The blurb
To me, Hammersmith has always been a place I pass through; a busy station full of commuters, tourists, or excited students heading to their first performance at the Apollo. So, when I found out there was a swanky members club tucked inside a Georgian mansion, I was very surprised. The beautiful building is called Bradmore House, and it dates back to the 1700s. Nestled between modern offices and apartment blocks, it almost feels like some kind of secret…
But the real secret is the new restaurant, Cellar, which opened earlier this year. Everyone’s invited, not just the members. Those who have heard of Brunswick House and St Leonard’s should get excited because the chef who was responsible for putting them on the map oversees all the food at Cellar. And of course, that is the one and only Mr Andrew Clarke. Alongside innovative and delicious sharing plates, guests can enjoy European minimal intervention wines or choose from a selection of cocktails. And there’s also a signature rum punch, which pays homage to the neighbourhood’s vibrant Caribbean community.
The style
While the outside still retains its Georgian character, with large glass windows, a perfect mosaic of brown bricks and a beautiful staircase that leads from the ground floor to the top floor (that’s where the members club is), Cellar is quite the contradiction. Inside, there are still a few old pillars but the space is far more modern and sleek, with warm furnishings in black, olive green, marble and wood, with low-hanging copper lights and shelves full of impressive wine. There’s also an outside area, which is where we sat, with a few unfussy black tables and chairs under two large umbrellas, surrounded by some trees to hide you from the outside world.
The Crowd
Although there’s a members club just upstairs, that doesn’t mean it’s full of high-earning individuals, sipping expensive wine and whiskey. Cellar is an inclusive place – it invites the tourists, the commuters and the locals. Apparently, following a show at the Apollo, you’ll be lucky to get a table! Kindred also holds regular live music events, from brunch to dinner. It’s free for members but non-members can attend too (for a small fee), which brings in people from all over London and afar.
The Food
My friend and I visited Cellar at Kindred for dinner, and the first thing I noticed was the menu. It had some really interesting flavours and combinations, with a great mix of meat, fish, and vegan options. We took our time deciding what we wanted, whilst enjoying a cocktail – a negroni for me and lychee martini for my friend – alongside some nibbles: salt cod croquettes, and Cantabrian anchovies on toast. I’m a sucker for good anchovies on toast and these were delicious, just the right butter to salty anchovy ratio.
The menu is made up of small and large plates, so we chose a selection from both, starting with the Panzanella salad. A generous plate piled high with charred peppers, chunks of tomato, crunchy croutons, cucumber and giant caper berries, laced in golden olive oil, took us straight to the Mediterranean. Then we were over in Korea, with a spiced dexter beef tartare. The delicately chopped beef was dressed in a sesame soy dressing, with a cured egg yolk, and topped with straw chips. We loved the texture combination and Asian flavours. Alongside this, we also had the mutton merguez flatbread with pink onion, herb labneh, and salsa verde, as well as the roasted squash flatbread, with peas, mint and seed pistou. Although they’re under ‘small plates’, the flatbreads were huge! Full of flavour though I might add. Great textures and contrasting levels of sweetness and acidity. On the side, we had the grilled hispi cabbage, which was laced in gremolata butter – a herb-based, garlic butter. It had a lingering smokey flavour and a wonderful crunch.
To wash it all down we had a bottle of white wine. We went rogue, trying something we’d never heard of before, a Welschriesling blend from Hungary. Seeing that it was made from 80-100-year-old vines, I knew it had to be special. Slightly cloudy (low intervention giveaway), it had quite a bold flavour of grapefruit, citrus and lime, with a mineral finish. A very unique blend and one I think lovers of an oaked Albariño would enjoy – I certainly did.
In a Nutshell
I was pleasantly surprised by Kindred. Not only was the food delicious but the staff were incredibly attentive too. Open from morning to night, the neighbourhood hangout serves up locally-roasted coffee, ingredient-focused food, sustainable European wines and seasonal cocktails – what’s not to love? I recommend booking a table during one of the live music events!
The Details
www.wearekindred.com/cellar
reception@wearekindred.com
Tel: 02031461370
Kindred, Bradmore House, Queen Caroline Street, London W6 9BW
