I headed to London the other weekend for a very important birthday party. The venue ‘Paradise by way of Kensal Green’ I’m terrible in London and get lost virtually all the time, it all looks the same! Anyway, I managed to find Kensal Green on the Tube map and headed underground.

After a change at Baker Street and a terminated train I eventually found my way to the Paradise.  But enough about my useless sense of direction let’s get down to the point, the food!

As there was a massive group of us we had all pre-ordered, and after checking my emails I remembered what I had actually ordered. I knew I had sticky toffee pudding to finish but the starter and main were a mystery.

My starter arrived, Suffolk Chicken, Ham and Pistachio Terrine, with piccalilli and some crusty bread. I hadn’t chosen badly, the terrine was moist and perfectly seasoned and when paired with some of the bread and the sharp still crunchy piccalilli it was awesome!

For main course I feel I had once again chosen correctly, while the people either side of my had some freaking huge steaks with super crispy chips. I felt that my Hampshire Pork Tenderloin was the better decision, I wasn’t wrong.  Perfectly cooked pork sitting atop buttery smooth mash potato, flanked by spinach and vegetables and all brought together by a perfectly balanced jus.

To go with the main I had a couple of glasses of very nice red wine from Puglia, I can’t for the life of me remember what it was called but it was very good indeed.

After a few minutes break with people sloping off outside or to the bar, the pudding arrived.  I had been excited about it all day as it was the only I remembered ordering. Sticky Toffee Pudding, and not a tiny one either a proper slab of pudding swimming in a rich toffee sauce.

The Paradise is definitely worth a visit if you’re in London. The decoration is awesome and the service is super friendly and helpful. I highly recommend it but maybe take a friend who knows London to guide you in!

PG

Paradise by way of Kensal Green is located at 19 Kilburn Lane, London, W10 4AE.