Last week, I had the absolute honour to attend a Winter Menu preview at Bumpkin Chelsea, organised by the fabulous Selena. The second I stepped inside the restaurant, I knew all of us bloggers were in for an evening of epic spoiling! (Or maybe that’s just what the warmed cider vodka cocktail whispered to me.) We were all greeted warmly by the staff and were treated to a brief tour so that we could see the recent remodel Bumpkin had gone through. We were lucky enough to meet Marissa (of Ladies of London fame) setting up a Halloween party in the private dinning room upstairs. It was great to get to see that space in action; to get a feel for how that room could be transformed, and how many people it could seat comfortably.
The garden is covered and heated, and it’s an absolute treat to enjoy the luxury of eating outside even in the chilly October night. The worst part of the night was actually decided WHAT to pick from the menu to eat. Luckily, we had the fabulous Nick, manager of the Notting Hill location, to guide us in our choices. (And Nick, I’m still thinking about that English red that you paired with my venison – it was superb!) I went with the famous rib starter, the venison for a main and the chocolate tart for dessert. And then the whole table split about every side the menu had to offer!
The ribs were delicious; they were succulent and they fell right off the bone. The marinade was sticky with just the right balance of sweet and tangy. Trust me, it’s surprisingly hard to find good ribs in London.
The venison main was incredibly rich and filling. The portion was so generous that I was unable to finish it all. (A rarity, I assure you!) This was paired with my now new favourite red, the English pinot noir on the menu. Which complimented it perfectly.
The chocolate tart grabbed my attention with words “salted peanut crumble”, and I knew there was no other choice for me! Let me tell you, I was stuffed to the gills but I still managed to find room for this dessert. The chocolate was silky smooth and not too rich, the caramel had just the right amount of sweetness and the saltiness of the peanut was a well balanced foil to the sugar.
To be honest, I’d go back again just for the mac and cheese! It’s an American expat’s dream come true. The perfect mac ‘n’ cheese. Next time, I’m ordering it as a side dish for me, and me alone!
Expect to hear more from my lovely table mates Frankie, Mog (Mayfair Office Girl), Mina, Selena, Manasi.
Inside the lovely garden.
The private dining room all set up for the Halloween party.
I was equal parts loving and terrified by this skull candelabra setup.
Manasi’s starter of Crayfish Cocktail (£9)
Mina’s starter of Sloe Gin Salmon (£9)
My delicious starter of BBQ Baby Pork Ribs (£7)
Mog’s starter of Roast Squash, with poached quail eggs, tender stem broccoli and mushrooms (£7)
My main of Highland Venison with savoy cabbage, crispy bacon and game chips (£18)
Frankie’s main: the Aberdeen Angus Burger (£14).
A side of delicious triple cooked chips (£4)
Manasi’s main of Pan Seared Scallops in Cauliflower Cream (£25). Now I didn’t try the scallops but she said, “These are the best scallops I’ve ever eaten, and I eat a lot of seafood.” Verbatim.
My dessert of Bitter Chocolate Tart with salted peanut crumble and caramel mousse (£6).
Mina’s dessert of Warm Vanilla Sponge, gooseberry jam and toasted almond ice cream (£6).
Disclaimer: I was an invited guest of Bumpkin, but my many opinions are solely my own. Also Bumpkin, if you’re listening, I love you and I’d like to be invited back in a heartbeat!
There are now 4 Bumpkin locations around London, so hopefully you can stop by one soon!
