Core by Claire Smyth
https://www.corebyclaresmyth.com/
92 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2PN
+ 44 (0) 203 937 5086
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 18.30 – 22.30. Thursday-Saturday noon-14.30 and 18.30-22.30. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Tip to note: There are generally going to be walk in tables available. It won't be the main room experience, but could be slightly more relaxed. Good if you are a west London local, or if you'd like to take a small risk.
In my view, the focus on vegetables (cf. climate, cf. sustainability) is important. The head chef is female. This is important too.
The service was superb. The house white wine made from Bacchus English grapes and created in Fulham, London (truly!) was lovely, aromatic, tasty and cheapish!
You can see the food above. It is reviewed more eloquently by Fay Maschler (review here, ES) and by the Picky Glutton (review here).
While I think my own lamb stew carrot is as tasty as Core's, I'd rate the food one notch higher than both the other reviewers. We had no problems with noise and (by complete chance, as we had not read any reviews before going) we avoided the grouse, which Maschler disliked.
We will be back, if we ever get another date night!
FT Article on Clare (here on core) and interview here. Excerpts below. Short FT reporter clip (from Youtube) also below.
What’s your biggest extravagance? Fine wine. It costs a lot of money and when you drink it, it’s gone!
Do you consider food waste? Yes, hugely. Nothing gets wasted. Your chef’s white jacket means you should protect food. Wasting food is the biggest disrespect you can show the animal, the farmer, the planet.
What is your guilty food pleasure? Salt and vinegar crisps.
If your 20-year-old self could see you now, what would she think? That she had achieved what she had set out to do.
Do you see yourself as an artist? No. Cooking is a skill; and running a restaurant and a kitchen and a team is about being a good manager. It’s not one person working alone.
Cross fertilise. Read about the autistic mind here. On investing try a thought on stock valuations. Or Ray Dalio on populism and risk.
If you'd like to feel inspired by other addresses and life lessons try: Ursula K Le Guin on literature as an operating manual for life; Neil Gaiman on making wonderful, fabulous, brilliant mistakes; or Nassim Taleb's commencement address; or JK Rowling on the benefits of failure. Or Charlie Munger on always inverting.
More on food click below or under blogs above.