I’ve recently just moved offices to Holborn from Marylebone and I can honestly say the food scene is completely different in this part of town. It’s all much more casual, more ordinary and mostly the food is served – fast. That said It’s all changing quickly and I’ve no doubt that the area will quickly adapt to London’s bustling food scene. For now thankfully I need not worry because I’ve come across a hidden little gem at the top end of Dury Lane, which is not only churning out some utterly fabulous dishes, but inside it’s warm and cosy and its owners Lucy Brown and Jenny Quintero are quite easily the loveliest bunch of people in the restaurant industry right now.
So before we go any further, I’ve just got to come out with it now – I absolutely adore Jar Kitchen. From the moment I first read the menu for this place I just knew I was in for something special. The menu screams flavour. We had dinner here downstairs in the basement room which looked fantastic. Rustic, cosy – plus a lot of jars dotted around the room as you could imagine. Picking anything from the menu here is a hard task as you’ll want everything – so the trick is to order it all. We started with a gorgeous chicken liver parfait (served in a jar) with a fig and onion jam and side of toasted raisin bread for spreading, it was perfect. Just as good was the earl grey salmon with oat crisp, watercress, pickled shallots and a horseradish ricotta – the dish wouldn’t stop giving flavour.
Another thing I should also start apologising for, is my photos. In my defence I’m no photographer and it was pretty dark inside with mostly candles lighting the path of eating and for me that was all I wanted to do – eat. From that moment I first saw the menu the one thing I’d really wanted to try was the ox cheek and cheddar croquettes with aioli. Of course they were good and their insides reveal a glorious centre of torn meat, but if I’m being really picky however I’d have liked a little less colour on the outside and a little less crunch. One of my favourite dishes here at Jar Kitchen was the colourful courgette flowers. Stuffed with goats cheese and drizzled with honey and sprinkling of walnuts. I’ve had my fair share of dishes with a similar mix, but this was up their with the best.
The food here is mostly about sharing so there isn’t really such thing as starters or main courses, but you can see there is a clear difference – these large plates were too good to even be considered a starter. One dish you definitely can’t leave Jar Kitchen without ordering is the chicken breast with baby gem, sweet potato crisp, smoked onion may and mustard leaf – it may be the best thing you’ll eat all year. God knows how they kept that chicken so moist, it’s beyond me – but I’m very thankful for it. The mixed grain salad with roasted heirloom carrots, coconut yoghurt and pomegranate was pleasant enough but not entirely memorable. And then there was the pork belly. Perfectly cooked with a good meat to fat ratio and beautifully cracked and crispy crackling. Accompanied by peas, lentils, baby turnips, scratching and a hazelnut crumble. This is a dish which everyone needs in their life. Priced at £13.50 this dish is a steal. In fact everything here is a steal and very competitively priced from start to finish.
By this point in the meal I’d done the usual and consumed far more wine then I’m supposed to have in a week (in one evening) and eaten so much food I barely had room for desserts – but I did manage one and it didn’t disappoint. I mean, who wouldn’t like warm mini doughnuts dusted in sugar and cinnamon, then dunked into a warm pot of sweet and luscious salted caramel sauce. I know it isn’t me.
Jar Kitchen has only very recently opened and is without a doubt a fantastic new addition to the London dining scene. It’s well priced, has great service and the food is terrific. What I love about the head chef here, Dominik Moldenhauer (previously Dinner by Heston) is that he isn’t afraid of flavours and ingredients – he just seems to know what’s right and what isn’t – with some fusions you’d never expect to work – but of course they always do. If you’re looking for a meal to remember in the Covent Garden/Holborn area then look no further, because the insanely good Jar Kitchen has finally arrived.
8/10
