There’s something terribly trad about naming your restaurant Lilibet’s – a reference to the late Queen Elizabeth’s cutesy childhood nickname. A royalist flex can be blamed upon the location of this fancy new seafood spot, which is on the Bruton Street site of the 18th century townhouse where Lizzy II was born in 1926. Demolished in 1937, it made way for the vast office building which stands here today.
It is, essentially, the perfume counter at Selfridges with a bonus raw bar
Inside this huge corner spot is where things get interesting. With its baby blue frilly swags, powder pink floral wallpaper, shiny silver candelabras and plump soft furnishings, Lilibet’s offers a rococo take on the OTT flamboyance displayed by its Mayfair neighbours Sexy Fish, Bacchanalia, Hakkasan and Park Chinois. It is, essentially, the perfume counter at Selfridges with a bonus raw bar, or the sugar plum fairy’s boudoir by way of Billingsgate, and although the frothy, frilly girlishness of the place should be too much, it is somehow just enough. Oddly enough, it’s from the same former Nobu exec chef who founded the ‘rock’n’roll’ ramen chain, Bone Daddies.
Wondrous wallpaper aside, starters are Lilibet’s strongest suit. Diminutive anchovy eclairs are as fabulous as the decor, offering a gruff creamy parfait tongue-slap but with a sweet and sour sauce that cuts, lazer-like, through the delicate honk of fish brine. Next comes a pretty, pretty crab tart with grapefruit, which is almost presumptuously light and fresh. Creamy red prawn carpaccio with chilli and lime is another looker, and as bold and rich as the restaurant’s monied Mayfair clientele. Sea bream with pickled chilli and preserved lemon offers a freshwater palate cleanse, fritto misto of gurnard, sole, squid, and prawns comes with a delightfully dank seafood mayo for dipping, and a busy bowl of tuna loin tartare is decent, but could do with a little salt to let the dish show off as much as its fellow flashy small plates.
Perhaps it’s our fault for deviating from seafood in a fish restaurant, but the main of lemon ricotta agnolotti is overwhelmingly sweet (much like a Tomatini cocktail of vodka, rosemary oil, white balsamic, and grilled tomato that we fail to finish), as is the house mashed potato, which comes in a puddle of shellfish bisque topped with hunks of lobster. It does, however, give us the opportunity to sing ‘Lobster Mash’ to the tune of the 1962 novelty hit ‘Monster Mash’. Sea bass fillet too, has a spiced tomato salsa that errs strangely more towards sweet than savoury.
The Lilibet's crêpe – stuffed with Grand Marnier parfait and set alight tableside in a flourish of blue flames – finishes things off with a fitting dose of theatrics; an extravagant dessert to match what might be London’s most extravagant new dining room.
The vibe High camp and monarchical fabulousness in Mayfair.
The food Seafood, fish, crudo, crustaceans and lots of other sea-dwelling delights.
The drink Much delicious wine by the glass, and a whole martini menu; we recommend the Oystershall Martini, with Belvedere, Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth, lemon and parsley oil.
Time Out tip The weekday set lunch menu is a reasonable £29 for two courses or £34 for three.