Nick Jones is a brilliant formula man. Intuitively, he applies his brilliant formula to each of his venues and, as I sit back and sip cocktails at Shoreditch House, Soho House, Dean Street Townhouse, The Electric and now Little House in Mayfair, I really do admire his talent.
The week the smalls broke up for endless weeks of summer fun, my mates gates and I felt we needed a cocktail – or two. Lady Lala booked us into Little House and we borrowed a husband’s ‘fast car’ and headed into the gentleman’s club heartland of St James.
Little House is certainly not edgy with its wood paneling, exposed brick walls and handsome leather dining booths. But it is sophisticated in a traditional way. After a crazy pillar-to-post kind of day, I only needed a couple of Italian Shrub cocktails (Henricks, berry shrub, lime, Campari £12) to kick start my giggles as we chewed over the 50 Shades obsession currently gripping the country.
And it didn’t matter that my eyes were squiffy when menu reading was required. You see, it’s Mr Jones’ winning formula which allows me to ‘already know’ what I’m going to eat. Monkfish, green tomatoes and fennel (£19) with a side of cauliflower cheese (£4) at any Soho House venue just couldn’t disappoint any hungry girl.
For desert, one of others ordered the Chocolate and Peanut stack (£7) which was as dangerous and thrilling as Christian Grey himself.
We all agreed that Little House has a feeling of faded glamour about it. The club feels cosy and private and yet not too exclusive. So back to Mr Jones. He is reliable and his food is comforting, the service is slick and the atmosphere just the right amount of buzzy. Little House proves his formula still works.
Little House Mayfair, 2 Queen Street, W1. 020 7961 1200