The Hopeful Traveler: Pearl Restaurant & Bar at the Renaissance

One million individually hand-strung pearls is reported to adorn the Renaissance Chancery Court's main restaurant called Pearl Restaurant & Bar. Executive Head Chef Jun Tanaka has created a French menu in one of the most pleasing looking venues in all of London. Polished walnut, rare marble and Mother of Pearl inlays complement the strands of pearls.

Just the list of proteins in the sample menu says dining here will be unique: pigeon, rabbit, partridge, langoustine (large prawn or little lobster depending who you ask) and brill (flatfish) listed among the offerings.

Photos of the lunch and dining options looked beautiful and similar to the exquisite bites of food I often see on the television realty series "Top Chef" with foams and purees. However with the average price around £45 (US$70) and as much as I wanted to experience a meal from a respected chef, I passed on dining here for lunch and dinner and opted for something more reasonable for a full meal, such as at Joe Allen's, or fast and quick from the cafes nearby.

So not to totally pass up the opportunity, I had breakfast here instead on this Sunday morning. Anyway most restaurants in London are closed or open late on Sunday mornings so choices are limited.

Bar turned into the breakfast buffet table.

Since my hotel rate was paid using points, my entire stay did not include the full English buffet that normally is built into the daily rate. But how expensive can breakfast be? In London and the luxurious surroundings of the Chancery Court Hotel, it is. The bill was £22.50 (US$35).

Displayed across the restaurant's bar was the whole array of the full buffet breakfast: eggs, bacon, sausage, fruits, cereals, breads, cheeses, pastries, coffee, juice and more. It was comparable to other buffets I have had at other London hotels. Filling and good and at its hefty price I ate till contented. I did appreciate that the server brought a carafe of coffee so there was no need to request for more.

By the way the menu of Tanaka is actually served only for lunch or dinner. I imagine the high-end menu is meant to be attractive for the business clientele that this hotel caters to or the crowd in suits from the nearby offices. The Chancery Court's other dining options are a separate hotel bar next door that was busy in the evenings and a lounge restaurant offering lunch and afternoon tea.

Pearl Restaurant is open Mon-Fri 12pm-2:30pm and dinner Mon-Sat 6pm-10pm. Pearl Bar is open Mon-Fri 11am-11pm; Sat 6pm-11pm. Reservations recommended. Tube: Holborn. More info at pearl-restaurant.com.