Clerkenwell Kitchen

Time Out says

Thu Oct 18 2012

It might be catering for the lunch-hour rush, but Clerkenwell Kitchen is equally suited to those wishing to enjoy a longer break. For the time-pressed customer, doorstep sandwiches can be ordered to take away from the bar. Round the corner, though, is the dining room, all clean lines and bright light with its floorboards, white walls and exposed brick.

Dishes are mainly European in origin and change daily, perhaps inspired by a morning flick-through of the collection of cookery books on shelves around the door. It’s simple food, executed with confidence and elegance. Devilled crab linguine, for example, was an accomplished combination of pasta and crab meat dressed with chilli and generous amounts of butter, lemon and parsley. The meze platter also showed care: smoky aubergine purée, herby tabbouleh, a sliver of goat’s cheese tart, and cubes of feta, tomato and beetroot to finish the dish off. The courtyard is a real draw in good weather.