After a few incarnations in the past couple of years, Kitchen W8 seems to have finally found its niche.

The Venue
Formerly known as Bistro 11 – and before that, 11 Abingdon Road – Kitchen W8 is a joint venture from previous owner Rebecca Mascarenhas and Philip Howard, The Square’s two Michelin-starred chef. Although it bills itself as informal, the restaurant actually looks relatively upmarket – maybe it’s the white tablecloths. With pale grey walls covered in black and white sketches and large round mirrors, the only splash of colour the muted green fabric benches lining part of the perimeter of the restaurant. There are two levels to the venue, with a grouping of tables by the large windows and the main dining area up a small flight of stairs to the rear, and although it doesn’t seem particularly large it’s very open, with plenty of space between tables.

The Atmosphere
Despite its somewhat cold decor, the atmosphere livens up nicely by about 8pm. The crowd is a mix of couples and small groups, with a large amount of local Kensington residents – many already on their second visit, or frequent visitors to the restaurant’s previous incarnations – pleasurably enthusing about their food to their dining companions. It’s not exactly a child-friendly place but you could easily see it being the destination of choice for families out to celebrate with a posh meal. Staff are quick and professional, managing easily to be in about four places at once.

The Food
Although Philip Howard isn’t the head chef at Kitchen W8, he designed the menu and his influence is easily spotted, with plenty of high quality ingredients and interesting combinations featuring on the menu. Prices are expectedly in the high range but, given the location, could have easily been higher – starters are priced from £6.50 to £10.50 and mains from £13.50 to £24.50. Portions size ranges from decent to very generous. A set menu, with two choices per course, is available at lunch and from 6pm to 7pm and costs £15.50 for two courses and £18.50 for three.

The head chef has worked with Howard at The Square for two years, though, so you’ll still get that Michelin-starred training behind the stove. Although an amuse bouche of cod croquettes aren’t fantastic – slightly too salty and a little bit greasy – the starters are stunning. Sliced smoked eel with grilled mackerel, leek hearts and sweet mustard (£8.50) looks like a painting on a plate, with a variety of different colours and textures. Pink-edged smoked eel is laid across the plate in thin strips with two big chunks of mackerel, leek hearts and golden beetroot artfully piled on top. The mackerel is the best bit, as it’s cooked well and has a strong, salty flavour. A dish of potted rabbit is also good, the rabbit soft and creamy, topped with a thick layer of jelly and poured into a jam jar. Another jam jar – full of tart cornichons – comes on the side, with a little set of tongs. A small, flattened ball – fried and filled with a savoury, buttery mix of pork – is included with the dish, along with endive leaves topped with a mix of shredded endives and honey mustard sauce. The only disappointment is the slices of sourdough bread, which could be crisper, particularly since as soon as they touch the honey mustard sauce from the endives, they go soggy.

From the selection of mains, a fillet of halibut (£18) is topped with a crumbly, cheesy Beaufort crust that’s so impeccably presented it looks like it’s been painted on. The fish is well cooked and flakes nicely, and the bed of onions and chanterelles gives the dish a sweet, caramelised flavour. Hand-rolled pappardelle with rich game sauce (£13.50) is incredibly rich but the strong sauce works well with the delicate, fresh pappardelle. The game in the sauce is extremely tender strips of hare, which is mixed through with tiny cubes of carrots. Very indulgent but very, very good. A crushed butternut squash with chestnuts (£3.50) is a hearty, earthy side.

Desserts (all £6.50) include a passionfruit and lime mess with Brillat-Savarin cream, which is so tangry and light it’s hard to notice you’re eating cheese. Creme caramel with caramelised orange puree is perfectly executed with a firm, smooth texture. The sharp orange puree cuts through the creaminess nicely.

The Drink
The wine list at Kitchen W8 isn’t intimidatingly long, but there are plenty of choices for a variety of budgets. Eight whites, eight reds and one rose are available by the small and large glass from £3.95 to £12.50, whilst bottles start at a reasonable £14.95 and hit £75 for a Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur Patrice Rion. A glass of Pino Gris from The Lane Vineyard in Adelaide Hills, Australia is fragrant and sweet, with a light flavour of melon, whilst the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and fresh. The Argentinean Viniterra Merlot is strong, a good choice that would hold up with meatier dishes, but the Little Yering Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley, Australia is best for those who don’t like their red wines too heavy. Champagne, pink Champagne, sparkling wine, port, sherry and sweet wines are also available, along with a list of reserve wines from £100 to £425.

The Last Word
It’s not hard to like a restaurant filled with customers exclaiming how nice their food is, with staff that recognise that they have a dedicated customer base more than happy to support them. Hopefully, Kitchen W8 will stick around long enough for those outside the postcode to discover it, too.

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