an original oil painting commissioned for this very room by London artist, Lauren Mele.
The Lanson Library
In a partnership with the renowned Champagne house, the Lanson Library dining room draws inspiration from regal baroque colours and styles into a contemporary, elegant interior space. Simple white tablecloths set against royal red leather upholstery, a marble fireplace and antiqued mirrors all tie together creating a wonderful, sophisticated corner of the club.
Angélus Room
Venture downstairs to the heart of Mosimann’s into the Angélus room, the dining club’s very own chef’s table. Château Angélus brings the spirit of their renowned Bordeaux wine from the natural terrains of their vineyards in Saint-Émilion into this room with full mahogany paneling and flooring fitted for this intimate dining room, with a window offering a clear view into the kitchen. A perfect opportunity for serious foodies to observe culinary mastery in action.
Once we were done with our tour, we finally made our way to the main restaurant to begin our lunch. We had already had a preliminary peek of the main restaurant from above on the balcony bar, but being down on the main floor with light filtering in from the church windows upstairs and from the grand, golden chandelier was simply enchanting. Timeless, resplendent rustic elegance is embodied in the florally framed, full wooden interior of Mosimann’s main dining room. Various works of vibrant original art are displayed along the walls of the main restaurant space and on the upper floor balcony bar as well.
Mosimann's Signature Dishes
Our first starter to arrive was the Marinated Salmon & Dorset Crab. Paired with our glasses of a crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, the fish starter went down so smoothly with the citrusy zest of the soy lemon marinade embedded into the salmon, and the sweetness from the lemon dressing with mixed herbs blended all together palatably. The salmon and crab were topped with spring onions, dill, and parsley.
Next up was the famous Mosimann’s Risotto ai Funghi. This petite plate just blew us away. Packed and bursting with those intense mushroom flavours and a wonderfully creamy, velvety texture all-around, the perfectly cooked to al-dente risotto was a notable representation of Mosimann’s reputation of taking otherwise considered simple dishes and elevating it to an entirely new level. Cooked with seasonal mushrooms, chicken and beef stock, parmesan cheese, Mosimann’s champagne, whipped cream, and chives, this starter is bound to blow your palette away.
Our first main course was Beef Fillet with 4 Kinds of Peppercorn Sauce and Beef Jus. The beef fillet is perhaps the most exemplary dish of Mosimann’s cooking technique of ‘cuisine naturelle’, which emphasises cooking with healthier and more natural methods and ingredients, excluding the use of fats and alcohol in the process. Perfectly medium-rare with a juicy tenderness that could make your eyes roll all the way back into your head when you take that first bite of the peppercorn-bathed meat. The jus added a natural sweetness to the taste as well. Accompanying the beef, we had a medley of seasonal vegetables: sprouting broccoli, carrots, asparagus and new potatoes, along with a glass of Merlot.
Our other main course was the Steamed Sea Bass with Black Bean Sauce. Served with a glass of Pinot Noir to pair with the fish, we have here quite a technically complicated dish with a multitude of ingredients that tied together perfectly. The honeyed but smooth-savoury flavour from the black bean sauce was a wonderful surprise and the textures from the juicy yet flaky steamed fish and the blistered tomatoes complemented one another so pleasantly.
We had the honour of trying the famous Mosimann’s Bread & Butter Pudding. I dare say it is by no means an exaggeration in the slightest when I say, that was the single most incredible, earth-shatteringly delicious bread and butter pudding we had ever tasted in our lives, ever. The texture was just delectable, perfectly bouncy and maddeningly creamy with those addictive sweet eggy, vanilla flavours and topped with icing sugar and sultanas. The taste of this dessert was simply legendary, I don’t really know how else to describe it, but its distinct taste will live on in our memories for a lifetime.
The final dessert was the Passionfruit Soufflé with Yoghurt Ice Cream and Passionfruit Coulis. As a huge fan of soufflés, I was pink with glee when I first saw this stunning dessert being brought over. A superb soufflé sat in its tin, dusted with icing sugar just covering the gorgeous, browned edges of its top and looking so tantalisingly perfect, you just want to wobble the plate and watch how it vibrates. Of course, it tasted just as sublime as it looked with the texture being fine, fluffy, and instantly melting in my mouth. The passionfruit coulis was poured onto the top of the soufflé, which was a very tart, zesty-sweet juice that worked well with the sorbet-like texture of the ice cream and the light soufflé.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the incredible staff and the entire team at Mosimann’s who were professional, friendly, and helpful in every manner from the moment we stepped inside. We appreciated every recommendation made to us and learned a wealth of history and the culture behind this dining club founded by one of the most celebrated gourmet culinary pioneers of our time. It was such a genuine pleasure to see an establishment so thoughtfully dedicated to showcasing, exhibiting, and executing the finest of not only what gourmet cuisine has to offer, but also of art and interior design.
Mosimann's, 11B W Halkin Street, London SW1X 8JL, United Kingdom, +44 20 7235 9625
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