After sixteen days in Asia we came back craving something other than dim sum, noodles and sushi so went for dinner at one of my favourite restaurants, Kettner's. The Soho institution is housed in four Grade II listed Georgian townhouses and originally opened in 1867 by Napoleon III's chef Auguste Kettner, attracting celebrated regulars like King Edward VII, Oscar Wilde, Agathe Christie and Bing Crosby over the years.
I've attended birthday parties, dates, girly dinners and Christmas drinks downstairs, numerous press events and lunches in the private dining rooms upstairs and when I arranged my sister-in-law's hen party I made sure we made a stop off in the Champagne Bar for a few bottles of celebratory bubbles. It's one of my favourite London addresses.
I've attended birthday parties, dates, girly dinners and Christmas drinks downstairs, numerous press events and lunches in the private dining rooms upstairs and when I arranged my sister-in-law's hen party I made sure we made a stop off in the Champagne Bar for a few bottles of celebratory bubbles. It's one of my favourite London addresses.
When we arrived we went straight to the Champagne bar with its chic 1920s vibe and smart, friendly barmen for an aperitif - I went for a glass of the Champagne of the month (Sanger Générosité Noire Blanc de Noirs Brut) and JB chose an old fashioned - before we sat down at our table in the brasserie.
The modern European menu features British classics, French dishes, salads and comfort food - to start I had the Dorset crab on toast with lemon mayonnaise which was light, tasty and gone pretty quickly and JB had the delicious baked goat's cheese beetroot marmalade, which was my favourite dish.
For mains we shared the Toulouse sausages and mash swimming in a rich onion gravy and lobster mac n cheese, topped with a crunchy grilled crust and a side of green vegetables. For wine we ordered a bottle of the Les Cham des Grillons, a pale, French rosé poured by our lovely waitress Molly. See you again very soon, Kettner's!
29 Romilly Street, London W1D 5HP
