Comprised of a line of opulent Victorian townhouses just minutes from Buckingham Palace, Mayfair, and the best of the heart of London, the deservedly 5-star Taj Hotel manages top-echelon luxury and service whilst managing to blend discretely into the beautiful and historic neighborhood that once housed the Lords and Ladies of the Royal Court. In keeping with the property’s elegance and generous hospitality standards, every room at the Taj is a suite, and fine dining is a focus rather than an afterthought.
In a unique culinary interpretation of Jules Verne’s classic Around the World in 80 Days (following English explorer Phileas Fogg’s circumnavigation of the globe from London to India) the Taj is offering a gastronomic journey called “Around The World In 80 Tastes” that begins atmospherically (and with historic relevance, less than 1 mile from where Fogg commenced his travels) in the lovely Shakespearean courtyard of the hotel, with a sparkling flight of Laurent-Perrier champagne and delicate canapés to accompany.
Guests continue to Bistro at St. James’ Court for appetizers like sesame-crusted seared tuna with pink grapefruit, skillfully prepared by Executive Chef David Tilly, before continuing the meal (appropriately enough) with South Indian cuisine at Michelin-starred Quilon. Quilon’s much-lauded Chef Sriram Aylur serves up a fresh halibut curry simmered in coconut and chili, finished with a sweet and spicy raw mango sauce.
Next stop is Kona, a contemporary European restaurant and the latest in the Taj repertoire for another savory course and (of course) a decadent dessert platter to complete “Around The World In 80 Tastes.” All that fabulous food, all that fine wine to accompany…luckily your suite back at the Taj is still happily in waddling distance.
