On a drizzly February morning, stepping into 34 feels like sinking into a warm bath. The latest venture from restaurant titan Richard Caring’s Caprice Holdings is all amber-tinted light, dark wood, ivory tablecloths and soft piano jazz. Staff bustle around, finessing the table settings and prepping food for the lunch service.

Although it only opened at the end of November, 34 feels as though it’s been here for ever. It’s a high compliment for a restaurant in Mayfair, which prides itself on its villagey feel. Head chef Paul Brown, fresh from private members’ establishment Mark’s Club, says that locals are the restaurant’s "bread and butter", adding that it has a sizeable international clientele – many of whom will come via the US embassy just around the corner on Grosvenor Square.

It’s true that 34 is not a budget choice, but then it isn’t trying to be. The menu features premium meat, from free-range, organic, grass-fed Argentinian beef to meltingly tender Australian Wagyu. But Brown is keen to stress that 34 is not purely a steak restaurant: British salt-marsh lamb, seasonal game and sustainably caught fish and shellfish are also on offer. Alice Hall, the pastry chef, is hard at work creating indulgent confections in the lower-level kitchen.

The centrepiece of the restaurant is the bespoke Argentinean grill, or parilla – the only one of its kind in London. "We are learning every day," says Brown, whose favourite cut is the Argentinian ribs. "It’s a great piece of kit." For diners who want a bit of theatre with their meal, the grill is visible from the main dining area, so you can see your steak being cooked to perfection. "The chefs are always happy to speak to customers," Brown adds.

At the other end of the room is the glorious marble-topped bar – which serves premium spirits and a range of classic and champagne cocktails – and a baby grand. Jazz aficionados are treated to a pianist every night from Sunday to Wednesday, with a live jazz trio performing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

For Brown, this is a chance to use his experience from sister restaurant Le Caprice and Mark’s Club to make 34 his own. He’s been cooking from an early age, having been inspired by his parents’ culinary exploits. "We were always sat round the table, always eating," he says. "My mum and dad were always in the kitchen, cooking for the various family members who would come over to eat with us." This atmosphere clearly had an effect; Brown’s twin brother, Mike, is head chef at Daphne’s in South Kensington.

Now firmly ensconced in the neighbourhood, Brown’s mission is to maintain a high standard of cooking and ingredients. "I assess everything every day," he says. "The menu is always evolving; we borrow, we steal ideas, we reinvent. And we’ll never sit on our laurels, because if you do, you’re going backwards."

34, 34 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 2HD
020 3350 3434
www.34-restaurant.co.uk