Inspired by The Great Exhibition, this stylish new bar and restaurant brings back the glamour of Crystal Palace’s heyday and with it, a tremor of excitement amongst the locals of SE19.

The Venue
Situated a mere skip away from the infamous park, The Exhibition Rooms is exactly what this area has been waiting for. The dining room reflects the glamour of an era when the glass palace dominated the south London skyline. With arched glass mirrors, verdant palms and the muted palette courtesy of Farrow & Ball, the Raffles-inspired decor is cool and understated. The downstairs bar is a decadent affair which is more Vivienne Westwood to the upstairs area’s YSL. Zebra print chairs, fake Louis XV furniture and unisex loos all add to its devil-may-care attitude.

The bar offers table service only, which although nice, means there can be an extended wait for your drinks at busy times. There is also an enclosed, heated courtyard for those who like a smoke. For more intimate gatherings, The Cave, a small snug complete with a leather bed, zebra-print ceiling and velvet walls, can be hired out for groups of six to ten.

The Atmosphere
There was a definite gap in the market here in the usually impenetrable Crystal Palace triangle, as The Exhibition Rooms has become very popular, very quickly. Since opening, the place has seen an immediate rise in trade. Both the dining room and the bar are packed with folk happy to splash the cash, with cocktails and Champagne galore. The clientele is generally a very local crowd, but as tongues wag folk will start to drift in from the surrounding areas. The staff are professional, knowledgeable and friendly all rolled into one.

The Food
The menu is described as modern British and is of a standard rarely found outside zone two. David Massey, formerly of Butcher and Grill in Battersea and Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor, brings his vast experience to lucky old SE19. The menu is both exciting and responsible and uses ingredients such as mackerel, pollock and game, all of which are on-trend at the moment. The daily changing house terrine (£5.50) of pigeon and venison comes as a meaty feast for game lovers. Coarse-cut and wrapped in pancetta, the earthy flavours are enhanced with a pickled shallot marmalade which adds a crazy zing. The pan-fried mackerel (£6) is another must try. Crisp, oily fish sits on a bed of fried cabbage and is then topped with a sweet, beetroot pesto. The strong, distinct flavours of each ingredient compliment each other perfectly making a fabulously patriotic dish.

Mains are equally as inspiring. The wild halibut fillet (£16.50) comes in a smooth creamy veloute with haricot beans, French beans plus the odd girolle all adding texture to the truffle-scented sauce. For a meatier main, try the roasted saddle of Rutland venison (£17). Tender, thick medallions of venison sit upon a crisp mound of rosti and red cabbage and are drizzled with a red wine and juniper jus, making a deliciously wintery dish. The desserts here at the Exhibition Rooms are also in fine fettle and include the essential crowd-pleaser, chocolate fondant. A good example, served with ice cream, the warm pud has just the right amount of give before it expels its molten chocolate lava. The highlight of the entire meal has to be the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. This homemade slice of heaven is strictly for dessert aficionados. A buttery crumb base is topped with a light creamy mascarpone with hidden shards of crisp white chocolate and finished off with a jellied raspberry sauce, making a truly sensational dessert.

The Drink
Cocktails seem to dominate the bar downstairs, with the resident cocktail master shaking up margaritas and mojitos like a human pneumatic drill. Happy Hour is 6pm - 8pm every night and offers two for one cocktails, which at £7 a pop is a very good deal indeed. Upstairs, the sommelier has produced a fine wine list with user-friendly categories such as ‘Elegant and Mineral’ and ‘Full-Bodied, Intense and Meaty’. The house Merlot (£14.80) from Chile is rich and fruity and works well with the meatier dishes. The most you’ll pay here is £80 is for a bottle of Sauternes, however you can get some really great wines for around the £20 - £30 mark.

The Last Word
Being the new kid on the block hasn’t fazed the Exhibition Rooms in the slightest. With its fantastic food, sparkling decor and lively atmosphere, it seems that despite the credit crunch, decadence is making a comeback. Recommended.

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