Dining Experience at 'The Kitchen Table' ~ India Hattersley

Back in January G told me about how he’d planned a surprise dinner and it was going to be the most amazing experience and unlike anything we’ve done before. I obviously got very excited! Then he told me it was in the diary for 6 month’s time…

What restaurant do you have to book 6 months in advance for a Thursday evening?

Well, I can tell you – ‘The Kitchen Table’.

20 seats, a new menu daily, 2 Michelin stars, a famous chef (James Knappett) and a set 16-course menu…This is a one of a kind ‘dining experience, encouraging full interaction with the chefs and showcasing previously unseen kitchen theatre’.

It just so happened that I recently found out I got a new job at work and so my surprise/celebratory dinner came at the perfect time! I met G after work and we had a drink at a bar just off Oxford Street. Our reservation was at 7:30pm which gave us enough time not to rush.

The first challenge was actually finding the restaurant, which turns out to be in a hidden room at the back of another restaurant called Bubbledogs. It was very intriguing, tucked away at the back of a building behind some leather curtains, the small room was cool, dark and intimate. Chefs were hard at work whilst we were shown to our bar-style seating at the far end and I was hooked!

We ordered the 16-course tasting menu (whatever that was, we had no clue as they don’t want you to know!) and a glass of champagne and then waited for the evening to begin…

I opted for the pescatarian option which is what I’ve blogged about, whilst G had meat too. I’ll let the pictures and menu do the talking…

OYSTER

Oyster – apple – fennel pollen – frozen horseradish – celery oil

QUAIL EGG

Quail egg – crispy potato – black garlic – balsamic – onion – chervil

MUSHROOM

Mushroom – sorrel – fermented green strawberry – lovage – pickled watermelon

PARKERHOUSE

Parkerhouse – Isle of Wight tomato butter – wild garlic

MUSSELS

Mussels – tomato – rhubarb – fig leaf oil – watermelon – verbena – flower – hiprose vinegar

MACKEREL

Mackerel – kohlrabi – nori – shiso – ponzu – seaweed – sour cream – attika

SEA TROUT

Sea Trout – girolles – cep – red pickled grapes – chickweed – cream

JUMBO PLAICE

Jumbo Plaice – 48 hour cooked onion – ash – thyme – red tropea – sherry vinegar

PEAS

English Peas – grelots – strawberry – champagne butter – mint oil – fish stock

TURBOT

Turbot cheeks – rose brown butter – carrot

BURRATA

Burrata – cherry – thai basil – olive oil

BEETROOT

Beetroot – sour cream icecream – woodruff – dehydrated beetroot

STRAWBERRY

Strawberry – cotton cake – meadowsweet custard – cooked crème brulee – panna cotta

CANELE

Baked custard – rum – Madagascan vanilla – damson preserve

FUDGE

Fudge – sea salt – white chocolate – caramel

So after all of our incredible courses we were treated to freshly picked tea of our choice (I had mint and lemon balm, and G had dried elderflower!). We then thought we’d top it all of with a small helping of sloe gin!

So there you have it – I’m feeling full just reading that menu through. It was absolutely Out. Of. This. World. Flavours I’d certainly never think could work and dishes I’d perhaps not usually choose all blew my mind! The atmosphere was amazing and if I’m honest G could barely get my attention for the whole meal as I was mesmerised by the art and skill that went into each dish. The experience lasted about 3 and a half hours and I enjoyed every single second. What a TREAT!!!!