Bluebird Restaurant

 

Sir Terence Conran used to run this place, then he handed control over to his son Tom, with entirely favourable results. Now the landmark Bluebird restaurant in a former petrol station on the King's Road is, like all the ex-Conran empire, run by the D & D group. There's a striking British menu which, on our visit service, was good and our sommelier, in particular, was an invaluable guide to the huge wine list. The dining room successfully combines refined style with an atmosphere conducive to relaxed and extensive eating. Following the departure in 2008 of Mark Broadbent, formerly of Isola, Mark Block has taken over as head chef, creating a staunchly British menu. Simple settings and meticulous preparations let excellent ingredients speak for themselves. We sample Bacon-wrapped Tobermory scallops - huge and packed with flavour - while a dandelion salad was delightfully simple, seasoned with blue cheese and crunchy apple. Mains included venison shank and partridge with sprout tops, chestnuts and chocolate.