A Lady in London

I haven’t traveled much this month. With the exception of short trips to Belfast and the New Forest, I have stayed in London for all of January. Given that I’m usually on the move, cabin fever set in last week. Then I got invited to spend a night at The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge, and I welcomed the opportunity to staycation in London.

The Capital, which is celebrating its 40th birthday this year, is a five-star townhouse hotel located right around the corner from Harrods on quiet Basil Street. When I arrived, I was greeted by the staff and shown to my room on the 6th floor.

The junior suite was made up of what used to be a single room and a double room. It had a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom as well as a sitting room and a washroom. The bathroom had unique amenities, with a range of both Kiehl’s and Bvlgari toiletries, which was a nice touch. The only thing I would have changed was the shower curtain, which didn’t extend far enough in either direction to prevent water from getting on the floor.

The decor of the room was classic, with lots of antique furnishings and dark woods. Modern throw pillows added a splash of vibrant color, as did an array of books and magazines.

After I settled into my room, I got a tour of the hotel with Jenny, one of the managers. She showed me a few more of the 49 rooms, the award-winning restaurant, the bar, the afternoon tea area, and two meeting rooms. The hotel had an intimate feel that was fitting for a family-run establishment.

Outside of The Capital Hotel, I spent some time walking around Knightsbridge. I have always loved the neighborhood’s beautiful buildings, their bright brick facades lighting up in the sunshine. While most people stick to the shopping areas around Sloane Street and Brompton Road, I prefer exploring the quiet squares and gardens away from the retail bustle.

But even I enjoy shopping in Knightsbridge sometimes. It’s hard not to when you’re surrounded by stores like Harrods and Harvey Nichols. I couldn’t resist a trip to the Harrods’ food halls during my stay at The Capital Hotel, and I was tempted by some amazing culinary treats during the last day of their big winter sale.

The real foodie event of my staycation in London was at the hotel itself, though. I was invited to have dinner with a friend at The Capital Restaurant, which was voted one of the top 5 hotel restaurants in London by Zagat Buzz in August. I was excited to try Chef Jerome Ponchelle’s cuisine in the intimate dining room on the ground floor.

Our meal started with amuse bouches of polenta, tomato marmalade, and chevre, which were delicious previews of the goodness that was to come. They were followed by starters of duck foie gras ravioli with leeks and black truffle, as well as hand-dived scallops with black pudding, celeriac puree, frisee, and bacon crisps. I had the latter, which was a richly divine blend of flavors.

Our mains consisted of venison medallions with red wine poached pears, glazed baby carrots, and parsnip puree for my friend, and Dover sole fillet with girolles, lardons, button onions, Jerusalem artichokes, and red wine sauce for me. I was a bit nervous to order the sole, as I have only ever had the fish served simply with butter. But The Capital Restaurant’s preparation was excellent. The flavors blended well, harmoniously complimenting one another throughout each bite.

The mains were followed by an interlude that brought small glasses filled with yuzu cream and mandarin jelly to the table. They were refreshing and light, and just what we needed after our mains.

We were nearing the end of our bottle of Gamay Levin, VDP du Jardin de la France 2009 by the time we looked at the dessert menus. I solved that problem by ordering the frozen Tainori chocolate parfait with a praline biscuit and caramelized walnut, which was served with a glass of Constantia wine. It was decadent and smooth, and my only complaint was that the dish was too big to finish.

My friend’s caramelized pineapple with vanilla cream and hibiscus sorbet was equally large and just as good. Then the petit fours arrived, and the two of us finished dinner feeling like we needed a walk. My postprandial stroll consisted of the few steps from the restaurant to the elevator, and then from the hallway to my room, where I fell asleep dreaming of scallops, truffles, and chocolate.

The next morning I was up early to try more of the restaurant’s cuisine, this time in the form of a big breakfast. There was a healthy buffet set up in the room, but I couldn’t resist ordering poached eggs with bacon to go along with the basket of fluffy croissants and pastry rolls on my table.

After eating so much good food, I felt like I needed to walk a million miles to burn off all of the calories. As I left hotel, I considered heading home on foot. Tomorrow I head to Brighton for two days, and I should probably walk there too. And with my travel schedule picking up next month, there is no shortage of trips that I could use to work up an appetite for another great meal. Or I could just stay in London and staycation at The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge again.