The Gore Hotel,
190 Queens Gate,
Kensington,
London,
SW7 5EX
0871 971 3355
The ViewLondon Review
More than just a hotel restaurant, Bistro One Ninety serves up amazing food with creative touches.The VenueBistro One Ninety is located in a small front room at The Gore Hotel in South Kensington. Whilst the room may be small in size, there are still plenty of tables which sit comfortably close together. Portraits, etchings and paintings are scattered over every available inch of wallspace, making the restaurant look like the sitting room of a 19th century art collector.
Towards the back of the hotel’s ground floor is The Library, which makes a nice spot for an after-dinner coffee. The Chesterfields, large portraits and antique books make the room seem cosy and old fashioned, although perhaps the soundtrack to Grease is not the most appropriate choice of background music.
The AtmosphereBistro One Ninety gets absolutely packed around 9pm, as hotel guests come downstairs for the meal and in-the-know Royal Albert Hall attendees finish their shows. The friendly and efficient staff make the most of the space and pretty soon the restaurant is buzzing with conversation and the sounds of very satisfied diners enjoying their meal.
The FoodBistro One Ninety’s original head chef was Antony Worrall Thompson, and although he’s on board no longer the food is still up to celebrity chef standards. The menu has plenty of classic dishes with interesting twists. Starters like the parcels of baked brie, spring onion and mango are amazingly delicious and taste even better when dipped in the tomato and basil sauce. Equally amazing is the pan seared calamari, which is tenderly, perfectly cooked and infused with a hint of lime and chilli. Recommended mains include the sea bass with a nicely balanced chorizo and parmesan risotto, complemented by a sharp olive sauce, and tender chicken breast marinated in maple and soy sauces and served with bubble and squeak.
Prices are high but the portions are hearty, and you’ll feel almost too stuffed to have dessert. If you can save some room though, the light and airy passion fruit brulee with crushed pralines and the iced maple syrup parfait with spiced peaches and carmelised pecans are some delicious ends to the meal.
The DrinkIf you haven’t stopped by the hotel’s Bar 190, just across the entranceway, for a cocktail, the enormous wine list has 12 pages to choose from. Prices are reasonable, with plenty of bottles in the range of £20.00, but if you’re forking out for a special occasion and you want something extra special, a bottle of 1989 Chateau Latour goes for £1,200.00.
The Last WordBistro One Ninety’s packed house attests to its ability to draw in plenty of eager diners from the hotel, the local neighbourhood and Royal Albert Hall, but this is definitely a restaurant that’s worth a trawl across London.