In a sea of restaurants it still amazes me that some places just haven’t caught on to the fact that London is much more educated about food than it was three or four years ago. I understand that not everyone is a crazy foodie like myself, but generally people are much more savvy and food has become a spectacle in itself. Once people used to go to the theatre for an evening out with a light bite before hand. Now people are ditching the theatre altogether and spending an evening over a tasting menu of imaginative courses, quality steaks and open kitchens – people are sometimes even queuing up for hours to get into a restaurant. With all that in mind, a new restaurant called MK Bar and Grill has opened up in Kensington and currently seems like it’s stuck five years behind the rest of London.
One redeeming feature of MK Bar and Grill is its cosy interior. It’s not the best looking restaurant you’ll ever eat in, but neither is it the worst. And the cocktails are good too – an espresso martini was perfectly crafted. The simple things they get right too. Light bites and snacks such as these grilled padron peppers were juicy, salty, biter and very well blackened. These were the first padron peppers I’ve had that were actually hot & spicy – a sign of good quality perhaps?
Starters on the other hand weren’t particularly exciting and If I’m quite frank had no flavour – at least ours didn’t. Seasoning was lacking, rocket was a little limp, calamari was chewy, the courgettes too soft and the batter more like something from those ready-made packets you’d pick up in the supermarket. This dish needs a good re-thinking because it currently has zero personality, little flavour and would be much better placed in the local Weatherspoons. A poor excuse for fritto misto if you ask me.
Main courses here at MK Bar & Grill fared a lot better than our starters and were much more enjoyable. They weren’t the best dishes we had ever eaten, no – but if this was your local then I’d image you’d feel very content. A huge grilled sirloin on the bone sourced from Donald Russell butchers, was served a perfectly cooked medium-rare with a side of rocket and some very good crispy chips – it’s one of the highlights here at MK Bar & Grill. The meat was succulent, the flavour was all here and most importantly – each bite was satisfying. If only every dish here had this much attention paid to it. The seafood mixed grill wasn’t much to look at and presentation felt very lazy, but – the prawns were succulent and juicy, the fish carried a nice smokiness from the grill (though a bit overcooked) and Mediterranean warm potato style salad was perfectly fine. There was nothing hugely wrong with this dish but I couldn’t help comparing it to something from a package holiday which I’d plated myself. It’s very simple.
One thing I find incredibly cheap about this place is the fact they serve just about every dish going. From French onion soup and shredded duck salad to Moroccan spiced chicken or the classic lasagne. Imagine every European dish on one menu – that’s MK Bar & Grill. With so many restaurants in London right now do people still need menus which have everything on them? There’s two Italian restaurants next door, an Indian opposite and French just a few minutes walk away. For groups of simple eaters this may do well, but I doubt that market is as bis as it once used to be. Our dessert admittedly wasn’t bad. In fact I think it was the highlight our meal. A runny banoffee cheesecake. Deeply filled, loads of flavour and very gooey. I’d have happily taken some home with me too.
MK Bar & Grill was certainly an interesting meal for me. I’ve honestly not been to anywhere quite like it in the last couple of years, at least not in London anyway. The place feels incredibly behind with the times and for a city which is now classed as one of the best in the world for food – do we really need places like this? If so, what for? The tourists may for whatever reason like this place with its large choice or convenient location – but for me I just can’t see this place surviving for very long.
5/10
