Dalloway Terrace Restaurant, Bloomsbury Hotel ★★★★★

London's Bloomsbury area has a long literary heritage, and the newly reopened Dalloway Terrace – part of the Bloomsbury Hotel – makes full use of these respectable roots.
Tucked away on Great Russell Street, tourists looking for the more classic British restaurants London could do no better than Dalloway Terrace – after Bloomsbury Group author Virginia Woolf's eponymous character. With a wide, colonial-style balcony that is entirely covered over in winter, but with a fully retractable roof that opens up al fresco in summer, it's a versatile spot.
Cosy heaters, fairy lights, climbing vines and blankets denote the effort that has gone into making the mezzanine a cosy spot. The garden below is hidden, secluded and brimming with plants and creepers.
The menu features a number of small sharing-plates or a more classic, quintessentially British menu. A starter of crispy pig cheeks with mustard crème fraîche, apple and raisin chutney was a hefty offering, but slightly tougher than one might hope for. A second beautifully presented starter of Balmoral Estate venison carpaccio served with creamed horseradish and pickled walnuts was garnished with bright edible flowers and simple, strong flavours.
There's nothing particularly ground-breaking about the food on offer, and the selection of mains is predictable enough: Angus fillet with Bearnaise sauce, lemon sole, tuna steak and mushroom risotto featured amidst a group of very classic, uncomplicated British and European dishes. One stand-out offering was the place hand-dived seared scallops served with spinach, chanterelles and teriyaki dressing were perfectly cooked and melted delicately in the mouth. There's a well curated wine list to accompany the food, and the waitstaff are impeccably mannered and attentive. The desserts are by far the best thing on the menu: the flavours of pecan pie with salted caramel ice cream lingered long after the plates had been cleared.
For tourists seeking the essential British dining experience, high tea in London or perhaps a quick pre-theatre menu, you won't be disappointed. Just don't expect the menu to surprise your tastebuds: the Dalloway Terrace experience is more like sinking into a warm, familiar bubble-bath with a well-worn copy of modernist literature.