Kitchen table doesn’t appeal to me. Have The Araki, Hedone and La Trompette lined up for my next trip.
What didn’t you like about Kitchen Table? I’m always interested in a different point of view.
I haven’t been! But the concept doesn’t appeal. I only have time for 2-3 dinners.
What doesn’t appeal, well the single menu I am happy with, though the descriptions used (single words e.g. Scallop) seems unhelpful. I don’t really like the single table idea, though it’s more attractive if I were dining alone (I realize this may read as hypocritical as I have targeted The Araki, but that’s different)
I’ve also read quite mixed reviews, Andy Hayler whose tastes are similar to mine and has a good sense of the London scene wasn’t overly impressed, albeit a while back.
For that style of food I will take Hedone.
Russell,
I’m not suggesting that everyone should like Kitchen Table; only that I do. The ‘table’ is a horseshoe counter that rings the open kitchen. 19 tall cushioned chairs, with foot and arm rests, line the counter. The single word course descriptions on the blackboard are different every night, as the ingredients and preparations change daily according to morning consultations between James Knappett and his purveyors (except the chicken skin with mascarpone and bacon jam, which is served nightly, except twice, as I recall). Each course is described in detail by James as it is served. My wife doesn’t eat raw animals or raw fish, so they serve her something completely different (they will accommodate vegetarians, too) if there is a raw course, although the raw duck hearts served a couple of visits ago were so delicious that she pretended not to hear that they were uncooked. It’s basically a 12-14 course discovery menu with a one word teaser on the blackboard. And a four course add-on for £15 extra (I always eat the extra courses; my wife doesn’t, although sometimes this or that will magically appear in front of her).
I’ve booked Hedone a couple of times but haven’t gone due to laziness. Except for The Ledbury and one or two others, we walk to dinner from our hotel.
Oh, and Hayler cares much more about desserts than I do. In my opinion dessert is a waste of calories and my becoming-more-limited-as-I-age capacity.
I’m glad you like it! I generally don’t enjoy long menus of small courses. (Again I know… The Araki). I find them more about the chef than the customer.
I will keep an eye on the Twitter feed for a last minute spot but it’s not in my top choices for this trip.
If I manage a forth it is likely to be the Ritz.
Interesting discussion to read before we visit. I disagree with Hayler a lot of the time, so his lukewarm review didn’t bother me. Since we eat everything and enjoy surprising combinations (when they work), the set up of the menu couldn’t be less important to me, though I do like to know eventually what I’m about to eat so I can think about it as I consume. We quite like small courses of lighter, creative dishes - very little interest in eating a big piece-o’-meat in a restaurant anymore, since a beautiful protein + vegetables is how we eat at home most evenings - and have zero interest in desserts (we ask for savory substitutes on tasting menus whenever possible).
It is certainly a potential pitfall that virtuoso tasting menus can become about the chef more than the diner, but they absolutely don’t have to. We also love a chefs counter experience, as we are both serious cooks and enjoy the creation. Such places also tend to me more informal, which we generally prefer, with some notable exceptions. More and more, formal settings just annoy us.
We are going to Hedone as well, as well as our usual visit to St. John.
We can be glad that there are restaurants for all tastes!
Just read this in the current Mariani newsletter. The Ritz in London looks fabulous and expenses aside looks like somewhere I’d like to go.
I think it offers good value (on paper) and there are some reasonably priced wines. Not great for solo dining though perhaps.
I particularly like the list of items carved/prepared at the table. Something missing from Londons high end restaurants.
Headed to Pollen Street tonight. Do you recommend going the Tasting menu route or a la carte? Any particular dishes stand out?
Changes at Hedone:
Currently going there and The Araki on my next trip.
I would not be too worried about the changes at Hedone because that is essentially how the regulars have dined there in the past.
As for Kitchen Table I did not make it there on my last trip but have to say they were some of the nicest people to deal with (it did not hurt that Brooklyn Fair made an intro). They tried everything they could to fit us in and offered to help us get in anywhere else in London. Really wonderful people and I hope to dine there soon.
That’s great to hear about The Kitchen Table - we are excited for there and Hedone. There’s no one I trust more when it comes to dining, as you well know.
Robert. The only ‘concern’ is now only 18 covers. Though it wasn’t an impossible table to secure.
My line up now looks like:
Fera or River Cafe (totally different, but could only wait list at RC)
Hedone
Araki
Baiwei
Dumplings Legend
Ledbury or Gordon Ramsay (wait listed at both, one should come through)
i have heard the qpr at araki is not good but am curious to hear a report! also ledbury over ramsay if you have to choose.
My dining companion for Araki has been there more than a dozen times so I guess he finds value… 
As to Ledbury vs Ramsay, I’d actually prefer Ramsay, the food is in a style that interests me more these days. Though I have heard the Ledbury has upped their game. I’ve eaten there 20 or so times since the month it opened but not at all in four years so I’m interested to see progression.
Some thoughts half way through my week in London:
Sager and Wilde - Exceptionally fun wine list. Full of good finds. I drank a 2010 Boisson-Vadot Chavalieres and a Prum 04 Auslese with some good but not stunning bread and cheese. With a few pours shared back and forth with the staff. It was buzzing at 6 but slower by 8:30 but maybe because England were playing rugby. Well worth a visit and closer to town than I had initially thought.
River Cafe - A bit of an institution but resting on its laurels, it was fully booked but didn’t feel too busy as the sun was out so many sat outside. The food is of great quality, precisely cooked, the room a little stark, prices reflect the quality of ingredients rather than the ambition of cooking (this is Italy not France). However we came away from three courses, no desert and no wine with a bill of almost £200. Good but be clear what you are going for.
Bar Shu - the lynchpin of the London Szuechaunese scene, most others are cheaper spin off by the same group. As with most London ‘ethnic’ food little thought seems to go into the quality of produce, spicing was a little tame, I forgot to ask for it to be spicy, but the main dishes are well executed. Well priced.
Hedone - took my parents last night, overall a very good meal, but with glimpses of perfection. We went for the ‘all in’ carte blanche menu at £125 for ten courses with the £35 white truffle supplement. A word on the truffles, they were of clearly excellent quality, I had toured the food halls of Harrods and Selfridges, birth of which are now a shadow of their former selves, but the truffles they had at £9 a gram were nothing to the ones at Hedone. Highlights were turbot with a caviar and citrus sauce (there was no menu so I forget some details) the turbot was of the absolute highest quality. Exceptional dish. The truffles came over a very large single scallop with sherry foam, the aroma of which was heavenly. The scallop barely cooked but again of perfect quality, larger than an Oreo in width. Lobster, pigeon and venison dishes all very good indeed. The desert of warm chocolate mousse with a chocolate disc and dehydrated raspberries was again at the highest possible level. So 3/4 dishes of 3* quality, but a couple of less interesting items too. We drank a De Villaine Bouzeron and a Roty BR (just a glass). Time flew and we were a little late at the end but deserts came quickly once we mentioned our need to catch trains. Staff overall very good, the ‘hostess’ in particular the personification of charm. I’d put Hedone firmly in the must visit camp for London, but the close soon and reemerge with 18 rather than 36 covers.
Tonight Araki, tomorrow Trompette (offline) and Friday Glasshouse (offline again).
A few (not very good) photos on Instagram.
The Araki was magnificent. If I had one criticism it would be that there wasn’t enough! Again no menu, the first dish of brill (two cuts, one from the tail fin) served with albino caviar and Umi was amazing, as were all the cuts of tuna, the highlight for me was a single piece of grilled O-toro, barely shown a hot flame and gobbled down immediately. The rice was superb (from Mr Araki’s father (or father in law, I forget) farm.
All the tuna was cut from a large side, small pieces served covered with plenty of white Alba truffles was another highlight.
A single langoustine was of amazing quality, as was a warm dish of scallop with abalone.
A great education in Edomae-sushi and the Zuke method of immersing the fish is soy sauce.
It’s real theatre, one of the two apprentices must have spent 45 minutes grating wasabi with his sharkskin tool. We drank a great bottle of sake that got admiring looks from the six other guests (all Japanese), a Cédric Bouchard Rose (06) and a Roulot Perrieres from 09. A magical evening.
La Trompette and the Glasshouse were for off lines but the food performed well, with a few near misses.