parlour
'If you’re brave enough to have dessert, I’d definitely recommend the tasting platter.'

Parlour Kensal

Open Mon–Thu 10am–midnight, Fri–Sat 10am–2am, Sun 10am–midnight

The lovely manager led us to our table in the corner of the small, simple restaurant where we were given the white Pinot Grigio and Chablis to try. The Pinot was perfect – oaky rather than acidic – so we went for that. My sister also ordered the Not-In Hill cocktail (Gypsy Lavender vodka, vanilla, lemon and gomme syrup £8.00) which, although very sweet, was delicious: it tasted just like lemon meringue pie and was as well-made as those I’ve had at the Groucho.

However, I was not so lucky with my choice; the Frozen Margarita, apparently made up of strawberries, tequila, triple sec and blended ice, tasted more like the watery dregs of a past-it smoothie.

To start, I had the ‘PGT Village’ smoked salmon and soda bread (£9) and upon tasting was instantly transported to the smoky balcony of their sister pub, the Mall Tavern, where all their salmon is left to flavour before serving to customers. This was served with delicious homemade bread/borderline scone. In the meantime, sister was gorging very decadently on fried brie with cranberry sauce, a yummy but very rich dish. She couldn’t manage much more after that, so for the main course she ordered the smoked salmon fishcake with hollandaise (£13.50), a light dish with not much to it. I, on the other hand, ordered their sister pub’s infamous cow pie with buttered cabbage (£13.00). It was the most interesting pie I’ve ever had – a big marrow surrounded by a sort of tunnel of cow and gravy. Although perfectly cooked and seasoned, I did not manage much of an excavation.

Despite us being full to bursting, the manager insisted on giving us the Posh-Platter-of-Parlour’s-Puddins (£13.50) which included peach and almond cheesecake, flourless chocolate cake, a toasted marshmallow wagon wheel and DIY vanilla mousse (squirted straight from an oversized canister onto people’s plates, which provoked a lot of excited screeches from the table next to us). We also tried the elderflower and Prosecco granita (£3.00) and the Arctic rolls (£1.50/Slice). I particularly enjoyed the peach and almond cheesecake and the Arctic roll (hard ice-cream encased in a thin layer of sponge). If you’re brave enough to have dessert, I’d definitely recommend the tasting platter.

Although it claims to be ‘an all day and late night serving Parlour, in a colourful, fun and vibrant setting’ where one can ‘sit down, have a coffee, read the paper, bring your laptop,’ I didn’t get this anything-goes vibe. But the manager did emphasise that they were still starting up, which was perhaps why there wasn’t more of a crowd. And despite this, the staff were lovely, the people who were there seemed to be relaxed locals out with their friends, and the cosy fire-place and beer garden distinguished it from yet another try-hard new restaurant in the Kensal vicinity. Basically, it fits, and as a local I will be returning.

Parlour, 5 Regent Street, London, NW10; www.parlourkensal.com; 020 8969 2184

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