I expected a very good – potentially even great – dining experience when I accepted an offer to review newly opened The World’s End Market. I didn’t expect to be wowed though. However, some of the dishes that Kemey and I tried on our Monday night visit did just that and delighted my unsuspecting palate. I was deeply impressed and can easily recommend this King’s Road eatery for anyone seeking quality meal simply prepared with locally or ethically sourced ingredients.
A couple of expertly mixed pre dinner cocktails (an Old Fashioned for me, a Negroni for Kemey) started our night off in the right direction and suggested a fine meal would soon be on its way. Indeed, starter courses thrilled with delicious finesse. I loved the tuna tartar with Moroccan eggplant and cumin mayonnaise (£6.50) as well as the artichoke with buffalo mozzarella and pesto sauce (£7.50).
My Josper grilled Canadian lobster (£26.50, with fries and house salad) pleased immensely while Kemey had no qualms enjoying the whole trout (£17 with fries and house salad) also grilled in the Josper. She substituted the fries for truffle mash (£3.50) though – good call! A glass each of Marlborough Pinot Noir, Tindall Vineyards (£11.50 per 175ml glass) paired superbly with our food.
On another go, I’d be apt to try something from the burger menu. The Truffle Burger (Portobello and shiitake mushrooms, caramelised onion, halloumi) and the Crayfish Roll Burger (crayfish tails, butter, parsley and garlic) both sound particularly appetising.
Service was swift (and our server really knew her wines!) and the plush 1930’s pub/brasserie style dining area with open kitchen and seafood bar on display proved a comfortable and lovely place to dine.
When the restaurant let me down, it was when it didn’t seem to adhere to its own expressed values of giving “food the respect it deserves.” Pineapple juice in the Mai-Tai was an apocryphal travesty. An otherwise perfectly pleasing slice of carrot and orange cake was tarted up a tad too much with a drizzle of strawberry syrup. Save for just a couple of too many tweaks from the kitchen, The World’s End Market would be a more than satisfying setting for any final days feast.
The World’s End Market is located at 459 King’s Road, SW10 0LR. Find out more at theworldsendmarket.com.
