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Acorn House’s raison d’être is as a ‘social enterprise’, minimising energy use, ensuring ingredients aren’t air-freighted, purifying water on site, recycling, monitoring meat sources and so on.
The first sign that the restaurant is different is its location: an unprepossessing building near King’s Cross. Inside, the look is low-key and slightly retro. The long space has an open kitchen at one end and an unused counter at the other, lending it a slightly disconsolate air.
Local produce is used where possible, but (somewhat confusingly) the kitchen’s Italian slant means that much is imported. A starter of globe artichoke with st maure goat’s cheese, mint and other leaves had impeccable ingredients yet was bland; chargrilled mackerel with green tomatoes and frisée featured fresh, well-cooked fish, but again there was nothing imaginative about the flavours or combinations. Sicilian pale aubergine, tomatoes, chilli and mozzarella was pleasant-tasting, though a bit undercooked – and pricey at £12. Pork belly with spring onions and mash was better, the thick, salty crust a good match for the potato.