CHECK OTHER REVIEWS FOR THIS PLACE:
Good Morning London! It was my second day in the capital and I wanted to start it with style. My wife and I tried The Balcon, the restaurant at the Sofitel St. James, located on the ground floor of the hotel.
The Balcon, a stylish French-like bistro, takes you on a beautiful morning journey. The place boasts high ceiling, big yet simple chandeliers, long wooden floor tiles, comfortable sofas and leather chairs - all set up under the Balcon and its two circular staircases where the wine cellar awaits to serve its guests. But it was too early for that... so let's stick the the breakfast part.
A coffee to start your day with a boost? Of course!
Especially if its served in individual filtered silverware accompanied with soft musical background that will relax your senses. After being seated on one of their elegantly dressed tables with silver cutlery, salt and pepper mills as well as four choices of jam and honey, and a choice between two main breakfast formulas: The Continental Breakfast or The Balcon English Breakfast (which is just 6 pounds more).
As we ordered The Balcon English breakfast, we had to choose between scrambled and sunny side up eggs. We chose the scrambled... Scrambled eggs are presented in a round plate with bacon, black pudding-like the french boudin noir-, grilled tomato, sliced mushrooms, beans, thick sausage and the eggs themselves in an individual Marmite. The most amazing thing that first caught my attention is the choice of different juices freshly displayed in nine glass bottles with silver covers: Apple, Guava, Organic smoothie, Grapefruit, Pineapple, Cranberry, tomato, Orange as well as three different water choices. I looked around and saw five breakfast stations that were rich with everything you can imagine except the beans, potatoes and other cooked items that I have never comprehended why some hotels even propose for breakfast.
The first station has a choice of five cheese:
Brie, Chèvre, Cottage Cheese, Philadelphia and Tom de Savoie as well as a platter of salmon and herbs, butter, a selection of thin sliced fresh fruits, cold cuts and vegetables.
Another station offered a choice of five different cereals, four different milk bottles inserted in crushed ice. In the middle of the restaurant is the croissant station offering plain croissant, chocolate croissant, mini chocolate chip muffins and apple pies and rolls...
Walk further towards the door and there is the bread station where all choices are mini examples of the long French baguettes, brown bread, English muffins, pancakes and bagels. Next to those are two brioche of bread where cutting into them is a pleasure for their softness and crust cover. We're not done yet, cause more fruits are displayed but here are the ones you can grab and bite.
Delicious crunchy french croissant supplied by Le Notre, exquisite apple viennoiseries, tasty salmon, perfect French cheese, fresh cereals, great fruits are some of the wonders of this morning meals.
What a place, what a pleasant morning, in a relaxing and perfectly decorated restaurant, adequately lit with warm lights adding an ambiance to the high glass facades overlooking the outer statue of Waterloo place.
PS: Make sure to remove the comment cards between a customer and another since we received an already filled one.
A memorable breakfast which I recommend you try even if you're not staying at the Sofitel St. James.
