This is an impulse visit having just walked past this new restaurant on the Hyde Park end of Kensington High Street. The high end lunch menu offers 2 course lunch for £24 and 3 for £29. Newly opened by the Tamarind Collection, this airy and bright dining room with traditional wooden wall panel combined with turquoise furniture is a pleasant mix of old and modern.
The starter of mackerel, quinoa and crudités is colourful and beautifully laid out, with mild and textural mackerel, a host of shaved carrot, fennel, cabbage and radish on a light bed of quinoa. The dressing is on the citrus and acidic side and feels like it is missing some creaminess. But towards the end, the combination of the dish has won me over and a scattering of deep fried kale always helps.
The waiter informed me my chosen beef cheek sadly contains gluten and they are instead going to serve a small Entrecôte instead. What shows up is a full main portion of Entrecôte served with fries and carrots. The steak is well cooked and substantial, served in a pepper sauce with a good kick to it. Though the carrots need another minute or two of cooking but generally a competent and satisfying dish.
They are certainly eager to please having only opened for two weeks. And with a vast dining room with only two table of guest, the atmosphere will improve in time. Music that only came on towards the end of my meal did enhance the ambience somewhat and does show up the disorganisation at this stage. There are certainly much fine tuning to be done but it has all the ingredients to be a well established regular dining haunt for the well remunerated locals.
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