Apero - The Ampersand Hotel (South Kensington)

• Chef Chris Golding was previously head chef of the short lived Galoupet in Knightsbridge
• The dining room is a basement and is casual
• As the waiter was at pains to point out
• Though how you are expected to share fettuccine unless you are acting out a scene from Lady and The Tramp is beyond me
• Dishes arrive when they are ready rather than in sequence
• May be easier for the kitchen but has the undesirable effect of one diner sitting awkwardly while the other tucks into what is quite obviously supposed to be a main course
• Deep fried Crottin de Chavignon (a Loire goat cheese) was served with croutons
• I liked a salad of kohlrabi and apple salad with cucumber (£
• Whose leaves were fine but which was a touch salty and whose dressing had too much vinegar relative to oil (12/20)
• S earthy flavour working nicely with the rice (14/20)
• Fettuccine with crab (£
• 13.50) had pasta with good texture
• The dish really needed more of what was supposed to be a main component (13/20)
• This is a general problem with chickens used in London restaurants
• With plenty of coffee flavour and good texture (easily 14/20) Even better was passion fruit rum baba (£
• The bread base around the side of the glass in which it was served moist and not having too much rum to overwhelm the fruit (15/20)
• Otherwise this is a successful experience
• The desserts in particular were of a high standard
• Chris Golding is the brains behind it all and has a stellar CV
• Chris had previously worked at the likes of Nobu and Zuma and with Apero was hoping to bring the South Kensington locals a little slice of the Mediterranean life and he's certainly done just that
• Cool turquoise leather chairs fill the room and an array of lighting which looks as if it was put together from a set design from Heal's illuminates the room
• Smoked butter was a dream come true
• While a dip of olive oil and what i think was pumpkin was like nothing I've eaten before but would happily do so again
• Starter of courgette flower stuffed with a minced squid mixture felt as if it would be more at home as one of the sharing dishes instead as a starter
• Either way it was a lovely example of just what an amazing ingredient courgette flowers really are
• Crisp tempura like batter with shaved orange peel and a well seasoned filling that tasted as if it were freshly fished out of the sea that morning
• Vibrant and vivid vine ripened tomatoes and lashings of olive oil were the best part
• Tasteless and still with its hard bristly hairs
• Meaning even the the pata negra had lost its flavour too and only the tomatoes were at least forgiving
• Last time i checked the best way to enjoy artichoke is soft and its segments shredding apart to the touch
• 15 and everything you're seeing and reading about is exactly that
• More of those artichokes which were actually cooked well in this dish
• Everything was so beautifully balanced and cooked so well
• It also looked great on the plate and there was so much of it
• You do have to wonder sometime how much money they really are making sometimes
• Another dish oozing Mediterranean charm was this oven cooked free range chicken with borlotti beans
• Again not an extremely technical dish but with perfect execution of the chicken
• The realisation of how full we was really started to become apparent
• A slice of pistachio cake with lavender and honey ice cream arrived
• Especially in ice cream is one of those rare matches that produces something so unexpectedly satisfying
• Chris Golding to send me home with a 5ltr pot of it
• Brillat Savarin is perhaps one of my favourite cheeses
• This cows milk cheese from Normandy was named after the 18th century political figure
• Jean Anthelme Brillat Savarin and was created in the 1830's
• With a line of rich truffle through it this amazingly soft cheese felt as if it went directly on to my hips with each spread on a cracker
• To sum up Apero was actually quite a hard one
• One thing Apero can easily take an accolade for is having one of London's best value menus
• The most exciting part of it all is knowing that these dishes are really just an insight into the restaurants full menu
• Apero is located in the basement of the Ampersand hotel in South Kensington where French is the official language and well heeled mamans lunch
• Chef Chris Golding food is unpretentious but full of flavour and very well executed
• The buratta was fresh and firm
• Rib of beef was sliced and brought on sharers plate just like in my home
• Our head waiter was very accommodating when it came to wine (we had our own 10 bottles around
• South Kensington is far from my usual haunt
• A lack of places which excite me combined with a modest limit on my credit card means that my visits are few and far between
• Meals here are always relaxed and service is good making for an overall pleasant experience
• Feta and olives on grilled sourdough with poached eggs and a plate of the poached eggs
• Roast butternut tabbouleh and smoked aubergine with polenta bread though it took a lot of restraint not to order the buttermilk fried chicken in hindsight
• Both dishes were solid with what was effectively my mezze plate of dips and bread bring a particular highlight
• Initial thoughts that it wouldn't be very substantial were immediately quashed when the meal arrived and it actually ended up being quite the challenge to finish it
• I was very happy to visit one Sunday morning with my friend Elspeth to trial out their infamous brunch menu&hellip

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