Open midday–3pm, 6.30pm–10.30pm
A cool hotel hangout in Shepherd’s Bush? Who knew? Tucked away down a side street close to the Westfield roundabout, K West boasts a cool bar, rooms that look the business and a spa. Kanteen is on the first floor and looks smart and modern with red and blue leather chairs against cream walls. There’s the odd streak of blue and yellow LEDs and the overall effect is, well, cool.
On looking at their menu it appears that Eduart Berisha, their head chef, moved over here from Beach Blanket Babylon to make life easier for himself. Maybe he got laidback (an essential cool trait) mixed up with lazy. On his menu there are salads and burgers, fish and chips, Thai curries – in other words nothing that gets you excited. BBB’s menu is far more interesting.
Salmon falafel (£4.50) was a fishcake by any other name – one that didn’t taste like it had a lot of salmon in it. Seared baby squid (£6) was a lot better, with lovely light batter that clung to the fish like a lover as you tackled it with your fork. Plenty of it too; good if you’re greedy like me. Risotto of courgettes and fava beans (£14) lacked flavour, but was saved by the ace seared salmon (optional), being winningly crispy on the surface, soft fillet underneath. Just in case you’re wondering, it’s not all fish here. Having just been surprised by being asked how I wanted the salmon cooked, the Mrs left me further gobsmacked by ordering the steak (£23.50), which she never does. It was bloody good and no, that’s not a food reviewer joke. It seriously was and the chips were chip-shop good, too.
Dessert choice: crème brulee, apple tart, toffee pudding, chocolate fondant… blah, blah. See what I mean about the menu? Their fondant (£5) was rich and comforting and that’s the least you should expect. The tart (£5) was too loaded with sugar and the food had rollercoasted in standard like this all the way through. Service is lovely and the wine list is, well, you probably know what it’s like if you’ve got this far.
Frankly, the Bush deserves better. The location of the hotel means you’re going to have to work hard to get people to come so they need to put their minds to tantalising people’s taste buds. Kanteen is just alright, which is so, like, not cool.
Dinner for two, with wine and service, around £90.
