There's a pretty exciting new culinary experience taking place at COMO Metropolitan London, with a trio of menus over the next few months that are so delicious you'll want to book a table for all three.
“A Taste of COMO” is a series of three pop-up restaurants inspired by Executive Chef Ruben Briones’ own culinary journeys. From summery Mediterranean flavours to exceptional seafood paired with Taittinger Champagne and hearty French dishes, COMO Metropolitan London will take hotel guests, Londoners and international visitors alike on a gastronomic trip around the world without setting foot off Mayfair.
Executive Chef, Ruben Briones, began cooking in his grandfather’s kitchen in Andalucia before his ambition to become a chef took him to Paris, where he trained under one of the founding fathers of nouvelle cuisine, Alain Senderens. Chef Briones then moved to London to work with Jason Atherton at his flagship restaurant, Pollen Street Social, before joining COMO Hotels and Resorts at COMO The Halkin in Belgravia. After working at Ametsa With Arzak Instruction, he eventually took on an Executive Chef role, overseeing the F&B at both COMO hotels in London. Chef Briones’s culinary philosophy focuses on classic techniques to enhance the finest produce, create balanced textures and give food a vibrant colour and complex taste.
A Taste of the Mediterranean – Until August 6th
Kicking off the series, A Taste of the Mediterranean is COMO Metropolitan London’s first pop-up concept; it launched in May and runs until August 6th. It features dishes inspired by the diverse European regions - from the strait of Gibraltar to the Golden Horn in Turkey - prepared and presented with utmost elegance and sophistication. Each course on the menu will be paired with Mediterranean-inspired cocktails and wines that complement each dish’s flavours and are the ideal refreshment for the balmy summer nights. From the White Bean Masabacha Houmous with Crispy Egg, a kind of deconstructed hummus popular in Israel, to Greek-inspired Marinated Tuna Loin Gyros with Pita, Tzatziki and Pickled Salad and the mouth-watering Moroccan dish Lamb Shank with Prunes Tagine, Bulgur Tabboule, guests will be spoilt for choice.
A Taste of the Ocean - August 18th to November 19th
A native of the Asturias, a Spanish region especially known for its incredible seafood, Chef Briones has a natural passion for cooking fish, crustaceans and shellfish. During the hotel’s second pop up, A Taste of the Ocean, the Chef will demonstrate his culinary expertise in preparing seafood in different fashions; guests can indulge in raw Oysters with ‘Gazpachile’ Dressing, Daiquiri Apple and Coriander, taste the chef’s innovative Crispy Fried Calamari Bao-guette or opt for a lighter Cured Citrus Monkfish, Grapefruit and Roasted Vegetables Salad. The seafood menu designed by Chef Briones is meant to be paired with glasses of Taittinger Champagne, from the house’s signature cuvée Brut Réserve Non Vintage to the prestigious Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs. A family-owned, multi-awarded Champagne house dating back to 1734, Taittinger Champagne is internationally recognised for the skillful use of the Chardonnay grapes in their blends, which create a subtle and balanced taste.
A Taste of Le Bistro - November 24th to December 31st
Designed to comfort guests during winter, without giving up the sophistication and clean aesthetics that characterise the cuisine at COMO Hotels and Resorts, the third culinary pop-up ‘A Taste of Le Bistro’ will be centred on classic French bistro dishes. Having learnt the ropes of the job under the supervision of legendary Chef Alain Senderens in Paris, Chef Ruben Briones is well versed in preparing French classics: guests can expect to feast on Alpine delicacies such as beef bourguignon, share boards of fragrant cheeses from France and, to end on a sweet note, enjoy a delicious chocolate fondue.
Cocktail Mixology Masterclasses – Every Saturday
Until the end of the year, COMO Metropolitan London is also offering guests the opportunity to join the hotel’s talented mixologists for exclusive cocktail-making masterclasses that will cover five different cocktails recipes. Designed for a maximum of four people (making it the perfect activity for a double date or a friends reunion) the class includes light bites, and it is scheduled every Saturday from 3.00pm to 4.00pm and from 4.30 to 5.30pm.
A Taste of COMO can be booked on Thursdays and Fridays (6.00pm to 10.30pm) and on Saturdays (12.00pm to 2.30pm and 6.00pm to 10.30pm).
Find out more on the website here.
