The top line: Former Restaurant Gordon Ramsay chef-patron, Matt Abé has taken over the former site of the iconic Le Gavroche on Upper Brook Street to open his first solo venture. Backed by Gordon Ramsay, the fine dining restaurant marks a significant milestone for Abé as he steps into a kitchen that has seen some of the UK’s most celebrated chefs pass through it. The chef team at Bonheur includes two other Gordon Ramsay Restaurant alumni, Valentino Rossi and Hesky Meyer.
On the menu: Bonheur, meaning ‘happiness’ in French, serves ingredient-led, classically rooted cuisine with a contemporary touch. It includes nods to Abe’s Australian heritage as well as Asian influences. Guests can choose to order from the a la carte menu or from a choice of two tasting experiences. The five-course menu ‘Journey’ (£195) features a twist on the traditional starter ‘Quiche Lorraine’ (pictured) a shortcrust pastry with creamed baby leeks, Gruyere, smoked pork belly, black garlic puree and a Vin Jaune sauce. On the longer seven-course option ‘Dream’ (£225) dishes include celeric royale with Oscietra caviar, allium, and hazelnut; Isle of sky scallop with carrot, clementine and yuzu kosho; and the 125-day aged Cumbrian Blue Grey sirloin (pictured), exclusively sourced for Bonheur by Lake District Farmers, served with potato terrine, smoked bone marrow and bordelaise sauce. For dessert layers of pecan, coffee and vanilla parfait make up the signature pecan praline, served with cocoa nib ice cream and a Pedro Ximenez gel. The restaurant offers an extensive wine list for all wallets, with a glass of Portuguese Vinho Verde coming in at a reasonable £10, but for those who are not shy to put a dent in their pocket, there’s a Burgundy Cote de Nuits Grand Cru ‘Romanée-Saint-Vivant’ available at over £6,000. While the former occupant La Gavroche offered an almost exclusive French wine list, Abé, alongside head sommelier Eric Zwiebel, has chosen wines from a variety of countries, including the Sadie ‘Mev Kirsten’ Swartland, from South Africa, coming in at £400, and the Egon Müller, Château Belá, Štúrovo from Slovakia, at £105.
The vibe: With Bonheur, Abé has gone for a conservative and minimalistic interior with warm neutral tones courtesy of Russell Sage Studio to create a dining space that will offer some familiarity to the regular patrons of Upper Brook Street. The curved bar maintains a feeling of modesty while the textural wall displays and velvet banquettes create a sense of sophistication and comfort further shown in the choice of warm toned lighting. It’s all quite safe, but will no doubt chime well with Bonheur’s high-end clientele.
And another thing: In choosing the ‘Dream’ menu, guests are invited to join the six-seat chefs table, ‘Petit Bonheur’, where Abé and his team will present the dishes revealing the stories, inspirations and techniques behind each dish.
43 Upper Brook Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 7QR / www.bonheurbymattabe.com/