Sexy Molton House

Nick Valentine, co-founder of London hotspot the Cuckoo Club, has spent upwards of £2.5 million on transforming a five-storey Georgian townhouse in London’s South Molton Street into Molton House. And it shows.

The not-strictly-private member’s club spans four floors of the splendid property, a stone’s throw away from Bond Street, where London’s fashionable thrill-seekers can take their pick from eating in its fine dining restaurant (more of that in a minute), getting on down in the basement club, or supping cocktails at the bar.

And that’s exactly how we started our evening at the cool new hang out. Let’s get one thing straight before I go on: this is not a private member’s club in the grand, quintessentially British manner of Quo Vadis or Home House, oh no. This is a private member’s club that’s got the funk. And it’s not just the intricately-styled interior, with its luxe, textured materials – embossed copper tables, silk ceilings, feathers, fur and glitz – that has the boudoir look, the waitresses on hand to serve are all impeccably presented and provocatively dressed.

The stealth DJ booth at the top of the stairs, which encases the night’s DJ behind a glass screen flanked by peacock feathers, took us by surprise on the night, but this is just one of the eccentric design features that Valentine, along with Blacksheep (the team behind Hermes headquarters and Inamo) has created. After a couple of delicious cocktails in the cosy, cool bar (I went for a black cherry champagne number, my chum for the Old Fashioned), we headed upstairs for a serious culinary experience.

Finlay Logan has form from One Devonshire Gardens, and though his cooking could be described as a little on the fussy side, it is very of the moment and in tone with Molton House, which is the furthest thing from understated. His elaborate, decadent dishes are immaculately put together with lively flavour combinations and beautiful presentation. Anyone for truffle braised veal ribs with foie gras Chantilly? You bet. Simple, pared-down cuisine just wouldn’t cut it in this deliciously over-the-top venue.

To start I had the beetroot marinated king scallops, which startled and delighted me with their luminous pink hue and shock of black caviar, and my friend enjoyed a smorgasbord of ham with a creamy, fluffy celeriac remoulade. For our next course I chose the fillet of beef with panfried foie gras and celeriac mash – my meat was blood red (just how I like it) and lovely and tender. My chum went for duck with orange – a slick, modern take on the ’60s classic.

The deserts at Molton House are worth a visit in their own right – toaster racks of crackers with great slabs of stinking, unctuous cheese, and the most delicious white chocolate and parmesan sorbet I’ve ever tasted.

Molton House is a wondrously sexy, utterly camp and outrageously fun experience. I’d recommend it to anyone, but they don’t let just anyone in.

Molton House
43  South Molton Street
W1K 5RS

Tel: 020 7493 1688