Bubbledogs& - Kitchen Table

Having sampled the bubbles and the dogs at Bubbledogs& back in September, Art and I were 2 of the lucky few to bag seats at the official launch night of the '&' part of the name, James Knappett's Kitchen Table.

The room through the heavy curtain at the rear of the restaurant reveals 16 bar seats surrounding a small kitchen.  There is a seasonal menu with an ever changing rotation of dishes, served as a tasting menu.  The thing that really struck me about Bubbledogs& on my first visit was the outstanding service, every individual we spoke to was courteous and went out of their way to ensure we had a great time.  This continued on my 2nd visit, and at every step of the meal we felt amazingly well looked after. 

Dishes are described on the menu by highlighting what the main ingredient is.  We settled in with a glass of Kentish Hush Heath Estate, Balfour Sparkling Rose.  The room quiet as everybody eyed thekitchen crew in anticipation.  Here's what we ate:-

  Scallop - Raw scallop with pineapple marinated in fish sauce

Cod - roe mousse with pork scratchings

Chicken - skin topped with mascarpone and bacon jam

Cauliflower - raw, steamed and crumbed, on black pepper yoghurt

Seabass - served on sea astor with vanilla butter

Mussels - wood chip smoked mussels and razor clams.  

Foraged and pickled sea pursalane and sea astor

Beef - shortrib ravioli with butternut squash, wild boar cress and beef consomme

Duck - hearts with raw onion and onion powder, 

caper and wild garlic sauce with peanuts and chickweed

Burrata - with concord grape puree and D.O.C basil

Fig - pan fried with caramelized white chocolate, fig sorbet and frozen fig carpaccio

Pear - roasted pear cake with fresh pear slices, licorice ice cream and fennel tops

Blackberry - teacake with frozen blackberry meringue

The standout dishes for me were the chicken skin, the beef ravioli, and the pear dessert.  That cake was unbelievably good, I'm inspired to attempt to create something similar next weekend for a friend's Macmillan coffee morning fundraiser.

Our wine choice was from the North Island of New Zealand, Gem pinot noir Wairarapa and was a perfect match for the pigeon but also the less meaty dishes because it was very light. 

The personal touch offered here is quite unlike any dining experience I've had before.  There are kitchen tables in other restaurants, but here, they plan to have 3 sittings a night, every night that the restaurant is open, with the chefs introducing each dish as much of the prep, cooking and plating up is done before your eyes.  It really is like theatre and a 13 course menu for £68 is also very good value.

Bubbledogs&
70 Charlotte Street
W1

9/10