Restaurants

Things have taken on a lighter tone at Tom Aikens since our last review. The dining room’s paler walls and brighter lights have brought an end to the semi-dark fumbling previously necessary in the evening. Staff too have lightened up and are far more friendly and responsive. There’s still a nasty £55 charge per person for late cancellations, but at least they tell you about it with a cheerier tone. Food is incredibly refined: beautiful to eat and to look at. It is served on a playful array of mismatched tableware, which doubles as virtually the only decoration in a minimalist room set. Dozens of canapés emerging from the kitchen (on stalks, in scoops and shot glasses wrapped in burr walnut) looked like little enchanted forests on each table and tasted wonderful, as did an earthy pumpkin and rosemary appetiser. The cooking was without exception superb. Both our main courses – sea bass with small parsley gnocchi and caramelised celeriac; and dover sole with melting pork belly and ham hock ravioli – came with a glittering mix of vegetables, herbs, salad shoots, sauces, reductions and foams. In fact, Tom ‘The Foam’ Aikens rather likes a bit of fluff with everything. Surprisingly, though, these skilfully add to, rather than subtract from, each dish. Fun yet fabulous desserts and petits fours, served in more witty containers (sweet jars, glasses and test tubes) are the icing on the cake.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008