In a city filled with pop-up this and no reservation that it’s refreshing to be able to ring a restaurant on a Friday afternoon and get a table for two that same evening. Perhaps that’s because of it’s not-so-central location in Kew but with no traffic it was only a forty minute drive from central London.
Just like it’s sister restaurants (Chez Bruce and La Trompette) The Glasshouse has a really neighbourhood friendly feel to it. The darlings of Kew certainly seem to come here as trade was thriving during our visit. The dining room was a fairly simple space but elegantly designed and the whole place had a really relaxed atmosphere.
The menu available was 3 courses for £42.50 or 2 for £37.50 and there were plenty of choices for each course.
I decided to start with the mackerel tartare with baby beetroot, crisp quail eggs, creme fraiche and mustard cress. A generous mound of beautifully seasoned raw mackerel tasted absolutely delicious. The breadcrumbed quail eggs burst to reveal a gloriously gooey yolk which worked brilliantly with the tangy beetroot. I didn’t think a mackerel tartare could excite my taste buds as much as this!
My gentleman companion liked his roast quail breast with smoked legs, garlic purée, hazelnuts, pancetta and red grape jus. The quail was delicately cooked and remained tender. The garlic purée along with the red grape jus made for a rather sweet accompaniment to the meat which was great. Although the potato sphere tasted good and added texture it was a little impractical to eat as it kept falling off the fork.
For main I went with the pork fillet with braised cheeks, boudin blanc (posh for sausage) fennel choucroute, creamed potato and mustard jus and I was delighted by the amount of meat on the plate. It was a porky mixed grill. The fillet, served pink, was totally tender and the braised cheek fell apart it was so soft. The mashed potato was so creamy it was dreamy and the mustard in the gravy gave the perfect amount of twang making this a seriously yummy plate of food.
My gentleman companion’s fillet of seabass with wild garlic velouté, gnocchi and chanterelle mushrooms was an unassuming looking dish but boy oh boy did it pack a punch in terms of flavour. The sweet garlicky sauce didn’t overpower the delicate fish and the soft gnocchi were far from stodgy – it was all delightful.
With our previous experiences of desserts at both La Trompette and Chez Bruce being fairly negative ones – we decided to take it easy and share a pudding. The calvados and caramel filled donuts with green apple purée and creme fraiche ice cream got a big thumbs up from us. The donuts were soft and generously dusted with the sugar; the caramel oozed out in glorious fashion. The apple purée added a tartness which was most welcome. Lovely!
Staff throughout our dinner were all sweet and really friendly which made the experience a wholly enjoyable one. The food was seriously tasty and for that reason alone it deserves it’s Michelin star. I’d almost consider moving to Kew so I could become a regular!
8/10
