1707 at Fortnum & Mason

 

1707
181 Piccadilly
London, W1A 1ER

Date of Last Visit: Saturday, January 17, 2009

The Victim: Me

The Damage: £20? Maybe a little less.

The Background: I've had 1707 on my list since Fortnum & Mason refurbed in 2007. Yes, sometimes I take a while to get around to things. Unlike my London blogging colleagues Dos Hermanos, who continuously amaze me with how quickly they get to new places.

Let me just point out that the Web site for 1707 says this under "Dress Code":

We kindly request that both sexes lean more towards elegance.

Let's just say that I am pretty sure I was wearing jeans that Saturday. And not the trendy kind. More of the "I'm going to do five loads of laundry and get some shopping done" variety.

The Entrance: I find 1707 in the basement of Fortnum and Mason. It's small but has a nice crowd in it for 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. I am given the last seat at the end of the bar and eventually start chatting with two gentleman who have escaped from their wives who are upstairs shopping.

The Wine: I chose the Alsace flight because one of the random things I know about my maternal grandfather is that that side of the family comes from Germany, near Alsace. I am not disappointed in my selection although I would say that the wines were maybe a bit too dessert-wine-like for me on a Saturday afternoon. My flight was served in a fun metal glass holder–lest you think that I drank three 250 ml glasses, each glass was 125 ml. The things I do for you! And my blog.

Alsace Riesling, Domaine Bruno Sorg 2006
Alsace Gewürztraminer, Domaine Bruno Sorg 2006
Alsace Pinot Gris, Domaine Bruno Sorg 2006

The Bar Snack: Everyone is getting into the salted dried broad beans these days, aren't they?

The Verdict: I'd come back here.