Where do fine wine lovers go to enjoy themselves in London? I’m not talking about those with infinite amounts of cash, who can afford the three to four times mark ups which are found in the multi-starred Michelin places – prices that are among the worst value on the planet. The Ledbury, The Square and Bonhams Restaurant were honourable exceptions but they are no more. There are a handful of St James’s clubs that still have extraordinary lists but they are only for male members and 67 Pall Mall, which is specifically for wine lovers, is also members only.
The situation has been partially ameliorated with the arrival of Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew, whose Noble Rot opened on Lamb’s Conduit Street in 2015. At best, the cuisine was the equivalent of thoughtful pub food, cooked by Paul Weaver and overseen by Stephen Harris, chef of the renowned Sportsman near Whitstable, Kent. However, the food was secondary to the wine list, which itemized hundreds of wines. It was a pleasure to uncover obscure offerings such as Château des Tours from Rayas or Burgundy from Roulot. Their passion for wine extended to an eponymous publication, which, along with The World of Fine Wine, are the best wine magazines in the business.
A year ago, Keeling and Andrew announced they were opening Noble Rot Soho on the former site of Soho’s Gay Hussar, the favoured restaurant of the Literary Labour Left. It was vaguely Hungarian food, thanks to the influence of proprietor Victor Sassie, who had spent time in Budapest. Relying on its unique blend of “gossip and goulash”, Sassie was the major reason for its success – he once threw out George Brown, the then Foreign Secretary, for groping a woman at a neighbouring table. Fellow Labour MP Tom Driberg, who Churchill once remarked was the sort of person who gave sodomy a bad name, was once stretchered out from one of the private rooms. As he reached the front door, he hastened to reassure the startled diners that he was suffering from a heart attack rather than food poisoning. I used to go there occasionally more than 40 years ago with Christopher Hitchens, but the only Labour figure I recall seeing regularly was a jovial Roy Hattersley. Latterly, it was allegedly the gathering place for Tory Wets to engineer the removal of Margaret Thatcher.
Greek Street still lives up to its louche reputation. Not so long ago, I was lunching at Soho House, when I glanced across the street and there silhouetted on a blind over a first-floor window, was a couple copulating energetically. Further up Greek Street, no such view was on offer at Noble Rot Soho, probably because the first-floor window panes are slightly opaque. Such is the reputation of Keeling and Andrew and the deluge of praiseworthy coverage; it was impossible to get a reservation for at least a week. The décor is attractive and cosy, with saloon style seating along each of the mirrored walls with a display of decanters along the dado. The central open corridor leads to the upstairs rooms, which are more atmospheric, with full length murals celebrating the street front and former guests. The current customers all looked like they bugger around in the arts, with not a tie in sight. The bearded pair on the adjoining table were discussing the merits of Château Léoville Barton versus Beychevelle (Roy Jenkins favourite) though they ended up drinking Lafon-Rochet 87, a minor Saint-Estèphe from a questionable vintage, though the sommelier assures me it was perfectly potable.
Overall, the wine list offers few bargains under £60 – you are better off trying Andrew Edmunds or 10 Greek St. However, once you go above this figure, there are plenty of interesting bottles nudging £80 and upwards. If you want to celebrate with some Champagne, Pol Brut Blanc de Blanc 02 for £132 and Cristal 08 at £240 are both steals. Corkage is a reasonable £25 and the general mark-up is usually double or less, which is rare for London. The set lunch of the day looked like a bargain at £22 for three courses. I drank a bottle of Murgo Etna Rosso 17, which was a perfect light fragrant lunch time wine.
Maybe it is a mistake to review somewhere so early after opening as the food didn’t really excite me – the Choux bun, duck liver parfait and Tokaji jelly was slightly chilled on the inside, so not a lot of impact. The game stuffed cabbage and sour cream was pleasant enough but verging on bland – it was impossible to guess what the game actually was. And the Swaledale beef shin goulash “Gay Hussar” was not exactly packed with flavour – like a lot of beef shin, it was slightly dry in the middle – perhaps beef hearts would be a better alternative. I imagine that paprika was somewhere in the mix, but it didn’t raise its voice. One argument could be that the food is kept distinctly under-seasoned for the sake of the fine wine, which is a valid enough excuse.
The Armagnac Baba and whipped cream wasn’t saturated enough for my taste either, though admittedly the only Baba Rhum that knocked me sideways was at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo and it probably cost more than the entire meal at Noble Rot Soho.
It almost seems irrelevant though to carp on about the cuisine, as the atmosphere is addictive – perfect well-informed service, reasonable prices and everybody having an exceedingly good time. It is extraordinary how such a new venture has already embedded itself in Soho. If only a few more restaurants would offer this range of wines for such amounts. However, a problem faced by all restaurants that offer rarities at sensible prices is that they can sell out within the month and often can’t be found again. The proprietors mentioned in their advance publicity that they had Cecile Tremblay Burgundy but I doubt if it will still be there by the end of the year – ditto any wines produced by Rayas. However, there are plenty of alternatives to keep you amused or simply bring your own rarities.
Noble Rot Soho (www.noblerot.co.uk) 2 Greek Street Soho W1D 4NB +44 207 183 8190. Closed Sundays. Set Lunch £22 for three courses or £18 for two without wine.