Friday, 16 August 2013

Vertigo 42: City, London

Vertigo 42

Date of Visit: 7th August 2013

Ambience
I experienced the same thing as Rhodes 24 in terms of getting to the restaurant (see previous post) but one difference is that you may feel your ears popping in the lift as you head up to the top floor.

As we entered the bar/seating area, I immediately appreciated the difference of being on the top floor (compared to half way up the building).  The views of the city were fab as seating was available 360 degrees around the building with the middle blocked off and covered in mirrors all round.



We were seated facing Bank/St Pauls and we had fun trying to locate all the areas of London that we could identify and we were fascinated by the fact that roads we knew well could not even been seen due to the density of buildings.  Anyway, we went at lunchtime on a day with clear skies so the view was great but I can imagine the city looking much prettier at night when buildings and bridges are lit.

The setting felt posh and the servers were suited and booted and very professional.  It’s a great place to go for a date or a special occasion.

Food
We were served a glass of champagne and afternoon tea which consisted of salmon croque monsieur and quiche in bite sizes, scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream with crème fraiche, bite sized muffins, caramel tart and passion fruit tart.


I liked the way that it wasn’t standard afternoon tea with sandwiches but on the savoury tier, there wasn’t as much choice as you would normally find.  If you dislike fish and not keen on quiche, you have a problem!  Frankly the food wasn’t the best I’ve had but it was reasonable and very filling.  My favourite was the passion fruit tart as it was zingy and fresh.  The caramel tart was rich and way too sweet for my liking.

Service
The service was fantastic! We were shown to our seats very quickly and the champagne followed shortly.  We were instructed to let the waiter know once we were ready for our tea and when we were short on tea, we were asked if we wanted more tea.

The service was professional and attentive which is what you’d expect in such a venue.  The most memorable part of the service was at the end of our meal.  After walking around the building and taking in the views, we headed towards the exit where we saw a large queue of people waiting to pay for their meals/drinks but we were waved over by our waiter and asked to pay on the side without queuing.. needless to say, we were not hesitant to tip :)

Summary
In a place like Vertigo 42, you pay for the service and the view, moreso than for fantastic food and it is definitely a place to take somebody if you want to make a good impression or for those who would enjoy views of the city (perhaps visitors from another country/city).


If you think it is too pricey to eat in Vertigo 42, I suggest going at night for a quick drink which won’t break the bank but will give you the overall experience.

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