Boasting unique and exquisite decor, a chef trained by Marco Pierre White and top-notch food and drink, this gem of a gastro pub is well worth the visit.

The Venue
Named after the last line The Rolling English Road, a stirring GK Chesterton poem, it's not surprising that this distinctive gastro pub has the ability to capture the imagination. Situated in up-and-coming Kilburn Lane right ‘round the corner from London's biggest and most famous cemetery and ten minutes walk from trendy Ladbroke Grove, this location has atmosphere. A tavern has been on its location since the 1800s, and Paradise by way of Kensal Green has lost none of its old charm due to the superbly creative scrub up it's received.

The front bar is spacious and decked out in a Victorian parlour feel, with reupholstered antique chairs and tables, restored portraits and prints from the last two centuries. Adjoined to the main bar is the reading room, a cosy retreat replete with bookshelves and an open fire. The restaurant section out back is huge, maintaining the bar's friendly charm whilst managing to set itself apart as the quality eatery it is. Upstairs there's the thoroughly decadent music room which is perfect for functions and decorated with more extravagant curios such as stuffed and mounted boar and deer heads, Chinese lanterns, glamorous French chandeliers, gilt framed mirrors, marble tables and much more. Next to it sits the snug private room which is hired out regularly for the private roast which consists of a whole leg of the meat of your choice and all the trimmings - not a bad place to spend a Sunday!

There are also beer gardens upstairs and downstairs with perfectly coiffed plants and even palm trees to get you in the mood whatever time of year it is. And if that wasn't enough, check out the toilets. Gorgeously decorated to resemble the private chambers of a genteel dandy or courtesan, they ensure you feel stylish in absolutely every part of this venue.

The Atmosphere
Paradise by way of Kensal Green is building its reputation and has only been open since August, so it remains fairly mellow in the weekdays leaving the party crowds for the weekends. The crowd seems to be a mix of fashionable Ladbroke Grovers with some died-in-the-wool locals in between, but all rub shoulders easily, enjoying the warm welcoming feel of the pub. Paradise also seamlessly doubles as classy pub and classy restaurant without anyone feeling they've been short changed. The service is friendly with welcoming Antipodean and French bar staff and attentive waiters who know a thing or two about food and wine.

The Food
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and the food is by and large excellent. And with Tim Payne, a Marco Pierre White protege, as the chef in charge, it's hardly surprising. For starters the seared sea scallops with vinaigrette of bacon and crispy seaweed is out of this world. The scallops are juicy, tender and complemented perfectly with the vinaigrette of bacon, with the side of seaweed a tasty bonus. The salad of baby beets with Ribblesdale goat's cheese and wild watercress is delicious. While the goat's cheese doesn’t quite make enough of a mark, the combination of the honey and sherry dressing and the baby beets is really well judged.

Mains are great too. The roast partridge with honey-roasted vegetables and thyme essence was a treat and well worth the almost £13.00. The partridge, while a tad well done, is full of flavour and really satisfying. The honey-roast vegetables are tasty and come in a healthy portion. The dish comes with a finger bowl, suggesting that, despite the white linen on the tables, Paradise by way of Kensal Green is not about airs and graces and wants you to get stuck in. The best end of Herdwick lamb with potato gallette and slow roast tomato and tapenade is truly special, the lamb cooked to a perfect rareness and has fantastic chemistry with the gallete and tapenade.

To finish, the chocolate marquis with Melba sauce is sumptuously rich and extremely moreish. The brambly apple and Scottish raspberry crumble with double cream is hearty, and perhaps the perfect way to finish a Sunday roast before crashing in front of your TV. The waiter's recommendation, Sonny's sticky toffee pudding (£5.50), is sufficiently sticky, and again more comfort than haute cuisine - still it was well worth the price, and made the perfect end to a perfect meal.

The Drink
Paradise by way of Kensal Green doesn't fall short at the final hurdle. The wine list is large, offering reasonably priced house bottles at about £15.00 - the Portuguese white, Quinta da Boavista Espiga Branco, is crisp and refreshing and complements the game well, while the dusky Italian red Chianti is great with the lamb. Usefully the wine menu breaks down into taste categories: for white, choose from crisp, fresh and lively; fruity and zesty (the Thornburry at about £25.00 is excellent); thirst quenching; curious and quirky; and rich creamy and elegant Burgundy (Puligny Montrachet for around £75.00 is a premium choice). For red there's rich and sumptuous; warm and spicy; charming and elegant Pinot (check out the New Zealand Pinot Noir at about £34.00); smooth and jammy; and extravagant, classic claret (try the Chateau d'Issan for around £50.00).

The draught beers on offer are standard fare with the exception of Weston's Organic Cider (£4.50 a pint), but a small yet perfectly formed cocktail list made up of classics like the Moscow Mule and Manhattan (both at about £6.50) easily makes up for this.

The Last Word
Kensal Rise might be further a field than you're used to but Paradise by way of Kensal Green is worth the trip. The whole venue is an eye-catching treat, perfect for a night out with friends, hiring for a party, or for a Sunday lunch. The restaurant is another experience all together, with a distinctly smart feel, reasonable prices, and fantastic food and wine. Seek this place out before the trend-hopping masses get there before you!

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