I have been to Tom Aikens a few times in the past two years and I love it.
The food is so beautifully presented – sometimes breathtakingly so - and it tastes as good as it looks. My favourite memory is of a wonderful lime dessert with meringue and marshmallows - yummy! The bread is the best I have ever been served, the petit fours exquisite, the cheese trolley to die for and I could fill this page with eulogy…don’t worry, I’m not going to! I am just going to say that a visit here yields sensuous food drama and if you are a lover of such theatre – I am - this is a place to visit
One time, my health was so bad, I nearly didn’t go then decided to screw it and let EaZyD cut my food up. We had to take a cab and the very sweet cab driver – they aren’t always – was disturbed by my exit from his cab sans ramp. He thought it ‘undignified.’ Laughing, I said ‘mate, I am so far past dignity...’ Luckily, I did manage not to dribble or flick my food about…result!
The restaurant is only open Monday to Friday and is small enough, with decent table space, to allow you to hear each other speak. The décor is comfortable, pleasant but, no wow! The staff have always been charming. There is one step up into the restaurant which is, trust me to be aware of this, well situated for some shopping on a lunch visit.
Other diners seem either business types or well-heeled local residents. This is probably not a place for party animals unless you bring your own (there is a private room and the more casual Tom’s Kitchen nearby). As you might expect, not cheap! Expect expensive… and lingering memories of foodie fabulousness!
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