Kettner’s in Soho has a long and illustrious history. Established in 1867 by Auguste Kettner, the former chef to Napoleon III, it was a bohemian staple for many of the London set. Then, after it’s revamp in 2009, lost some of its former charm. It went mainstream in an attempt to attract the cooler, more chic customer with deeper pockets.
The décor of the restaurant is nice, with long velvet benches, mirrors, candles, stark white tables and chairs and an airy feeling. It has a feeling of calm about the place, the service is efficient but not brusque, the smiles seem genuine and the punters happy.
If there was a criticism, it would be that everything is very bunched up. There isn’t a lot of elbow room here, or space for privacy. Other than that, it’s a nice place to be.
We had food from the brasserie menu which seems unfussy with a definite French twist. We began with soup of the day and mozzarella.
The soup of the day was French onion, and was okay. I expected more from this French staple, but it was nice enough. The mozzarella came with olive tapenade and rocket and was much better. The mozzarella was light, creamy and was ideal with the light dressing, olives and salad.
Main course consisted of sea bass and roast cod. The sea bass came with poached rhubarb and minted peas. Admittedly it was curiosity that drew me to this dish at first, but I’m glad I tried it. The fish was meaty, perfectly cooked, lightly seasoned and worked with the tartness of the rhubarb.
The roast cod came with saffron potato gratin and tomato compote. This was also a light but tasty dish that was well cooked, well-seasoned and went down nicely. Both fish dishes were great.
Dessert was a classic, pavlova, and a crème brulee. The pavlova was very nice, not overly sweet like some of them can be. The raspberries seemed fresh, and the sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The crème brulee was cooked to perfection. Crispy on top, and light in the middle.
Overall our experience of Kettner’s was a positive one. The service was good, the food nice and the atmosphere relaxed.
The Bill: £40 per head
