Caviar must surely be the fanciest food to come out of the sea. So fancy that a kilogram of beluga caviar can sell for £20,000. This is no modern phenomenon — Aristotle records caviar being served at lavish banquets in the 4th century BC.
But caviar is not just a salty status symbol. These fish eggs are packed full of omega-3, vitamin B12, selenium and protein. It is widely accepted that a hefty dollop aids brain function, immune systems, heart health and even moods. When this news reached the health enthusiasts of TikTok, Gen Z embraced caviar and even came up with new ways to consume it, preferably straight up. The “caviar bump” involves eating lumps of caviar straight off the back of the hand, thus avoiding any taste interference from metal cutlery. But hands aren’t even the weirdest thing people put caviar on. Laura King, the founder of King’s Fine Food, the UK’s biggest importer of caviar, says, “One of our team’s favourite pairings is caviar on warm Belgium waffles with a drizzle of maple syrup.” Her own personal favourite is caviar on a softly boiled egg. Here are a few more high-end caviar combos.
The Marilyn at Caviar House
Caviar House
Caviar House in Piccadilly is part of the Caviar House and Prunier group, which has been importing caviar since 1950 — so the staff know their fish eggs. The restaurant, entered through grand pillars on the corner of St James’s Street, is the epitome of urbane decadence, with its dark green wallpaper, vanilla-coloured upholstery and liberal sprinkling of gilt. The menu is equally fancy, with 11 different types of caviar to dunk your pearl spoon into. The fanciest caviar on the menu is the Albino Beluga sturgeon, light gold in colour and costing £3,000 for 125g. Its most fun offering, however, is the £25 vodka bump — a shot of the finest Beluga Vodka with a caviar chaser. There is nothing like a dollop of swanky fish eggs to wash down the smooth vodka shot. You could also try white chocolate cheesecake topped with caviar or lemon sorbet with caviar, or double down on the decadence with a Marilyn — a £25 caviar bump with a glass of the house brut champagne.
