Luxury dining at The Ivy in the Park, Canary Wharf
The Ivy in the Park, Canary Wharf, London - Review
Cuisine: Traditional English
Style Points: 4/5
Location: Canary Wharf
Price: £££
Overall: 4/5
A long time fan of the original establishment, it’s safe to say that I was excited to dine at The Ivy in the Park. Located right in the heart of Canary Wharf, the restaurant is only three months young but the expectations are naturally always high with The Ivy.
Our table was booked for 6.30pm and by the time we arrived the place was already full but we were welcomed with friendly and approachable staff.
Food?
We decided on something like to ‘nibble’ on first and tried the Truffle Arancini, which were delicate balls of fried Arborio rice fragrant with the lovely aroma of truffle cheese. They were a delight and went really well with our cocktail, the Aviation Illumination, served in a quirky bulb glass to fit the Winter Lights taking place in Canary Wharf during January.
For starters, we tried the Crispy Duck Salad and Marinated Yellowfin Tuna. Both starters did no disappoint. The flavours in the Duck Salad were extraordinary and the pairing of juicy watermelon chunks with pieces of warm crispy five-spiced duck was inspired.
Yellowfin tuna is always a winner but the marinade was excellent and the wasabi mayonnaise really brought the dish together.
For mains, I decided to go with the Chicken Bourguignon - flat-ironed chicken with beautifully crispy skin, creamed potato, chestnut mushrooms and bacon lardons. The chicken was incredibly tender and moist and went extremely perfectly with the creamy mushroom and salty bacon lardons. The mash was not too buttery which was good and the whole dish was seasoned perfectly.
My guest went for the dish of the day - Game Pie with handmade pastry, baby carrots and baked sweet potato. This was a ‘proper’ pie with a flaky shortcrust bottom and not just a pastry top. The meat was juicy, tender and there was plenty of filling, whilst the accompaniments to the dish were cooked perfectly.
Of course, we saved room for dessert and went with the recommendations of our server - Melting Chocolate Bombe with a honeycomb centre served theatrically of course with hot salted caramel sauce poured on top. With these sorts of desserts, you can be disappointed as sometimes the taste of the Bombe does not live up to the theatre. However, this Bombe did not disappoint. It was every type of adjective you want a chocolate dessert to be associated with - gooey, rich, warming, decadent, oozing, sweet, sticky...I could go on!
My guest went with our second recommendation - Apple Tart Fine - freshly made apple tart with vanilla ice cream and again served theatrically with Calvados Flambé. The tart was not too sweet and the pastry was crisp and flaky. You can’t go wrong with what is essentially apple pie and vanilla ice cream however, I think the dessert would’ve tasted better without the Calvados Flambé, which was a little too strong and overpowering.
Price?
The price is reflective of the name of the establishment and the area of London it is situated in. However, there are some reasonably priced dishes on the menu and you won’t feel short-changed when it comes to portion sizes.
Overall?
The Ivy in the Park did not disappoint. The food was of a very high quality, the service was great, and it was a fantastic experience. I would definitely recommend The Ivy in the Park as a restaurant to try out and I hope it stays open for a very long time.
Situated within the heart of Canary Wharf, The Ivy in the Park provides sophisticated and friendly all-day dining for those working, living and visiting the area.
Positioned within one of Canary Wharf’s most sustainable buildings, The Ivy in the Park overlooks a vibrant green space where many events are held throughout the year.
See the full menu on Ivy in the Park’s website.
Address: 50 Canada Square Park The Ivy in the Park, London E14 5FW
Closest tube station: Canary Wharf
Special thanks to The Ivy in the Park for their hospitality!
Pin for later:
