Easygoing brasserie from Tom Aikens in a growing London chain

5th June 2016
1st January 2014

As mentioned below I have been here many times as my local brasserie and have had mostly pleasant but also some mixed experiences in between 2010 – 2012. However, brunch last Sunday has frankly given rocket fuel to their stakes as I had one of the best brunches on record as the eggs benedict with truffle was a total triumph! This was beautifully done with perfectly deep and rich eggs and although I thought the ham on top was a little too stretchy and dry to enjoy, this was a wonderful version. I appreciated the intent to contrast the soft ham underneath with the dried on top, but if there is one improvement for this, I would say the top bacon pieces to be more brittle and easier / more enjoyable to cut and chew. Still, it was utterly wonderful and I have not come across this anywhere before.

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The pan au chocolate was freshly made as usual and that’s the other reassuring thing coming here, to have quality and freshly baked pastries and know that this has happened. The french toast was also knock out and the best one I have tried here – the caramelised apple on top with a smidgen of cream obviously did not make this a calorie free visit, but then again, what else are Sundays for(?!). This brunch has trascended my local Tom’s Kitchen to new heights and for brunch, made it join the patheon of brunch experiences with Al Qasr – Dubai, Chiltern Firehouse and The Connaught among others.

Food Grade: 78%

Whilst living in Canary Wharf I went here on quite a few occasions and was the perfect option on the odd Sunday for Brunch with so many pleasant options, whether it was a toasted steak sandwich, liver & foie gras parfait, eggs benedict, fillet steak to burgers and traditional fish mains. That’s the good side, but sadly the negative is that the food here has ranged quite a bit from one end to the other. The chicken liver foie gras parfait has always been gorgeous, and the eggs benedict usually a lot better than most, apart from one instance where the bacon seemed burnt (not good) and the salad dressing on the salads have also gone from some of the best I have ever tasted (honey mustard) to a very memorable and frankly awful dressing on one occasion which was so much so, I simply didn’t ask what it was supposed to be.

Tom Aikens has now four Kitchens in London (here, Somerset House, St Katharine Dock by Tower Bridge and his long-standing Kitchen in Chelsea which is the only one to be accepted in to the Michelin guide as recommended) and this one has always been pleasant to go to, but I would keep fingers crossed on the day for some of the dishes.

Food Grade: 59%