Tried & Tasted: The Town House

As per usual with these reviews, when it came time to head out into the city on a weekday evening, the heavens opened and the rain poured, I’m sure it’s a sign but I don’t know what it means. Fortunately there wasn’t any snow during my visit, although there was a certain festive feeling to entering the Town House.

The Town House is the hotel restaurant of The Kensington, and with that comes a lot of expectations, namely high class and higher price tags. An internationally known five-star hotel in (surprisingly) Kensington, I was welcomed by a live performance of a jazz band as I entered the ‘K bar’, before taking my seat in the intimate but spacious restaurant. Make no mistake, it’s certainly suited for impressing senior level and overseas guests, but just because the high class is present doesn’t mean the price tags are as well.

Despite the smooth lounge singing at the bar, the restaurant itself had a soft atmosphere – each table was deliberately placed at a distance to where you didn’t need to worry about any party but your own, making it well suited for business lunches and other gatherings.

Given the space available inside, the treatment by staff, the location in London and the quality of the food, I had anticipated a higher price tag but when all was said and done, the pricing was no more than other restaurants I’ve visited recently for PA Life, with main courses ranging from around £16 to £25. When it came to the fresh, organic and lovingly made food itself, it may be an odd takeaway to have but the thing that struck me the most was the brown bread.

Their own creation, the brown bread on offer at the Town House is made with Guinness, and I ended up making my main course decision based on what I could eat the bread with. The bread itself offered an excellent example of the restaurant as a whole; I had a very clear understanding of what to expect and yet couldn’t have prepared myself for the actual execution. Many of the meals continued this theme with simple dishes such as fish and chips or shepherd’s pie with perfect delivery, at (relatively) reasonable prices.

The verdict
The Town House was a perfect example of warmth and class without feeling the need to over-do it. All the meals were elegant and precise, and all the staff was enthusiastic and knowledgeable at a reasonable price. Ideally tailored for those with international visitors or clients to entertain, the backdrop of Kensington gives the whole experience a seal of quality. It also gets bonus points for the Crème brûlée, which was fantastic.