REVIEW: COMO GARDEN, KENSINGTON

1 day ago
3 min read

We visit Kensington's Lake Como-inspired Italian Tapas restaurant.

In the midst of an historic downturn in Britain’s hospitality market, it’s comforting to find a restaurant bulging to the rafters with punters on a dreary Wednesday night.

That’s not the only comforting thing about Kensington’s Como Garden. The cosy, foliage-laden interior built around a central, fairy-light entwined tree; the soothing glow of hanging wooden lanterns; the soft, circular banquettes that welcome group dining - it’s a restaurant designed for long evenings spent picking at Italian inspired sharing dishes.

Owned by Italian twins, Alberto and Adrian Zandi, Como Garden is one of three restaurants under their stewardship (the others being Bottega 35 and Riviera - read our review here), and drops its visitors into a terrace-like setting that wouldn’t be out of place on the shore of that illustrious Lombardian lake.

There are statues and colourful art dotted around the dining room and a trellis completes the garden feel as it wraps around the main dining area.

We’re shown to a corner table beside a wall of windows, where the bustle of Kensington High Street sweeps into the surprisingly quaint, cobbled side road of Kensington Court.

The red brick buildings and old fashioned street lamps provide a view far removed from Como Garden’s position on the edge of one of London’s busiest shopping thoroughfares and it feels busier inside than out, as every table in the small restaurant fills with diners.

We start with a triangular Arancini, which arrives atop a puddle of thick parmesan and fontina cheese. It’s gloriously light and crispy and paves the way for a second starter of a sourdough based Bruscetta, which delivers a hit of garlic with fresh, sundried tomatoes and basil.

Despite the gargantuan Margherita pizzas passing our table, we opt instead for Meatballs with datterino tomatoes - succulent, peppery bundles of meat slathered in sauce beneath a gluttonous splodge of melted cheese - and a small plate of perfectly light, crispy Roasted potatoes.

We team that with a fluffy Foccacia laced with a generous portion of rosemary, which we use to mop up a sea of butter. The showstopper of the evening is the Goat’s cheese salad, which bundles huge chunks of cheese with the sweet tang of fresh figs and provides the perfect, light companion to the richness of the meatballs.

Como Garden’s premise of Italian Tapas is perhaps more of a polite suggestion than a guiding principle.

We ordered two starters and two mains for two people and while we ended up digging in to each other’s plates, the large portions don’t immediately scream tapas. Then again, the Italians aren't known for scrimping on their portions, so maybe they're just showing the Spanish how it's done.

We’d chalk these up as particularly generous Tapas servings, or a regular meal delivered with a spare plate, just in case you get grabbed by food envy. Either way, you won’t leave hungry.

Speaking of which, as we relax with a glass of excellent house wine, Sangiovese Rubicone, the waiters push a Black truffle parmesan wheel to the table next to us, and begin tossing pasta into its melting middle.

The smell that fills the air is nearly enough for us to revisit the menu for another main course, but our eyes are drawn instead to the desserts - particularly the Roasted Tiramisu with crunchy coffee beans scattered across the spongy surface of its hand-piped cream; and a hillock of warm Profiteroles delivered with a thick, dark chocolate sauce.

The Zandi brothers have created something special in Como Garden: A serene corner of Kensington High Street where the Italian tradition of long dinners and free-pouring wine are honoured with the ambience of a family gathering on a family patio.

And somehow, amongst the hustle and bustle of Central London, we genuineyly feel as though we’re dining on our own, personal terrace on Lake Como.

We’re sure the 70 other diners feel the same way.

Como Garden, 37 High Street Kensington, London W8 5ED Book Now