In a city filled with restaurants and bars, there’s a hell of a lot of talent and delicious things to be eaten. London is teeming with both, making it a great place to live and eat. Yet even in this city of plenty, few places cross the threshold of wonderful to memorable, good to magical, adequate to truly special. Perhaps it’s just me; as a food writer it’s easy to become jaded. We exist to criticise, to look for fault and pounce upon it, as voracious with our words as with our appetites. With every meal it becomes harder to impress and at times it seems that true differentiation can only be found at the end of the rainbow. So when a place I hadn’t heard of before came and shook off my cynicism with a striking blend of gastronomy and nostalgia, it made me very happy indeed.
Parlour, based in Kensal Green, is run by Chef Jesse Dunford Wood. Its plain-talking bistro premises are entirely unassuming and relaxed; all wood and leather in candlelight with a lively bar next door attracting a craft-beer, laidback crowd. For special occasions, there’s a private chefs table available by the pass where Chef Jesse can introduce each dish to you; and trust me, each dish has a story. The man is a real character and his course soliloquies meander ever more elaborately throughout the meal. Jesse’s eccentric personality has translated itself into food which he describes as ‘nostalgic British, colourful British, fun British’ in genre.
Parlour, based in Kensal Green, is run by Chef Jesse Dunford Wood. Its plain-talking bistro premises are entirely unassuming and relaxed; all wood and leather in candlelight with a lively bar next door attracting a craft-beer, laidback crowd. For special occasions, there’s a private chefs table available by the pass where Chef Jesse can introduce each dish to you; and trust me, each dish has a story. The man is a real character and his course soliloquies meander ever more elaborately throughout the meal. Jesse’s eccentric personality has translated itself into food which he describes as ‘nostalgic British, colourful British, fun British’ in genre.
  | As we were reviewing we tried most things on the menu, beginning with pheasant eggs in celery salt and a dish of beans and peas with summer truffle grated (very) liberally over the top at the table. Chestnut hummus followed, apparently created entirely by accident but it really worked. One of my highlights of the evening came in a beetroot and kolrabi ravioli, layered with goats cheese and raisins – it married sweet and salty, creamy and fresh perfectly
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| I was less enamoured with ‘popcorn chicken’, accompanied by real popcorn. A cool idea I suppose, but it didn’t do anything for me and needed a dipping sauce. Far better was stilton custard served inside an egg shell, topped with crunchy, sweet walnut praline and with marmite twig ‘dipping soldiers’. From concept to taste, just yes. |  |
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Mains brought sea trout with asparagus, samphire, oyster leaf and potato crisps, plated so delicately with flowers and a buttery sauce that it broke my heart to break it with my fork. Next, Parlour’s signature dish; their take on the humble (nay, nostalgic) chicken kiev. This football sized ball of breaded chicken with a hollow core of herbed, molten butter really separates the men from the boys. Succulent, flavoursome and with a healthy crunch from the slaw below – great dish.
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But however brilliant the starters and mains were, it is what followed that elicits so positive a response from this cynic. After a brief pause from the mains, Chef Jesse burst in on my conversation, announced that I’d done quite enough talking and plonked headsets on my friend and I. Amidst Sprach Zarathustra (or the 2001 Space Odyssey theme tune) , the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory soundtrack and A Spoonful of Sugar, Chef Jesse proceeded to paint, yes paint, our dessert onto the table.
| Waltzing and whirling in symphony from pass to table through clouds of dry ice that shot out of the walls around us (!), he converted the surface into a tasting platter of sweets, punctuated with rainbow swirls of various sauces. All the desserts were British classics or re-jigged childhood treats, such as hubba bubba swiss roll or marshmallow wagon wheels, blow torched live at the table. Besides being the ultimate wow, it was highly evocative and, being a sappy one, its nods to childhood nostalgia actually made me feel a little emotional! |  |
Parlour has taken me by the lapels, shaken me and told me to sit down, shut up and just eat. And what food there is to eat at Parlour. Although individual dishes are spectacular, it’s how they’re contrived and the stories they tell that makes Parlour such a memorable spot. Do visit, do eat this food and most of all, have fun; it’s what the menu is there for.
http://www.parlourkensal.com/
5 Regent St, London NW10 5LG
020 8969 2184
http://www.parlourkensal.com/
5 Regent St, London NW10 5LG
020 8969 2184
Watch my 1 minute video of Parlour here:
