Tue–Sun 9am–6pm
The blurb
‘Forming part of the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London’s Hyde Park, The Magazine was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid. Head Chef Emmanuel Eger’s contemporary style of cooking, combined with Zaha Hadid’s inspirational architecture, creates a distinctive dining narrative at The Magazine.’
The style
Much-heralded contemporary addition to the Serpentine Sackler Gallery, a conversation-starter (or, indeed, stopper) in the heart of Kensington Gardens for wide-eyed tourists. From the outside, the irregularly-curved white membrane structure, with its dramatic swoops and arches, brings to mind an alien sea creature, a giant sci-fi limpet, perhaps, that has attached itself to the gallery, a former 1805 gunpowder store.
Once you’re inside, though, it makes perfect sense, the all-whiteness embracing you in a dreamlike cocoon, leavened by stunning double aspect glass walls that offer unparalleled views of the park. We arrive for Sunday brunch early so are ushered to the bar where the knowledgeable, humorous mixologist makes us insanely good Bloody Marys using English smoked vodka from Herefordshire-based Chase Distilleries.
The crowd
The sunny Sunday we visited, lots of well-heeled families with small children, of myriad nationalities, post-mandatory-weekly-walk in the park; culturally superior middle-aged couples earnestly discussing the gallery exhibitions; a large group of hungover yet irrepressibly chatty west London girls in skinny jeans and parkas, dissecting the previous night’s events over restorative scrambled eggs and Bellinis.
I imagine in the evenings it’s more of a destination restaurant—it would certainly be the perfect place to impress a first date.
The food
Exceptionally good—this is not your average gallery restaurant. The brunch menu, while encompassing the aforementioned scrambled eggs (with smoked salmon, natch), ubiquitous crushed avocado and French toast (listed as starters) also includes a list of three ambitious mains as well as a whole section ‘from the grill’ (Scottish salmon steak, Orchard Farm pork chop, Black Angus beef fillet and grass-fed veal loin).
I started with the French toast with grilled mushrooms and Montgomery cheddar, and was moaning with pleasure from the first mouthful of spongy egg-soaked brioche, which yielded magnificently to its super-savoury topping. My husband went for the more waistline-friendly Thai beef salad with lime and crispy shallots, which he loved for the tenderness of the perfectly rare beef and combination of zesty flavours and contrasting textures.
To follow, my sea bass with cauliflower and almonds (now replaced on the menu by Norwegian skrei with cauliflower and hazelnuts) was a clever take on the classic truite aux amandes and very well-executed; the modish cauliflower ‘rice’ lapped up the exquisite flavour of the fish, whose pearly flakes fell easily from the bone, the nutty crunch of finely chopped almonds enhancing every mouthful. My husband’s grass-fed veal loin with Jerusalem artichoke puree and wild mushrooms was a gorgeous piece of
meat, pink and meltingly tender, offset beautifully by its earthy seasonal companions.
As brunch had now turned into a somewhat sprawling lunch, ably assisted by free-flowing wine, we greedily decided to share a pudding of guanaja, vanilla and hazelnut, which was like dipping your spoon into the richest, dreamiest chocolate truffle imaginable. Heaven.
The wine
The extensive list offers most wines by the glass, carafe, or bottle, and we found ourselves easily knocking back two bottles of Portuguese rose Vinho Verde (Espadeiro, Conde Villar 2014), whose light, summery notes put us in a gloriously carefree holiday mood, despite it being the middle of winter. The husband insisted on a glass of full-bodied Argentinian Malbec Mendoza to accompany his veal, and our charming waiter suggested we finish our meal with a sublime Hungarian Royal Tokaji (‘Late Harvest’, 2012). We were delighted to comply, before floating out into the sunny park, feeling very happy with life indeed.
