Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room
Time Out rating:
<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
Time Out says
Thu Oct 18 2012
The warm, intimate Dining Room is a welcome contrast to the urban grit of Whitechapel High Street. Soft lighting and mellow wood (including a lovely parquet floor) give the place a comfortable vibe that’s backed by chatty but efficient service.
The menu, overseen by Angela Hartnett, makes a lively read. Nibbles include canapé-size bites of whipped goat’s curd with roast garlic, while small plates run from a rich assembly of asparagus with perfectly poached egg, smoky ham and parmesan to a more abstemious (verging on bland) roast beetroot, toasted walnut and mustard leaf salad.
Next, a special of shepherd’s pie with a cheesy potato topping and tenderstem broccoli tasted delightfully homemade; sea trout with a sublime caponata was another hit. In contrast, a slightly dry, rather flavourless onglet with insipid horseradish crème fraîche disappointed, though the accompanying onion rings were a beignet-like triumph.
Pear and almond tart seemed a bit so-what, whereas the ice-creams and sorbets were wonderful, especially the salted caramel – and they’re only £1.65 a scoop.
A compact drinks list covers much ground, and includes a highly drinkable house red (by the bottle, carafe and glass), Meantime beers and leaf teas.
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