Mount St Restaurant review: Reimagined British favourites in the heart of Mayfair

If the three Ls of location apply to food as well as homes, then Mount St is the place to eat out in central London.

The invitation to this restaurant, which offers fine dining with a classic British twist, reminded me that "as we know Mayfair is a popular spot for Middle Eastern tourists in the summer months". Not just the summer, but the low hum of quiet conversation from promenading visitors in their comfort wear pervades these streets almost year round.

At Mount St, it is not just the well-heeled from the region. There is a Premier League club owner, not from the Middle East, at one table, plus bodyguards in tow, on the night I visit.

Mount St sits above the long-standing Audley public house, but is accessed through a private entrance. Each floor is dedicated hospitality space, including private rooms decked out in tartan.

The executive chef is Jamie Shears, who was busy in service most of the evening during our visit. He has produced an ambitious menu, including the signature lobster dish for two.

First impressions

If Mount St was missing anything it was a red velvet chaise longue. It is that kind of space. Like an opulent salon, the atmosphere was very welcoming and the staff really went out of their way to ensure we had a pleasant experience. It helped that pieces by Lucian Freud, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol and Frank Bowling lined the walls. The mosaic floor and array of windows at the same time lend the room a bright and airy feel during the day.

Mount St. Restaurant. Photo: The M Collective

Now in its third year, having opened in autumn 2022, Mount St Restaurant has become a firm favourite of many in a neighbourhood that includes legendary hotels, including Claridge's and the Connaught.

Chef's delight

The food was impressive and I thought the menu was well structured. Looking around, the lobster pie for two was the main order for many fellow diners. For something lighter at our table there was the confit smoked trout, jersey royal potatoes and watercress, topped with an egg. For meat-eaters, there was an excellent aged beef with seasonal greens.

Inside Mount St Restaurant. Photo: The M Collective

Seasonality is important to the Mount St offering. Shears explained the wider approach as expressed in two eye-catching dishes, the mock turtle croquette on the starters and the agnolotti of baked potato and black truffle on the mains.

"Both dishes balance tradition with innovation, offering food that is both rooted in history and exciting for today’s diners," he told The National. "I like to take familiar flavours and present them in a different or unexpected way, while ensuring that every dish feels thoughtful, considered and full of character.

"The mock turtle croquette takes inspiration from a classic dish, but delivers it in a way that’s unusual, refined and packed with flavour, while the agnolotti is indulgent and comforting, and is a vegetarian dish that doesn’t compromise on richness or flavour.

"I’m ambitious with my approach to cooking and I’m always looking to create a new take or put an unexpected spin on well-known dishes, meaning people keep coming back to try more."

The knowledgeable and solicitous staff were keen that I try the hazelnut parfait and it did not disappoint. Indeed, it was superbly balanced.

The ambition

A view along Mount Street in Mayfair, London. Corbis

The buzz around the building is the product of upwards of 30 events a week, as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner settings at the restaurant. Shears says it has been a career-topping challenge to get the food operation humming in the Mayfair landmark. Before signing up with Mount St, he was at the Wolfgang Puck restaurant on nearby Park Lane.

"Mount St Restaurant is about creating a space where exceptional food feels exciting in a welcoming setting," he says. "I want guests to experience dishes that are rooted in London’s culinary history but presented in a way that feels fresh, relevant and effortlessly enjoyable.

"I was executive chef at 45 Park Lane, which was thriving, and I was very comfortable in my role there. When I took on the challenge here, I had no idea how big we were going to become."

How much it costs

The grilled Cornish mackerel, blood orange ponzu, monk’s beard and caviar costs £28 ($37), while the lobster pie for two, with greens, is £110. A warm bitter chocolate mousse, cocoa nib and coffee ice cream is priced at £16.

This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant

MATCH INFO

Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')

Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')

Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)

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UAE%20SQUAD

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5	Norway
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7.	Singapore
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PREMIER LEAGUE STATS

Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals

2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25

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AT%20A%20GLANCE

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWindfall%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAn%20%E2%80%9Cenergy%20profits%20levy%E2%80%9D%20to%20raise%20about%20%C2%A35%20billion%20in%20a%20year.%20The%20temporary%20one-off%20tax%20will%20hit%20oil%20and%20gas%20firms%20by%2025%20per%20cent%20on%20extraordinary%20profits.%20An%2080%20per%20cent%20investment%20allowance%20should%20calm%20Conservative%20nerves%20that%20the%20move%20will%20dent%20North%20Sea%20firms%E2%80%99%20investment%20to%20save%20them%2091p%20for%20every%20%C2%A31%20they%20spend.%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EA%20universal%20grant%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEnergy%20bills%20discount%2C%20which%20was%20effectively%20a%20%C2%A3200%20loan%2C%20has%20doubled%20to%20a%20%C2%A3400%20discount%20on%20bills%20for%20all%20households%20from%20October%20that%20will%20not%20need%20to%20be%20paid%20back.%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETargeted%20measures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMore%20than%20eight%20million%20of%20the%20lowest%20income%20households%20will%20receive%20a%20%C2%A3650%20one-off%20payment.%20It%20will%20apply%20to%20households%20on%20Universal%20Credit%2C%20Tax%20Credits%2C%20Pension%20Credit%20and%20legacy%20benefits.%3Cbr%3ESeparate%20one-off%20payments%20of%20%C2%A3300%20will%20go%20to%20pensioners%20and%20%C2%A3150%20for%20those%20receiving%20disability%20benefits.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

JAPAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa

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Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)

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Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)

Sunday, May 17

Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)

Monday, May 18

Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)

AndhaDhun

Director: Sriram Raghavan

Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan

Rating: 3.5/5

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

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How to vote in the UAE

1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/

2) Take it to the US Embassy

3) Deadline is October 15

4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll

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ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.

Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

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RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Ferdous, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-3 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,400m
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6pm: UAE Arabian Derby Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 2,200m
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7pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Group 3 (TB) Dh380,000 2,200m
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7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Conditions (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Al Bairaq, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands

50-man Royal Rumble

Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe

SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos

Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho

John Cena v Triple H

Matches to be announced

WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet

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Company profile

Company name: Suraasa

Started: 2018

Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker

Based: India, UAE and the UK

Industry: EdTech

Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding

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The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

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• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
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