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LONDON | Central London has plenty of great wine bars and too many good restaurants to even get started but few places have become experts on both fronts like 28°-50° Wine Workshop & Kitchen. Much of this comes down to their in-house sommeliers who will match your chosen meal with one of their many wines, making for a perfectly paired eating and drinking experience. We at The City Lane were fortunate enough to be invited down to their Fetter Lane wine bar and kitchen to see just how good these guys really are.
You’ll quickly descend below the busy and all-too noisy streets of London, finding yourself in their large restaurant space, designed to feel like a luxury cellar. My guest and I found a quiet romantic spot for ourselves, hiding away in a little corner of the dining room.
We were given the star treatment by the waiter and sommelier, and as we looked around the room, it seemed as if everyone felt the same way. The kitchen changed up the traditional modern European dishes that you so often get in places such as these by adding a few simple Asian influences. You could go for the classic French corn fed chicken with girolles, sweet corn and jus gras or opt for some fresh sea bream with bok choy and ennoki mushrooms, all within a balanced East Asian broth. And, of course, they’d all have the perfect wines to accompany them.
But we started things off with a large portion of the sea bream ceviche and an enormous platter of mixed charcuterie. This board of meat alone would be enough for one person’s small lunch. A light cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir came to assist the meal, bringing plenty of added life to the first course without overpowering the food itself.
Mains came in the form of succulent red meats paired with full-bodied reds. We opted for the perfectly seared Norfolk Horn lamb rump and 28-day aged Scottish rib eye steak. Our Lamb came on a bed of ratatouille with a touch of fresh pesto to give it a little extra kick. You’d cut through that lamb just as you would a nob of butter that had been sitting out for a while. It was lush. And the homemade béarnaise sauce that came with the steak was just as rich and creamy as you could hope for. We mopped it up all up with their triple cooked chips, just for good measure. Too often are such meals accompanied by very heavy red wines which really fight against the meat. Fortunately, these guys know what they’re doing and so brought some challenging reds which did nothing but support the delicious main meal.
And these guys even do desserts like kings. The chocolate delice, filled with salted caramel and served with raspberry sorbet was heaven. The rich and almost savoury delice was perfectly balanced with the tart and somewhat sweet sorbet. And the fortified red wine that came alongside it was a treat in and of itself. But the poached peach tart with an amaretto and apricot sorbet stole my heart. There was no better way to finish such a great evening of indulgence.
We were given ample time throughout the evening to properly savour everything that came before us. Each sip of wine would enhance another part of the meal we shared, reminding us just how important it is to not only have good food but also great accompanying drinks. Although, do expect a hefty bill to come before you at the end of such a decadent night. It’s well worth it for special romantic dates that are sure to impress or when looking to wine and dine some business clients.
And if that’s a bit beyond your weekly budget then give some of their surprisingly affordable offers a go. For lunch, you can get a main meal, side and glass of wine for £21.50 or go for their evening set menus starting at £19.50. But what we’re mostly looking forward to trying out next is their bottomless champagne lunch which ought to be a brilliant experience.
No matter what you’re heading to 28°-50° for, the great smile on your face will be a testament to the skills and knowledge of both the sommeliers and chefs. This team knocks it out of the park.
28°-50° Wine Workshop & Kitchen (Holborn)
140 Fetter Lane
London EC4A 1BT
United Kingdom
Telephone: 020 7242 8877
Email: [email protected]
Website
Open
Mon – Fri: 12:00pm to 11:00pm
Note the kitchen closes at 9:30pm