Ropewalk Bar & Dining Room

I had a brilliant dinner last night. In a furniture shop. Naturally.  It was at Ropewalk Bar & Dining Room which is the latest venture by the team from the ever talented, ever expanding and ever so tasty Disappearing Dining Club.  Tucked along the railway arches of Maltby Street, SE1, you'll find this little treasure situated within the delightful labyrinth of the Lassco warehouse (architectural, antique and furniture salvage specialists) on Ropewalk. I did a blog feature on the wine emporium at 40 Maltby Street several years ago, when Maltby Street was still relatively undiscovered, and now it's exploded into one of the most exciting and intriguing foodie destinations in town, offering food and drink delicacies from every far flung corner of the globe. But that's mostly by day. Whereas the Ropewalk Bar & Dining Room is the place to go, both day... and night.

I met up with my friend Jenny, and being the grim and rainy old April evening it was, walking into Ropewalk was especially cosy and inviting as we made our way into the candle-lit bar hidden behind retro signs, antique lamps, dusty old boxes and a partially-closed curtain. It was a bit like drinking creative cocktail concoctions in Dickens' Old Curiosity Shop. And said cocktails were blindingly good, I must say!

After our cocktail and catch up moment, we made our way into the Eisenhower Room for dinner. Another exquisite room filled to the rafters with vintage lights, old mirrors, framed-prints and curious bric-a-brac (and all for sale). We took our seats at a long, antique communal table, ordered a very nice bottle of Malbec and perused the menu. The ingredients are sourced locally, some very locally in fact, as in bread from St John's and cheese from Neals Yard just skipping distance away on Maltby Street. To give you an idea of the delights on offer, check out the menu below:

Potato & Roast Garlic Soup

Curried Crab Salad with Pickled Cucumber & Toasted Sourdough

Smoked Duck & Celeriac Remoulade

* * * 

Spiced Polenta Fritters with Chickpea & Aubergine Ragout and Mint Yoghurt

Smoked Haddock with a Welsh Rarebit Crust, Crushed Potatoes & Salmon Caviar Beurre Blanc

Roast Rump of Lamb with Snail, Garlic & Lemon Quinoa Risotto and Green Bean & Truffle Salad

* * *

Chocolate Brownie, Salt Caramel & Coconut Ice Cream

Lemon & Blueberry Mess

Three Great British Cheeses

For our starter, Jenny and I both opted for the crab salad which we devoured. It was really creamy with a subtle hint of curry and went perfectly with the pickled cucumber.  For the main course, Jenny had the lamb which looked amazing and barely touched the sides, so I think she liked it! Meanwhile, I went for the haddock which was cooked beautifully and I just loved the Welsh Rarebit crust. We finished off with the brownie and cheeses, both of which disappeared without a trace. I think it is safe to say we both enjoyed every morsel of our meal. Oh, and not forgetting the delicious glass of French Lillet wine we were given as an aperitif with a twist of lemon peel. I'm definitely going to be investing in a few bottles of that this summer.

Being a mum, my nights on the town aren't as frequent as they once were, so it was a real treat to spend an evening out which was thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. Jerome and his team at Ropewalk Bar & Dining Room looked after us brilliantly and we went home full, happy and a tiny bit tipsy. Which is just how it should be. It certainly won't be my last visit, and if you haven't been already, I highly encourage you to try it out for yourself. Booking is essential and there's only one sitting a night, so you can relax, enjoy the excellent grub and ambience without getting turfed out after a couple of hours. Which is again, just how it should be. Thanks Team DDC. You've done it again!

Miss Immy was a guest at Ropewalk

Ropewalk Bar & Dining Room
Ropewalk
41 Maltby Street
London SE1 3PA
020 3793 0202
@DiningClub

Open for Drinks, Lunch, Dinner & Bar Snacks
Thursday & Friday 5pm - 10pm
Saturday 12pm - 10pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Two Courses £28/Three Courses £32
Private dining available for up to 12 guests

Nearest stations: London Bridge or Bermondsey

The Ivy Kensington Brasserie

Well, this was a pretty excellent way to kickstart 2016. An invitation to check out the brand spanking new Ivy Kensington Brasserie. I love it when I get to review a place where literally everything was brilliant. So, here goes...

From the moment my friend and I arrived, we knew it was going to be a great evening. We were greeted at the fresh flower-laden reception (yes, it's a mini florist - the gorgeous bouquets are all for sale) and shown through to the antique pewter-topped bar, where we enjoyed some rather spectacular cocktails, including the signature julep cocktail, The Exhibitionist. Although good, this was in fact our least favourite compared to the zingy Thirst for Knowledge (variation on a mule) and the sublime and tres jolie Camomile Luxe (gin infused with camomile tea and other secrets). The bartender knew his stuff, was a dab-hand with a shaker and had a friendly manner. It was the most perfect welcome.

We then took our seats for dinner at a cosy corner table with a great view for people-watching and soaking up the buzzing ambience. The impeccable interior design at The Ivy Kensington Brasserie includes classic elements of the original Ivy restaurant, with dark warm wood; statement lighting; beautiful flooring; elegant wall-panel art and stylish green leather banquettes. Crisp white table cloths and smartly dressed waiters added to the timeless quality of this fine establishment, as it really felt as if it had been there forever. Not just a matter of weeks.

The extensive menu is one where you simply can't decide what to have, literally wanting to try everything. After much contemplation, we eventually chose a classic prawn cocktail and some killer crunchy king prawns served with a wasabi mayo. So far, so excellent! Next, my friend opted for the grilled swordfish served with a chimichurri dressing, lemon and rocket. That got a big thumbs-up, as did my perfectly cooked fillet steak served with a red wine, rosemary & shallot sauce. For sides, we went for the zucchini fritti, minted peas with baby onions, and truffle & parmesan chips. All amazing. We just about had enough room for pud and tried the lemon meringue alaska and the signature chocolate bombe. The alaska was almost too beautiful to eat, resembling a meringue beehive, baked with lemon ice cream, lemon curd sauce and baby basil. Who knew the marriage of lemon meringue and baby basil could be so exquisite. That's definitely a combo to recreate at home! As for the bombe, this was presented as a shiny chocolate ball in a pool of milk foam, before the waiter proceeded to pour over a hot caramel sauce which reduced it to a melting pot of chocolate, honeycomb and vanilla ice cream heaven. To accompany this feast, we enjoyed a fantastic bottle of 2013 Bodega Cantena Malbec, which slipped down a treat (as you can tell from my particularly red cheeks). Nikki finished off with a cappuccino, and being her birthday, they kindly presented her with a homemade macaron and a birthday message hand-written in chocolate.

As for the service, it was simply faultless. Everyone from beginning to end was friendly, helpful and un-pushy. And even though the waiters were super-attentive, it was discreet, professional and not at all invasive, unlike so many restaurants who feel it necessary to interrupt you every five minutes to see if everything is okay. (If it's not, believe me, we'll let you know.) Our entire evening was fun, relaxed, delicious and certainly memorable. In fact, we were enjoying ourselves so much, we were the last punters to leave, practically turning the lights off on our way out!

The Ivy Kensington Brasserie is exactly what the neighbourhood needs and is ideal for local residents and visitors alike. The great thing as well is that they keep 40% of their tables free for walk-in customers, which means diners can just pop in for a spontaneous meal when they're feeling peckish, so avoiding the elitist sense of having to book months in advance. And with such a fantastic and affordable menu (yes, you may think that given how great the food, service and decor is, that it's going to be extortionate, but it really isn't), The Ivy Kensington Brasserie is somewhere worth frequenting on a regular basis. Whether it's a breakfast meeting with your colleague, a ladies (or gents) lunch with your best pal, a romantic dinner with your lover, or afternoon tea with your aunt. So, as you can tell, I thought it was a total delight and I can't wait to go back.

Miss Immy was a guest of The Ivy Kensington Brasserie

The Ivy Kensington Brasserie
96 Kensington High Street
London W8 4SG
Tel: 020 3301 0500

@theivybrasserie

Open 7 days
Nearest station: High St Kensington tube

(3 course a la carte dinner for 2 diners with wine, approx £135)