A Mediterranean Gem in the Heart of Mayfair
Bruton Place is fast becoming one of London’s best foodie streets, with a lovely mix of independent restaurants, cafes, bars and a famous pub. All that a food lover needs is on one little street off Berkeley Square. The newest restaurant is SILVA Mayfair, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant which opened in November last year. I recently had the pleasure of having lunch in Silva, and from the moment I walked through the door of this mews house, I immediately felt at home. The decor reflects the name Silva (which is Latin for forest), and the calming woodland theme is evident throughout the restaurant.
Silva is tucked away next to Guinea Grill. Appearances can be deceiving, and from the front, the exterior looks to deceive about what lies behind the doors. Downstairs is the restaurant space, and upstairs is a private bar and stunning private dining room. You could hire the bar and the room to open up the space, which would make an idyllic space for a gathering.
Silva is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We were here for lunch on a sunny day. We were sitting at the back of the restaurant in a cosy alcove seat. Above us, the skylight let the sunlight flood in, as if to complete the Mediterranean ambience.
The lunch menu, although not large, caused much indecision between us. I don’t know about you, but liking everything on the menu has its plus side but also a minus side. The big minus for me is FOMO: Will I get food envy? However, a great part about this job is that I have to taste everything that arrives on the table.
The lunch menu features about 6 or 7 choices for starters and mains, as well as a raw section.
We started with sourdough with honey and olive oil butter, so simple yet delicious, the honeyed butter will be an addition to my dinner table when entertaining in future.
For starters, my guest chose cornish crab raviolo with a langoustine sauce, and I decided on charred asparagus, pistachio salsa verde.
I have a deep fondness for crab, so I generally enjoy anything that includes it. I must say that this starter was exceptional—the raviolo filled with crab meat was generously coated in langoustine sauce. The dish was beautifully presented, as were all the dishes we had for lunch. Along with their presentation, they were vibrant with colour.
Talking of colours, my asparagus starter was a palette of shades of green, cooked perfectly soft but retaining bite. The salsa verde added to the flavour with a burst of freshness from the mint.
Main courses again posed a similar issue in terms of choices, I was debating between halibut, duck breast and spatchcock poussin, the small chicken won. My guest went straight in for the Wild garlic risotto, asparagus, and morels, with no hesitation in sight.
Perfectly risotto rice only requires a few simple ingredients to enhance it, so adding asparagus and morels with black garlic is the perfect combination. It was delightful.
My poussin arrived topped with shaved fennel, mint and chilli, again, simple ingredients that work well together. Alongside the poussin, I ordered rosemary Roast potatoes and a green salad.
Let’s talk about the potatoes, little baby new potatoes that were slow-cooked then deep-fried. I did not pick up much rosemary, but boy, they were good. When you visit Silva, whatever you choose from the menu, please order these; you will not be disappointed.
As this is a recurring theme these days, we decided to share a dessert we ordered and give it its full title: Manuela’s Basque Cheesecake.
It turns out that a Basque cheesecake differs from a regular cheesecake as it does not have a biscuit base, it does has a slightly burnt exterior with a soft, creamy custard inside. I’m a big fan of the food from the region, and this was another to add to the list. A moment of joy in every spoonful.
So lunch completed, it’s time to leave Silva and Bruton Place, not for the first time I leave Bruton Place a very happy man, apparently according to the people who know these things the landowners of Bruton Place want to encourage more restaurants into the road, if they are as good as Silva we are in for a big treat.
SiLVA Mayfair
26-28 Bruton Place, Mayfair, London, W1J 6NG
