Kona - 51 Buckingham Gate (Victoria)

• You'd be forgiven for assuming that Kona would be in keeping with the opulent design of Taj 51
• The restaurant is surprisingly modern
• Tucked away at the back of the restaurant you'll find The Library a warm and inviting space with plush sofas and armchairs
• Our evening started with cocktails an off menu Strawberry Bellini for me and from the St James' Collection
• This was followed by a delightful amuse bouche of cauliflower soup topped with a soya foam
• The scallops were the real highlight
• The lobster bisque was a let down
• The sea bass was cooked to perfection a crisp
• Flaky texture with the calamari and chorizo orzo adding another layer of flavour
• The Gloucestershire free range chicken was also a delight with a crisp parmesan crust and a tender centre
• With Indy declaring it was the best chicken dish he's tasted to date
• Our side orders of broccoli with red chillis and parmesan and creamy mash provided the perfect accompaniments to our flavoursome mains
• No three course dinner is complete without dessert and Kona's dessert options do not disappoint
• A truly indulgent dessert with rich flavours
• He chose the thoroughly English fare of roasted apple on brioche with cinnamon ice cream
• The apples were perfect sweet and juicy and were nicely completed by the cinnamon ice cream and berry foam
• The restaurant was quiet throughout the evening
• Offering European cuisine with a contemporary twist
• The restaurant is split into three rooms
• Providing diners with a sense of intimacy and cosiness
• Ponder over a choice of Gresham duck with confit pearl onions
• A succulent fillet steak with soft spinach and crispy fries or Gloucester pork belly with sweet apple jelly
• The king dived scallops were cooked to perfection and served alongside crispy prosciutto
• The signature fish dish on the main course is the pan fried sea bass
• A crisp skinned fillet arrives on a bed of salty chorizo and is surrounded by a subtle white tomato and paprika oil
• The desserts were adorably presented
• Served alongside a fresh berry compote and enhanced with soothing manuka honey
• I would say this is the type of place to catch up with an old friend and enjoy a traditional environment
• That there really is no point in indulging in afternoon tea unless it makes you feel a little bit special
• S more difficult to find something in the high end regions with the quality and elegance to rival the really big names
• S afternoon tea menu sparkles especially so for me as I was there to try the 24 Karat Gold version £
• Most of that is the Champagne
• Gold really is a recurring theme
• The sandwiches were right up there with the finest I&rsquo
• Ve ever had at an afternoon tea and showed a visual flair that is normally overlooked in savouries
• The sweets were generous (perhaps overly so)
• The crockery and cutlery (both with golden detail) were very fine
• The gold leaf Champagne was distinctly moreish
• The choice of teas was plenteous we plumped for the English Breakfast and the unusually refreshing Earl Grey Blue Flower house blend
• The service was attentive and good humoured
• Only one other table was being used for the sitting and the place felt a little rattly
• S also worth nothing a Royal Afternoon Tea is priced at £
• We started off our meal with a classic &ndash
• We arrived and were taken to a small room with only 6 tables (of which only 3 were being used)
• I don't mind dining with lots of people
• The setting at Kona is a little dated
• The clientele they are selling to
• Our service throughout the evening was exceptional
• My steak tartare was not the best I've had
• My dessert was presented beautifully
• Genuinely the best fudge I have ever tasted
• I had the tasting menu and one thing I have noticed is the very aggressive seasoning on most of the dishes
• My scallop dish was cooked to perfection
• Sussex lamb was a success with good composition of garnish such as pests and eggplant
• The overall dining experience was fairly standard
• The salmon was cooked to perfection
• The vegetable side and rice were also great
• As a food lover with an Asian background
• The deconstructed lemon meringue dessert was however average

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