A few weeks ago I was invited to Maddox for dinner as part of their fifth anniversary celebrations. I'm fairly snobby about clubs with adjoining restaurants - I don't like box-tickers trying to be more than one thing at once; if you're a club, don't try be a cafe slash bar slash restaurant... But I was pleasantly surprised.
The restaurant has been recently refurbished to give it a separate identity to the club downstairs. Its decor is typically plush; lavish fabrics in a sumptuous palette of purples and reds, glossy leathers, shiny surfaces and animal skin wallpaper and a leggy model DJ spinning tracks. The menu (set with a choice of three starters, three mains and two desserts; £50pp) has been composed with healthy living in mind. Like any good restaurant, the Maddox team use fresh ingredients with an emphasis on seasonal, regional and controlled suppliers. We were ushered to our table by the awesome maitre d' and started with some champagne cocktails. I had the Maddox Flower - a potent mix of Belvedere Citron, Hibiscus Flower and Moet Chandon with some large green seasoned olives.
To start, I had the octopus marinated in lemon oil with mixed leaves and pomegranate, which was superb. I'd go back just for this seafood salad. We shared a bottle of the South African Constantia (£40) from 2009 which was a good choice, as it went well with all dishes. The wine list is impressive with pages of champagnes and spirits too. For mains I had the disappointingly overcooked roasted cod, which came with black olive tapenade and cherry tomato jus. OK, but no octopus salad...
The previously inobtrusive music was turned up as the obligatory ostentatious Mayfair set arrived to dance, drink and see and be seen. The restaurant is open to non-members and diners can request to stay in the club after dinner. If it wasn't a school night I might have been tempted to party on downstairs, but instead I finished with a beautifully-presented selection of fruit sorbets and a glass of champagne before leaving at midnight.
