Review: La Maison Ani
Review: La Maison Ani
La Maison Ani, which nestles between Knightsbridge’s Hermes store and the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel, attracts the occasional royal (Princess Eugenie is a rumoured guest) alongside a crowd that wouldn’t look out of place in Dubai. And this makes perfect sense as the restaurant is the sibling of a Dubai stalwart of the same name. But what attracts this upmarket crowd? The answer is French cuisine with innovative Middle Eastern touches like saffron and spice.
I’d recommend starting at the bar. The cocktail menu is as intriguing as it is extensive, with an equal emphasis on non-alcoholic versions. We kicked off with Ani’s signature cocktails: a tequila, mescal, lime and grapefruit palomarie which was kookily served with a cherry of the tomato variety; and a pina picante which came with a dramatic – and rather indulgent – whipped ice-cream like topping. A nice prelude to a couple of glasses of chablis, which also went down very smoothly.
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Once shown to our table by the delightfully smiley staff, our menu perusing began in earnest with a side of freshly baked bread that included delicious slices rippled with black garlic. To start, I opted for the lentil salad which had an intriguing sweet and sour quality thanks to the addition of raisins, apples and pickled vegetables. My friend’s burrata oozed so sumptuously that we needed a spatula-like implement to get it onto our plates. Next up, a whole grilled seabream which was boned at the table and served confidently with nothing but a wedge of lemon, a testament to its freshness and precision cooking. My companion, who’d just returned from a pasta-heavy holiday in Italy, confirmed her rigatoni with 0% vodka, tomato, cream and smoked paprika was up there with Italy’s finest. The potato dauphinoise didn’t disappoint either: creamy enough to feel luxurious but light enough to avoid a heart attack. For pudding we had a surprisingly airy cheese cake with a hazelnut crumb base and passion fruit coulis. As cheese cake is not high on my list, I was surprised to find myself devouring the whole thing. My friend’s saffron milk cake – a Middle Eastern concept featuring sponge cake that sucks-up flavour and moisture from a creamy golden pool of milk – didn’t do it for me, but she more than approved.
Opened since 2024 and a stone’s throw from Knightsbridge tube, La Maison Ani is a haven for a glamorous mix of wealthy Gulf visitors and well-heeled locals. A luxurious way to round-off a day of hi-end retail therapy.
The Carlton Tower, 1 Cadogan Pl, London SW1X 9PY / @lamaisonanilondon
