This expressive London restaurant was formed by ‘the feelings of the ocean’

From London restaurateurs Khaled Dandachi and Fred Srouchi – the duo behind Sparrow Italia in Mayfair – comes a much-anticipated addition to the revitalised Hanover Sq.. Set throughout the luxurious Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, which opened final yr, Mazarine is a coastal French idea led by chef Thierry Laborde, who skilled underneath Alain Ducasse at Monaco’s three-Michelin-starred Le Louis XV earlier than serving to form the British capital’s early ‘bistronomy’ motion with Chabrot Bistro d’Amis.

Mazarine Restaurant, London

The inside design, realised by New York studio Bolt Builds, steers decisively away from maritime tropes in favour of a bolder, extra sculptural language. Mediterranean blues are virtually absent, surfacing solely within the desk linens, upholstery and florals. As a substitute, a palette of sand, oyster and heat stone hues anchors the house, aligning it with the edgier London restaurant panorama.

‘We centered on evoking the feelings of the ocean relatively than illustrating it. Motion, depth, reflection, softness, shadowplay, these grew to become our design instruments,’ says Matthew Dennis, founder and lead designer of Bolt Builds.

The intimate ground-floor restaurant unfolds with the logic of a geological formation, settling into an enveloping ambiance come dusk. At its core is a monolithic carved-stone bar, which Dennis calls ‘the emotional centre of the restaurant’. Above it, a dramatic pendant cascades like molten bronze. The motif continues via the metalwork tracing the railings, the pale timber seating and customized tables, and the shimmering metal-mesh curtains that delineate the personal eating room.

Most placing is the pearlescent ceiling, which appears to ebb and stream with the energy of an underwater present. This sense of motion is echoed within the bouclé and woven textiles and within the curved banquette wall that grounds the room, bringing heat, tactility and a fluid spatial rhythm. ‘It’s an area that rewards consideration and invitations calm,’ notes Dennis.

On the plate, whispers of classical French method meet a distinctly fashionable sensibility, with a fish- and seafood-focused menu constructed round texture and provenance. The hors d’oeuvres part opens with inventiveness: the home croque monsieur reimagined with black truffle and blue lobster, or a smoked eel croquette with a fragile crunch. Burgundy snails in garlic and parsley butter stay a standard home speciality, whereas the bluefin tuna with traditional peppercorn sauce (finest paired with crisp potato churros), affords a transportive richness mirrored in a wine record that’s genuine, exact and indulgent.

Mazarine Restaurant is positioned at 22 Hanover Sq., London W1S 1JA, United Kingdom.