Babylon, The Roof Gardens – London
99 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA
+44 (0)207 368 3993
www.roofgardens.virgin.com

Review by Emily Stead

Eating Out... Restaurant Review: Babylon, The Roof Gardens – London Part of Richard Branson’s portfolio of limited edition luxury establishments, Babylon is a popular restaurant that caters for Kensington sophisticates in contemporary surroundings.

The main draw is undoubtedly the stunning vistas of London as viewed from the secret rooftop gardens, one hundred feet above Kensington High Street.

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Head Chef Ian Howard’s menu is modern British with an emphasis on using the obligatory ‘seasonal ingredients’, which are ‘locally sourced’. The Roof Gardens are stocked with fruit trees, herbs and vegetables destined for the kitchen, while resident flamingos are not à la carte.

Our starters of quail and black pudding, and seared venison loin salad with quince and chestnuts were well balanced and both as pretty as a picture.

On to the mains and my dining partner plumped for the robust braised belly of lamb with roasted celeriac and mash, which hit the spot on a chilly winter’s evening. The Loch Duart salmon in a butter sauce was of a high standard too – crispy skin and nicely pink in the middle. Airline food this was not.

The two stars of the dessert selection for two were a perfectly textured vanilla panna cotta and a deeply rich and glossy chocolate marquise – both hit the spot. The mango mousse by comparison was a little lacklustre, and the miniature apple tarte tatin lacked the sugar needed to create sufficient caramel chew.

Eating Out... Restaurant Review: Babylon, The Roof Gardens – LondonAt the time of writing, £19.50 for three courses from the set menu offers decent value, while Babylon’s wine list has prices starting from £20 a bottle. Some wines are available by the half bottle and the manager’s recommendations include a couple of gems.

Combine these ingredients with the super-slick service and it’s not a stretch to imagine the dining room is as buzzy as this every night.

Although we didn’t brave a digestif on the balcony this time, another visit in more spring-like conditions could well be an excuse for a return trip.

 
   
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