Open Mon-Sun 7am-11pm,
The blurb
A stone’s throw away from Notting Hill Gate station, in the heart of West London, The Laslett is a unique boutique hotel made up of five stunning townhouses – dreamt up by Tracy Lowry and Living Rooms. Named after Rhaune Laslett, a local activist behind the original Notting Hill Festival (later evolving to become the renowned Carnival as we know it today), The Laslett pays great homage to the cultural richness – art, music and lifestyle – that permeates through the Notting Hill area.
The style
Sitting amongst the other Victorian townhouses that line Pembridge Gardens – just moments away from Notting Hill Gate station – you could be forgiven for mistaking The Laslett for a private (and very opulent) family home. We actually walked past it, ignoring Google maps, before eventually realising the columned and beautifully tiled entrance was, in fact, our brunch destination.
The Laslett’s style is the perfect balance of cool, minimal and cosy. While you feel as though you’ve stepped into your very talented interior designer friend’s stunning house, it also feels welcoming, homely and down to earth. Aside from inspiring decor, music was one of the first things I noticed; Motown, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll played throughout our dining experience, which made me very happy indeed. We were sat by the window in the dining room of The Henderson Bar, very aptly named after Russell ‘Russ’ Henderson, with sliding glass doors looking in at the rows of perfectly spaced bottles that lined the elegant bar shelves.
We were settled and ready to try out the menu. With a very attentive waitress ready to take our order, it was time to indulge…
The food
As it was technically brunch and we were ordering from the day to night menu (plus, bellies were rumbling at this point), it felt only right to order several things to start. We went for the Kale, Cauliflower, Dates & Hazelnuts with Feta Cheese Dressing (£10), the Charcuterie Cheese Board (£12) and the Smashed Avocado with Poached Egg, Red Onion, Chilli & Lime on Toasted Sourdough (£12). I always order smashed avocado and eggs, it’s like an instinct I simply can’t shake off. And it didn’t disappoint. The red onion, chilli and lime were generously and confidently dressed; that may sound strange, but as an avo on toast connoisseur I can honestly say, more often than not, the chilli and lime are very much a second thought and never a prominent flavour – well, not at The Laslett. I could only eat a bit of the cheese, some crunchy cornichons and no deli meats (pregnant), but my friend wolfed it down and thoroughly enjoyed the generous charcuterie selection. The highlight of the three had to be the kale, cauliflower, dates and hazelnuts with feta dressing. the combination of textures and immense flavours were just phenomenal. It was one of those dishes that sounds super simple but is a genius combination of tastes. To be honest, I don’t think Jonathan got much of a look in – I just couldn’t stop eating it!
For the mains (yes, we really still had space for that) I went for the Thai Green Chicken Curry with Jasmine Steamed Rice (£15) and Jonathan went for the Mac & Cheese (£10). Obviously I tasted a spoonful of mac & cheese, which was richly cheesy and gloriously carby, as it should always be. My Thai curry had just the right amount of heat, not too overwhelming, with a warming finish and an abundance of those much-loved Thai spices; lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and so on. Although we were full at this point, we decided to share one little dessert. It had to be the Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream (£6). gooey, chocolatey, warm and just so moreish, it was a hit with which to end our meal.
The drink
While I couldn’t make the most of the extensive cocktail and wine offering, our waitress just so happened to also be pregnant and came to my rescue with the recommendation of a Blueberry Drop mocktail (£8). It was so refreshing and believe it or not, I didn’t even miss the alcohol. Jonathan opted for a large glass of the Picpoul de Pinet de Languedoc, France (£12). he’s usually a red wine drinker, but loved this crisp and elegant wine so much, he stuck with that for the duration of our time at The Laslett. Just know, whatever your tipple of choice, you’ll be well catered for with this drinks menu.
In a nutshell
The Laslett is a great place to spend hours dining, drinking and feeling generally looked after in stylish surroundings, with excellent music to boot.
