Open daily 6.30am–11am and midday–10.30pm
I really wanted to like this restaurant. I like the dining concept which celebrates London’s diversity with its sharing plates grouped under different areas of London from the Middle Eastern influences of Edgware Road and the café culture of Portobello Road to the Vietnamese restaurants of Kingsland Road and South Asian flavours of Brick Lane. I like the London-inspired mix of classic and contemporary design with the welcoming elegant bar, bevelled mirrors, clear and coloured glass, marble tables, smart leather chairs and striking mirrored chimney breast.
Cocktails are five-star hotel quality (I went for a West London Gimlet; £11; British beetroot gave it a vibrant twist; my friend’s non-alcoholic Garden of Ehden, £6.50, was equally good); the young staff are sweet and accommodating and there isn’t a hint that it’s located in a Marriott Hotel – in fact there isn’t a link to their website from the Marriott’s website.
Yet you still know you’re in a Marriott. It’s in the fattoush salad (£4.90) – despite the sumac, it could have come straight from supermarket; the uninspired roi du du (green papaya salad; £5.90); and the slightly dry barbequed pork skewers (bun thit nuong; £7.90). And it’s in the play-it-safe soft pop soundtrack and the clientele who have come straight from the connected hotel, including two men in suits – on a Sunday – and a couple in casualwear; the guy in trainers.
However, the butter chicken (the chef’s father’s recipe; £9.50) and the samosa chat (£6.50) fared better – decent comfort food. Succulent beef brisket sliders (£7.90), which came with roasted bone marrow topped with breadcrumbs and a creamy horseradish, was the clear favourite.
The staff offer to post your dessert-menu-cum-postcard – a fun touch – and moreover, our desserts hit the spot. We chose the Valrhona chocolate torte (£7.50) served with clotted cream and the Jammy dodgers (presented in a silver tin; £5.50), which were just right – crumbly shortbread sandwiching a light strawberry mousse.
Perhaps Lanes of London, which only opened a month ago in a terrific central location, is still finding its feet. Let’s hope so because it’s currently a little bland – certainly not what it aspires towards.