Chiswick- it's a land not much spoken about. There are whispers that it was once home to Ant and Dec, said to have lived in houses beside each-other (unconfirmed). However, bar the occasional celeb-spot, what does this village-like borough nestled in by the Thames have to offer? Food, that's what. There's a wonderful monthly cheese market, a plethora of bright airy cafés serving hot, flaky pastries, and then there's The Silver Birch- a fine dining restaurant in a league of its own.
Strolling down Chiswick high street, you'd almost miss it. With its interiors concealed by a curtain, The Silver Birch sits discreetly amongst the loud door-fronts of surrounding chain restaurants. As is evident from first glance, The Silver Birch is not like its neighbours, which we often resort to for when our appetites speak louder than our hearts. One does not settle for The Silver Birch, one embarks the District line and travels specifically to it. Much like we did as we went to try the ever-evolving menu, the current one inspired by the freshest ingredients that February has to offer.
Behind the curtain, the interiors are British-refined and Scandinavian-sleek, reflecting Head Chef Nathan Cornwell's impressive experience at Michelin-starred restaurants in Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Cheltenham, as well as four years at The Barn at Moor Hall in Lancashire. Today, Chef Nathan is fastidiously working towards making The Silver Birch a culinary destination that puts Chiswick on London's culinary map.
First came three, immaculately-presented delicacies, otherwise known as amuse-bouche. A silky fois gras on a crisp bed of golden chicken skin, chalk stream trout topped with bursts of salty roe, and a bright pink beetroot and horseradish meringue that melted in the mouth with sweet and sharp notes in harmony. We knew that this restaurant had won multiple awards (AA London Restaurant of the Year being just one) however, we really weren't expecting the standard to be set so high by our first three bites.
Another point worth noting is that Chef Nathan is clued-in to the various dietary requirements. Of course, one would expect all chefs to be, but something as simple as bringing down a separate butter dish to accompany my gluten-free bread told me all I needed to know. Every allergen was catered for, nothing was sacrificed, and no cross-contamination was encountered, making it a restaurant I would confidently recommend for other coeliacs.
What followed our bread course was a medley of pleasantly light and luxuriously rich dishes, each one exquisitely crafted and perfectly complementing its successor. Fresh langoustine contrasted with crisp pigs head, simple crisped brassicas were elevated with a luxurious vin juane sauce, and fresh, fluffy turbot was promptly followed by a slither of succulent duck and an offal ragù. Each course also has the option to be paired with a wine chosen by the sommelier, however given that we had a full working day ahead of us, we decided better of it.
The desserts are made up of two courses, which we can say with certainty, should always be the case. The first is a refreshing rhubarb and lemon verbena, and the second a dark chocolate delice, leaving us with a taste of indulgence that lingered as we parted ways with the kind waiter, stepped out into the bright high street, and made our way back to reality.
