Located in the heart of South Kensington is Restaurant Ours (and it's signature flower wall and white tunnel). It is THE restaurant, cocktail lounge, private dining room and terrace that has been posted all over the Internet by everyone and their mother, so it was only right that I went down and tried it out to see if it was worth the hype. Long story short, it certainly is worth the hype.
We booked a table for two on a Friday night, originally for 9pm but in true Maya style , I was running late and pushed our booking back until 10:30pm. Public transport in London is partially to blame, but the great thing is Restaurant Ours were completely understanding and accommodating to my lateness.
The vibe
The interior of the restaurant is beyond beautiful, with its famous flower wall positioned on the way to the toilets, its certainly the place to stop to take a quick snap.
I mean if you don't picture it, did you ever really go?
Aside from the flower wall, I really liked the ambiance of the restaurant.
I've read some reviews that people have found it pretentious, describing instances like when you enter the restaurant you get looked up and down by the staff. However I really didn't see it - there was a diverse range of people there and our waitress was SO friendly. Whenever you go to a new place whether it's a restaurant or bar, you want to feel welcome and in the hands of experts, and our waitress made us feel just that.
The only bad point was that the music was quite loud, especially when you're sat just below the speakers. But then again it was a Friday night.
The food
So the most important part, the food.
I've read some reviews that people have found it pretentious, describing instances like when you enter the restaurant you get looked up and down by the staff. However I really didn't see it - there was a diverse range of people there and our waitress was SO friendly. Whenever you go to a new place whether it's a restaurant or bar, you want to feel welcome and in the hands of experts, and our waitress made us feel just that.
The only bad point was that the music was quite loud, especially when you're sat just below the speakers. But then again it was a Friday night.
The food
So the most important part, the food.
The menu is based around a tapas concept, and you are were advised to order 4-5 items each to share. I like food, however I think ordering 4 or 5 items of food per person is a bit excessive. It depends on how hungry you are and how large each of the dishes are. With that said, they operate a minimum food spend per person on a Saturday night, so bare this in mind if you're planning to go on a Saturday.
We started with the Lotus root chips (£5.20), and then went on to order 2 dishes each - all of which I was pleasantly surprised with regarding the portion size. The Beef ribs (£24.70) which I believe were 200g of fall off the bone, melt in the mouth heaven, were amazing. On top of this we ordered the Mediterranean Octopus with Bacon Jam and Pickled jalapeno (£14.80) which I really thought I wouldn't like, however the smokey finish from the bacon jam almost distracted me from the fact I was eating octopus (I'm not a big fan of seafood).
We started with the Lotus root chips (£5.20), and then went on to order 2 dishes each - all of which I was pleasantly surprised with regarding the portion size. The Beef ribs (£24.70) which I believe were 200g of fall off the bone, melt in the mouth heaven, were amazing. On top of this we ordered the Mediterranean Octopus with Bacon Jam and Pickled jalapeno (£14.80) which I really thought I wouldn't like, however the smokey finish from the bacon jam almost distracted me from the fact I was eating octopus (I'm not a big fan of seafood).
Skinny truffle and Parmesan fries (£9.40) were also on the order. I had a bad experience with too much truffle oil being on the fries when I went for lunch at Madison Rooftop restaurant (overlooking St. Paul's) last year - #Firstworldproblems. However these truffle and Parmesan fries from Restaurant Ours were perfect and have restored my faith in truffle fries. We also had the Black Cod (£26.20), as whenever I see Black cod (pictured below) on a menu, I have to order it.
I'm not sure if it was because we were there quite late on a Friday night, but the food arrived relatively quickly...so quickly I hadn't even returned back from taking pictures at the flower wall and our food was already at the table.
It goes without saying that this restaurant is certainly not a cheap meal - our 4 dishes and bottle of wine came up to £170 for two people. But I definitely feel you're paying for good quality food and the atmosphere of the restaurant. So, if you are not happy to fork out £100+ on food, I probably wouldn't recommend it. If you are happy and would like to experience good food in a stunning setting then don't hesitate to make a booking on their website. Or if you want to see what all the hype is about, without splurging head up to the lounge area on the second floor for drinks and smaller bite to eat.
I'm not sure if it was because we were there quite late on a Friday night, but the food arrived relatively quickly...so quickly I hadn't even returned back from taking pictures at the flower wall and our food was already at the table.
It goes without saying that this restaurant is certainly not a cheap meal - our 4 dishes and bottle of wine came up to £170 for two people. But I definitely feel you're paying for good quality food and the atmosphere of the restaurant. So, if you are not happy to fork out £100+ on food, I probably wouldn't recommend it. If you are happy and would like to experience good food in a stunning setting then don't hesitate to make a booking on their website. Or if you want to see what all the hype is about, without splurging head up to the lounge area on the second floor for drinks and smaller bite to eat.
Food: 7/10
Drinks: 7/10
Service: 10/10
Decor & Atmosphere: 9/10
Overall rating: 8.25/10
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