The Park - Review - Queensway - London - The Infatuation

"The main reason to visit The Park, a high-end Queensway spot, is for the dessert menu, which sounds like it was created by a focus group of toddlers and adults with severe sugar-fixations. Build-your-own sundaes, with Oreo chunks, mini meringues, and hot fudge sauce, make it feel like a childhood birthday party. But the same focus group that came up with a caramelised banana split must have had a sugar crash when it came to the rest of the menu. The American dishes are hit and miss, and don’t bring us the same joy as the hundreds and thousands-happy desserts. photo credit: David Loftus photo credit: David Loftus photo credit: David Loftus photo credit: David Loftus Pause Unmute The dining room itself is more private members’ restaurant at The Met than a Ronald McDonald birthday party. Huge artworks of the ‘what do you see in the splodges?’ variety are hung from wood-panelled walls, and groups and couples are tucked into handsome butterscotch booths. Is it gorgeous? Yes. Is it having an identity crisis? Also yes. But we’d still come for a special occasion when someone else is paying and we want a cloud of pink candy floss delivered by a waistcoat-wearing member of staff. Food Rundown Summer Minestrone Unfortunately, this was not very summery. In fact it took us to a dark place—one without seasoning or much flavour. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Burrata And Heritage Tomato Panzanella This dish took the summer brief that the minestrone missed, and ran with it. The focaccia soaks up the oil and vinegar juice from the capers, and the burrata is suitably creamy. It's a nice, light salad and you'll feel very elegant picking at it. photo credit: David Loftus Grilled 'Four Cheese' Sandwich A Fantastic Four rebrand is surely just around the corner, because this grilled sandwich has the perfect combination of cheeses. There's a sweet nuttiness from pecorino and parmesan, creaminess from the ricotta, and the all-important gooey, cheese pull moment courtesy of fontina. A perfect toastie. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Classic Hot Dog A classic hot dog and not much more. There's nothing wrong with it, but you'll have to decide if you want to pay £12 for something that you're used to eating from your neighbour’s Tesco barbecue setup. photo credit: David Loftus Chicken Milanese If you aren't sure what to get at The Park, get this. It might not have the bells and whistles of The Park's Gotham Shrimp Cocktail or Lobster Roll, but it's consistently good. The coating is golden brown and the meat is juicy, and it's the right size to set you up for dessert. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Red Velvet Cake Some meals start on a high and taper off. Not at The Park. This cake has alternating layers of sweet, tangy cream and soft, pillowy sponge. Expect to be transported back to your fifth birthday. Expect to find the two-minute walk to the station challenging. photo credit: David Loftus The Park Bespoke Sundae Usually when we need to make so many decisions, things don't go so well. But you can't mess this up. Make your order via a tick-box piece of paper. Choose ice cream flavours (we like the amedei chocolate and pistachio), toppings (Oreo chunks and honeycomb all the way), and sauces—it's got to be hot fudge. It's very fun and very delicious. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna" - Sinéad Cranna