When a venue promises to be a ‘department of dining’, your immediate reaction might be are they going to be a Jack of all trades and master of none? Kitty Hawk has a bar & kitchen, restaurant, coffee bar and patisserie, bar and a private dining room; which caters for all your needs from the start of the day until bedtime hours.
We went along during dinner time to see what their restaurant had to offer. Our immediate reaction was “wow, what a smart, stunning looking restaurant”. Embarrassingly it was only the bar area, the restaurant was actually downstairs. High praise must go to the incredibly talented Russell Sage Studio who designed the whole space. There is a cleverly designed bar area where everyone is sat around a modern-looking fireplace. The restaurant space is likewise beautifully design in an elegant yet unostentatious fashion.
Photo courtesy of Claire Menary
Food provenance is a key part of the Kitty Hawk philosophy, as you see the ingredients used include Gressingham ducks, Brixham scallops and crabs and Ashdale beef.
We opted for a sharing mezze board, so we could try the expertly sourced produce for ourselves. Torn burrata was perfectly chilled and creamy, whilst the roasted peppers felt like they had just left the farm that morning. Parma ham and smoked duck breast were exemplary. Why can’t local supermarkets source such outstanding produce you might wonder. Clearly Kitty Hawk has all the right contacts in the farming industry.
I’ve reviewed many a tender steak over recent months, but the fillet I tried at Kitty Hawk had a lovely charred taste with a meaty chew few other restaurants in London can match. It also helped they had an irresistible tasting sautéed wild mushroom and creamy mustard sauce to accompany the fine steak. Whilst it is essentially a steak and seafood restaurant, vegetarians are still well-catered for, with my guest enjoying a very well-cooked roasted aubergine with house-smoked tomatoes. It had the kind of ideal texture that you know would have required careful slow roasting to achieve the optimum result. The side you must order is the dauphinoise potatoes; this cheesy, warming dish was easily the best we’ve tried in the last year.
If you have any space left after the hearty starters and main courses, then I would recommend trying their fruit-based dessert. It will satisfy those who have a sweet tooth, yet it does have healthy quantities of fresh fruits.
We hope to be back soon to Kitty Hawk to try the other departments at this wonderful ‘department store’.
baldwin@townfish.com