Cakes & Bubbles at Hotel Café Royal: Creative desserts from the genius of Albert Adrià

Cakes & Bubbles, Albert Adrià’s first permanent project outside of Spain, makes for a truly unique dining experience. Forget about your traditional café or the place you usually go to seek out a sophisticated dessert: here the experience goes beyond that. Hotel Café Royal’s latest culinary venture aims to satisfy all the senses with its carefully composed, beautifully presented creations. Adrià – who was voted the world’s best pastry chef in 2015 by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants – combines experimental modern flavours with familiar desserts such as éclairs and pancakes. The creativity involved in this fusion shines through in every dish, all of which are presented by knowledgeable waiters who seem as excited about the menu as we were after finishing every morsel we were able to taste.

On top of the sweet delicacies, Cakes & Bubbles offer an extensive selection of European wines, from champagne and cava to fortified and sweet varieties from Portugal and Hungary. To start off the evening and whet our appetites, we began with a refreshing glass of Veuve Clicquot. For those who are already thinking about checking out the Spanish chef’s café, you can either pick a set menu composed of drinks, nibbles, sweet bites and desserts, or order à la carte – perfect if you’re only in the mood for one or two plates. We decided to let the service assist us with the food choices, and we were not left disappointed.

Our first desserts centred around the combination of chocolate and raspberry, presented in beautiful bite-sized pieces. Made to impress, the Chocolate Cork is a must-try. Not only because of its original look, but also because of its crunchy chocolate filling, which is airy, satisfying and flavoursome. The equally delicious éclairs, on the other hand, presented an even lighter consistency, with a raspberry and lychee foam that elevated the traditional pastry. This would be perfect both as a gourmet snack or as a side for your afternoon tea.

Next, we moved onto the Neoclassic Style section of the menu, clearly represented by the Golden Egg Flan, a name that evokes nothing less than luxury. This dish puts a twist on the traditional version by incorporating a creamier texture and a punch of passion fruit, and presenting it breakfast-style in an egg cup. Even if you’re not a fan of flans, you should try it simply for the visual pleasure. We also had the chance to try the Crispy “Air Pancake”, created with a sandwich-maker and filled with yoghurt foam. A very original and crispy take on the fluffy American classic.

To appreciate better the final plate that was to come, we refreshed our palates with a taste of one of the fruitier bites: the Thai Pomelo Salad with Papaya, Orange and Asian Herbs. Like a sip of papaya juice with notes of lime and aromatic parsley, the dish was sour but nevertheless fresh. To end our tasting, we enjoyed The Cheesecake, a (literally) cheese-like cake fashioned into a wheel with a fluffy filling and a thin chocolate coating. Adventurous but delicious and definitely classy.

If you’re keen on sampling desserts presented in a new and beautiful way, be sure to stop by at Cakes & Bubbles for the perfect afternoon indulgence.

★★★★★

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Maria Barrios
Photos: Cristiana Ferrauti

To book a table at Cakes & Bubbles, Hotel Café Royal 70 Regent Street London W1B 4DY, call 020 7406 3310 or visit their website here.