Restaurants

By Jenni Muir

We think you’ll want to know about this place, despite its shortcomings. It’s a bold setting, on a barren stretch of York Way opposite a BP garage, a walk you might not want to make from King’s Cross in spike heels. But head through the Kings Place development, with its concert halls, multi-purpose areas, inevitable café and office space for nearly 3,000 people and you’ll find an inoffensive bar and restaurant with lovely, mood-boosting canal views. Next time you need somewhere reliable to take out-of-town visitors, this could be the ticket.

The food operation is run by new company Green & Fortune which boasts its own farm as well as combined years of experience in Searcy-catered venues such as St Pancras International, the National Portrait Gallery and Royal Opera House. Our visit was in the early days of opening when just a few artistic types slunk at the tables. Staff seemed green but keen: they’ll be under much more pressure once The Guardian and The Observer staff move into the building.

Beef is pushed as something of a speciality – aged for 40 days, according to the menu, in a purpose-built hanging room at Kings Place itself. Sadly our tile of slow-braised brisket with root vegetables was so dry and stringy they could almost have sold it as biltong.

Starters and desserts (Forman’s salmon with soda bread and cream cheese, burnt cream with pear and blackberry compote, for example) were of a much higher standard and the menu’s range of modern British classics (smoked eel salad, steak and chips, rhubarb crumble) ensures most people will find something that appeals, besides the view.

Time Out London Issue 1996: November 20-26