Review: Muriel's Kitchen, Kensington

The other weekend my good friend Becky and I decided to have a cultured Saturday by paying a visit to the Natural History Museum, in Kensington. As a newbie to the area, I expected to leave South Kensington tube station to the standard London scene of busy traffic, crowds of people, and lots of noise. I was, however, pleasantly surprised.

As we walked the short distance to the museum, we passed an array of different cafés and restaurants. Each of them looking as enticing and welcoming as the one before. Each of them buzzing with customers, and radiating energy.

One of the cafés in particular attracted our attention as we passed, with the duck egg coloured décor (my favourite colour) catching my eye. We therefore returned after we had learnt all about our past to see what was on offer.

Muriel's Kitchen

As you enter Muriel’s Kitchen, you are instantly greeted by a beautiful counter displaying a mouth-watering selection of food. With a window lined with delectable cakes as well, it is literally like walking into a food haven, where you want to try EVERYTHING.

As the café was full (which I took to be a very good sign), one of the waiting staff kindly approached us to inform us that it would be a short wait for a table. After 5 to 10 minutes, which gave us plenty of time to stare at the counter and blackboard to decide what we wanted to try (not an easy task), we were shown to a table and handed menus.

As well as the duck egg colour theme, one of my favourite things about the café was its organic and homely feel, which was helped, I think, by the upside down plant pots, and lavender lined windows. The way in which the tables were arranged into the relatively small space also created a good atmosphere, making it feel cosy but non invasive, and the mix of breakfast bar-style and normal tables offered varied seating arrangements to accommodate the different dining needs of customers. 

After being allowed a short time to study Muriel's menu, which allowed us to read about the food that was on display in more detail, a waiter returned to take our order, and soon after we were served our drinks, and then our food.

As I was returning home to have dinner with my sister after we had eaten, I decided I would only have a 'light' bite (aka a sickly but heavenly slice of indulgence). Normally, I am not the biggest fan of chocolate cake, and if I was given the choice I would always tend to opt for a slice of freshly home-made Victoria sponge instead, however, the Bruce Bogtrotter slice on offer (minus the blood and sweat from Miss Evans, the dinnerlady) looked too good to resist, and, it really was! Moist, chocolatey, and incredibly sickly, it was everything that a good chocolate cake should be!

Becky, being sensible and opting for a more balanced meal, chose to have the grilled salmon with a lime and chilli dip, and a side order of butternut squash mash with fenugreek and prawn salsa. Obviously, being the foodie that I am, I had to have a taste of what she had chosen, and I can honestly say the salmon was the best that I have ever tasted. It was utterly delicious and easily fell apart in my mouth, just like good salmon should.

The mash, on the other hand, was a little disappointing,  particularly as to start with it was unexpectedly served cold. It was also, again unexpectedly, rather spicy. Becky asked (and then had to ask again so that it was done thoroughly) for the mash to be heated to see if it would improve the taste, and although it did a little, I think overall something didn't quite work. A recipe to be reviewed maybe?!

Overall assessment of Muriel’s Kitchen

Top points...

For me, the style of 'kitchen' was exactly what I would hope to emulate if I ever have my own café. From the décor, accessories, and counters, right down to the Jamie Oliver mug my tea was served in (you've got to appreciate a bit of Jamie crockery), I absolutely fell in love with the atmosphere created by the owners.

What’s more, as well as being impressed by the food on display, it was also good to see that some of the items aavailable accommodated dietary requirements. One item in particular that I remember is a gluten-free cupcake with pistachio icing, which looked absolutely delicious.

Areas for improvement...

Efficiency of service became a little disappointing as the meal progressed, particularly at the end when we were ready to leave but had to wait around 10 minutes for our bill to be brought over. Although the café was busy, there appeared to be enough staff to handle the workload, and some of the managerial figures did seem to be wandering around aimlessly at times. This is part of the experience that I would not want to have again if I returned (which I hope to!).

Final rating...

8/10 – If the service had been consistent, and if the mash had met our expectations, I would be scoring Muriel’s Kitchen a 9 out of 10, or even top marks. I would definitely return again, even if it is just for another cup of tea and another slice of cake (a different one of course), as the place is just very...me. Our bill (food and drinks) came to less than £20, which I would consider to be good value for money considering the quality of the food, and I am definitely happy that I got to experience the 'kitchen' and sample what it has to offer.

Overall,  I would say that Muriel's Kitchen is a good place to go with friends, family, or even on a relaxed day date. A definite must if you are in Kensington!

To find out more about Muriel's Kitchen, visit their website or Facebook page.