Konstam at the Prince Albert

Went there with my husband for lunch a few weeks ago and had a lovely lunch. Food was excellent, very fresh and beautifully prepared. Service was friendly and attentive. Will definitely return.
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TF
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Thursday, April 24, 2008

My wife and I went with another couple on a Saturday evening and really loved Konstam. As a child from M25 suburbia, the thought of pork from down the road was an exciting prospect, as were my hopes of hitching on the small-holding/Fearnley-Whittingstall bandwagon.

Put simply, Konstam was excellent. The local version of kir with rosehip was a sweet treat to get things going, if a little expensive, and the bread was fresh and firm. The rillette of pork was rich and spiced, the pigeon breast was rare to the point of near-rawness (in good way), while the squid was the highlight, soft and sweet with endive.

The mains were similarly good. While some found the slow-cooked lamb a little fatty - but that's what lamb can be - my wife's dish of pork belly was well cooked and served with plenty of mashed swede. I did something I don't usually do in ordering chicken in a restaurant (just to widen the variety, as I wanted the pork) and it was the stand-out dish of a high-quality spread. The tender and moist chicken, with its crispy skin, stood up well against the risotto-like barley served with it, rich with Jersalem artichoke.

English cheeses followed, with a good crumbly blue and firmer choices, while the apple sorbet with bison grass vodka and Somerset brandy was also very nice, although the treacle sponge we all wanted had already run out, which was the only disappointment.

The English wine we chose was also good, though a drier French white might be better. But when in London, as they might say. Its floral tones were carried through with an elderflower taste without much sweetness, which added to the freshness of the meal.

While originally drawn by the gimmick of the Konstam's theme, it's the quality of the food, the knowledgeable and witty staff and the funky decor that will pull us back.
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Endymion
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, March 31, 2008

Went as a belated birthday treat for my mum on a quiet Wednesday lunch time. Although it was quiet the atmosphere was really nice and chilled out (can't wait to go back to see it on a busy evening.) and gave us the opportunity to speak to Oliver who talked with us at length about some of their old fashioned bottling process. This made my mum's day. So a big thank you to Oliver and Tom. Cheers.

P.S. You should defiantly get the brilliant English wine when you go.
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Ed Radford
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Friday, March 21, 2008

I had a really enjoyable evening at this restaurant a few weeks ago. Love the food, and those things hanging from the ceiling are amazing.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, March 16, 2008

Had a birthday meal here last weekend and had a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Should point out that Acton Street can feel a bit unwelcoming at first and it's at the far end if coming from King's X. Beckoned in by its cavernous, albeit slighltly ethereal interior, we found that we were first to arrive. That said, the place filled up nicely in short order. The open kitchen is a great virtue and is startlingly quiet which might explain the aura of calm in the place and the sense that things are running smoothly. Not a shout all night. The loudest thing to come out of it was a smashed plate. Credit to the staff too - the restaurant manager really knows his stuff and pointed to us to an amazing English white and smashing apple brandy. Flavours are well mixed for both carnivores and vegetarians although it would be nice to see one or more meat free options. Really like the local/regional source ethos of the menu which makes for imaginative dishes. Not cheap but good value all considered. Probably not the best place for someone seeking a traditional English eatery, but we'll definitely be going back.
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Suzy and Paul
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Saturday, January 26, 2008

I've been a number of times and always enjoy our meal, particularly recently when I had the sprats, and the potatoes were absolutely delicious as well.
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Jack
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Saturday, January 19, 2008

I thought the food was wonderful, and I really enjoyed the surroundings, the atmosphere inside is very friendly, which is really nice when your out with friends. I particularly enjoyed the pigeon, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the English wine we ordered.

I hope to go back after Christmas, and I look forward to the summer and the seasonally changing menu.

Oh, and the ice-cream selection is really original and delicious!
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Georgie
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Saturday, December 22, 2007

Everyone around here in Kings X uses the other Green Restaurant around the corner, because it's much better?

The food and menues at Konstam never hang together well as if the chef has no empathy for the diners or for food itself, really, service is ametuerish at best, slow at worst; how many well-meaning smiles and shrugs (let alone the old just being ignored trick) can a diner take at those kind of prices? Decor is dungeonesque, but a good ad for the Brother in Law who has a studio in the area.

Apparently according to the main chef River cottage is a middle class self indulgence, well, everyone else locally in Kings X seems to think that restaurant is the same, ironically enough, built as it is on a trust fund. Not even a series on the Beeb really helped and despite the connections. Hence no one really useing Konstam any more, after all, not even the Soil Association approves of it, and neither does the Kitchan train underpriveleged people, like the other onbe around the corner does?

I know whom I would rather spend my money with, and that would be anywhere else apart from Konstam. It just doesn't seem right (or value for money).

What would you say if you saw an Emperor with no clothes on?
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Pedro Navaja
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, December 21, 2007

We had a really lovely evening, really welcoming atmosphere, stayed much later than intended. The food was particularly good, everything tasted as it should. I had a much more enjoyable experience at Konstam than in many of the restaurants I am more familiar with in west London, at a much more reasonable price.

Looking forward to returning
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Jack Turnell
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, December 17, 2007

We had a really lovely evening, really welcoming atmosphere, stayed much later than intended. The food was particularly good, everything tasted as it should. I had a much more enjoyable experience at Konstam than in many of the restaurants I am more familiar with in west London, at a much more reasonable price.

Looking forward to returning
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Jack Turnell
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, December 17, 2007