Canary Wharf is the third location for Tom’s Kitchen, situated amongst London’s bankers, a creation of Michelin starred chef Tom Aikens. On this particularly dark and blustery Wednesday evening the streets were quiet and so was Tom’s Kitchen.
The décor is simple and clean, traditional brasserie style, which is carried through to the bar where you can find red leather lounge seating.
There’s a collection of nautical photography scattered throughout – on closer inspection these seem to be old images of Westferry when it was a functioning harbour – a nice touch of history in an otherwise brand new location.
There’s a good selection of drinks on offer including Whitstable Bay Craft Beers and an extensive selection of wines. My guest and I decided to stick to cocktails and I began with a Chelsea Gardens from the Martini selection: Gin, cucumber, apple and elderflower.
My guest went for the slightly more punchy Tommy’s Margarita consisting of Tequilla, lime and Agave: this classic combination has been executed with some consideration.
To eat we started with a generous nut selection: Pecan, Cashew and Pistachios in a honey-roasted seasoning, perfect to work up a good thirst for more cocktails. The nuts were accompanied by a fantastic bread selection including sultana, olive and a plain stone baked Ciabatta, served with hummus and olive tapenade.
We continued through the cocktail list with a rather tangy Cale Cosmo consisting of Vodka, Cointreau, grapefruit and pomegranate – served in a Martini glass, this is one to be sipped slowly.
My guest went for the feminine Summer Rose, which consisted of rose petal infused vodka, gin and lemon – a very subtle drink.
From two food boards, a Charcuterie and Fish selection, the Fish Board was the one that stood out. Highlights included the Smoked Mackerel paté with a thick topping.
Another favourite was the Pork Rillettes, a spreadable treat that was delicately seasoned – a welcome addition to an otherwise full-flavoured combination of items.
It was to my surprise, however, that having asked three members of staff questions about different items on the boards they each had to go to the kitchen and confirm with the chef – unfortunately none of the waiting staff seemed familiar with the bar menu, despite being very attentive throughout our visit.
The Bar at Tom’s Kitchen is a nice place to meet friends for an after work drink but not necessarily worth travelling across town for. The Bar seems to be lacking a little soul (it is very new though, so perhaps it just needs some time), but judging by the food I could see in the restaurant, it might well be worth visiting Tom’s Kitchen for lunch or dinner instead.
For other venues in Canary Wharf, try Iberica La Terraza and The Pearson Room. Subscribe to the Bon Vivant Journal below.
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