As the nights grow closer to drawing in, grasp the opportunity to still dine alfresco at The Terrace at The Laslett, a celebrated west London hotspot. The property’s very own Henderson Bar & Kitchen has partnered with Mas des Infermières, Sir Ridley Scott’s family-owned wine estate in the South of France, transporting guests to the quintessential Provençal vineyard from the comfort of their chic stripy black and white outdoor banquettes in W2. The terrace, fringed by Scott’s playful branding and illustrations, plays host to a menu showcasing Mas des Infermières wines – including the UK debut of sparkling Perle du Mas Rosé – alongside suggested food pairings hand-selected by the revered English filmmaker and his team.
Speaking about the collaboration, Scott remarked that his family had been coming to Mas des Infermières for over three decades to paint, read and write: ‘We’re extremely proud of the wines we produce at the estate, and we’re delighted to bring a taste of our beautiful pocket of Luberon to The Laslett.’
This sun-drenched west London spot, flanked by potted olive and lemon trees, overlooks the storied Victorian wedding cake-like cream stucco mansions the area is synonymous with. And if the weather decides to be inclement you can dine beneath the canvas awnings.
It was tough to decide given the delicious array of Mediterranean diet-rich starters, such as spice-roasted chickpea hummus, labneh and Nocellara olives, but I opted for the rather thirst-quenching tomato gazpacho drizzled with Ridley Scott’s olive oil and served with wedges of divine sourdough. For mains, my mind was already made up: the British asparagus had winked at me as it was delivered to a neighbouring table. Half a dozen melt-in-the-mouth, tightly furled and perky spears are plated up and served on a bed of crispy potato rösti with a glorious, orange runny-yolked poached egg drizzled across it – divine in its simplicity.
Four of Scott’s vinous offerings are laid bare to imbibe, starting with Source Blanc, brimming with notes of lime, white fruits, citrus and exotic nuances. It pairs perfectly with smoked salmon and avocado for lunch and the pappardelle in spinach sauce with lemon zest for dinner. Source Rouge brings an aromatic complexity to the table with fresh spices, ripe black fruits and fine, elegant tannins ideally partnered with the crispy duck burger for lunch and marinated chicken skewers for dinner. Source Rosé Red is alive with exotic fruits delivering a citrussy palate, which perfectly complements the Henderson toastie for lunch and chilli garlic prawns for dinner. Last but not least, Scott’s sparkler, Perle du Mas Sparkling Rosé is the one for special occasions.
All I had room for was a delicately warmed-through chocolate brownie with black seed-speckled vanilla ice cream and the most perfect flat-white caffeine hit.
Be sure to book a table by the end of this month as the pop-up closes on 30 September. But if you happen to be out of town and miss the rosé-tinted opportunity, fear not, The Henderson Bar & Kitchen does some mean weekend brunch specials too.
The Henderson Bar & Kitchen, 8 Pembridge Gardens, London W2 4DU; reservations@thelaslett.co.uk; +44 (0)20 7792 6688
Lee Osborne is creative director of Secret Trips
