Rhodes W1 restaurant, just off London's Marble Arch, is one of the most exciting new restaurants to grace the capital. Superchef Gary Rhodes has created a luxurious, witty space utilizing antique French mirrors and chairs, Spina chandeliers to recall rising champagne bubbles, and lush velvet fabrics. Head Chef Paul Welburn, formerly of 30 St Mary Axe (the Gherkin) uses the best of British ingredients to devise French-influenced dishes: a lighter lunchtime menu and a fuller menu for evenings when the dining room rumbles with an executive or romancing crowd. Try pressed foie gras with warm duck salad, steamed turbot with buttered baby leeks, and poached meringues with champagne rhubarb. Rhodes W1's huge international wine list features some exclusive producers and boutique champagnes.
