Review on Clarette
Upmarket wine bar Clarette occupies a corner position on Blandford Street and Manchester Street in the heart of fashionable Marylebone. Set in a mock Tudor townhouse in the former premises of the Gunmaker, it is co-owned by Alexandra Petit-Mentzelopoulos whose family own the prestigious Château Margaux wine estates in Bordeaux, together with leading restaurateur Natsuko Perromat du Marais.
Featuring beautiful stained glass windows displaying Scottish coats of arms, the sophisticated venue is decorated in an Art Deco style throughout, with rustic fireplaces and powder blue and pink furnishings set on modern wood flooring. There's also a chic second-floor private dining room and a heated terrace for al fresco drinking and dining.
Aaron Ashmore, who was a MasterChef The Professionals semi-finalist when he was just 21 years of age leads the kitchen brigade, and he showcases an innovative menu using high-quality ingredients. As a curtain raiser choose the aged beef fillet tartare, fresh apple, lovage, baby onions and egg yolk before moving on to the likes of roasted sea bass, potato, crab and chive champ, macerated tomato and dill dressing. Decadent desserts close the show with a melting chocolate bombe, mousse, and cherry ripple ice cream and salted caramel or pineapple and rum carpaccio, lime yoghurt, passionfruit and coconut.
The wine list is an impressive slate fronted by the French regions with an emphasis on Bordeaux, and there's an extensive selection available by the glass, together with cocktails like Yuzu Spritz, Yuku Sake, Lillet Blanc, Prosecco and orange zest.
Cuisine
Gastro pub / French / Modern European
Chef
Aaron Ashmore
Restaurant Opening Times
Lunch: 12.00 - 2.30pm Tue-Thu (12.00 - 10.30pm Fri & Sat) (12.00 - 5.00pm Sun)
Dinner: 5.30 - 10.30pm Mon-Thu
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card