Kitchen W8

Located just steps from Kensington High Street, this excellently reviewed restaurant seemed like an ideal place to be the February candidate to fulfil my new year’s resolution to visit a Michelin starred restaurant once a month. Especially as this particular one offered a three course set lunch for less than twenty quid.

The décor was simple and crisp.

I started with the ravioli of chicken and mushroom with bacon cream and smoked oil dressing. The first thing to say was it was a raviolo (singular) rather than ravioli (plural). Not that I minded as it was a starter but I am a stickler for Italian grammar. Or something. The paper thin pasta was deep filled with the delicious chickeny, mushroomy mixture. My vocabulary needs expanding.

For main course I had the haunch of venison with purée of celeriac, ragout of lentils and bacon choucroute. I had no idea what a choucroute is. Seemingly it is a bit like a meatier sauerkraut.

The venison was lovely and pink, however the lentils were a little disappointing. The main problem with them was the fact they were lentils. I really don’t get them. I would have been happier to have had a bit more celeriac and done without the lentils.

I didn’t really a desserts but as it was only two pounds extra to go for three I couldn’t help myself. The morbelier cheese, with summer chutney and fruit bread was nice enough. Nothing really special, but still a pleasant way to finish off the meal.

Scores

Food – 8/10 – Very good quality

Service – 7/10

Décor & ambiance – 9/10

Value- 10/10 –£19.50 for a three course lunch, £8 for a carafe of wine. You’d have to go a long way to find a better value lunch.

Sauce quantity – 8/10

New words learnt – One – “choucroute”