Hidden in the backstreets of Fitzrovia, away from the buzz of Oxford Street, sits Percy & Founders, a sleek restaurant and bar serving up classic British dishes. Surrounded by numerous businesses and companies, the venue has become a popular spot for office outings, parties and after-work drinks. But if you're not looking to schmooze the bigwigs? I decided to check it out for myself and brought my sister along for the ride.
The setting of our afternoon feast was giving me some major Mad Men vibes.
It’s lunchtime on a Monday afternoon, but Percy & Founders still has a buzz about it. A number of tables in the dining room are taken up by a mix of both lunchtime groups and suited folk, whilst the bar has a splattering of people casually working on their laptops. The dining room serves up some real art deco chic with wood-panelled walls featuring numerous jazzy paintings and retro wire lights.
Whilst looking over the menu of European-inspired dishes and drink, we nibbled on green olives (£4) and bread with a herb butter and roasted garlic (£4). Popping a clove into my mouth, I did feel a little guilty for the poor commuters I'd be sharing a tube with later. And to drink? Their hugo spritz (£9.50) made for a delicious afternoon drink, with the mint and elderflower beautifully balanced and complemented the prosecco beautifully.
Our vat of gooey goodness and tray of golden brioche, gherkins and truffle ham.
Starting off our meal on a cheesy note, we decided on the baked camembert P&F sharing board (£17.50). Accompanied by a medley of truffle ham, roasted garlic, gherkins and toasted bread, it was the perfect dish for a cold autumnal day. Following the cheese-fest I opted for a fish dish in the form of the roast Atlantic salmon fillet with caramelised salsify, baby spinach & samphire (£19) and a glass of 2016 Grillo, Il Folle white wine (£7). A light and refreshing option, the skin was beautifully crispy whilst the meat flaked away as I picked it. The salty samphire rounded off the plate nicely and I only wished there was more of it.
A carnivore through and through, my sister went for a medium-rare Galloway grass-fed 250g rib-eye steak (£26), which was cooked perfectly. With mains and sides served separately, we couldn’t resist making the most of the truffle options on the menu and ended up with a double combo of truffle mash (£5.50) and truffle & Parmesan skin-on-fries (£4.50). As far as I'm concerned, anything with truffle in it is sheer gold and these two did not prove me wrong.
Almost too pretty to eat...almost.
On to something a little sweeter, we decided to share a Bramley apple and blackberry crumble with vanilla ice cream (£7.50) and baked cheesecake with slow-roasted plum and hazelnut crumb (£7.50). A wintry staple, the crumble didn't disappoint, with the classic combo cooked beautifully without being over-stewed. But it was the baked cheesecake that was the clear winner. The hazelnut crumb was nutty gold dust and the roasted plum left me with a sweetly tart aftertaste.
The DesignMyNight Digest
With a seasonally changing menu of guaranteed crowd-pleasers and an impressive drinks list, all wrapped up in a very slick bow, Percy & Founders is a great choice for both your work luncheons and out-of-hours frolics. Whilst some of the dishes may be a little on the spenny side it's worth splashing the cash for the excellent quality you'll receive.
