Gary Rhodes moves to the top of Oxford Street for his new brasserie and restaurant, Rhodes W1 at The Cumberland hotel in London’s Marble Arch this autumn.

The Cumberland was a tired and depressing hotel for travelling salesmen and down at heel tourists. Recruiting Rhodes for the launch of his restaurant sets the seal on its rehabilitation as a London destination.

Rhodes is developing the brasserie’s menus to include all-day dining as well as an innovative breakfast offer, ready for the official opening in September, with the restaurant to follow later in the year. We will bring you details of the breakfast offer very soon. Click “more” below for further details of Gary’s new restaurant.
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The 140-cover brasserie will focus on breakfast as the main meal of the day, offering all-day breakfasts with a distinctly British accent, and an emphasis on quality ingredients, simply and well prepared. Black pudding, ham, eggs, toast, smoked salmon and pate are the keynotes of the new menu.

Whether popping in for a business breakfast, a light lunch, or leisurely dinner, Gary’s brasserie menu is packed full of those clever twists that have made him one of the country’s top chefs.

Starters include grilled Bury black pudding with apple and blue cheese salad; hot foie gras with orange brioche toast and sweet oranges; and white tomato soup with tomato and sweet pepper mousse. Must trys are the delicious ‘jars for two’ – choose from rillette of duck with mixed green and black olives; rillette of rabbit and pork with baby gherkins and caper berries; or potted fresh and smoked salmon; all served with hot toasts.

Main courses include real British classics such as gammon steak with peppered pineapple or braised oxtails with mashed potatoes sitting alongside distinctly European dishes such as aubergine macaroni spaghetti with summer truffles and Parmesan shavings; roast monkfish with crisp Serrano ham and saffron aioli; and Parmesan chicken escalope with tomato linguini.

Gary’s puddings, as always, are destined to satisfy and comfort with choices featuring baked egg custard tart; steamed blackberry and lemon sponge pudding or chocolate mouse with pistachio custard sauce.

In keeping with the breakfast emphasis, there is an extensive range of champagnes with five varieties by the half bottle including, rather unusually, both Bollinger Brut Special Cuvée and Krug Brut Grande Cuvée. The wine list is pricey, with no affordable house wine on offer (£15 is the cheapest).

The brasserie manages to be opulent and rich while at the same time warm and wlecoming as a breakfast bar should be. With three distinct dining areas including a raised platform and a singles sharing table, the brasserie is designed to suit a variety of eating occasions whilst providing an interesting and stimulating dining environment from breakfast through to dinner.