Axis, One Aldwych, New Years Eve 2013

Axis, the flagship restaurant at One Aldwych in London, is run by Executive Chef Dominic Teague (previously of l'Escargot and Sandy Lane Hotel Barbados) so I was quite excited at the prospect of experiencing his special NYE menu. 

NYE 2013 menu at Axis, London

Lobster Bisque

Canapés of crispy cod fritters, hand made cheese straws and mini-quiches were presented on arrival at our table. A glass of fizz would have been a nice touch but all drinks were excluded for the £85 per head price. We opted for a nice bottle of Sancerre at £48 which carried us through the meal.

First course for me was the Crab Bisque which was beautifully crafted to combine the delicate flavour of fresh crab with Montgomery Cheddar, crunchy croutons and Saffron Aioli. 

Lobster Cocktail

Next choice was Scottish Lobster Cocktail - claw meat with finely shredded leaves in a light citrus dressing and a touch of coriander. Very fresh lobster from the cool waters of Scotland,  perfectly cooked as this was, is moist and flavoursome and makes for a perfect intermediate dish. 


The main course of Pan Fried Wild Turbot Fillet was a change from the original menu of Halibut and a positive one in my book. Don't get me wrong, I like Halibut and I am sure that a chef like Dominic would have done it proud, but Turbot is 'the king of fish' and my particular favourite. Apparently the change was made due to our extreme weather conditions over the festive period which decimated the Halibut catch.  What a substitute ! (This must be how Man City boss, Manuel Pellegrini feels when he has to take Dzecko off and replace him with Aguero).  Presented on a bed of spinach with salsify, onions and a red wine jus ( Turbot is meaty enough to take this ) it was superb. 

Rounded off with a selection of 8 small desserts this was a delightful experience. 

Service and food quality were all top-notch thank you, One Aldwych and Axis.