Phone: 020 8940 6617 Open: Lunch and dinner Tues-Sat.
Showing off his versatility: head chef Reality Champ at A Taste of McClements in Kew John McClements is a restless chap who opens and closes restaurants, changes their names, wins stars, mislays stars, invariably offers excellent value but never moves further from his manor of Twickenham than Kew or Barnes. This new venture, launched late last year, is a bold move in uncertain times. The evening tasting menu features 16 dishes for &pound35. I checked with Mr Arden that he was happy with such a marathon and he said he was. I looked back in my files and, blow me, 22 years ago Sutherlands was offering a six-course tasting menu at &pound37.50, which these days must be the equivalent of about &pound1 million. Even more amazing &mdash and proof of the spooky way the world turns &mdash my companion at Sutherlands had been no other than The Highest Bidder. We had lots to talk about, which was as well since the parade of little dishes at McClements came in fits and starts over a period of nearly three hours. A presumably small kitchen and one waiter dealing with front of house meant that the shape and pace of the event was uneven and, although the value is unassailable and some of the individual dishes compelling, it seemed more a case of “Look what I can do!” rather than “How best can I look after you” An amuse-bouche of foie gras “snow” was extraordinary. I thought about it when I read the American writer Augusten Burroughs revealing in This Much I Know, “The way to train a pet is to show it what you want it to do and give it a small piece of freeze-dried liver when it does it”.
Obediently we waited a while for the next serving, which was three items served on a wooden tray with grit and pebbles glued to it.