Evelyn's Table — Restaurant in London

Tucked away down a side street entrance beneath a traditional pub, Evelyn’s Table is an intimate, almost hidden space. Descending a narrow staircase, you arrive in a dimly lit, compact dining area with a notably low ceiling. The room is centred around a marble chef’s counter seating just 12 guests, evoking the exclusivity of a high-end chef’s table experience. The seating area was cramped, elbows bumping and jabbing into each other and other physical encounters due to throughfare movement.

The restaurant offers a fixed tasting menu concept. I chose the pescatarian option, which — according to the menu I was handed — featured just one alteration from the standard selection. Everything proceeded smoothly until the main course, when I was unexpectedly served duck. For a venue of this calibre, this was a significant oversight. Serving duck to a pescatarian diner — when an alternative (Pollock) was clearly intended — is a serious lapse in both communication and attentiveness from the kitchen and front-of-house team.

The tasting menu itself, although advertised as five courses, was more elaborate in practice, incorporating amuse-bouches, palate cleansers, and petit fours — making it closer to eight courses in total. In fairness, I chose not to flag the error, curious to see whether any member of staff or the chefs would notice or correct it. None did, which was disappointing.

The evening began with three amuse-bouches, the highlight being a beautifully clear brown crab broth — delicately balanced and deeply flavourful.

Standout Dishes: • Crab, Courgette, Almond, Elderflower: A refreshing and elegant dish, where the elderflower film delicately topped a rich crab mixture subtly lifted by mayonnaise. • Mere Trout, Tomato, Cucumber, Radish: Lightly grilled or blow-torched trout, perfectly cooked but very small in portion. • Turbot, Girolle Mushrooms, Tarragon, Vin Jaune: The standout course of the evening. The sauce was reminiscent of a refined lobster bisque, and the fish was immaculate.

The main should have been the Pollock with Bobby Beans, Cherry, and Endive — a well-balanced dish on paper. However, I was served duck instead, which was unfortunately metallic in taste, slightly chewy, and entirely out of place on a pescatarian menu. In hindsight, I regret not saying anything in the moment.

The palate cleanser, with miniature basil leaves, was creative and refreshing, followed by a beautifully presented dessert: • Peach, Raspberry, Verbena: A delightful combination, full of fresh, summer flavours.

Drinks: • The Negroni was expertly balanced, though served in a surprisingly small pour. • The Pisco Sour, by contrast, was overly sour and lacked finesse.

Conclusion: Evelyn’s Table delivers a refined, immersive chef’s counter experience with some excellent dishes and creative touches. However, the serious error of serving duck on a pescatarian menu — without recognition or apology — undermines the professionalism expected at a...

Disappointing to say the least. Felt very chaotic from the start - there was no introduction from the Chef's, given this is a bar and "kitchen-theatre experience" and a tasting menu, this should have been the start to the night, like every other Bar style dinner tasting menu / Omakase experience I have been to. The food was average and very poor substitute for those who don't eat Shell Fish (an avocado square, a extremally salty mushroom fried and a rolled up picked vegetable).

I mentioned to the host that I didn't want to eat the Pigeon leg dish and they offered absolutely nothing as a substitute. So I, along with 2 of the other guests missed the course, with no offer of an alternative or even a gesture of goodwill. Instead we sat there without a dish infront of us, while everyone else on the bar ate - Not even a slice of bread. This set the scene for the rest of the dinner. The sassy attitude from one of the hostess was abrupt and unhelpful to accommodate the party. Still to mention, the full price was paid for regardless of not eating an entire course and no acknowledgement of this was addressed.

The 5 courses were disappointing and nothing exciting in terms of the flavours. The only saving grace of the dishes was an extra dumpling that they created as a tribute to china town.

Being a regular diner at The Barbary and loving the food and atmosphere there, I was excited to try the restaurant groups Michelin started restaurant, But instead I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth. This was not only about the atmosphere or service of the evening but the last dish of the desert was so acidic and pungent, so much so that I left it with only 1 bite taken.

The rude leaving gift I received from the hostess was a comment "everyone's taste is subjective"! Not something that I expect from an establishment that has been awarded a Michelin Star. They mention on their website that everything is designed to provide a kitchen-theatre experience - there was no such thing to my experience. No introduction to set the experience, no continued conversation or interaction with the guests to have them involved and limited to little accommodation for alternative options.

I left with a negative feeling about this experience and one I will not be recommending to others. The Barbary yes, but Evelyn's table...

The cuisine menu was adorned with an array of Japanese-inspired elements: varsity uses of miso, fish roe, seaweed, etc. all intricately woven into the dishes to add nuanced touches rather than dominate, maintaining a European fusion essence.

Started with an exquisite two-ways of Cornish fish appetizer, which was, without a doubt, my highlight of the evening. The warm dish was a marvel of texture and taste—tender fish enveloped in konbu leaves, roasted to achieve a perfect balance of moisture retention and flavor infusion. The sauce was a delicate blend of fish roe and seaweed powder that enhanced the umami, making the warm dish an embrace of comfort. The cold dish offered a refreshing contrast, with sashimi brought to life with leeks and a zesty apple sauce.

Continued with a first main course of Iberico pork, showcasing three distinct cuts—shoulder, butt, and leg—drizzled with basil leaf oil. The dish was paired with a non-alcoholic drink left a lingering spiciness, courtesy of jalapeño, that was nothing short of mesmerizing.

The second main dish scallop sliced and accompanied with four distinct methods of swede preparation. Sourdough and beetroot cream cheese came to transition between courses, striking a rare balance.

The final Lake District venison served a decent conclusion to the main courses, although didn't quite captivate as the previous dishes had.

The predessert rejuvenated the tasting experience—lemon jelly and panne cotta-alike milk custard accompanied by a trio of honey and fruits embodies a balance of sweet and sour.

The dessert, ambitiously combined the homemade vanilla ice cream and hot truffle caramel sauce, was a bit overwhelming, at least to our tolerance. The intention was bold, but the presence of black truffle felt out of place, casting a shadow over the otherwise harmonious blend of red beans and ice cream.

Overall, I enjoy the boldness of experiencing the combination of different flavours, truest adventurous and...