Last Updated on January 26, 2024
Comfort, style and great food at Eve Restaurant
Last weekend I attended the opening of EVE’s new Saturday Brunch menu devised by Head Chef Talia Prince. EVE is located within the Ember Locke ‘aparthotel’ building in Kensington, on the ground floor to the right of the main entrance. Immediately, the décor of the restaurant was inviting. The very nature of brunch as a meal ought to be relaxed and flexible and EVE’s ambience certainly delivered. My guest and I ate in the afternoon and found the plush green seating and the vegetation adorning the walls to be perfect for unwinding after busy weeks.
Our brunch commenced with the first course of allspice tulumbas: an Eastern Mediterranean answer to Spain’s better-known churros. The tulumbas were coated well with sugar and spices and proved to be a great vehicle for the granola, which was accompanied by yoghurt, sweetened fruits, and date molasses. We also ordered bloody marys and mimosas: veritable brunch classics, although bellinis are also on offer at EVE. The bloody marys had the right amount of tang and came with generous accoutrements of pickle and large celery stalks. Generally, I prefer mimosas, and these proved to be no exception, with a healthy hit of citrus that wasn’t overpowering with the alcohol.
Following this opening course, guests at EVE choose from three options: a ZFC fried chicken burger topped with pink pickles and zhoug mayo (derived from a Yemeni hot sauce) or a classic shakshuka with grilled avocado and za’atar flatbread or a kunefe with smoked salmon, herb cream cheese and poached egg. My guest and I elected to choose the latter two options, although the chicken burger was tempting. The shakshuka was delicious and retained a subtle balance of its tomato flavour which was neither overpowered nor underdeveloped. The za’atar flatbread was, much like the tulumbas, great for dunking into the sauce and the eggs. It was my first time trying a savoury kunefe, (the Turkish name for Middle Eastern knafeh, which is typically a sweet dessert pastry), and I enjoyed it. It had just the right amount of crispiness to its edges which contrasted to the softness of the cream cheese and salmon. The eggs in both dishes were cooked perfectly; runny and gooey.
The final course of the brunch menu was a cardamon pancake stack, piled high with whipped cream, cherries, and a sprinkling of rose sugar. We were also provided with a hot chocolate sauce to pour over top. This course is shared for the table but there’s more than enough to have between two hungry diners. The sugariness of the dish ended the meal as it had started, proving to be a rather indulgent treat. The pancakes were well-cooked and got me in the mood for the approach of Pancake Day next month, although this year it unfortunately falls on a Tuesday, so you’ll have to try EVE’s pancakes on either side of it.
Overall, Saturday Brunch was lovely and always managed to pleasantly surprise with its Mediterranean twists on typical brunch items. Special mention must also go to the wait staff, who were especially attentive and helpful. The unlimited cocktail package that accompanies the brunch was a fab offer, but it necessarily needs staff who are switched on and aware of when guests need a refill, so it was enjoyable to be put at ease by EVE’s staff. With both great food and service, I can thoroughly recommend trying out the new menu for yourself.
Saturday Brunch is served every Saturday going forward from 11 am—4 pm, for £35pp for the full three courses.
The standard bottomless cocktail package is costed at a reasonable £39pp, or £29pp for non-alcoholic, both over ninety minutes. The full drinks menu is also available.
EVE Restaurant,
Ember Locke,
202- 220 Cromwell Road,
Kensington,
London,
SW5 0SW
For a review of the evening menu at EVE see our feature from earlier this year.