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Kerridge’s
It seems at present that whenever you look around there is a new restaurant popping up from a plethora of celebrity chefs who promise the dishes and the care people see when they cook on the TV. The unfortunate reality is the majority of these have just had that chef give their name to their restaurant rather than giving their time and effort to provide a quality product, but that cannot be said of Kerridge’s Bar and Grill, as Celebrity Chef Tom Kerridge, is clearly very involved. This involvement not only extends to the food and service, but even to the decor as many of the pieces of art, including a headless bronze figure in a golden suit, which dominates the centre of the restaurant, are designed by Tom’s wife.
Kerridge’s is located a stone’s throw from Trafalgar Square in the plush Corinthia Hotel. On entering the restaurant on a cold winter’s evening, we were hit by a blast of hot air (in a pleasant way!), along with a lovely atmosphere created by the buzz of people talking contentedly, which always gives one a positive feeling about a restaurant.
Having had our coats whisked away we were able to look around the restaurant and see what an amazing space Kerridge’s takes up. What is clever, is that the vast, high-ceilinged dining room has been cleverly designed to maintain that feeling of space without making it look too cold and empty. To the left there is an imposing art deco bar which dominates one side of the room from floor to ceiling, and in front of it leather seats with marbled topped tables which actually gives the feel of an exclusive London Club. All seating is unreserved, so is perfect for dropping in for a drink and snack, and there are over 600 wines to choose from. Having seen some of the snacks being eaten I was certainly tempted despite already having a reservation in the restaurant.
Having enjoyed our drink in the bar, we moved across into the restaurant where the leather theme continues, but the colour changes from a sedate London club brown to a richer burgundy red.
Most people know Tom as the chef who has lost approximately 12 stone via healthy eating and exercise, and his latest TV appearances build on this, but fear not food lovers, as the menu here I am sure would be a break from dietary food as his take on some of the UK’s most celebrated dishes are more geared to letting go rather than eating sensibly which is, for me, exactly what you want on a night out.
The Main Event ...
We started our food journey with a luxuriously smooth Chicken Liver Parfait Tart with marinated prunes, stem ginger, hazelnut dukkah and roasted poultry jelly (£15.50) and the wonderfully named Claude’s Mushroom ‘Risotto’ with Daniel’s crispy egg, aged parmesan (£15.50). The latter dish is a rice free risotto. The ‘rice’ here is finely chopped oyster and button mushrooms, which are laced with chives and a lot of cream and then topped with a oft-yoked egg encased in a light batter. Not at all dietary, but absolutely delicious.
The far side of the restaurant houses a rotisserie of such magnitude you can only stare in wonder and admire it, and it is this that provides the cooking method for two of the mains, the wonderful Beef Fillet Roasted in treacle with stuffed onion (£45) and the Lamb Rump with Merguez sausage (£36.50). Rotisserising (is that even a word?) allows access to the meat so it can be basted in its own juices, making the meat even more tender and tasty and the tastes it produces are almost a big as the Rotisserie itself. Despite these temptations I chose the Braised Beef Pie with sauce ‘Diane’, clotted cream mash and fried ox tongue (£28.50) and my wife the Deep-Fried Fillet of Sea Bream and chips with pease pudding, tartare and matson spiced sauce (£29.50). The beef was ‘melt in the mouth’ and the rich sauce was lovingly soaked up by the velvety smooth mash and warmed me perfectly on a cold London winter’s night. My wife selected what she believed was the poshest fish and chips she had ever ordered, and this dish has elicited many discussions as to whether fish and chips is worth this kind of money. I will leave you to decide, but will add to that debate that the fish was delicate, the batter light and crispy and the chips a masterpiece, as they were light and fluffy inside and crispy on the outside.
In Conclusion
The dessert menu is enough to add pounds on by just looking at it, but are truly worth every glimpse as my wife’s Tonka Bean Panna Cotta with rhubarb sorbet, honeycomb and ginger (£13.50) was a glorious combination of smoothness, sharpness and sweetness in every mouthful and I, as a chocoholic, was equally satisfied with the Dark Chocolate Pudding with crystallised malt biscuit and malted milk ice cream (£13.50). Both providing a wonderful end to the meal.
Vegetarians and vegans are also well catered for with specialist dishes, as are wine lovers, as Kerridge’s has an extensive selection of wonderfully unsung English wines which deserve to be promoted, as well as those from the rest of the world.
Tom Kerridge has moved many of his popular dishes from his Michelin starred restaurant in Marlow to his new London one, and if our visit is anything to go by, this London newcomer will be here for many years to come, and I, for one, am glad.
