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Kingston’s burgeoning restaurant scene has now, quite literally, spread to other side of the tracks with the introduction of this bijou brasserie attached to the Hilton Hotel, just off Canbury Gardens – a railway bridge separates it from the regular footfall of the town centre. The calm and efficient staff reflect the atmosphere in a low-lit US steakhouse lookalike. Here, presentation is everything and from most points you can see your dish being created in the open kitchen.
Excellent scallops wafted in on a bed of pea purée, accompanied by air-dried chorizo and a drop of the sharpest apple syrup. The chicken liver parfait – which came dotted with a cherry chutney – was too rich to finish, but worked well nonetheless. On the table next to us, a group of ladies gasped and did that fast clappy thing with their fingers when their 18-hour slow-roasted lamb puff pies arrived.
My steak turned up perfectly cooked and accompanied by sherry-vinegar-infused tomatoes. There was also an excellent chicken burger, served in a light brioche bun, though the additional bacon and cheese clocked in at an extra £2 (each). Desserts were fun and imaginative, which pretty much sealed my conviction that this is a place for special occasions rather than a usual Friday night – a coffee crème brûlée, presented in a ‘house’ coffee mug was, without doubt, the highlight. Prices are a bit higher than the locals are used to but, if the night was anything to go by, hotel guests will be covering any shortfall. Against the waterfront chains, Hawkers is a welcome addition.