Tried & Tested

Restaurant review: Ten Trinity Square Private Club

27 May 2023 by Hannah Brandler

Dining Room Ten Trinity Square Club London

Ten Trinity Square is a private members club hidden away within the same Grade II-listed building as the Four Seasons Hotel in the City of London.

The building is the former headquarters of the Port of London Authority, with nods to its heritage throughout.

The club is a partnership between investment company Reignwood, Château Latour (a wine estate in the French Médoc region) and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and offers a range of membership packages – from individual to joint, corporate and overseas (ideal for the business traveller). Applicants can fill in a form online and cross their fingers for admission.

While entry to the Four Seasons is luxe in itself, guests are still not able to access the club without a membership. Club members, on the other hand, get daily access to the hotel’s spa along with 20 per cent discounts on room rates and the ability to bring three guests at a time to the club.

The venue also has a busy events calendar which spans a range of industries and includes guest speakers, wine tastings, networking and dinner events.

The venue

Unbeknownst to the average guest (if you can call a Four Seasons guest average), there is a dedicated lift on the ground floor of the hotel which the concierge points out to those “in the know”. Once you reach the first floor, there’s a separate reception – so no intruders.

The club is on one level and comprises a collection of stately rooms which run off a long corridor. Interiors are grand, with dark woods, marble pillars, carved panelling and chandeliers overhead.

Towards the end of the hallway is the dining room, which quite rightly isn’t referred to as a restaurant. The service makes you feel like you’re right at home – albeit in a high-end abode.

While the room is fairly large, tables are spaced apart to allow for discreet conversations and guests can pick from banquettes or individual tables, with natural light seeping in through the large windows – though heavy red curtains can be drawn should it be too sunny.

Opposite the dining room is the Château Latour room, where members can take part in a sampling experience led by sommelier Jan Konetzki. This includes the opportunity to savour 45 wines by the glass, including the Grand Vin de Château Latour 1982 and vintages from the cellars of the estate.

Aside from these two rooms, there is a separate bar area with a plum colour scheme, a cigar lounge complete with a collection of rare vintage cigars, and a billiards room where you can settle who’s paying the bill.

Food and drink

The kitchen is led by head chef Alex Tzatos, whose former role as sous chef at Nobu shines through his fine dining menu with Japanese accents.

The presentation resembles that of Michelin-starred restaurants, with fantastic flavours to match the beautiful aesthetics. Dishes are arranged with precision and beauty, and often nod to nature, with edible flowers and ceramic-ware featuring floral engravings.

We kicked off the meal with branch-like biscuit appetisers, served alongside a quartered loaf of warm bread with a gorgeous garlic dip, and continued with a set of starters to share.

Watercolour-like sashimi-style salmon was delicate, with a truffle and yuzu soy dressing, garlic chips, onion ponzu and dill oil. Alongside this we enjoyed creamy burrata with a visually stunning (and delicious) tomato and pea tart, which resembled a plant in full bloom.

Our main courses followed shortly after, accompanied by excellent wine pairings from the master sommelier. The langoustine orzo, served in a heavy black vessel, went down a treat with my guest thanks to generous chunks of lobster within a rich bisque.

The glazed Chilean seabass, however, was the showstopper. Served alongside tricoloured cauliflower, the dish immediately brought to mind Nobu’s melt-in-the-mouth black cod, and had a great kick thanks to the red hot miso. We couldn’t stop talking about it, and probably should have ordered several more.

Desserts are also inspired by Japanese cuisine and range from an interesting Japanese cake roll – an airy chocolate sponge with a nutty-style sesame mousse – to Oolong crème brûlée and handmade mochi (ideal for a summer’s evening). Much like the wine pairings, the menu advises port and sauternes alongside each pudding.

The dining room also caters for vegetarians and vegans with a separate menu that does not restrict itself to boring, standard dishes but rather provides variations on meat dishes – the likes of tofu steak, mushroom toba nyaki and orzo with king oyster mushrooms.

Meat eaters, meanwhile, can opt for the likes of grilled rib eye with anticucho sauce and mash or lamb two ways (loin and rack).

Service

Staff are kind, warm and knowledgeable. The chef greeted guests and explained the inspiration behind his beautifully crafted dishes.

The club’s sommelier also provides excellent wine pairings for each dish, with an interesting selection of international wines on offer.

Verdict

The dining room at Ten Trinity Square offers an exclusive feel with warm service and haute cuisine-style fare that tastes just as good as it looks. All that’s left to do is join the club for unparalleled access.