40 Hoxton Street,
Shoreditch,
London,
N1 6LR
(020) 7613 9590
The ViewLondon Review
Almost fine dining at very cheap prices courtesy of students at the London City Hospitality Centre.
The Venue
A small, intimate restaurant attached to the London City Hospitality Centre on Hoxton Street, Open Kitchen is a definite find. It’s part of LCHC and partnered with Hackney Community College, meaning that the staff – servers and chefs included – are students supplementing their courses with practical experience. Three levels of students participate, depending on the day and time, so it’s pretty much a gamble on whether you’ll get food prepared by relative novices or near-experts about to graduate on to a job at a top London restaurant. Although the menu changes every day, prices stay the same – and they’re very low indeed.
The restaurant itself is pretty and whimsical, with a white, black, bubblegum pink and lime green colour scheme. There’s a bar with cosy-looking low seating near the entrance, then a long, high table by the open kitchen. The restaurant area is small, with only about eight or nine tables of four, and the cutesy, eye-catching wallpaper features flowery prints of tableware and cutlery, with tiny pink and green silhouettes of people seated on the rim of an occasional plate or gravy boat. Large windows, etched with more flowery cutlery, make the space seem a bit larger.
The Atmosphere
Despite the low prices and the student chefs, Open Kitchen looks like it would be at home amongst more established, expensive restaurants. This would be a perfect place for students on a date, groups of girlfriends looking for a cheap dinner out – pretty much anyone who wants to be wined and dined without paying through the nose for it, and doesn’t mind too much if the food doesn’t come out 100% perfect. Service makes the occasional mistake but they’re so charming that you won’t really mind.
The Food
Presumably taking into account that with students behind the kitchen you run a risk of the food being hit or miss – but then again, that can happen anywhere – the menu at Open Kitchen is cheap. Very, very cheap. Starters are priced at £3.50, mains are £6 and desserts are £3, for both lunch and dinner – the restaurant is open from 10am to 2pm Mondays to Fridays, and 6pm to 9pm Thursdays and Fridays. The daily changing menu incorporates seasonal, local and ethical meat and produce wherever possible, and there are usually at least three choices per course.
Beetroot and goat’s cheese, served on a bed of rocket, is a large portion with lots of fresh, glossy pink beetroot. The rocket is crisp and sharp, a good accompaniment to the creamy wedge of goat’s cheese, which is unfortunately slightly gluey at the bottom. The mackerel terrine is a really interesting dish – the mackerel is nicely textured with a slight hint of something spicy, perhaps horseradish. The only downside is that the accompanying ciabatta could be crunchier to better match with the creamy mackerel.
The interesting fish dishes continue with an alliterative plaited plaice that, as promised, is plaited over a handful of green beans. The fish is well cooked, although it’s a bit too bony for a fillet and someone has been slightly too heavy handed with the pepper. Served on the side is a few sauteed potatoes, which are delicious, and the green beans are fresh, with a good crunch. Surprisingly, the menu also includes a steak – mains are £6, don’t forget – which is a real highlight. It’s a decent portion, very tender, easy to cut and nicely flavoured – and for a £6 steak, it can’t be beaten. The mustard sauce is delicately spicy and the sweetly glazed seasonal vegetables set the dish off nicely.
For dessert, an apple and berry tart is nicely presented, sort of like an individual pie with a scoop of cream and a drizzle of berry coulis. The pastry is slightly too heavy but the tangy apple and berry filling has the perfect blend of ripe, blackcurranty flavours. The pastry is much better on a trio of profiteroles, which are light and fluffy, filled with cream and drenched with a thin, sugary chocolate sauce.
The Drink
As with the mains, drinks are much cheaper than usual, with wines from £9.50 to £14.50 a bottle. There are only about half a dozen whites and reds each on the list but it’s an international selection with many of the standard varieties represented. A glass of Indomita Merlot from Chile (£2.75 for a small glass, £3.75 for a large and £9.50 for a bottle) is rich and aromatic. Other drink options include sparkling wine (£13.50 to £29 a bottle), a few beers and one cider (£2.30), plus spirits and cocktails, which start at £3.95 and top out at £5.75 for Champagne cocktails. In keeping with the whole learning theme, if it’s not too busy you’re invited up to the bar to try your hand at making your own cocktails. There are instructions at the bar for drinks like a kiwi martini, Royal Cosmo and apple daiquiri – and if they’re not good, there’s no one to blame but yourself!
The Last Word
If you’re expecting absolute perfection, this isn’t the place for you. But if you think a quirky decor, friendly atmosphere and jaw-droppingly low prices make up for a couple of small niggles with your food, then head to Open Kitchen and put their student chefs to work.
Open Kitchen Bar and Restaurant has been reviewed by 6 users