London Stock, Wandsworth: restaurant review
Tucked away in Wandsworth’s Ram’s Quarter, and part of the historic Young’s brewery site, is London Stock - the first restaurant from Cordon Bleu-trained duo Assem Abdel Hady and Andres Bernal. The definition of a hidden gem, this unassuming and unpretentious restaurant effortlessly combines modern European fine dining with global cooking know-how to bring a touch of laid-back elegance to this lovely new development.
The kitchen team’s experience, which includes stints at Michelin-starred restaurants such as HIDE and Schwitzer’s Hotel am Park, is evident just from reading the menu. Overseen by head chef Sebastian Rast, the dishes are comprised of top ingredients and elevated by experimental techniques.
I visited on an unexpectedly warm evening, which meant that I could enjoy my dinner outside in the courtyard. From the moment I took my seat, the service was impeccable (I felt well attended to but never rushed) - and delivered with a friendly smile to boot. Before I got stuck into the eight-course tasting menu, I was invited to enjoy a delicious cocktail. It was difficult to pick one from the inventive menu, but I eventually opted for the Twin Peak (a gentle fusion of Tanqueray gin, ripe peach and aromatic thyme), which made for a refreshing and summery start to the whole experience.
After the sommelier guided me to a lovely bottle of red, the lightest and most deliciously flaky brioche paired with whipped onion butter arrived at the table. Salty and moreish, I could have eaten seven more. If this semi-starter was anything to go by, I knew I was in for a real treat.
The meal officially kicked off with smoked burrata that was perfectly balanced by sweet and tangy piquillo peppers. Native lobster - perfectly cooked, delicate and buttery, in a tom yum broth - followed. I was surprised by how well this combination worked, but I soon realised that pairing interesting flavours in creative ways was the theme of the evening.
With my appetite well and truly ignited, next up was a quartet of main courses starting with a rich glazed rabbit leg served with earthy girolles and sweet peach. I’m not normally a whisky person, but the whisky sauce poured over the top brought the sweet and savoury elements together masterfully. Soon after, I was served a taste of home comforts with a delightful bowl of cherry tomato risotto which barely survived 60 seconds. Another 10/10 dish.
Another highlight was the impeccably prepared chalk stream trout, which was complemented by crunchy cucumber and a touch of dill that added a herbal finesse to the dish. Every bite was a celebration of flavours, with refreshing elements always emerging to cut through any richness.
The star of the show, however, was the final savoury course: a teres major steak (a cut of beef only attempted by skilled butchers) which was absolutely stand-out. The tender meat was perfectly offset by the umami flavours of black garlic, with spiced carrot and mushroom adding another layer of tangy complexity. The size of the taster menu was well-designed, leaving just enough room for something sweet.
A grapefruit, white chocolate and camomile palate cleanser signalled dessert time. After all the experimentation, I wasn’t expecting to find one of my all-time favourites on the menu - cheesecake! An accompanying sour yoghurt sorbet, made with apricot and floral meadowsweet and honey, perfectly offset its sweetness. It was a wonderful way to finish a magnificent meal.
While £85 is a fair bit more than your average dinner, this menu absolutely delivers on flavour, quality and an element of surprise. As far as tasting menus in London go, this certainly feels like value for money too, but three and four-course menus are also available if you’re searching for something on the more affordable end of the scale.
Any restaurant that makes you wonder “how did they do that?” is surely worth adding to your long-list and, with a menu that changes throughout the seasons, I’ll be keeping an eye on London Stock to see what the chefs dream up next.
Lily Wilkinson was a guest of London Stock