In its initial planning stages, residents of Mayfair's exclusive Grosvenor Square voted vehemently against its opening. Their reasons? They feared the project would cause insurmountable noise pollution and that its proximity to the US Embassy would mean a higher risk of terrorism.
But when the doors to new restaurant '34' swing open on Thursday of this week, perma-tanned restaurant tycoon Richard Caring - the mogul behind the venture - will be hoping to once and for all lay much of the vitriolic pre-judged criticism to rest.
That said, there was always a slight sense this restaurant would survive the early slander. After all, with Richard Caring at its helm, ‘34’ automatically joins the long line of glittering capital hangouts that come under Caring’s mega-watt Caprice Holdings umbrella. To refresh your memory, The Ivy, Le Caprice, Scott's and Daphne's in Chelsea, are just some.
So is ‘34’ worth any of its hype?
Well, the restaurant is being billed as 'a place for carnivores'. Head chef Paul Brown - previously at both Le Caprice and The Walnut Tree - has put together a menu tailor made for the Argentinean-imported custom-made grill (parrilla) that is proudly set up in the kitchens. Beef, we hear, will be taking centre stage – Wagyu will be a speciality, as will grass-fed beef from the islands on the Parana river in northern Argentina, among others. Yorkshire lamb will also be on the menu, occasional seasonal game and fish will make appearances, too.
Inside the 100-cover restaurant, expect a 'luxurious, yet informal' style, with influences from both the Art Deco and Edwardian era.
Will the restaurant win over the well-fed folk of Mayfair? Most probably, yes. (Maze, across the way, continues to be a raging success). Nonetheless, Caring is quietly confident. "My American father introduced me to great steak as a child and I have loved it ever since. I hope that at 34 we will serve the best steak in the Capital".
Let's hope they remember to keep the noise down.
34 opens Thursday 24th November
34 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 2HD
