TOM'S KITCHEN, CHELSEA

Arabella and I went to meet our gorgeous friend Ceri for lunch the other day near her office - I booked Tom's Kitchen as I had been there early June and had a fantastic (if expensive) meal. Ceri was a little unsure of my choice as she reminded me of our first trip to Tom's Kitchen when it first opened 8 years ago and we were charged £18 for a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese….!!

Anyway I was keen to go and I promised Ceri that it had improved and was a great lunch spot especially with a little one and it served natural, organic fresh ingredients - so we met there yesterday. Unfortunately I was oh so wrong…!

The menu is great - plenty of choice such as burrata, sharing charcuterie platters, burgers or more fancy meals like summer minestrone of rabbit. Plus there is a kid's menu along with a great activity pack which entertained Arabella non stop.

Ceri and I were both trying to be healthy so we ordered the super summer salad of quinoa, feta, mint, peas and broad beans for £10.75. Due to the description I was expecting a robust quinoa salad with the added bits…..wow I could not have been more wrong….

It was lettuce with about 10 grains of quinoa which were very sweet tasting….not a good addition to the salad. The rest of the salad was tasty but the portion was absolutely tiny….definitely not worth the cost in the slightest or at all filling. Maybe it was poor ordering on our part but I did not imagine it to be like this. A pret-a-manger salad is way superior and more satisfying.

Arabella on the other hand ordered mini cheeseburgers which were absolutely delicious. There was serious food envy from Ceri and I!

The service was very attentive and friendly but one thing I have to mention is the terrible loos - I think even McDonald's has superior facilities. Just one loo for each sex and the stench of stale urine was revolting - maybe Tom Aiken's needs to stop opening new branches and redo the ones he has….it was so off putting. The last time I went it was the same but I thought it was a one off….obviously not. This was enough to make me never want to go to the restaurant again. It makes you think about the cleanliness of the rest of the restaurant...

It is very rare when I don't enjoy a meal, but I have to say this place was a real let down. Thankfully there are so many great places in the same area like Bumpkin or The Builder's Arms that I won't have to go again. What shocks me the most is I was considering having my wedding lunch here….thank goodness not…

Tom's Kitchen

27 Cale Street,
London
SW3 3QP
Tel: 020 7349 0202