The Goring is a funny old place. Historically, it was the go-to for a more, ahem, mature crowd, who were especially fond of its Sunday roast trolley. Then, in April 2011, it shot to fame when K-Middy chose to stay the night ahead of the royal wedding. Now the hype has died away, it’s back to doing what it does best: being classy without being old fashioned, and small enough to feel intimate. Siren – named after the mythical creature-turned-overused-metaphor – is its seafood spot.
The menu is from Cornwall’s Nathan Outlaw, a chef famed for his flair with coastal cooking. And yes, there are flashes of brilliance. Like a trio of lobster fritters (think seafoody croquetas) which sat in what was essentially a breathtakingly good bisque, only thicker. Or a crab tart with a perfect golden filo case and layers of mildly curried kohlrabi (like coronation chicken, only with veg), and delicate white pieces of the crustacean. It’s just a pity the advertised brown meat mayo was missing.
There were bigger niggles. Curls of cured monkfish with slivers of fennel were clobbered by an unwelcome interloper: raw spring onion, its flavour smothering everything in its wake. While an extravagant clotted cream rice pud with gingerbread ice cream and roast pineapple was unpleasantly cloying. Given the steep, special-occasion price tags, the kitchen needs to tighten up its act. Still, staff are lovely, and the room – a rear conservatory with garden views, regal carpets and lush foliage – remains one of the prettiest spaces in SW1.