About Time: You Visited Town House at the KensingtonBy Alicia Grimshaw
My mum is the litmus test of restaurants. If a restaurant has white linen table cloths and as Di G calls it ‘proper napkins, none of this paper, tissue stuff’, then it has already earn stars in my mum’s books. I took my mum to Town House at the Kensington and it fast became apparent that Diane fell head over heels with the place, as did I. The staff, the food (oh, the food – more on that later), the snug ambience and the wine list – anyone who enters is in for a treat. If you need a restaurant for a special occasion, or fancy eating some incredible food in a plush setting, I think it’s about time you visited Town House at the Kensington. Here’s what you need to know:
Town House at the Kensington: The Lowdown
Town House at the Kensington doesn’t much look like a restaurant: it looks like someone’s private library. The restaurant’s walls are covered in rows upon rows of books, and the cosy space offers a peaceful respite from the throngs of tourists who trudge past to the Science Museum.
Any design interior enthusiast worth their salt will be able to pick out the trendy details designed by Alexander Waterworth Interiors – playful, patterned fabrics and rugs are used alongside classic rosewood and walnut.
The restaurant is located within the swish Kensington Hotel in the heart of South Kensington, and offers all sorts of foodie treats. Breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea – you name it, they’re most probably cooking it. If you’ve never visited the restaurant before, it’s imperative you go for dinner. The dishes here showcase seasonal produce from local suppliers, and fuse British classics with a slight modern twist. It’s accessible food with big flavours to boot.
Town House at the Kensington: The Food
Aside from the drool-wrothy interiors, there’s another element that will make you drool: the food. Because it’s the stuff of dreams.
Whatever you choose to eat, just make sure you order the bread basket. I’m not talking about the bread baskets that are just a few slices of anaemic bread – here it’s a selection of freshly baked loves, featuring their beloved Guinness bread which is wholly perfect. And even more divine when its caked with a layer of their homemade salted butter. Probably a better duo than Kim and Kayne.
Not wanting to fill up so we couldn’t have space for pudding, we decided on sharing the burrata with cherry vine tomatoes. The burrata was a sexy little thing – creamy, indulgent and demanded all the attention. The dish showed that nothing quite beats the holy trinity: olive oil, burrito and cherry tomatoes. And an excellent way to kick off our dinner.
The menu is spilt into sections; specials, salads, mains and from the Josper grill. If you’re a meat fiend like me, you’re beefy pangs will be satiated. The rib eye steak was silky, soft, and yielding. It was served alongside crispy, proper chips and a gorgeous blue cheese sauce, which was only right for such decadence. The dry aged beef wellington was the shower stopper – buttery, flaky pasty tightly hugged a plump and beautifully cooked hunk of beef. It was nothing short of an art form. The Wellington was served with truffle duxelles and spinach, naturally.
The veggie sides were excellent and if you can, order a couple. Sweet potatoes fries with rosemary salt? Get some. The Josper grilled xajun vegetables garnish with a smattering of sea salt was equally delicious. Whatever you order, you’re in for a good time.
And the good times kept on coming as the chocolate fondant pudding served with a dollop of ice cream was exquisite. Imagine the best kind of chocolate fondant; oozing, bursting its chocolate walls with that interior of hot, sticky, gooey sauce.
Town House at the Kensington: The Verdict
The food at the Town House at The Kensington is an ode to well-loved British Classics. The kitchen team haven’t over fussed the dishes, and have let the flavours shine through. If you’re looking for a fantastic foodie experience in the capital, or have someone you really want to impress at dinner, book at table here for dinner and bask in every mouthful.
