Entering Jar Kitchen (located on Drury Lane near the New London Theatre) is the equivalent of walking into an episode of Friends: everyone looks happy to be there and eating the food which is fabulous – hearty yet healthy, and imaginative.
For a bit of stomach lining, start with the Courgette flowers, goats cheese, honey, walnuts (£7) – sure to send shivers down the spines of the capital’s veggie contingent. Moving onto mains, Diana – my dining companion – appreciated her impossibly huge Earl Grey salmon, fried egg, hollandaise and pickled cucumber served on Rye bread (£10.50 from the all day breakfast menu). Our gold star, however, goes to the Ottolenghi-ish Mixed-grain salad with roasted heirloom carrots, coconut yogurt, pomegranate and herbs (£9.50) – a simple yet satisfying dish that’s perfect for a late summer meal.
Complimentary bowls of nuts magically materialise with jars of water but, if you’re need of something stronger to drink, there’s around a dozen wines to choose from – all sold by the glass.
Dessert defeated us but the Mini doughnuts served with cinnamon sugar and salted caramel cream and Creme fraiche cheesecake with lemon sorbet (both £6) caught our eye for a future visit… yes we will be back.
Elsewhere décor is charming (think parquet floors, warm blue walls and rustic wooden surfaces adorned with jars – a nod to the caff cum restaurant’s name) while service is sweet – our waitress Kay was friendly and efficient, without being overbearing. All told, you’ll leave a lot happier than when you first arrived.
Jar Kitchen, 176 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, WC2B 5QF (Open Tues-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 10am-4.30pm; 0207 405 4255; hello@jarkitchen.com; www.jarkitchen.com)
