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A Seafood Sunday Lunch at Town House at The Kensington

I’ve become a big fan of The Kensington hotel, part of the Doyle Collection, always welcoming, friendly and intimate with great service. Its stylish and glamorous but without the intimidation factor of some of London’s grand dames. Each of the hotels in the Doyle Collection has its own identity and an intrinsic link to the carefully chosen location and with a spot in one of London’s grandest neighbourhoods The Kensington, feels every bit like a luxurious London mansion.
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I’ve visited the sumptuous K Bar at this luxury hotel but this would be my first time trying the food at Town House, the hotel’s stylish yet relaxing restaurant. Past a roaring fireplace and people enjoying weekend drinks, afternoon tea, and smoothies from The Juicery, everyone there seemed so relaxed and comfortable. A home away from home. restaurant-review-the-kensington-10restaurant-review-the-kensington-11
With light pouring in from big bay windows, comfy and colourful sofas, and books lining the shelves, the intimate restaurant really did feel very cosy. But my eyes weren’t really on the soft furnishings as the hotel’s delicious market table was laid out before my eyes.
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The Sunday offering at the Town House starts with a selection from the market table. A small but perfectly formed buffet loaded with crustaceans served in a giant oyster shell…restaurant-review-the-kensington-3restaurant-review-the-kensington
Beautifully prepared smoked salmon and crab on toast…
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Fresh salads of quinoa and roasted Mediterranean vegetables.
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Cured meats.
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Little pots of chutney and pates…
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And fresh feta and broccoli tarts…I would almost be suspicious that Mr S had sent a memo in advance to prepare all my favourite things…restaurant-review-the-kensington
But it wasn’t my husband joining me today, it was my best friend Anna, freshly back from honeymoon and ready for a girly catch up. We piled our plates high with seafood and sipped a glass of white wine each as she filled me in on her trip to Malaysia and Vietnam and I got her up to speed with my latest adventures to Venice and Rioja and my upcoming trip to Kenya and Zanzibar.
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Bread is all baked freshly at the hotel and it’s perfect to pair with the salmon and the rest of the delicious fish on the market table. It’s tempting to return to the buffet for more, but the set lunch offers three courses with a choice of four different main courses. Going off-piste from the regular Sunday Roast, Anna and I decided to share two main courses:restaurant-review-the-kensington-15 restaurant-review-the-kensington-18restaurant-review-the-kensington-17
The roast poussin was perfectly tender and served with ideal comforting Sunday lunch accompaniments of bread sauce, chicken jus and crisp French fries cooked in chicken dripping. Our other main course was a sea bream that flaked apart beautifully served over peperonata in a light oil and a smoked almond pesto. This high quality cooking comes courtesy of Executive Chef Steve Gibbs who trained under some of the UK’s best chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Jason Atherton and his work with Caprice Holdings and Mark Hix was instrumental in shaping his career.
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The meal ended with a selection of desserts to share, all delicious classics including blackberry, chocolate and sherry trifle, passion fruit meringue and baked clementine cheese cake.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Sunday lunch at The Kensington, the market table element makes it a little different to some of the other London offering and at £29 for three courses, it’s excellent value for money.

PIN FOR LATER:
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Town House
The Kensington
109 – 113 Queen’s Gate
London
SW7 5LR

0207 589 6300

Our lunch was complimentary.

Town House - The Kensington Hotel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato