11 Abingdon Road in Kensington has seen several restaurants come and go, but there can be little doubt that Kitchen W8 is here to stay. It’s the brainchild of Philip Howard, the genius behind the two Michelin-starred The Square, and Rebecca Mascarenhas, who set up perennial neighbourhood favourite Sonny’s in Barnes. The Square connection continues with the appointment of Mark Kempson as Head Chef, a former alumnus of Howard’s restaurant.
Opening to a blaze of publicity and acclaim last year, the restaurant has quickly established itself both as a successful neighbourhood institution and a destination venue in its own right. It isn’t at all hard to see why. The menu offers superb cooking – a starter of delicate, buttery crab ravioli was a highlight, as was a main course of red bream with chorizo – which is sensibly and unpretentiously presented and priced, meaning that visitors will be able to enjoy Michelin-quality cuisine at a fraction of the price that they might be paying in the West End.
The wine list offers lots of sensibly priced wines by the glass and small 250ml carafe – the latter’s a particularly good way of trying a couple of different kinds over the course of a meal without going overboard. The service is, as you’d expect in an operation of this calibre, both classy and friendly, without the overbearing quality that some restaurants can have. This excellent place deserves to prosper and succeed, and there’s no doubt it’s doing everything right.
11 Abingdon Road, W8. www.kitchenw8.com
