In looking for a place favoring modern European cuisine that was close to Olympia without going too far out of the way, I found my way upon Belvedere. Situated within Holland Park, I can imagine that it's a great spot in the summer time, but in winter - when it's dark by 4 PM and the rest of the park is deserted - it does have a somewhat abandoned feel to it, save for the few cars in the parking lot. That said, once you are inside, it has a very grand - if slightly dated - feel to it, and with someone playing the piano nearly continuously throughout the meal, it has a bit more of a casual atmosphere, even though most folks were dressed up a little (in jeans and a windbreaker, I was definitely a bit underdressed). The service was pretty solid overall, with drinks being served quickly and food coming out in good time. The drink list is solid, and the bottle of Veuve Clicquot was serviceable, but there was not anything too memorable about the menu, and my glass of white (I forget what kind) was a bit flat in taste.
As for the food - simply put, it's rather average and will fill you up, and you aren't overpaying - so you're getting filled up in a spot that has nice ambiance. The prosciutto with truffle oil and rocket was alright, even though I really didn't pick up on any of the truffle oil, and there was way too much arugula on the plate. For my main, I ended up going with the pork belly and ragout of pork and lentils; while the crispy texture on the outside of the belly was interesting, the cut of meat itself was drier than it should have been, and the succulent juiciness that one would expect this cut of pork was absent. I will say that I did enjoy the lentils, though, as that provided a bit of contrast in flavor to the pork. The mashed potatoes were just okay - not enough salt (and probably butter) and presented in a very generic fashion - it looked like a giant dollop was thrown onto a small plate and brought out.
I think there are probably better options than what I ate, and as mentioned before - the prices are pretty reasonable (particularly from an American perspective given the exchange rate these days). That said, I would likely recommend going when it is light out so one can enjoy the park around the restaurant as well. And I do think that, given its old-time charm and relatively small dining area, it works well for small groups. read more