Food reviews

Hereford Road

Above: Hereford Road

HEREFORD ROAD is more simple, stark and masculine than most Notting Hill eateries. Owner Tom Pemberton, formerly of St John, brings a serious feel to his restaurant: no flowery language on the menu, no elaborate descriptions, just simple ingredients. And lots of St John’s famed sweetbreads, game and neglected vegetables like sprout tops, dandelion and lovage.
Décor-wise, it’s fairly spartan with dark wood floors and white walls at the back, tiles and round leather booth tables at the front next to the open kitchen. Staff are serious in aprons. It’s a sort of backlash against fancy, overwritten menus and show-offy ingredient clutter. Jugs of water on arrival, simple crockery and furniture are all carefully designed to showcase unfussy and high class cooking.
We started with sweetbreads, green beans and mint and marinated salt pollock with leeks and white beans. All of it lovingly prepared, releasing clearly defined flavours. Then there was roast pheasant with red cabbage and swede mash to share, a wintery treat of deeply flavoured meat with aromatic, spicy cabbage and sweet swede. Sticky date pudding was terrific, caramel sweet but not cloying, lighter than you’d imagine and properly delicious. Hazelnut parfait was another success in a less intense way. Hereford Road is already a success and it’s clearly destined to improve with age as the space takes on more character. Welcome to W2.l Pendle Harte