When it comes to hotel restaurants in the capital, the standard of food and drink fluctuates wildly from Michelin starred places to dull and lifeless affairs. Kanteen sits somewhere in the middle, with its food offering nudging it into above-average territory.

The Venue
Situated on the upper floor of K West Hotel, a stone's throw from the Westfield Shopping Centre in Shepherd’s Bush, and above the K Lounge lobby bar, Kanteen isn’t an obvious location for dining, but it’s worth considering if you're in the area. Situated on one floor, its small size adds atmosphere – it feels busy rather than pokey - and, while the contemporary combination of red, dark wood, stainless steel and glass furnishings are fairly standard stuff, they're pretty well put together. The pictures for sale on the walls are a nice touch and the white draping curtains that line the whole place give an exclusive feel.

The Atmosphere
It can be fairly quiet during the week, but the dining room comes to life at the weekend when the hotel fills up with out of towners. It's not a budget hotel by any means, so expect to see an eclectic mix of people - everyone from businessmen to couples on a romantic trip. Staff are friendly and very well trained, while funky house tunes dominate the background music.

The Food
It's not particularly cheap – what hotel bars are? – but the kitchen is headed up by an experienced chef and there's something to suit everyone. The salmon falafel starter (£4.50) is delicious – made with flakes of fish and pulped chickpeas, the light, fluffy balls are served steaming hot and come with a generous dollop of thick red pepper hummus. The baked goat’s cheese and aubergine parcel (£6) is another good choice as heaps of effort are put into its presentation. The dish is surrounded with sweet and tender cherry tomato halves, punchy onion chutney and peppery rocket salad – the flavours work perfectly together.

For main, the fish and chips (£13) is a popular choice. The large fillet of tender cod comes in a grease-free light and crispy batter and is served with a bowl of fresh-tasting peas and creamy tartar sauce. Chips are served in a bowl on the side. These don’t appear homemade, but are pretty tasty all the same. Alternatively, the baby spinach, portobello mushroom and cherry tomato salad with parmesan lemon dressing (£10, or £13 with grilled chicken or marinated prawns) is a generous portion, but an ideal lighter main course. The mix of veggies combine nicely and taste extremely fresh, while the sharp taste of lemon subtly complements the rich-flavoured parmesan.

The desserts are all £5. The warm apple tart with honeycomb ice cream is a great pick – and large enough to share. The tender sweet fruit pieces taste amazing with delicately flavoured ice cream. If you're after just ice cream – you can get a mixture of sorbets and ice creams. The strawberry and lemon sorbets stand out.

The Drink
You're looking at spending around a fiver for a small glass of wine and £20 for a decent bottle. The house red is an easy-to-drink merlot that goes with most dishes on the menu. It's served at the perfect temperature, too. The beer selection is pretty standard, while the cocktails are well-prepared, and cost around £8.

The Last Word
With good service, tasty food and an accessible location, Kanteen is more than just a bog-standard hotel eatery.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (4) image gallery (3) book a table