July 2016 - Food
Where To Eat This Month - Bluebird
Once a magnificent art deco garage complex with links to speed racer Sir Malcolm Campbell (hence the name), this is now a multipurpose eating and drinking venue, part of the D&D London stable.
At street level is a lively café (and front courtyard) and food store. The restaurant is on the first floor, where a disproportionate amount of space is given to the bar. Some tables are tightly packed together; bag a bigger one by the window for a diverting view of the King’s Road. Best visit after dark: daylight pouring through the skylight reveals stained carpet and scuffed chairs, and dressing the greeters in unflattering maroon takes the colour scheme too far. The kitchen delivers a roster of Anglo-French favourites (foie gras parfait, salmon fish cakes, steaks) with some flair. This was evident from parsley-speckled ham hock with a punchy, crunchy piccalilli. Terrific pastry, a topping of hollandaise sauce and an excellent pea shoot salad elevated a pea and leek tart above the usual ‘veggie option’. Sourdough bread from the in-house bakery was tremendous. Some dishes lacked the finesse you’d expect for the price: too salty butternut squash soup and mussels; unexceptional tarte tatin. Flash for your cash comes in the shape of a massive undulating piece of battered fish perched in a wire basket, and a giant knickerbocker glory glass topped with a banana. Not subtle or particularly sophisticated, but then neither is 'Made in Chelsea.' My rating 8/10.
Once a magnificent art deco garage complex with links to speed racer Sir Malcolm Campbell (hence the name), this is now a multipurpose eating and drinking venue, part of the D&D London stable.
At street level is a lively café (and front courtyard) and food store. The restaurant is on the first floor, where a disproportionate amount of space is given to the bar. Some tables are tightly packed together; bag a bigger one by the window for a diverting view of the King’s Road. Best visit after dark: daylight pouring through the skylight reveals stained carpet and scuffed chairs, and dressing the greeters in unflattering maroon takes the colour scheme too far. The kitchen delivers a roster of Anglo-French favourites (foie gras parfait, salmon fish cakes, steaks) with some flair. This was evident from parsley-speckled ham hock with a punchy, crunchy piccalilli. Terrific pastry, a topping of hollandaise sauce and an excellent pea shoot salad elevated a pea and leek tart above the usual ‘veggie option’. Sourdough bread from the in-house bakery was tremendous. Some dishes lacked the finesse you’d expect for the price: too salty butternut squash soup and mussels; unexceptional tarte tatin. Flash for your cash comes in the shape of a massive undulating piece of battered fish perched in a wire basket, and a giant knickerbocker glory glass topped with a banana. Not subtle or particularly sophisticated, but then neither is 'Made in Chelsea.' My rating 8/10.
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