Our cherished home-grown British seafood has evermore been seen as the unsung bedazzling jewel of the gastronomical realm, impeccably on par with a cold-water treasure trove where the salt-tinged tides sweep over to deliver to us an oceanic array of pristine sweet briny oysters, tender butter-like scallops and delicately salted deep-sea turbot. After incessantly living under the shadow of the vibrant flamboyance of the Mediterranean’s delectable saltwater offerings, the time has never been more ripe for the Nation’s seafood fare to recapture its epicurean prestige right atop the global gourmet stage, all prized for showcasing the pinnacle of its rippling roots, paired with pedigreed quality and the subtle complexities passed over from our cold northern waters.
It is here that we now enter Faber, the spirited seafood eatery with a flair for raw-bar refinement and an ardent devotion to marine sustainability, together with the debonair grande dame of Holborn hospitality of the Rosewood London hotel whom together, have come united in a formidable collaboration to compose a sultry new ode to British waters for the UK’s Summer Season. Unveiling an elegant seasonal showcase of seafood served at the Holborn Dining Room’s exclusive six-top table, it is within this illustrious dining domain where discerning culinary devotees can satiate their refined tastebuds with a seafood regale elevated to nouvelle-cuisine theatre, right under the hotel’s crimson awnings that brings diners and visitants together to embrace the legacy, location, and the luminous joy of eating with conscience and style.
The Rosewood: A Legacy Reimagined
The Rosewood story began with a modest yet riveting opening chapter, which took form with the 1979 rejuvenation of a palatial Texan mansion into the “Mansion on Turtle Creek”; a sumptuously pre-eminent luxury restaurant and hotel holding centre stage in an elite Dallas neighbourhood, which continues to garner some of the most prestigious hospitality awards from the Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards, to Forbes Travel Guide Ranking.
The group’s multi-award acclaim for regionally inspired, unrivalled eclat and exquisite gastronomical experiences, together with a hosting team that embodies intuitive finesse, has seen the Rosewood collection endorse and illustrate this entrancing amalgamation throughout its illustrious timeline. An inspirational adoption of the “A Sense of Place” philosophy has stood as a pivotal key guide and blueprint in the Rosewoods’ countless properties, portraying a mirror reflection of its country’s cultural richness, traditional heritage, and incalculable legacy entwined with avant-garde modernity. Encapsulations include the breathtaking tropical hideaway set within the shimmering pink sand beach shores of Bermuda, the sleek, soaring skyscraper landmark of Cambodia’s astir fuelled capital Phnom Penh and of course, the enchanting Grade II listed grandiosity of the Rosewood London.
Faber: A Modern Sonnet To The Sea
Inspired by the local fish Zeus Faber (John Dory) and borrowing its title from the Latin translation of “Smith”, the hearty yet stylish destination of Faber is not merely just a fine restaurant, but a delicious philosophy plated in porcelain all founded on the belief, that wholesome seafood should be savoured in its complete honest, elemental form.
Co-founded by Anthony Pender and Matt Ward in October 2023 right within the vibrant throng of Hammersmith, this wholesome 60-seater hangout arrived with a ruling narrative in motion that championed the craftspeople behind the produce as much as the food itself, where fisherman, shellfish farmers, and small-scale but ever priceless suppliers were to be celebrated as collaborators in the dining experience, with their invaluable knowledge and meticulous care forming the backbone of every dish.
Revealing an exquisite, Mermaid Lagoon-themed atmosphere bedecked in pastel pink hues, striking modern chandeliers and smooth wooden features, marine feasting enthusiasts have the golden opportunity of relishing on seasonally toothsome seafood affair right alongside a daily landings board, which zeroes in on bringing to the diners only the foremost elite of what shoreline producers and day boats have to offer each morning. Every plate at Faber embodies a fresh moment captured in time, and a snapshot of the sea that day, week, and season as Devon’s soft tender mussels come enveloped in a zesty silkened lemon thyme mariniere, whilst the Nation’s beloved fish and chip supper sees flaked butter like cod, cocooned in a tantalising batter of gorgeous, golden crisp perfection.
A Table Of Dreams: Theatre And Taste
To step into the quintessential resplendence of the Holborn Dining Room is to step into Gatsby’s hedonistic London world, where lavish Art Deco couples up with a rural British brasserie fervour as the fragrant scent of sea salt mingles with dry-aged steak and polished wood.
At the impeccable helm of the design blueprint is the internationally worshipped Martin Brudnizki, who has perpetually been idolised for his meticulous artistic mastery of vivacious extravagance, with an injection of bold eccentricity as showcased within the well-heeled members’ sanctum of Annabel’s, and the Mediterranean odyssey of Bacchanalia. It is here where Martin has created a grand ambience ringing with the symphony of a courtly Savile Row spirit, as blackened steel chandeliers of colossal oval proportions tower over burgundy-toned leather banquettes, nestled beside intricate burnished brass and parquet marble flooring that gives way to the powerful clicking echoes of their guests’ crystal Louboutin heels. But it’s the bedazzling spectacle of the six-top seafood counter that ultimately steals the spotlight show, intimately placed to take centre stage as the culinary theatrics unfold in real-time for diners to lean in and watch as luminous oysters get shucked with a flirtatious flair, while meaty langoustines are drizzled with rich olive oil as golden as a Riviera sunset.
Unveiling sensual procession of dishes that celebrate the British coast with daring and dexterity, the evening tasting journey had embarked with a crisp sparkling flute of Gusbourne’s apple tinged Blanc de Blanc 2019, paired with the traditional herbed Welsh delicacy of their unami rich laverbread biscuit before revelling in a stunning oyster display, each uniquely enveloped in a coating blanket of finely chopped grassy sweet chives, silk like crème fraîche and spiced “Sussex do’ya”, torched to faultless perfection in the radiant sight of my very own eyes.
The chalk stream trout tartare; delicate yet daring was cut to butter-fine dainty ribbons playing to a bright citrus salted burst from the intense profile of the Keta caviar, all elevated by the honeyed fruit depth of the Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2022, whilst the bold wood spiced nectar of the Saicho’s Darjeeling sparkling tea played as the perfect match for scrupulously sliced, hand dived scallop crudo.
Not one to combat the temptation of adding a Summer seafood favourite to this glorious menu, tender yet sturdy prime lobster had arrived attired in a moreish tangy coat of Faber’s sourdough glaze, whereas the Dorset Devilled Crab with Aged Cheddar Biscuit proved a table winner with rich piquant cheese, cutting through the hearty flakes of Portland Shellfish Co’s finest crab. Concluding the eventide regale, a true bonny belle of a cocktail made an entrance with a rosy hued West Country Belle aperitif, where pure lightly spiced gin was swirled with the tart hit of ripe mixed berries to cleanse the palate, as the sweet treat of soft fluffed madeleine cakes made for an idyllic finale, warm and sweet scented with a paper thin layer of dark chocolate ganache.
The Bounty Of Britain
Unjust to be seen as merely another “flash-in-the-pan” event, this prestigious partnership has flawlessly exhibited a celebration of what true British dining can become, when the union of priceless heritage, unparalleled hospitality and youthful creativity are invited to the same table, and as one redefines what it means to eat exquisite rustic seafood with an urbane panache.
Where Faber brings the glistening sparkle of West London’s bon vivant scene, Rosewood brings the gravitas of international luxury, and together, they’ve crafted an experience that’s both quintessentially British and entirely cosmopolitan for this seafood spectacle to stand as a shining example of chivalrous British excellence; sophisticated, sustainable, and served with a wink.
