News: Revamp at Gees Restaurant and Bar

Gees has had a revamp! And let me tell you, it’s somehow made the already beautiful Gees even more charming. Visits to Gees are always so nostalgic for me, having worked there years ago, and its charm never leaves you.

A gorgeous setting

A new menu accompanies the new beautiful setting. Under the direction of their new Head Chef, Nick Galer, the menu has the same Mediterranean feel to it but with a modern British twist.

The new set up gives the restaurant a more cosy, intimate feel, while still remaining very chic.The new round booths really add something to the vibe, and my GOD were the cushions comfortable – notes were taken.

Palm trees, glasshouse and the aesthetic interiors paired with the long summer night light made it feel like I was on holiday.

Gees cocktails have always been a winner

Two basil brambles were ordered along with a negroni and a classic margarita.

Whilst I was sad that my favourite cocktail here, their spicy marg, was no longer on the menu, all the cocktails were beautiful.

The basil bramble was nice and sweet, but the basil kept it balanced. I must say, I’m not usually a Negroni fan, but they got the balance just right.

No notes!

Let’s talk about the starters

Our choices:

Gazpacho with crab
Grilled squid
Smoked Eel
Watermelon annd feta

Across the starters, the favourites were the gazpacho and the squid. Having said that, the eel was also received very well – a few of us hadn’t ever had it before so opted to be adventurous, and it was really interesting! Super smoky and smooth. The gazpacho really stole the show for us all, the tomato was SO fresh, and the crab gave it an added depth of flavour. Great for summer, and I’m not usually a crab fan either. The squid had a subtle yet necessary spicy kick which really elevated the dish.

Onto the mains

Our choices:

Whole Cornish sole and brown shrimps butter
Grilled monkfish tail
Pork belly
Salt-aged duck breast and duck heart skewer
Duck fat chips
Runner beans
Corn ribs
Sourdough

I can’t stop thinking about the pork belly and the broth it was served with. The pork melted in my mouth and the broth, well, I could have drunk a whole bowl of that alone. The sole was cooked perfectly, on the salty side with the brown shrimp butter, but very fresh – my friend really enjoyed it.

Chiara gave the duck a go, which was cooked beautifully and presented nicely on a mini grill slab. Paired with the duck fat chips this was stunning. Only mistake here was she didn’t order a sauce to go with it (there were some on offer she just forgot – a berry or tart sauce would be good, but the blackberry from her Bramble cocktail worked as an excellent accompaniment to it in the end). Emilie had the grilled monkfish tail, with a saffron sauce and potatoes. The fish was cooked to perfection, and the saffron sauce elevated the dish – punchy and creamy. Delish.

Finally, the sweet stuff

Our choices:

Lemon tart with bramble sorbet
Banana Eton mess
Chocolate mousse with orange and sesame
Deep-fried iced cream with strawberry salsa

I think it’s safe to say the lemon tart was the favourite. It was fresh, tart, and had a gorgeous caramelised top. We were shocked to hear that both the chocolate mousse and the deep-fried ice cream were vegan, both still rich and creamy!

The chocolate mousse wasn’t quite the right consistency, it needed to be a bit more airy, felt more like a ganache than a mousse. The sesame crisp on top really brought the dish to life and added a nice texture contrast.

What a night

The service was great, the food was tasty, and it was such a privilege to get to experience the new Gees so early after reopening. Thank you to Ben and the whole team for having us and looking after us so well. We’ll definitely be back soon.