The Game Bird has officially launched at The Stafford London under the helm of executive chef James Durrant. The Game Bird offers informal dining at any time of the day. A place to eat, drink and socialise, the focus is on modern British comfort cooking executed with style and panache, all wrapped in a seductive ambience that oozes cool sophistication.
At The Game Bird, Durrant has drawn on his wealth of experience from restaurants including Royal Hospital Road, Claridge’s and Maze to create a menu that makes full use of the diverse produce of Great Britain. This can be seen in dishes such as Smoked Norfolk Black chicken with Clarence Court egg, bacon jam and pickled mushrooms, and Orkney sea scallops with roasted cauliflower, smoked roe and gremolata. Adding a touch of theatre, a bespoke trolley will bring the finest fish, smoked and cured in-house, straight to guests’ tables, with options such as The Balvenie cured smoked salmon; Chalk Stream trout gravadlax; and Lincolnshire smoked eel, all served with soda bread and garnishes of Clarence Court egg, cucumber and dill pickle, mustard dressing, and horseradish crème fraîche.
With a nod to the chef’s Cheshire upbringing, the menu also offers a selection of pies, puddings and stews, including Salt Marsh lamb lobscouse, and steak and ale steamed suet pudding, as well as dishes such as the restaurant’s signature dish featuring roast pigeon with parsnips, cabbage and braised pigeon leg served with a “bullshot” in honour of the restaurant’s eponymous game bird.
Rosendale Design has overseen the extensive redesign of The Stafford’s restaurant, creating a timeless space that celebrates the original seventeenth century features of the building, whilst also incorporating the clean lines of marble and glass, and the natural hues of leather and traditional wood panelling combined with touches of floral upholstery throughout. In addition, cabinets to one side of the main dining room showcase the game and steaks to be served that evening, as well as the lobster and range of oysters on the menu.
The Game Bird takes its place alongside The Stafford’s existing private dining rooms, 380-year-old working wine cellars, and award-winning American Bar, with Durrant working closely alongside bar manager Benoit Provost and master sommelier Gino Nardella to elevate and perfect the culinary offering at the hotel for both residents and visitors alike.