Whits

 

In the bad old days when eating out in London meant pot roast and soggy cabbage, Kensington's French community created a small oasis of deliciousness on this spot. La Toque Blanche was the first English restaurant to win a Michelin star, and the precursor of our culinary revolution.

After a decade as home to a depressing bar called Goolies, the building has been returned to its roots as a superb restaurant. The mouthwatering menu contains English and Japanese elements - including some very fine sushi - but the bulk of the cuisine is modern French.

Lobster and shellfish ravioli was a confident mixture of rich ingredients, with buttery spinach and salty asparagus standing up well to the strong flavours of the sea food. Pork with sage and apple too often means dull meat with an oversweet sauce, but here the whole lot had clearl been slow-cooking for most of the day, so that tastes and spices mingled into a moist mass of sweeet, spicy shreds. Chef Steve Whitney hails from Texas, and this is reflected in some immense portions.

The restaurant itself is Kensington through and through. Local gents sampled the excellent wine list at the long wooden bar, while most of the diners were ladies of a certain age, clearly regulars and on first-name terms with the owner. In spite of some trendy features (wacky lamps over the bar, oddly-shaped glasses) this has a thoroughly traditional and very English feel, which is also reflected by a pudding menu full of British favourites like strawberries with clotted cream ice cream.

While the history of London dining is mostly a litany of terrible culinary errors, this charming local restaurant has resurrected one of its finest hours.