Kitchen Table London

“Excellent night, delicious food and very friendly service. A must try for special occasions. Without going into too much detail on the menu which probably changes regularly, what stood out for us was the use of ingredients foraged locally (in London!) and the fact that different flavours in dishes were all distinguishable and balanced. Nothing overpowered the rest. The techniques showcases were, as expected, exceptional!”

“Exceptional dining experience from start to end. Over the four hours, we were treated to a culinary experience like no other. Truffle and caviar add ons were offered, as well as wine and soft pairings. Wines by the glass were also available. Chef James Knappett and his exceptional team entertained guests all night. While we didn’t leave completely stuffed, the quality of each bite was superb. Highly recommend for a special occasion.”

“I somehow was able to get a last minute reservation here as a solo diner on a Saturday and it was a perfect decision. It will probably depend on who you are surrounded by, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a solo diner. Everyone was chatty, the servers were all lovely and, most importantly, the food was delicious. If you want to try peak British ingredients in a lovely atmosphere, this is an incredible choice. I personally was overwhelmed by the amount of wine in the pairing, but that is a great problem to have. People who had dietary restrictions seemed to truly enjoy their dishes as well. Always a good sign that vegetarian, shellfish-less etc are just as high quality as the standard menu. Overall, it was a great solo diner experience and a restaurant experience in general. Be ready for a long night, though, especially if you get a later reservation. 3-4 hours should be expected (and enjoyed). It was a lot of food, but the pacing across 3ish hours helped massively. My favorite dishes were the pasta, chicken skin, bread (the BUTTER) and the canele. Cheers to the team. Was an awesome night.”

“I was treated by my son. It was a very enjoyable and different experience. I would agree all the food was executed to Michelin 2 star level precision. It wasn’t all to my taste, but was all extremely good. Neither of us drank. Since it was my birthday there were lovely touches like the card and candle in the cake. The staff and the chefs all very attentive and welcoming and it is fun watching them prepare with such focus and care. As a foodie myself, I appreciate the artistry. I would rate the food 4.75 but overall 5 stars. Very happy. I include some pics of some of my favourite dishes. It’s quite tight getting out of your chair to go to the restroom but staff try to best to hurry over to help you get back into your chair at the table. :)”

“The experience starts in the bar area where guests are seated and offered drinks while the opening snacks are served. Although marketed as a 14-course tasting menu, in reality it felt closer to -three amuse-bouches -a palate cleanser -bread course -two starters -one main -three small desserts and petit fours. Portions are very small throughout, so don’t expect to leave especially full. The first snacks were served at the bar. OYSTERrhubarb – woodruff – sour cream – cornflower The oyster arrived covered with a granita that was simply too cold and too dominant. The temperature shock overwhelmed the palate and masked the oyster completely. MACKERELponzu – chilli – peppers – jalapeño A crisp pastry topped with slices of mackerel. A well-balanced and enjoyable bite. CHICKENrosemary – mascarpone – bacon – sage – liver A layered chicken parfait served in a small disc. Rich and pleasant enough, but nothing particularly memorable. Guests are then moved into the chef’s table dining area. While it is nice seeing the kitchen in action, the chef’s table concept is no longer particularly novel given how many London restaurants now do it, including ROW on 5. The room was also uncomfortably hot, especially considering the weather outside was around 30°C. Seating felt somewhat cramped whenever staff walked behind the chairs. A board displaying the names of famous chefs who had dined there-slightly pretentious. Many restaurants display photographs of notable guests, but this handwritten board was difficult to read and ultimately looked more messy than impressive. Some of the following “courses” again felt more like palate cleansers or snacks rather than substantial dishes. MELONcucumber – grape – apple marigold Compressed melon balls with granita. Refreshing and pleasant, but very much a palate cleanser rather than a proper course. TROUTjuniper – green asparagus – almond – green strawberry – elderflower – sorrel The trout itself was fine, but the pairing with green strawberries did not work particularly well. The strawberries tasted under-ripe and lacked flavour, leaving the dish bland overall. PARKER HOUSEcrème fraîche – onion – chive – wild garlic The bread itself was decent, though the butter was the standout component with caramelised onion and wild garlic folded through it. LOBSTERGoan curry – egg – coriander – mango – peanut One of the strongest dishes of the evening. The lobster paired beautifully with the curry spices and peanut. ANGOLOTTIgoat’s curd – black walnut – wild garlic – parmesan The pasta itself was slightly bland, but the sauce was excellent, particularly the wild garlic and black walnut combination. LAMBpak choi – sausage – black olives – yoghurt – mint – Thai basil The lamb was well cooked, nicely medium rare with good fat rendering. The accompanying herbs and yoghurt worked well together. ST JUDE CURDcelery – apple – walnut – raisins – lovage An interesting cheese course using St Jude curd from Cambridgeshire. The raisin paste paired especially well with the cheese. WILD FENNEL An unexpectedly excellent dish. The intense fennel and liquorice profile worked surprisingly well and became one of the highlights of the meal. STRAWBERRYelderflower – black pepper A very sweet and intense strawberry dessert with strawberry sauce and sliced strawberries. The black pepper meringue added interest and complexity. Petit fours: CANELESeville orange CHOCOLATEcep – Maldon salt Both petit fours were enjoyable. Service overall was good, although the female host in the bar tended to dominate conversations with guests. It would have been better balanced if the sommelier and other host had more opportunity to engage, as both were also excellent conversationalists. The elderflower cocktail, a twist on a white negroni, was disappointing. The elderflower was far too weak within the flavour profile, leaving the drink bland. A 15% service charge is added. One final point: beginning the experience at 5:30pm and effectively starting to eat at 5:40pm is not a dining schedule that will suit everyone.”