Bush Hall Dining Rooms - OPENS TODAY

Bush Blog Editor Nathalie Bristow gives us the lowdown on the latest addition to the Bush's eateries:

If you have lived in the Bush for more than 5 years you have lived through the Uxbridge Road culinary revolution. Cast your mind back to W12 pre-Princess Victoria, Hummingbird Café, the Adelaide revamp and the Bush Theatre’s new Café Bar in the old Library. It was slim pickins’ unless you fancied a kebab (albeit the best kebab cuisine has to offer with King Solomans, Naama and Mr Falafal). Abu-Zahd, Esarn Kheaw, Patio and the Albertine will always have a special place in our hearts as the steadfast old-timers – the restaurants who invested in W12 long before all these new comers but there is something very exciting about what is happening for good food and drink lovers – new places are opening all over the place…

TONIGHT Bush Hall Dining rooms opens! Listen. I so wanted this new eating and drinking place to be great. Not just because Bush Hall is great and the owners Charlie and Emma are local heroes but because I like to eat and drink well. Having blogged here about it a while back I have been stopped in the street with people demanding answers, ”It does look great but… what’s the menu like? Is it expensive?” But I had no reply until yesterday I went with the Bush Theatre team to find out.

Listen. I’m no real food critic or nuffink so is it ok for me just to say that is really, really good. Really good. It’s really good.

Mel, who raises all the money for the wonderful Bush, nodded in satisfaction as she wolfed it down in a lady-like manner. The really good Burger signed her up as a Bush Hall Dining supporter. General Manager Deborah issued a statement that the steak was really good- exactly what a steak should be and the chip were… more than really good. Excellent fat chips. The fact that the Bush Hall Dining Rooms can satisfy Deborahs checklist is a really good sign in my book.

Sophie is famously fussy about food and I was anxious for her Tuna and puy lentils verdict. I needn’t have been. “It’s really, really good”, came her considered reply. She may just have been in a hurry as she’s the one who markets all the shows and she has quite a lot on her hands at the moment (she also insists that I remind you all to book tickets for Josephine & I to avoid the stress of not getting a ticket. Disgraced completely sold out so fast people were upset to miss it).

We were out for lunch not only to check out the Bush Hall Dining Rooms but to say goodbye to the lovely Meg and we toasted her new job with the house white (yes, really good). Now she is an emotional sort so all I got out of her about her cheeseburger was, “It’s all really, really good but I can’t believe it’s opened just as am leaving!”

And my lunch? Well, dear readers, I am terribly fussy about menus. The layout, spelling mistakes, nonsense descriptions, pretentious ingredients, I love to criticise it all. But I had nothing to say bad about this one. The menu is simple, and the talented Nina’s funny parlour games on the back are a great touch. I, for once, was happy to have anything so Head Chef Tim read my mind and sent me out a peach and mozzarella salad which was exactly what I wanted to eat. He’s really, really, really good.

Handsome Nick, the restaurant manager, acts like it’s been opened for years and looks like he is going to relish opening the latest W12 eating hub. They are even doing a pre-gig (“And theatre!” pipes in George) menu with last orders at 10pm which is going to be really good.

I could go on but I won’t. I’ve said it’s really, really, really good, several times. I’ve had the Bush Theatre team verdict and you don’t have time to read any more. It opens tonight. Quick book a table at eat@bushhalldining.co.uk .

And is it expensive? Not really. It’s priced just right.

And the W12 culinary revolution continues with…

COMING UP NEXT - The Oak opens on that funny roundabout by Ravenscourt Park… will that be really good too? I’ll let you know soon.

@minofprojects

If you have any other W12 new business or foodie news email me at info@ministryofprojects.co.uk