My most embarrassing trait is how much I love a celeb spot. Blame it on a childhood diet of Heat, Hello and OK!, but to me, ultimate happiness is spotting Eddie Redmayne shuffling around Shoreditch or Paul Mescal trotting down Regent’s Canal.
When the chance to dine at Casa Cruz came about, I jumped at it. In recent years the Holland Park restaurant has become one of the places for the ultra-famous to see and be seen, with Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett all dining here. Unfortunately, when I visited the swanky set had opted to curl up in their cashmere elsewhere, as we were one of just four tables dining in the main space.
This is a vibes-first kind of place, perfect for truly elite Raya dates
Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem – you can’t really hold a quiet midweek night against a place, and it did mean service was incredibly quick – but this is a vibes-first kind of place, perfect for truly elite Raya dates. There’s the requisite low lighting, plush green seats, and, rather incongruously, a large stag’s head mounted on the wall. When it’s more than half empty, it all feels a bit pointless.
Casa Cruz’s dishes are supposed to take inspiration from South America (owner Juan Santa Cruz was born in Chile), but only a few plates seemed to reflect this (including a side of humita spiced corn, which turned out to be a real highlight). Instead, the menu seemed slightly scattergun, more concerned with prestige ingredients than mastering any one culinary tradition. There’s a starter of grilled octopus with sambal sauce and black rice; bourbon glazed short rib; and Szechuan glazed monkfish tail.
The grilled octopus turned out to be exceptional, succulent on the inside but catching a lovely char on the exterior, the sambal sweet but not cloying. Some juicy gambero rosso with chilli and kaffir lime butter was another hit.
The lamb shank main was pleasant enough, but the plating curiously unstylish; the shanks plopped on top of a dollop of romesco and crossed with zigzags of sheep yoghurt. Would I notice this in other restaurants? Possibly not, but when every other visual detail is so painstakingly curated, it jumps out. The wagyu was something of a disappointment, too. We ask for it medium rare and it arrives looking promisingly perky and pink, but the meat is far too tough and even a truly delicious bone marrow sauce can’t make up for the issues with texture.
We go for the white chocolate and Thai tea fondant and the crème brûlée for dessert. The first is bland and eggy, with neither the white chocolate nor the Thai tea coming through, and the crème brûlée is frankly confusing – it’s actually a crème brûlée topped with a tarte tatin, topped with vanilla ice cream. I can, in theory, understand the desire to combine two classic French desserts, but they get in each other’s way, and neither achieves the requisite level of caramelisation. A grainy kalamansi sorbet also arrives at the table, and try as I might to come up with a more helpful adjective, I can only describe the flavour as ‘neon green’.
Would I rule out a return visit? Possibly not – but I’d only come back on a Saturday night, hoping to see Casa Cruz in all its glittering glory. Even if there are some great mouthfuls, the food isn’t really the point here.
The vibe Slick, intimate, expensive, and definitely on the mood board for the next season of Industry.
The food A global menu that refuses to pick a lane.
The drink An extensive wine list is easily navigated with help from the attentive and knowledgeable staff. Start your night with a punchy cocktail made by the very capable bartenders.
Time Out tip If you’re going in the summer months, try for a seat on the terrace. Apparently it’s the place to be.