Summer

Summer, the season, may not have removed its windcheater entirely, but Summer, a temporary café-bar and restaurant at the Natural History Museum, has slapped on the factor 40 and bagged a space on the lawns. A joint-venture between the museum and catering contractors Eliance/Digby Trout, it's a welcome addition to South Ken's dining and drinking options and a spot you can enjoy all afternoon without having to visit the exhibits.

The corral-like wooden structure looks like it was chosen by committee and bought at B&Q; even smart, white, square parasols and staff in slim-fitting black shirts with long aprons can't disguise the fact that alongside Alfred Waterhouse's glorious German-Romanesque façade, it's a bit frumpy. But the Mediterranean-inspired menu, served from a kitchen-on-wheels at one end of the deck, is temptingly modish, with ingredients such as hazelnuts, grapes, fennel and gorgonzola scattered across it.

We enjoyed a creamy gazpacho verde (a cold, though not chilled, green soup) flecked with diced tomato and red onion. A large scoop of tomato and chilli jam accompanying puy lentil salad was full of sweet-savoury tang, though some of the accompanying avocado was unripe. The pastry was too chewy in an otherwise scrummy cherry-and-almond tart served with cherry compote. Service was unfailingly sweet and welcoming, but not yet under pressure (and the children running around screaming on the lawn were not actually patrons).

You certainly don't have to order a three-course meal: scones and cake are served with fine teas from 3-5.30pm, while the bar offers cucumber-flavoured gin and tonic, cachaça cocktails and wines by the glass, including English fizz. Roll on Summer, whichever you are.
Jenni Muir

Time Out Issue1922: June 20-26 2007

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