My husband and I had a great time at Kitchen Table! We started small apps in the lounge and then moved to the kitchen/chef's table for dinner and ended the night back in the lounge for the remaining dessert bites. We added a non-alcoholic beverage pairing and opted out of the supplemental dishes. For the most part the drinks were paired so well with all the dishes except there was one green drink that was Extremely bitter. It was NOT drinkable :( Similarly, the majority of the dinner courses were great as well except one of the sashimi bites at the beginning - way too fishy. My favorites included the bread and dessert courses! Apart from food, the service was really attentive which I always appreciate. I remember accidentally spilling something on myself and there was a server instantly ready to offer me a moist towel so that it didn't stain! read more

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I have no idea what the standards for paying 650dollars for a meal. But i can compare the quality of the food to the similar private dine in experience i had in japan and it is not worth it. The service is fantastic and each one of the employees quite artful in their service manner. But the food is such a mediocre. It was just an eclectic wonderful idea that some fit and some didn't. I definitely think they need a separate dessert and patisserie chef because I literally rejected most of the desserts after a bite. The ambiance is fantastic. I have been to similar ambiance and eclectic restaurant with michelin stars in japan and it was worth paying about 400 dollars but this place has 2 michelin stars and definitely not worth it. read more

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My friend and I had a lovely 4+ hour experience here at The Kitchen Table. The staff was very personable and funny. The bathrooms were very nice and the staff was very accommodating for any dietary allergies. My tablemate's alternative meals looked better than the regular menu sometimes! It was very cool to see all of the food being prepared in front of you and I think you appreciate the flavors better that way instead of a regular dining experience. We had skipped breakfast and lunch and still came out incredibly full. Everything was very delicious. What I really appreciated was the non-alcoholic pairing and how much thought they put into it. I got the whole sommelier experience but for sodas and juices instead of wine! I've been to a few Michelins and this was a first. Overall, I would strongly recommend this to anyone visiting London. read more

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Phenomenal tasting menu. Cozy spot, you enter into a lounge space for the starters and drinks then you get seated in this square arrangement. You watch the kitchen staff prepare and plate everything in front of you. Service was top notch and everything was beyond delicious. Even the butter was sooo good. High quality ingredients everywhere. Highly, highly recommend!!! read more

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I had high expectations, and Kitchen Table greatly exceeded them. The food here was fantastic - fresh, creative, and delicious. Chef James Knappett worked magic right before our very eyes. I loved the open kitchen concept and the theater-style seating. The service was also impeccable. Every staff member was incredibly gracious and welcoming. Best of all, the restaurant didn't feel stuffy at all. Contrary to what you might normally expect from a two Michelin starred restaurant, Chef Knappett playfully chastised me after I stirred one of my sauces two times after he had instructed us to stir just once. He then pointed to a tiny flower petal that was still on my plate and said "that's edible." I loved the playfulness and irreverence. The entire meal took 5 hours. So, prepare yourself for a marathon. But it's well worth it and I would highly recommend grabbing a seat at the Kitchen Table. read more

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My favourite restaurant in London. James deserves his third michelin star and I can unquestionably confirm the best somellier in London. Cheap at twice the price, worth a special visit read more

Kitchen Table - champagne pairing - American Near Me - London, XGL

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Everything was amazing from the moment I walked in the door to the moment I finished my dessert. The food was traditionally British and thus a bit plain, but they managed to make basic dishes truly amazing. Unfortunately, everything after the meal left a lot to be desired. The real gem of the Kitchen Table is the friendliness of the staff and their expert social skills. They managed to get the whole table having conversations with each other. I expected to have a quiet dinner on my own, reading a good book. Much to my surprise, I left having had fascinating conversations with the fellow diners and staff. I have such mixed feelings about the food. British cuisine is not one of my favorites. However, the execution and preparation was masterful. My favorite dishes were the pasta and the duck. There was also an excellent marigold dessert. I think it says a lot that many of the other diners had been there multiple times. There truly does seem to be something special about the atmosphere. I loved getting to watch the food being prepared. They run a very efficient and sanitary operation. I know working in a kitchen can be stressful, so seeing the way the staff treated each other with kindness and respect was probably one of my favorite parts of the meal. I went in early September during a heat wave. The restaurant has no air conditioning whatsoever. They did their best to keep the restaurant a reasonable temperature. I've lived in London for 2 years now and I know air conditioning cannot be expected. I just expect a little more thought from such an esteemed establishment, especially since the climate is changing and the lack of climate control is only going to become a bigger issue. I got my check last as a woman dining alone. It was 2 hours of the wait staff trying to calculate everyone's bill by hand. The whole night they had been very quick and efficient serving everyone, who suddenly drop the effort during the home stretch? It was quite unpleasant to get the bill. (Especially after the whole calculating-each-bill-by-hand fiasco). I opted to get the truffles earlier, and to their credit they did tell us the truffles would be extra. I've been to many a restaurant that offers truffles for extra, but typically only from slightly-upscale Italian restaurants. Coming from the Kitchen table it came off as stingy. From my experience in London restaurants, the price of a set menu usually has the service charge included. The Food (without truffle) was £200 and the surprise service charge was £50. I wish they would be more up front and when you booking say the price is £250. This is 100% something I would expect in NYC, not London. By the time I left at 11.45pm my transit options were severely limited. I asked if the wait staff could call a taxi to the restaurant and they looked at me like I had three heads. Again, this seems like a pretty basic service I generally expect from upscale hotels and restaurants. I doubt I'll be back. There are simply too many restaurants in the world to revisit one that provided such a mixed experience. read more

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im not going to write too much. I had high expectations for this 2 Michelin restaurant and Kitchen Table did not disappoint. 4 hours of amazing food, drinks, and atmosphere. yes, it's very pricey. but this is one of those meals I will continue to think about as I grow older. read more

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This dining experience was a gift to my husband and I from my sister and brother in law to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. What a wonderful way to celebrate! Dinner at this restaurant was a four hour occasion that thrilled and entertained us without being too pretentious or uncomfortable. The courses came in perfect timing and watching the kitchen staff and chef in the kitchen was such an added treat. We were able to see the care that went into each detail. My favorite two courses were the lobster and pumpkin dishes, least favorite mylor shrimp. The wine pairings complimented the dishes well and were explained with detail. The chef was delightful and interacted with us the guests very comfortably. The staff was attentive, friendly, and accommodating. I loved the way we were eased into dinner and eased toward the finish both in the lounge, never feeling rushed or unwelcome. This experience was one of the highlights of my trip to Europe. Highly recommend!! read more

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http://www.varunmurali.com/blog/kitchen-table Favorite dishes: Oyster, Bread, Lobster, Sweetcorn, Blackberry Dishes We started with a tiny glass of "tomato juice". The tomatoes were crushed, frozen, and slowly thawed. The drips were collected through a muslin cloth. The result was a golden, tomato-flavored liquid. It was topped with a few carrot flowers. Oysters! They were awesome! One of my top 3 courses for sure. They were creamy, juicy oysters topped with a macedoine of apples and shaved, frozen radish, finished with a drizzle of dill oil. Simply amazing! The seaweed cracker was interesting. I'm not a huge fan of strongly flavored seaweed. This wasn't too bad though. On top of the cracker was kohlrabi, "overcooked rice", and toasted nori. Next up was chicken skin. It was a really interesting concept but I think the execution could have been a bit better. I've never actually been served chicken skin as the star of its own course, so I didn't really know what to expect. It had a bacon jam topping along with a spread of mascarpone. I think the jam was OK. The bacon brunoise neither crispy nor tender. Just a bit chewy. The flavor was decent though. The sweetness of the jam along with the saltiness of the skin and bacon played nicely. The Quail egg straight up tasted like chaat (a type of Bombay street food) to me. I actually liked it a lot. The textures were the main thing here. A super crispy potato rosti at the bottom. A soft and tender quail egg on top. The rosti was literally like sev and the black garlic ketchup tasted a lot like tamarind chutney, mostly because of the sweet and sour flavors. A bit of black truffle lay on top of the whole thing. It would definitely be interesting to serve this as some sort of pretentious street food fusion. BREAD! SO GOOD. BREAD. BUTTER. YUM. Parker house baked bread served with a super complex butter. Beef fat roasted onions, pickled wild garlic capers, salted lemon pickle. All of this in the whipped butter. Oh and topped with burnt onion ash. Wtf right? Who thinks of putting all this shit in butter? But my god it was awesome. I asked for another serving after the entire meal, even willingly to pay more for it, but they were out since they plan for exactly 20 people. Sad. Following the fabulous bread was the torched mackerel. It was served in a bed of raw peas, pickled cucumbers, seaweed, and a sorrel sauce. Apart from the fact that I hate peas and think all farmers should stop growing them immediately, the dish was nice. The fish was cooked to extreme tenderness, and the sauce was decent. A piece of plaice brushed with chicken fat was up next. One of my friends thought this was his favorite course. Served with gem lettuce, elder berry capers (which are elder berries picked before they become sweet and fruity), buttery broad beans, roasted capers, green strawberries in a sauce of roasted chicken sauce with a ton of butter incorporated into it. This was definitely the butteriest dish. It was pretty awesome. The Cornish lobster was sooo goooood. Literally mind blaaaaasting. It was cooked over English charcoal (not sure what the difference in charcoal is here), so it had this smokiness to it. The lobster and abundant black truffle was served on a bed of godly scrambled eggs. Creamy and soft. That scramble was insane. As if all this wasn't enough, we had a foamy and airy black truffle lobster sauce to slurp up. Ugh, what a dish. I love sweetcorn. Remind me to tell you about a dish called corn curd that I've only seen in Indian-Chinese restaurants. Anyway, this dish was amazing! There was sweetcorn in so many different ways on the plate. The second round of duck featured duck breast served alongside an arrangement of six-hour onion confit, juniper, sweet blueberries, and house made yogurt. A reduction from the bones completed the dish with a drizzle of thyme oil. The final round of savory dishes was duck liver parfait and shiitake mushrooms on a cracker. Textures were great with the crunchy cracker and umami, soft parfait. We started dessert with a sweetened carrot pastry with carrot jus and Berkswell cheese on top along with herb oils. I love carrot desserts (gajar halwa being one my favorites) and this did not disappoint. The pastry was crunchy and light, the carrots were just lightly sweetened so the natural sweetness and taste of the carrots pulled through. Pineapple weed is a flower that's related to camomile in terms of scent. This was a jello type dessert that had strawberries and raspberries that were set in a pineapple weed flavored milk, double cream and strawberry juice. Very unique dessert that I haven't come across before. The blackberry was my favorite dessert hands down. A meringue made from corn husks seared with a hot stone, sweet corn ice cream, blackberry sauce, and of course, blackberries. Outstanding dish! Every single element tasted amazing! read more

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I've eaten at some pretty spectacular restaurants. It's something that I truly enjoy, and I'm willing to invest the money in exchange for an experience that knocks my socks off. If you're looking for that, Kitchen Table is definitely a place you should check out. Enter through the champagne bar, but you'll be escorted behind the curtain in the back and seated at a u-shaped bar surrounding the kitchen and prep area. I won't review each course because the menu changes daily. Several courses persist from day to day, but what Chef James Knappett does each night depends entirely on the ingredients and products he is able to get each day. The true delight, though, is not in any one course, but the care and consideration that goes into the meal as a whole. Each course is expertly crafted, leaving you more impressed than the first. It's amazing to sit and eat your meal while chatting with the guys who are putting it on the table for you. They're all friendly and willing to explain how and why they are doing what they're doing. Kitchen Table has two seatings, and I'd have to recommend the first to customers who are looking to have the full chef's table experience. In the second seating, you get to see a lot of the take down and clean up, but if you're looking to watch mostly cooking and prep, the early seating is where it's at. Splurge on the wine pairing, the sommelier does a fantastic job of explaining how and why she chose each pour as well as the history of the producer. Just writing this review makes me want to go back and eat there again, but I guess I'll have to wait until my next trip to London. read more

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Dear Michelin inspectors I hope you're impressed and excited by the plethora of new restaurants opening in London this year. The food scene has never been more vibrant However, as you sit to consider Michelin stars for next year, I hope that you look behind the gloss and really concentrate on the food. I think by now, a lot of corporations have worked out the 'Michelin formula' and restaurants like HKK and Ametsa are clearly 'made for Michelin' establishments. However, I must say that I was disappointed when I dined at these 2 restaurants and Ametsa especially failed to deliver on the food and flavour side I am however much more impressed by the restaurants opened by fresh new faces like Tom Sellers at Restaurant Story and last Friday, I was lucky enough to eat the best meal I've had this year so far at the Kitchen Table, the brainchild of couple James Knappett (who has cooked at Noma, Per Se and The Ledbury) and Sandia Chang, who runs front of house I had met Sandia, while was running front of house at Roganic when I dined there and I am so pleased to see that she and James have finally got their own place. Accessed via the same entrance as Bubbledogs, their champagne and hot dogs front portion of the establishment, you step through the leather curtain which separates the Kitchen Table from Bubbledogs into the show kitchen, around which the 18 guests are seated. Seatings are staggered so that half the covers are fed together at staggered star times Their wish was to create an ambiance and surroundings as if they are entertaining guests in their own home. However, the service is still top notch and professional but it's so nice to be able to interact easily with James, Sandia and their kitchen and serving staff. Unlike some other kitchen counter restaurants that I've eaten in, they are super friendly and you are encouraged to interact at Kitchen Table. It was a lovely, relaxed and fun evening They serve a 12 course tasting menu, listed on the wall merely by the main ingredient in each course, all sourced within the UK and the provenance of the food is announced as each course is introduced. At £68, it is an absolute steal for cooking of this standard. There truly wasn't a weak dish in the whole line up. All were well balanced, packed with flavour and brought repeated smiles to my face 1. Oyster emulsion, beef heart tartare, sorrel on rye cracker The beef and oyster has rich deep depths punctuated by the sharpness of sorrel 2. Crispy chicken skin, rosemary mascarpone, bacon jam Deservedly a signature dish. I could eat a tub of that chicken skin 3. Asparagus, heirloom tomatoes, black olive crumb, black olive oil, sour cream Fresh salad flavours 4. Steamed sole, grapes, cucumber, scallop sauce, shavings of smoked dehydrated scallop coral The sauce was heavenly and the scallop coral was amazing 5. Poached white skin onion containing yoghurt, mint oil, pea shoots Lovely single bites 6. Hen of the woods, girolles pear, peanuts, celery cress, whipped brown butter The meaty Hen of the woods mushroom found good companions in the rest of this dish 7. Truffle atop tagliatelle, crab & mackarel sauce Flavours of the sea beautifully orchestrated to match the truffle 8. Duck 3 ways - roasted breast, liver parfait, confit in tempura heart of fennel, orange Each of the 3 preparations shone but I think the parfait won for me 9. Goat curd, wild garlic, homemade bread toasted in brown butter The yummiest garlic bread you will taste! 10. Raspberry, beetroot foam, sorrel granite, beetroot meringue Excellent palate cleanser 11. Strawberry, toasted brioche, verbena, vanilla ice cream Soft, sweet, fruity decadence 12. Caramel, ice cream, chocolate coating, buts A lovely end to the meal If you don't feel my championing of Kitchen Table carries enough weight as an amateur foodie, please read the messages on the blackboard in the kitchen to find good wishes from culinary luminaries such as Thomas Keller no less If there is any natural justice in the world, I implore you to recognise the quality of cooking here at Kitchen Table and award them a star for next year. Kitchen Table deserve to be the 'Dabbous of 2013' Yours humbly Yee Gan O read more

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Kitchen Table is the venture from James Knappett and his wife Sandia Chang, the couple who own the place. They have an impressive resume with work at the Ledbury and Noma before opening Bubbledogs last year (the lovely lace with hot dogs and champagne). Kitchen Table is however a whole different thing than the also excellent Bubbledogs. Here is it is limited to 18 seats (the night I was there it was split in one seating of 8 and one of 10) seated around a bar with the kitchen inside. The set menu is £68 and is great value for money, 12 courses that are prepared in front of you. The staff are great, always making sure that you have what you need without hoovering around you. WIne was carefully selected, for example the excellent Francois Bedel champagne. Staff were also happy to share where to buy the wine and also some of the plates that we were eying. Will not go through every single dish but the highlights were (in addition to the great wine) the chicken (skin oven roasted) with bacon jam - I could have eaten tons of that so the only thing that was bad was that it ran out to quickly. Other highlights was the pasta with truffles, it was just divine and made to perfection. The adrakan cheese with honey was also great as well as some the desserts (the pear and the mandarin). In total a 12 dish meal with plenty of wine (four glasses for one of us, 3 and a beer for the other) and coffee after-wards sets you back £220 including service and that is actually great value. Can definitely compete with many of the other fine dining places in London that charge substantially more for this. The best thing apart from the food and the wine is also that it is so relaxed, the staff all have time to talk to you, the same goes for the chefs so it is a great experience. If you have not been there is no excuse - just make a reservation. read more

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I really wanted to like this place based on the premise and what I'd read about it beforehand but sadly I found it all just a bit of a letdown. The premise is that the Kitchen Table is based around where the chefs are working and when I've been to this kind of thing before there is a bit of interaction. That's not the case here with the dish just being announced to your half of the room. I attended the first sitting and was faced with 10 empty seats and wondered whether it just wasn't fully booked but my questions were soon answered. The next sitting joined when we were just over halfway through and to see the dishes being announced exactly the same as they were to us made it lose a little bit of the magic and spectacle. Food wise the ethos is definitely on not wasting anything which led to me trying quite a few things. Parsons Nose, duck heart, fatty trout and a spread made from rendered bacon fat where all part of the menu and while the menu is incredibly clever and all of the dishes looked very nice most of it just wasn't for me. Some of the food was incredibly tasty and there was a bit of a mix up with the additional dish (lobster) on offer which was dealt with very well which gets them a big thumbs up. For the price we paid for the food just doesn't stand up against other comparable places which was a big disappointment. For me the big thing about somewhere is would I recommend or go back and I'm afraid to say that the answer would be no for the Kitchen Table read more

Kitchen Table - Potato - American Near Me - London, XGL

How does this place not have a Michelin star? Read the review for details, or just make your reservation now.. either way, you are in for a treat! Enter Bubbledogs.. a champagne and hot dog joint that has a line out the door, even in the pouring rain. The concept is trendy, the food looks lackluster, and the prices for champange are stiff. Why come here? Well, it's not the hot dogs you're looking for.. step inside, look around and search for the floor to ceiling curtain to enter the main destination, Kitchen Table. A restaurant situated inside a restaurant, Kitchen table is exactly what it sounds like... it is a table that surrounds the open kitchen, for a diner's feel of dining. Contrary to seeing a greasy grill, coffee pots, and a waitress that looks like she has had her third pack of cigarettes for the day, the counter is the ONLY thing that resembles anything close to a typical diner's image. Kitchen Table displays a pristine and organized playground for the chefs. The menu is set, and lacks descriptions- 10 courses is what you will get. Only one word is to describe your course: Butternut squash; Steak, Goat Cheese. As you watch the team in the kitchen create, plate, and deliver course after course, you also get to ask questions on preparation, dishes, and ingredients. I was extremely fond of this process as it was a great way to interact with the guests, and understand the chef's ideas and concepts. I won't go into detail of all the dishes, but I will highlight my top dishes I had this night. Steak- This was chef's play on steak tartare. Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE steak tartare! Like all tartares, the beef was raw, however what stood out was that the meat was infused with smoke! Great smokey flavor, without the cooked feeling! Light leafy greens were distributed on the dish, but were cooked in vinegar, creating a great acidic combination when paired with the beef. Tiny drops of a savory cream topped 3 points of the dish, adding in a smooth blend of flavors, while a light sprinkling of crisp toasted rye crumbles finished the dish as a garnish. Beetroot- A small dessert that blew me away. Simple, yet a great way to highlight the ingredient in a new light. Bite sized beetroot cake, with a licorice flavored ice cream, topped with beetroot chips. Sounds simple but this dessert blew me away! Pineapple- A pineapple cream base topped with a shaved ice. However, the ice itself was impeccable! How can shaved frozen water be that great, you ask? When a whole pineapple is roasted, and the skin is charred, then soaked in water, frozen, then shaved, THAT's HOW! Such a simple, clean, palette-cleansing bite! The fact that 2 of the 3 dishes highlighted were desserts, by a savory person that rarely leaves room for sweets, should go to show you how great this place is. Great dishes from beginning to end! Extremely affordable when considering you get not only delicious food, but also a foodie's experience of being in a professional kitchen! Loved the overall experience and will be back when it town! read more

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Easily my favorite restaurant in London. It is a true dining experience in that you interact with the chef, the crew and other diners next to you whilst enjoying exquisitely prepared courses. The dining room is also the plating kitchen: 19 dinners sit around the bar and inside is a huge table where Chef James Knappet and his crew complete plating of each course and serve it directly to you. I love seeing all the actions in the kitchen and having the opportunity to talk about the dishes with other diners. However, the best part is that the Chef will explain the inspiration and the ingredients of each dish. It was a true culinary treat for those who love food! The evening started with some light bites and the first highlight came when we each got half of a gull's egg. This was quite a delicacy. Then there was the heirloom tomatoes. The Chef poured the soup in my plate himself! The main meat courses were good, but not too memorable. My favorite course was the elderflower tempura! I have been a big fan of the delicate flavor of elderflower since I moved to London, but I have always been enjoying it in syrup form in my drinks, but today, the Chef created an amazing dessert dish with the flower itself! I loved every bit of it. 14 courses and 3 hours later. I was happily stuffed. Each course was perfectly executed from the flow, the taste and plating. It was indeed a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. I highly recommend Kitchen Table. However, make sure you book your seats early enough, because there are only 19 seats per night. Oh and, make sure you show up, because you get charged for no show. A friend bailed on the last minute, and my other friend and I had to pay and eat her portion. read more

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Very nice place - tasting menu is explorations and nicely filling. I do not have that much to add as other reviewers all commented quite nice things about the menu. A few key points are - don't expect any privacy as table to the kitchen counter are almost same height so chefs can hear everything. Whilst all the chefs are lovely, it is not a place where you could catch up well with your dinning partners. - be quite precise on your dietary restrictions as they would really need to prepare your dish in advance in case you cannot eat any if their dishes - dessert courses are really long so prepare by limiting sugar intake throughout the day Definite must try! read more

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My friend Sara and her husband Kim - and not least head chef at Mielcke & Hurtigkarl in Copenhagen - were visiting us for a long weekend so it goes without saying that the weekend revolved much around food. Kim pulled a few strings and got us in to Kitchen Table, the fancy part of Bobbledogs - YAY! I have been dying to get into this place so I was thrilled. We walked through Bobbledogs to get to the back restaurant and were immediately smitten by the great vibe - I am for sure coming back to try a hotdog with bobbles. At the back Kitchen Table is a bar - both industrial and cosy - and the great extra benefit is that you actually see the food being made and interact with the chefs. We went all in on the 12 course dinner - vegetarian for me and regular for my friends - and it was pretty good. From what I understood, the chicken skin with bacon jam was to die for. My vegetarian menu was good - I really loved the asparagus truffles dish, really clean and simple - but you could tell that this place is all about the meat. The wine menu was great! So how do I rate it? On a 1-10 scale, I'd give it a 7. I know I am pretty spoiled and often indulge in great food - and to be honest, I really did enjoy myself. Who wouldn't as the food is great, the service amazing and the atmosphere cosy and relaxed. But to get a 9 - or 10! - I would have loved for the chef to experiment a bit more. Albeit delicious, the food was a bit boring and smack down in the comfort zone. read more

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Wow!..... I feel like I could leave it just at that! I've been to bubble dogs a few times, and to be honest it's not really my thing. So when I heard that there was a kitchen table section I was unsure it was for me. Then I heard some really good things from multiple friends so I made a reservation (the earliest was 3months!) It's exactly what it says on the packet.... You sit at the table in the kitchen and watch the chefs do their thing! It's more prep than cooking as much of it is already done but you still get a close up feel what it's like working in a top end restaurant including the head chef berating his underlings in full chef style! Some people are put off the comunial eating but it's more being sat next to someone rather than having to mix with new people. The food.... Wow...... The food!! We had 14 courses which I cannot fault, neither on presentation or taste it was all amazing. Each dish is intricately explained by one of the chefs. I won't run through each one as they change regularly but the fried chicken skin with bacon deserves a special mention as its simply a small peice of taste sensation! The service was brilliant, glasses were never empty and we were excellently upsold at least twice before we noticed due to their knowledge of the wines and dishes. If there was a slight negative about the evening I guess it would possibly be the additional (30pounds) charge for a "late edition" dish. I accept it was truffles, and was very good but for the size of the serving and true cost of the experience already it was steep. The dish was optional and we were allowed to share though. A definate must for anyone that likes fine dining! I will certainly be recommending it to anyone that will listen. read more

Kitchen Table - The kitchen - American Near Me - London, XGL

Wow. What an awesome experience. The food was amazing and being able to watch it prepared and cooked in front of you really emphasised the effort, quality and care that goes into this meal. The setting was awesome. Small, intimate and social at the same time. The entire restaurant ended up singing happy birthday which was great. The wine pairing really complemented the food. Definitely recommend it - particularly as it introduced new wines we normally wouldn't buy to us. And finally - the staff were phenomenal. They worked together so well and they were all personable and friendly. they really topped off a great night! Definitely going back!! read more

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I didn't know what to expect, half my friends thought we were having hot dogs tasting menu but turned out to be one of the best meals of 2013 for me. The tasting menu is one single word per course on the black board as you enter but wow each dish is beautifully plated with lots of accompaniments. The style is very minimalist and clean, each course letting the key protein and ingredient shining through. You can watch and interact with the chefs. Service is friendly and never stuffy. Just go, and be surprised! read more

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Gastro nerds' paradise this. Top chef serving up 16 courses, ingredients grown in his Northumbrian garden. The vibe is extremely foodie. This isn't a place to relax and enjoy each other's company. It's all about the nosh. You are ushered in to a dark entrance at the back of the ever popular Bubbledogs. Behind the curtain is a kitchen with a bar that goes all the way round and 18 comfy bar stools to sit and watch the cooks at work. Menu chalked up on the wall. One ingredient. Peas. Followed by potato. Then bread, carrot, trout, duck, pork, lobster, balsamic, cherry, vanilla. The list goes on. 16 courses. A couple of absolute crackers, the bulk real winners but a few I reckon I could have easily done without. A course of two lightly pickled carrots from their garden springs to mind. Brushed of their mud and served on ice as I remember. A lot of fuss about nothing much and as everyone cooed away while chef explained the dish, I wondered whether it was a case of emperor's new clothes. The proprietors' passion is beyond doubt. You could feel their delight as they talked about each dish and presented it to us. They were dead eager to answer any questions too as they grafted in front of us as well as engage in arguments about whether the tube strike was fair or not. A fun mixture of very relaxed and high end gastronomy. I feel mean for being the first one not to give this place five stars. And I hesitate to say this, but for me the overriding memory of the night was the bill. Obviously, if you're booked in to a place of high renown and you're eating 16 courses of delicious food you expect to pay a whack. But our whack came to £380. Delicious, yes. An experience, yes. But £380 for two? To be fair, we downed a couple of bottles of wine. But is there anyone in this world who can make one bottle last the three hours the meal requires of you? Not us unfortunately. We quaffed one St Aubin and a good Hungarian red which came in right at the bottom end of the scale. Neither bottle worried the fancy end of the list. I worked out the absolute cheapest you could dine here for two. Its £214. For that you would need to drink tap water all night and forego the two supplemented dishes on the menu (both delicious and without them the meal is a great deal less spectacular). Service is included in that price and I guess you could stop short of paying that if you wished but it was thoroughly charming throughout. That said, my service came to well over £40. This isn't service like you get at La Gavroche where 10 waiters move effortlessly and expertly around you without you ever even noticing. This is the lovely proprietor laying your dish in front of you and taking it away at the end. An altogether more casual affair that deserves reward, but on the scale they tag onto your bill? Blimey, she's on about £800 a night. Nice work. So, whilst this is one cool place run by fantastically passionate and gifted people, my overriding memory is of the bill rather than the food which is a great shame. I should be waxing lyrical about the supplemented lobster dish which was beautiful and crammed with seafood flavour, or those ever so fresh peas and their creamy accompaniment or the salty sorbet which woke my mouth from the pillowy dreams of the bread and honey that came before it. But the cheque gets star billing. Personally I would cut down the menu by a few courses, add some more reasonably priced wines to the list and leave the service charge to the punter. Not sure the 12.5% rule needs to be strictly observed once you get into the £300 realms. I would also just check on the minor things like how you're greeted when you walk in. We sat at the Bubbledogs bar and had a drink before being ushered through the magic curtain. The girl at the bar could neither speak or understand a word of English. It was clearly her first day, she was petrified and she couldn't catch my order for either a lager, a vodka and slimline (this one caused the utmost confusion with her bolshy American translator too, to the extent that I had to quite literally spell it out) or a glass of sparkling mineral water for which I was eventually rewarded with a whole bottle. By this time I had given up and just took whatever I was given. On a casual night out you'd laugh it off. But for £380 you remember it and it bugs you. One more thing. How about banning mobile phones? No doubt everyone's entitled to photograph their food if they've paid for it and god knows I've done it enough myself. But the incessant shooting of every single dish from all angles became absurd and with the layout being what it is - 19 people sitting in a horse shoe - its not something you can just ignore. Its there, in your face the whole three hours and after a while you want to shove the iPhones and iPads down their gullets along with the delicious deep fried chicken skin. Say 'cheeeeese'. (£8 supplement) read more

My mother first told me about Kitchen Table because she had read about it in one of her travel magazines. She loves trying to keep me informed of what's going on in London since I've moved here. I finally found a time when we could go, so five of us trekked over there to give it a try. I had been to Bubbledogs before, and absolutely loved it, so I was really curious about what they could do with the fine dining element of things. I do have to say you feel quite special when you go. There's a queue for Bubbledogs, but you just go up to the front and let them know you have a booking and you get to go in. I wonder what all those people queuing think? The room itself is quite small. Mostly a kitchen with the daily menu and daily teas written on chalkboard on the wall. The menu is written quite simply with just a one word food item for each dish. It does keep the mystery going. You are also sitting at a table around the kitchen, so you basically see the chefs cooking as you go. There are two seatings: 6:00 and 7:30. Six o'clock does seem a bit early to eat, but honestly, I'm glad we went as it dinner does last well over three hours (and on to four to be honest). More of the prep is done in the earlier shift as well, so if you're more interested in seeing some of the cooking going on, I recommend the earlier seating (and since the later seating books up faster, I think it's win-win if you want to go.) I don't remember how many courses we had, but there were a lot of them. Here were some of the highlights (for me): Chicken skin with bacon jam. I don't know how this could ever go wrong, but it was pretty magical. There were shrimp served on a cracker at the beginning, and that was really well done as well. Ox. There was some Ox heart tartare and some smoked tongue and it was magnificent. Probably my favorite dish. The cheese course was amazing. The brie was delicious and we splurged and got some white truffle on top. Served with honey it was brilliant! The pigeon was nice. A bit chewy, but the sauce and the sides were out of this world. The desserts. All of them. All of them. There were four, and I loved them all. The pineapple dessert was so pineappley and delicious I didn't know how to handle it. The pear cake was divine and served with licorice ice cream. LICORICE ICE CREAM. I'm going to make it at home. How have I never had that before? The prunes were even good! Who would have known? And the salted caramel ice cream bon-bon at the end? Perfect ending. I had some coffee which was tasty, and the other half tired the foraged blackberry leaf tea. Delicious. You really feel welcome though because the service is also amazing. Since it's so small and intimate there is a lot of personal attention. We even discussed burger joints with the sommelier. We also discussed fine dining restaurants with one of the owners afterwards. All in all it's pretty much one of the best places to go in London. It's small, it's intimate, and it's one of those ideas that really works. There are only 19 seats a night, and I imagine it's likely to just get more difficult to get in as time goes on. Unless we keep it a secret. Kitchen Table. My PRECIOUS! read more

Probably one of the best meals I have ever had in my life, definitely in my top three. It's an amazing experience to watch chefs in their element. The courses were delicious and well paced. It's worth every cent. read more

Oh my goodness. I cannot say enough good things about this place. The story behind it, the food, the wine pairing, the house-made liquor. This is a very expensive experience but it is so worth it. There was not a single course that disappointed. My husband and I were on the fence about the wine pairing but we agree that it was part of what made the experience so great. I highly recommend paying this a visit in London! read more

Kitchen Table - American Near Me - London, XGL

My dinner at Kitchen Table was one of the most memorable meal during my two week stay in London (dined at over 30 restaurants). First off, it was a 15 to 18 course tasting menu and i didn't get to pick what to order. The dinner menu was written on a chalk board and each course was prepared with lots of thoughts. The presentation was very creative and the flavors were complex. Although each dish was very small, i was very full at the end of the meal. Chef James Knapper was truly exceptional, he was engaging, funny and extremely passionate about cooking. Keep in mind, they only serve 20 guests each night so make sure to make a reservation at least one to two months in advance. Also, as you enter the restaurant, it is hidden behind a hot dog place call Bubbledogs so don't freak out if you can't find it. read more

After falling in love with the hot dogs and champagne at Bubbledogs, we made an effort with my friend to make reservations at Kitchen Table, the fine dining part of the restaurant. Located in a fairly spacey back room, Kitchen table is the playground of the owners, James Knappett and his wife Sandra Chang for hosting dinners for a small number of guests (18). On the ambience: The dining took place on a bar, surrounding a square kitchen with four busy (but not too busy) looking chefs preparing the dishes. The atmosphere was cool, almost industrial, but with cozy lighting and comfy chairs surrounding the brightly lit up kitchen. The evenings menu was simple, 12 courses named only by the main ingredient and we paid attention to the large number of different looking beautiful plates and cups, and the sleek cutlery. What was slightly surprising was the price for the tasting menu (68 £) not being displayed anywhere (or at least we did not notice it). We had done our homework, and the experience was definitely value for money, but one could imagine that someone less prepared would have found this a bit daunting. On the food: The experience started off with a fresh dish of razor clam with apple pyre. It was good, but not great. However the second dish really blew us away, crispy chicken skin with some cream cheese and bacon jam on top (bacon jam, almost as good of an invention as baconase). The chicken skin was served a bit like a cracker with the rest of the ingredients on top and you ate it with your hands (after a while we learnt that it is one of the regulars on the daily changing menu). Other impressive main dishes included the Monkfish which is served with fresh cucumber, Truffle that was served with home made pasta and butter, Venison with aged garlic and Adrahan cheese served with honeycomb. Someone had really done good thinking around these dishes and the combination of flavors =). What I also liked was the number of different desserts on the menu. We started off with a Mango pyre with fresh lime that set the bar high for the rest of the dishes to come. Other desserts included Elderflower cream with mint oil, whisky marinated pear and a mandarin mousse with a hard chocolate shell. All of the desserts were very good. On the drinks: I was expecting a champagne heavy wine list as in Bubbledogs on the other side on the curtain. However the list at Kitchen table was shorter, but well balanced. There were not that many wines by the glass to choose from, but we found the ones to be on the list excellent (and reasonably priced). The staff was also great at making suggestions and we even got tips were to buy the wines (they could see that I really loved the Francoise Bedel champagne). On the service: The food and wines were great, but the service was what really caught my attention. The whole experience felt very personal, with the chefs taking some time to chat with customers. The pace in the kitchen was fast, but not hurried, so it felt like the number of seats in the restaurant was designed for the number of people that is pleasant to serve during an evening. The other staff took time to chat about the wines and made an effort to take into account what was coming on the menu. The expectation was to match the wine not only with the next dish, but the two or three dishes coming after that. read more

Items Experienced: John Dory - Salted and Smoked, Zest of Lemon, Radishes, Peppercorn Girolles - Crispy Sourdough, Pickled Garlic Flower Buds, Wild Garlic Emulsion, House Cured Lardo Chicken - Crispy Skin, Rosemary Mascarpone, Bacon Jam Courgette - Flowers, Beetroot Sauce, Preserved Fennel Pollen Carrot - Spiced Baby Carrot Soup with Elderflower Scallop - Served Raw from the shell, Maldon Sea Salt, Raw Ginger Pickled Mayonaise, Bottarga Plaice - Steamed Filet with Crispy Skin, Mussels, Charred Cabbage, White Strawberries, Wild Fennel Asparagus-Truffle - Blanched and served in Hollandaise, Orange Zest, Summer Truffle Pig - Suckling Shoulder pounded flat and roasted crisp, Kohlrabi, Apple, Chervil, Elderflower Capers Lamb - Roasted Rump, Butter Poached White Onions, Lemon-Thyme, Sheep's Yogurt, Minty English Pea Ricotta - First Milking, English Cherries, Lemon Balm, Black Pepper Gastrique Strawberry - English Strawberry, Hibiscus Jelly, Dried Rose Petal, Meadowsweet Cream Raspberry - Elderflower Ice Cream, Frozen Olive Oil Dots, Raspberry Sauce Gooseberry - Juice, Yogurt Parfait, Fresh Almonds, Trimmed Fir Tree Tips Caramel - Praline Base, Salted Caramel Toffee, Caramel Ice Cream, Dark Chocolate Shell, Nuts Sloe - Toasted Sloe Puree Marshmallow Located on the backside of gourmet hotdog and champagne bar Bubbledogs is the sort of secret that separates the enthusiast from those simply looking for something good to eat, a casual space serving serious food straight from the hand of Chef James Knappett with service, sourcing, and skills on par with the city's best. Titled "Kitchen Table" and manned by the young chef plus two in assist it is with a fine dining focus honed during stints at noma, per se, and Marcus Wareing that the sixteen course experience unfolds and with each dish prepped start to finish before the gaze of a twenty-seat communal counter it was only the inebriated self-described 'socialite' to my right that proved anything short of impressive during the three hour night. Beginning light and progressing to richer things while infusing the evening with anecdotes as they worked it was both in produce and proteins that the Kitchen Table team displayed their skills and although portions trend larger than a typical tasting rarely did a course go unfinished even by those claiming to be "full," a strong testament to the beautiful interplay of only a few pristine ingredients compelling each bite. Truly an 'experience' as much as a meal and the sort of place where those invested are well rewarded in the results it was only The Fat Duck whose creativity wowed me more during my trip to the UK and taking into account the overall costs of each suffice it to say that Kitchen Table is a veritable bargain, a rarity in a city where even the most modest of Michelin's stars often exceeds £100/pp. read more

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I don't know how I didn't leave a review after my first visit to Kitchen Table back in 2013. Obviously, a huge oversight on my part, but bonus... I get to review it after my second visit. Which was divine. Just go. And if Chef is offering extras, do it. No matter what. So many courses. And I believe we got 4 extras for a mere £15 over standard. And one of those extras was a Cornish lobster that was easily the best thing I ate that evening and perhaps one of the best things I've ever eaten (which I say as a person who is perpetually skeptical of lobster). Other favorites included a not-jersey royal potato roasted in chicken fat, covered in a parmesan sauce with a load of shaved truffles on top (I literally wiped the plate clean with my index finger), and oddly enough, the carrot course, which was a small pickled carrot with dollops of marscapone? Creme fraiche? (shame on me for not remembering) and different herbs along on each dollop so that each bite was a different flavor. They do two sittings at Kitchen Table, 6:00 and 7:30. While 6:00 may seem a bit early, I definitely recommend it as you have the kitchen's full attention during the savory courses. Service was, of course, impeccable, and they accommodated my husband's hatred of anything nutty as though it was an allergy. Easily one of the best restaurants in London. read more

Delightful ambience, casual setting in the inside of Bubbledogs - lively but not noisy, good ventilation. We had the full menu and paired it with Champagne and a champenois still red, chosen among a thoughtful selection of bubbles and other wines. Particularly impressed by sommelier Ben's professional yet personable service - attending to all patrons around the kitchen table on 3 sides with graceful ease. The minimalist menu supplemented by detailed introduction by the virtuoso chef James and his amazing team when each dish was served. Portions were just right considering the number of plates (16) which made up the wonderful dinner. Excellent value for money. read more

Okay, so you need to go here. Seriously. You won't regret it. Dining at Kitchen Table was easily the best culinary experience I've had in my life. And it's not just the 12 courses of mouthwatering amazingness - it's the group atmosphere. The feeling of sitting just inches from a bustling kitchen full of energy and experiencing the creation of each dish from start to finish. Every plate was amazing, and though at first I feared the small portions wouldn't fill me up, by the end of the night I was more than satisfied. Service, which is so important to me at a restaurant, was exceptional. James Knappet and his crew of sous were wonderful. James took the time to explain each dish and even chat with us a bit between courses. Even the owner popped in to clear plates and say hello! The sommelier, as well, was also a complete gentleman, and such a wonderful friendly face throughout the meal. Each dish was perfectly crafted and seasoned with not much of a wait between each course. Plenty of time to chit chat with your dining partners and enjoy a glass of wine. On my night, there was a last minute addition of a truffle dish, but it was a pricey £30 addition, so we skipped it. While small, it looked and smelled delicious, though. The crispy chicken skin with bacon jam seemed to be a favorite of most people here and was on the menu when I went as well, but it's funny, that one was almost ruined for me by the sweetness of the bacon jam. I felt it was a bit cloying, actually, and almost threatened to overshadow the crisp, subtle fatty flavor of the skin. My favorite was actually COD, which was a dish of cod roe with paprika, lemon zest, and served with perfectly toasted sourdough bread. My mouth is totally watering right now as I just think about it. Remember to book ahead, as seating is limited, and alert the kitchen of any food allergies or special requests you may have. They were wonderful with accommodating me, and I can't wait to go back when budget allows :) ! read more

We had a fantastic time at Kitchen Table earlier this month! The menu changes daily but our various courses were all winners and Chef James added a lot of spice by his commentary for each dish. Also, a shout out to the service staff and wine steward Ben for offering a wonderful experience alongside the food. Very unusual, very creative and lots of fun! read more

I remember thinking at about 9pm that I had a great meal. Lots of flavours, beautifully cooked fish, the signature chicken skin, and the first lobster of the season.. and then I realised there were still 7 more courses to go. We didn't end up finishing dinner until around 10:30 after also tasting the venison (best dish of the day), the surprisingly good sweetcorn risotto (influenced my home cooking the next day), and the walnut-whip-resembling caramel dish. All in all our menu consisted of shrimp, salmon, chicken, scallop, lobster, sea bass, sweetcorn, venison, cheese, pineapple, raspberry, verbena and caramel. 13 courses of delight, prepared by a calm and meticulous kitchen, and served by a wonderfully attentive Bolton Wanderers fan, who kept a smile on his face even after only earning 2 points in the championship. If you fancy Michelin quality food at a restaurant that hasn't got its star yet then this is the place for you. It's not exactly cheap but a sequence of delights awaits behind the black curtain at the back of Bubbledog. read more

We saw the Wall Street Journal spread on young Michelin star chefs in London and we made reservations about 2 months in advance. Worth the effort of researching and planing ahead, as always. There are only less than 20 seats at this restaurant. Chef James Knapper is amazing and he is there cooking the whole way. There are about 6 other sous chefs helping him that makes the experience almost a 1:1 sever to diner ratio. Every course is creative and mouth watering - showcasing the freshest ingredients and best technique. What a found adventure! read more

Loved The Kitchen Table. We were escorted through Bubble Dogs to The Kitchen Table - 18 seats all situated around the cooking space. One word tasting menu on the wall we had a series of wonderful modern food that had me at bacon jam. Not only this, the owners are truly cool and friendly and chat throughout the experience making you feel like truly, someone has invited you to their kitchen table. Perfect for special meals with friends or a celebration. read more

This was the BEST meal of my life so far. I was further blown away by the chef's careful preparation of gluten free options for me, which included custom made breads and crackers to serve alongside some of the tastes. I went in late September and here's the menu we had: Oyster: Raw oyster served on the half shell, with herbs Shrimp: Rare, small shrimps served raw on a chick pea cracker; we also received the shrimp heads fried to enjoy afterwards Chicken: Chicken skin made into a cracker spread with rosemary marscapone and bacon jam Bonus course! Pig: Pig head slowly cooked over night and fried. Served on an anchovies dressing Scallop: Fresh scallop from Scotland with sea salt and raw pickle mayonnaise and roe of scallop smoked and grated on top Sea trout: From the Shetland islands, lightly warmed, served on top of a collection of sea vegetables with dried seaweed powder and a sauce made from the fish bones Cep: wild forests mushrooms sautéed and raw with chestnuts made into a powder and an oil Duck: Duck leg and neck cooked in its fat and rolled in pastry and fried; served with duck sauce and damson (plum) Bonus course! Pigeon: Pigeon liver as a mousse, served as a parfait with Cobb nuts and English truffles; served with buttered toast Lamb: Cornish lamb belly with sorrel and creme fraise; drizzled with olive oil from the Vatican (i.e. really old) Cheese: Devon blue cheese with green gauges plum cooked in a puff pastry and served with a plum caramel Raspberry: raspberry sauce with goat curd ice cream Caramel: caramel ice cream, caramel whipped cream, caramel drizzle and hazelnut caramel Pine: Young pine tips pickled and turned into an ice cream covered in dark chocolate Black Currant: Black currant paste made into a marshmallow and toasted Vanilla: Madagascar vanilla fudge with sea salt Will certainly return if I am ever back in London. read more

I wish I could tell you what I ate but the descriptions were so complex and the courses so abundant that I can't remember it all. I do know that the meal was fabulous. But more than that, it was an experience. Less than20 people seated in a semi circle around an open kitchen watching these amazing creations come together. A small, but enough, tasting of 12 courses. We also had the wine pairing to go with each course. This was more than dinner out. It was an evening of entertainment. Small changes made to the menu nightly. Big changes made weekly. I would go again for an entirely different experience. read more

Kitchen Table is one of the most innovative concepts on the London restaurant scene. Behind a curtain in the immensely popular Bubbledogs, in the heart of UCL student town, is an intimate Michelin star kitchen where diners watch each of their 12-15 courses prepared by a brilliant team of chefs. I booked roughly 2 months in advance, and was only able to get a 6 PM seating, but it turned out that they had a later seating around 8 PM as well. Our 6 PM seating had 9 diners, with all arriving in pairs except one, and we waited in the Bubbledogs restaurant area for a while before we were called in turn to be escorted to our seat on the other side of the curtain. We sampled a number of wines with the friendly sommelier, who guided us through a very diverse wine list featuring 2-3 bottles each from all parts of the world. We were then asked if we wanted to participate in the £15 supplement to add 3 extra courses to the menu. We were hesitant but finally decided to share one of the supplements, as the standard 12 courses already seemed quite daunting. As it turned out, everyone else ordered the supplement individually. The menu changes frequently and can be described as follows: 4 appetizer courses, 5 main courses, a cheese course, and 5 dessert courses. Of the starters, the most interesting was an amazing fried chicken skin with bacon jam, and also a fried potato puree with salmon, sour cream, and chives. There was also a sort of fish caviar puree that was served with a brioche roll, and a bright green asparagus soup. As for the mains, we saw a piece of trout seared with a blowtorch before our very eyes. We also had our eyes on the duck crown that was cooked in a pan on the stove - that was utterly delicious. But the star of the show was the "chicken of the woods," a wild mushroom that actually does come out with a chicken texture, served with grating of fresh summer truffles. Also memorable was the supplement dish of lobster, which had been cooked with its own brains and was served with a sauce made with its shell. There was a duck tartare as well, and I'm not normally a fan of tartare, but this one was tossed with some delicious sauces and was a pleasant surprise. The cheese course was a burrata served with two pieces of tomato that had been brushed with a special herb blend for over 4 days. Then for dessert, it was ice cream upon ice cream. We started with the supplement dish - a balsamic sorbet that was served with truffle gratings. We saw this being prepared and wasn't sure if it was truffle, but indeed that balsamic vinegar and truffle combination worked and definitely impressed. We then moved on to an elderflower ice cream served with battered and fried elderflower and a sprinkling of elderflower blossoms. Then we had a caramel ice cream that had a liqueur (rum?) element as well and was served over crumbs of chocolate. Next there was a liquorice ice cream dipped in chocolate, served on an elegant pedestal. To finish, we had vanilla fudge squares. We were offered some homemade digestif drinks, but at the time it was all too much. All in all, Kitchen Table met all my expectations and more. I would recommend coming here for a special occasion with a serious foodie. It's not kind to the wallet, but you won't regret it. read more

I honestly don't know where to begin.... the entire experience at Kitchen Table from start to finish was incredible! Most experiences with multiple courses typically have one or two low points but not this. Each course was as amazing as the last. We didn't do the wine pairing but wish we would have. The service was superb, the attention to detail was excellent and the chef was personable, engaging and so incredibly passionate you could taste it in his food! Such a fantastic experience - I highly recommend it!! read more

Quite simply, one of the best restaurants in the world. The food is spectacular - creative, delicious, and just perfect. Suoer intimate setting - a secret 20 seat restaurant behind a curtain in the back of a very packed hot dog and Champagne bar! It was impossible for our party to pick favorites from among the many tasting dishes. What was more special was the warmth and friendliness of Chef Knappett and his staff. We interacted with them the entire evening, discussing not only the food being served but food (and life) in general. It was a spectacular evening in every respect. read more