FOOD + DRINK
insideTHE RESTAURANT :
DOROTHY & MARSHALL , BROMLEY
IF EVER THERE WAS A PERFECT SETTING FOR A CONTEMPORARY TAKE ON REFINED , ELEGANT DINING , DOROTHY & MARSHALL HAS FOUND IT . LOCATED RIGHT IN THE HEART OF BUSTLING SUBURBAN METROPOLIS OF BROMLEY , WHICH RELISHES IN ITS POSITIONING THAT REACHES THE HEART OF THE CITY OF LONDON OR THE ROLLING FIELDS OF KENT ’ S GARDEN OF ENGLAND IN EQUI-TIME , THE RECENTLY OPENED RESTAURANT IS ALREADY LIVING UP TO ITS AMBITIONS OF BRINGING LONDON-STYLE DINING TO THE SUBURBS WITH A SIDE ORDER OF ARCHITECTURAL WOW-FACTOR THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE .
As its Court Street address alludes , Dorothy & Marshall is the first opening of the recently refurbished Old Town Hall , and is set front and centre on the ground floor in the former courthouse of the iconic building .
The product of a multi-million-pound extensive refurbishment project , the local landmark has reopened its original doors , the plus side of its Grade II listing status that has preserved its remarkable history with a stylish new take . A unique and ambitious offering comprising the restaurant , Brama , a 24-room boutique hotel , and the Clockwise workspace - a myriad affair of shared space , dedicated offices , conference suites and member ’ s club - it seamlessly interweaves doubleheight ceilings , dark wood panelling , original staircases and even vaults and jail cell doors with new floor-toceiling partitions and windows to harness privacy and light , integrated tech and stylish furnishings in the utmost sympathetic approach .
Dorothy & Marshall , or D & M as it ’ s already affectionately referred to , offers the premise of ‘ the simple things , done exceptionally well ’, and this begins with the first cross of the threshold . Boasting doubleheight domed ceilings framed with original architrave and stunning arched windows typical of its 1906 architectural incarnation , the dining space is an immediate cocoon of elegant welcome . De rigeur green painted walls , hung with an eclectic array of framed paintings , merge with restored flooring and impressive wood panelling , offset with refined banquette seating to offer space for 60 diners with an additional 10 stools at the bar .
Named after the beloved children of Thomas Dewey , the charter mayor of Bromley who laid the Old Town Hall ’ s foundation stone in 1906 , there are more than a few subtle nods and celebrated acknowledgements to the charming building ’ s former guise ( even a trip to the bathrooms is one filled with stories of jail cells and beautifully restored , sand-blasted original brick work ), and the passion and excitement of realising such an ambitious project cascades from the new team now at the helm of its flagship restaurant .
With a belief that ‘ eating and drinking in good company is one of life ’ s greatest pleasures ’, the team have set out to create a dining experience that is both aspirational and affable , with a friendly yet unobtrusive service being the key to delivering the concise menu developed by head chef Ralph Jones .
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