Restaurant Snapshot: The Ivy in the Park, Canary Wharf, London
Located in the heart of Canary Wharf, this eastern output of the legendary group of restaurants from The Ivy should definitely be on your visit list for the financial district. Eclectic design, great views, beaming sunlight and of course fantastic food - here’s a snapshot view of what you can expect at The Ivy in the Park, Canary Wharf.
Located on two levels, The Ivy offers a spacious but dining experience - with a design that evokes 1930s style throughout with touches of modernity here and there.
A signature bar is located near the entrance on the Ground Floor with an extensive selection of drinks to choose from - particularly for gin drinkers.
Quite the mind-boggling selection here that it makes it quite difficult to choose what to drink… Prices are average for a restaurant of this standard.
We sat on the upstairs level of the restaurant - where you will be in a more intimate environment with less tables featuring a lot of funky and colourful paintings.
The combination of soft furnishings, greenery, and large windows letting in sunlight, even on rainy days, creates a comfortable and relaxed environment to enjoy dinner in.
A large three pane menu is provided - the central section focusses on the starter and main courses. In line with the drinks, prices are reasonable for this type of restaurant - expect to pay GBP 30-40 for a starter and main per person.
As for the food, here’s a look at the starters - left to right: Salt Crusted Sourdough Bread; Twice-baked Cheese Souffle; Crispy Duck Salad; and Salt and Pepper Squid. I opted for the last dish which is quite odd considering for years I never ate squid, but after a spate of excellent fried squid dishes, I now quite enjoy them.
Mains included a Grilled Sea Bass; Sirloin Steak; Grilled Beef Fillet; and Steak Tartare. All the dishes were of good quality and freshly cooked, the only disappointment was the chips which were clearly frozen - this could do with an upgrade. Unless stated on the menu, most sides cost extra. I enjoyed my Steak Tartare but I should really stop confusing it with Beef Carpaccio - which is what I really wanted!
And if you have enough room, or want to share, then the desserts are great here too. Below is the Chocolate Bombe, which was extremely rich but impressive in its display, as well as a special dish of a Cheesecake with ice cream.
While The Ivy in the Park may be part of what is now a sprawling chain of restaurants, but this restaurant delivered on high quality food and a great setting to relax in without being pretentious.
