Clarke's restaurant is near Notting Hill underground 'tube' station, a short pleasant walk along the street of restaurants, antique shops, clothes shops and wine shops. You are greeted at the door where you see a display of signed copies of Sally Clarke's cookery book at about £20. It's now on my list of things to buy.
The main room is large and elegant with a huge spoon and fork hanging on the wall, a fireplace, white tablecloths. Service is friendly and fast. You just look up and catch somebody's eye.
The evening dinner menu is similar to what you can read on their website. You have a choice of the £39 set meal, alas only one choice, and the main course was steak, a pity, because not everybody wants steak and two diners would like to have different dishes in order to fast each other's.
I ordered a la carte, which is very pricey, but delicious.
There three breads were delightful. Made me want to go back another day and buy from their bakery shop over the road. One bread had sesame seeds on the outside, another poppy seeds, the third contained currants or dates, whatever it was very succulent and tasty. With butter.
Cocktails, as they say, to die for. Containing fresh orange.
My starter was a souffle. Tasted eggy with cheese on top. Wonderful.
Main courses were flavourful with vegetable crisps, although not a huge amount of vegetables.
Desserts, delightful, although I thought the rhubarb would have been more succulent and flavourful if it had been cooked more.
The truffles were like little eggs with a thin crack in the mouth hard dark chocolate contrasting with the soft, suck it centre.
I finished with a ginger infusion (tisane). I looked in the pot which seemed to be stuffed with teabags. Whatever it was, it worked. Aromatic and tasty. A shame not to have had a flask in which to decant it to take the leftovers home.
I went there for an anniversary. At my request, at the last minute on arrival, they put a candle on both our desserts. I would have liked the words Happy Anniversary in chocolate.
I wish I could afford to eat there regularly.
Can't wait to go back. Signed up on their mailing list and hope for some offers of bargain lunches.
Sally Clarke's
124 Kensington Church Street
London W8 4BH
Tel: 020 7221 9225.
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer, author, speaker.
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