James Knappett at Carousel

Makeshift Kitchen Table

Pumpkin, walnut

2020 has been a crappy year, with 2 very top London restaurants Greenhouse and The Ledbury is no more. Which left only Kitchen Table and Core to be what I would consider the very best in the capital. Kitchen Table has been closed since March and decided to go under a revamp over the summer so we got to wait sometime before getting to try chef-owner James Knappett's masterful cooking. However, he has teamed up with Carousel restaurant near Baker Street to offer a week of pop up in December, offering some classic Kitchen Table dishes with some new dishes along the way.

White truffle, gougere

Oyster, mandarin

Crab tart

Caviar, waffle, maple

Trout, yuzu, turnip

Pasta, truffle, chestnut

In true Kitchen Table fashion, the meal kicked off with some small snacks. The crab tart was easily the best of the lot, served warm with a really crunchy pastry, the ratio of brown and white meat was perfect which offered a rich creamy savory taste, with a touch of sweetness to it. Within the menu, one unusual dish stood out and it was a dish of caviar served with maple syrup and waffle. It sounded so strange on paper but it somehow worked, it was a whirlpool of flavor combined with sweetness, umami, sourness, and saltiness all rolled into one. The main of BBQ pigeon had a great smoky aroma, very tender with a killer bitter and earthy damson sauce. For dessert, a simple chocolate mousse with cep and black truffle was such an unusual and interesting choice of ingredients but really delivered in taste thanks to its soft bittersweet taste.

Pigeon, beetroot, blackberry

Pigeon liver parfit

Stichelton, lemon tart

Tangerine, milk ice cream

Cep, chocolate, truffle

White truffle fudge, canele

I was fully aware when a chef is working at an unfamiliar kitchen, along with cooking up new dishes, you won't truly experience what he or she is fully capable of, so I wasn't expecting firework, given the Carousal pop up cost is also a lot cheaper than Kitchen Table! James's pop up at Carousel was much needed for me while no able to visit Kitchen Table. It had some really creative and forward-thinking dishes, but not to the level of Kitchen Table 100%. I can't wait once it relaunches. 

Average cost without drinks and services (Kitchen Table):
£150

70 Charlotte St, Bloomsbury, London W1T 4QG

https://kitchentablelondon.co.uk/