Set in the heart of Marylebone, XR & Xier are the newest additions to the London dining scene from Chef Carlo Scotto, a name you might just recognise having previously worked under Angela Hartnett at Murano and was head chef at Mayfair’s Babbo. Downstairs XR (where we dined) offers a more casual setting and menu, whilst upstairs Xier provides a more formal fine dining menu.
Open for lunch and dinner, XR pays homage to seasonal produce sourced from organic farms across the British Isles. It’s all about experimenting, flavour and the ingredients. Not to mention it’s also looking lovely inside. Clean, refined and simple. The perfect backdrop for Carlo’s cooking.
The cocktails are absolutely magic here so don’t leave without trying one (or many). We managed to try a couple from the menu and each was so exquisitely prepared and the service that came with it was equally charming. As was the mixologist who clearly knew what he was doing behind the bar, if our drinks were anything to go by. Expect perfumed smokes, fogs, theatrics and lots of quality booze.
Whilst we looked over the menu, we ordered one of the small “Hands Only” snacks. Crispy squid, chilli, coriander and dill Mayo. Admittedly a touch overcooked, but the flavour and that crumb coating helped make up for that. As did the dill mayo which took this crispy squid to new heights.
Arguably the best dish here has to be the cured salmon with hazelnuts, trout roe, mango and avocado purée. Visually it is stunning to look at and everything on this plate screamed quality and flavour. The salmon was so soft, the mango offered a lovely touch of sweetness and the hazelnuts texture. If there was ever a signature of XR – this is it.
Another standout dish was the tuna tartare, topped with guacamole and taro crisps – all swimming in a gorgeous ponzu dressing. To look at it was pristinely presented with not a piece out-of-place. In the Summer months I can already imagine tucking into this dish on the terrace, watching the world go by with a glass of chilled white wine in hand.
One dish you can’t leave without trying is the pulled beef cheek with shallots, pickled walnuts and jalapeño. The meat was absolutely beautiful. Rich, packed with flavour and whilst tender, it still had some excellent texture to it. The jalapeños were a welcomed addition too, adding a nice extra bit of flavour and spice. The only thing this dish was missing was a side, something I didn’t see any of on the menu. Carbs in particular would have been very welcomed.
Desserts are pretty special here at XR and in my opinion, one of their strongest points as we could find little fault. Star of the show was the baba with orange syrup, caramelized pineapple and Chantilly cream. Understated and simple to look at, but will blow you away with flavour (yet again). Those chunks of pineapple were absolute heaven, the sponge was as light as a cloud and the Chantilly cream helped lighten the dessert ever so slightly, but ensuring it still felt decadent.
When our other dessert of chocolate tart arrived, I really did start seeing stars. The Michelin star kind. The presentation, the execution. It was just very exciting. That lovely chocolate, scented by lime jelly and holding some smooth vanilla Ice cream between it all. If you know me well, you’ll know I’m a huge dessert lover and so this was the perfect way to end our meal.
I really enjoyed our meal at XR and if Carlo’s more casual restaurant which we dined in is anything to go by, Xier upstairs must be one very accomplished restaurant and so I’ll simply have to come back and experience it. Price wise it can be a little on the high side depending on what you order and I would love to see a selection of sides, but regardless – this is a great addition to the Marylebone dining scene and I can’t wait to see where it goes and how it develops in the near future.
NB: My meal was complimentary. All views are as always, my own. My views are not influenced by anyone other than my own palate and slightly poor eyesight.
OOOH everything looks so good!
I love the look of those starters!