New Restaurant Review: INK, Bethnal Green

Definitely one of the most inventive and satisfying meals of the year, my dinner at newly opened INK was a sheer delight.

Set beside the Regent’s Canal with plenty of outdoor seating, INK is as ideal a place as any in East London for grabbing a bite – and a helluva lot more pleasant than most. Before tucking in to my review of the food though, I’d just like to say that I was simply glad to be at INK sitting on its deck having a glass of wine, enjoying Kemey’s good company and watching the East End world roll by.

And even if the setting had sucked, I’d have loved the experience for the wonderful dishes served. Just about everything presented from young Lithuanian chef Martyn Meid’s kitchen was done exquisitely so and utterly delicious. Even the bread brought out before we’d ordered and served with home made butter as well as rendered pork fat with fresh herbs and leek ash was something of a thrill for the taste buds. My starter course of “Gravlax” with lightly pickled carrots, cucumbers, dill, rye and squid ink (£7.50) did the trick too as did Kemey’s subtly flavoured starter of pea (served as a panna cotta – wow!), mint and crab (£9.50).

On to the mains, braised beef with garden peas, broad beans, pine nuts and stringed potato (£15.50) wowed my palate like few dishes have this year. Across the table, Kemey was equalling nomming it up with her choice of sea bream with ginger and passion fruit sauce, smoked cucumber, pearl barley, shrimp and langoustine foam (£17).

INK’s short wine list proved big enough. I very much liked my sips of Picpoul de Pinet, Villemarin (£6 for a glass, £22 for a bottle) and Fernlands Sauvignon Blanc (£7 for a glass, £28 for a bottle). A glass of Vistamar Late Harvest Moscatel (£6 for a glass, £16 for a bottle). Aside from the glass of sticky, dessert failed to please or even measure up to the sumptuous savouries which preceded it. Service was warm and intuitiv.

INK may see a bit tricky to get to, but it really isn’t. Just head to the end of Palmers Road and look for the restaurant situated over the water at the base of the apartment complex. Besides, the fantastic food and canal side seating make it well worth the minimal effort. Given the quality of the food, I reckon the prices were rather generous and that to find this sort of cuisine elsewhere in London, you’d probably need to head to considerably more upscale parts of town (essentially Mayfair) where you’d certainly pay loads more.

INK is located at 44 Palmers Road, Suttons Wharf South, E2 0TA. Find out more at inkrestaurant.co.uk.

View Larger Map