Hawthorn
"New neighbourhood hotspot, Hawthorn, has already received rave reviews for its refined, modern European dishes, and now I've joined its fan club."
Address: 14 Station Parade, Richmond TW9 3PZ. Get directions.
Our verdict
Kew Village may have sadly lost its Michelin-starred Glasshouse, but it has gained another fabulous restaurant in its place, and I think I can already see a twinkle of something star-shaped on the horizon…
New neighbourhood hotspot, Hawthorn, has already received rave reviews for its refined, modern European dishes made using predominantly British seasonal ingredients, and I am proudly the newest member of its foodie fan club.
Co-owners Patra Panas and Joshua Hunter are both hugely experienced; the former having run front-of-house operations at some of the capital’s finest establishments (including The Glasshouse, the same space which Hawthorn now occupies) and the latter as a classically trained chef, with thirteen years of experience cooking in Michelin-starred restaurants such as Kitchen W8, Murano by Angela Hartnett, and Chiswick's La Trompette.
Nestled in the picture-perfect leafiness of Kew Village, this enviable neighbourhood restaurant is light, bright and understated. With simple wooden furniture (a parting gift from The Glasshouse) and soft linen blinds, it is approachable and serene, but white tablecloths and a long textured gold wall add just a hint of glamour. I would have liked a bit of music, perhaps a tea light or something to add interest on the table, but that’s where my unmet wishes firmly come to an end.
A tumbler of spring sunshine quickly arrived - a bright pink rhubarb margarita - sweet, fruity and moreish-ly salty, with a good hit of tequila. Exactly as it should be. I had to remind myself that I was in Kew Village, not some snazzy West End bar. Next, just one perfect bite-sized morsel to further whet the appetite - a hot, crispy mushroom arancini heavily laced with truffle, homemade sourdough, and a huge quenelle of salty cultured butter balanced on a very pleasing pebble.
The menu demonstrates some serious skill and is priced as such (3 courses are £45 at lunch, £65 at dinner) - it’s sophisticated and creative but not overly complicated, and for the first time in a long time, I really struggled to make a choice as everything sounded so…delicious. I ummed and ahhed over the starters so much so that the kitchen sent out a small version of one so that I could try it (they know the way to my heart…), and my plus one’s gluten-free needs were also handled with a great deal of care. So far, so impressive.
Said extra starter also happened to be my favourite dish of the evening - chalk stream trout sashimi that was so soft it was like butter, covered with crispy pops of puffed black rice, a white sesame and yuzu dressing, pickled turnip and an icy horseradish granita. It was a texture and flavour-fest like no other.
Next, a velouté of dreams. A silky, foamy, feather-light white onion variety, with chunks of punchy pickled pear, lashings of three cornered leek (a bit like wild garlic) oil and two gorgeous little gougéres on the side, filled with thick, creamy Gruyère rarebit. Heaven.
This was followed by a huge, perfectly cooked, wonderfully flavoursome hunk of tandoori monkfish, sitting on buttery crushed Charlotte potatoes and bathed in a rich, glossy emulsion. Pickled cucumber cut through it all, whilst fat, juicy St Austell Bay mussels provided sweetness. The crowning glory? A crispy little onion bhaji on top.
Perhaps to make up for her lack of gluten, my carnivorous companion went full-on meat, starting with the vitello tonnato with green beans, home-cured smoked anchovies, crispy capers, blood orange and bitter leaves, followed by the Iberico pork pluma with salt-baked carrot, crushed celeriac, black pudding, barbecued hispi cabbage and pork jus, both of which she declared to be utterly delicious.
For pudding, there was more tantalising choice - from a classic rum baba to a salted caramel custard tart with vanilla and Pedro Ximénez Chantilly (next time…), but neither of us could resist the pastel pink rhubarb soufflé, which was ceremoniously punctured and stuffed with a dollop of creamy stem ginger ice cream at the table. Both pots were licked clean.
Service was faultless throughout - Patra is the perfect host, whilst charming restaurant manager Nico (who negotiated the extra starter for me…) is a friendly and helpful font of knowledge and on hand to recommend wine (a 125ml glass starts at £8).
Josh popped out from the kitchen to say a brief hello - he is extremely busy also running another restaurant at Holland & Holland Shooting Grounds in Northwood, but you'd never know it - his cooking in Kew is focused, confident and extremely delicious. There are no foams or gimmicks, just reassuringly good food.
With this dream team in charge, Hawthorn should go far. All the elements are there, and it offers quality that you would usually have to go into town for, but with all the comfort of a neighbourhood experience. Kew locals are incredibly lucky to have it on their doorstep, and for those further afield, well, it’s most definitely worth the journey, even for that rhubarb margarita alone.
Open for lunch Weds-Sat - 3 courses £45 (weekday), Saturday £50. Dinner served Tues - Sat 3 courses £65. 14 Station Parade, Kew, TW9 3PZ hawthornrestaurant.co.uk
