It’s not often that I blink at dinner and four hours have passed by. Sure, I’m fond of my dinner companion, and sure, there were multiple courses, but time is a mere construct when you’re having this much fun.
Walk into this Michelin-starred spot, and things instantly feel special. Not in an overly flashy way. Special in the way that the waitress asks you about your bag when she takes it to the cloakroom, and little cheese puffs arrive on your table before you’ve even asked for water (they’re actually gourgéres with gorgonzola, but they taste like elevated Mini Cheddars). The interiors are all soft, clean furnishings, leather chairs and tables laid with tiny vases of flowers. Oh, and green. Lots of green. It could almost be a bit clinical if the staff weren’t such a laugh.
Pasta was a highlight; the provolone and smoked potato agnolotti basically a grown up mac and cheese
Murano’s been around since 2008, opened by acclaimed chef Angela Hartnett (of Gordon Ramsay protégée fame, but we’re over him now). There’s a few tables outside or you can stare at the soulless, expensive streets of Mayfair from within. And at the back – a room often reserved for private events, but if you’re lucky it’s open for business – you get to watch the chefs at work through a little window. More special occasion than post-work business meeting, a woman being treated to a birthday meal by her boyfriend is having, in her words, ‘the best night of her life,’ chatting away to the sommelier about Italian wine.
You can opt for three, four, five or six courses (ranging from £95-£145), with optional wine pairings, or just pick what you want off the menu. Whichever you choose, you must order the wafer-thin cured meat and bouncy focaccia to start. It’s the rules. And definitely the seabass crudo, where dill and cucumber cut through butter-soft fish. There’s an incredibly peppery bresaola with smoked ricotta and walnuts, which was a chewy mouthful, but a lovely one.
Pasta was a highlight; the provolone and smoked potato agnolotti basically a grown up mac and cheese, chunky parcels sitting in cheesy bechamel and covered in garlicky breadcrumbs, indulgent and sharp. The chicken tortellini in brodo was equally fabulous, swimming in a rich broth, brightened by lemon and pops of pickled turnip. The wine, a Terre Vineate from Palazzone in Italy, went down a treat.
Rich cod arrived with hazelnut puree and fragrant basil oil (poured at the table), and John Dory came with foamy lobster bisque, coco beans and clams, also rich but very nicely seasoned, with a nice charred crust. They slightly outshine the beef, comforting yet not as complex, but the venison with celeriac and truffle (yes, it’s grated at your table) was nicely gamey without being overpowering.
By now, I was positively dying for pudding. Both were very good – the chocolate mousse was slap-you-round-the-face rich with perfectly balanced coffee ice-cream – but the Granny Smith sorbet was something special, electric green in colour with sharp brandy cream, brown butter and shortbread, somehow tasting exactly like a crumble your grandma would make.
With a Michelin star still intact from its first six months in business and a staff team who seem to genuinely love working there, Murano must be doing something right. Just remember to set aside four hours or so.
The vibe Special-occasion Mayfair fare without the stuffy-ness.
The food High-end Italian tasting menus and seriously elevated comfort food.
The drink A 38-page wine list (some glasses for £13, some bottles for nearly £1000), and a very knowledgeable staff team that will tell you all about them.
Time Out tip Murano offers an entirely vegan and an entirely vegetarian menu, which offer the same choice of three to six courses.