LONDON
Nyetimber bubbles, proper pots of tea and, much to the small Readys’ delight, thick hot chocolate for the kids.
By early evening, local area perused, we were ready for something more substantial( and stronger!).
The acclaimed K Bar is strictly adults only, so family aperitifs were instead enjoyed in the lounge, which hardly felt like a compromise. My‘ Selkie’ combined Santiago de Cuba 11-year-old rum with Mancino Kopi vermouth, Mr Black and coffee, creating a dark, silky cocktail with roasted coffee bitterness, warming rum and a lingering almost chocolate-like richness. Across the table, Mr R’ s‘ Shibuya’ paired The Busker single malt whisky with sesame, Mancino Sakura vermouth and aromatic bitters. Nutty, gently floral and warming, it was a clever combination with enough whisky character remaining beneath its more unusual Japanese-inspired notes.
Dinner followed at Town House, the hotel’ s relaxed yet refined( and aptly named) restaurant, where interconnected rooms retain the intimacy of private dining spaces.
We began with fresh Irish soda bread followed by beef carpaccio, the delicate beef offset by burnt figs whose jammy sweetness worked beautifully against peppery rocket and salty Parmesan. The Townhouse chicken Caesar( a dish in its own right, but shared for a lighter starter across the table) proffered succulent chicken, crisp leaves, Grana Padano, egg and crunchy sourdough croutons.
Then came our classic main course picks. Swayed by the wonderful Chandon, who effortlessly navigated the delights of dining with excitable kids that ranged from in-depth stories about the most recent plane to land at Heathrow( the hotel is in the flight path and offers plane-fascinated kids great views) to requests for yet more ketchup and mocktails, we went straight to the grill section which offers grass-fed Black Angus steaks as either sirloin, fillet or ribeye cuts. Cooked with confidence, the steaks were deeply caramelised on the outside while remaining tender and juicy within. Mr R veered Kentish, opting for the Dover sole meunière. Beautifully handled, the delicate flesh pulled cleanly from the bone beneath nutty butter and citrus. Buttered baby potatoes scattered with herbs provided the more virtuous accompaniment, although the crisp fries disappeared considerably faster.
A glass of Durigutti Malbec from Mendoza was made for the beef, being full of ripe blackberry and plum with violet notes, gentle spice and enough structure to stand alongside the steak without overpowering it.
Dessert returned us firmly to sweet comfort. Mr R’ s classic crème brûlée delivered that all-important crack of caramelised sugar before giving way to cool vanilla custard served with summer berries and shortbread. While the kids’ dark chocolate fondants was the richer pick, their soft centres( aided by my spare spoon) spilled into seasonal fruit coulis while vanilla ice cream slowly melted alongside. Sweet, sharp, hot and cold, it were the perfect pudding- one the smalls regretted offering to share!
The Kensington manages family hospitality particularly well because it never allows being family-friendly to define the whole experience. Children are welcomed with thoughtful touches and some of London’ s best attractions virtually on the doorstep, while adults still have Champagne on ice, beautifully mixed cocktails, accomplished cooking and the polished service expected from a five-star London hotel.
By the time we returned upstairs, London Top Trumps scattered across the pillow, the last of the Champagne waiting in the bottle, The Kensington had achieved something rather clever. It had given us a proper family break in London while still making it feel like a luxury escape.
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