REVIEW: The Keeper's House
There is only one thing more satisfying than discovering a hidden gem: discovering a hidden gem with a buzzing atmosphere. You have the feeling of being accidentally yet instantly cooler.
This very sensation occurs when wandering in to The Keeper's House. Tucked into the northeast corner of the Royal Academy, you have to wander across the cobbles, down an unremarkable staircase, twizzle round the corner, and only then are you are hit with the thrilling sound of cocktails being made.
Comprising the seductive Shenkman Bar, a secret garden-esque terrace area and the small and moodily lit restaurant, this is a place where anecdotes are both made and told. It's an eclectic crowd: artfully-dressed hip young things rub shoulders with companionable couples, while well-heeled types sit having sparky conversation. The common denominator is that they all appear to be having a jolly good time, no doubt lubricated by the Shenkman Bar's fantastic selection of cocktails. The Shenkman Red - a sweet and heady concoction - is certainly worth a try. The bartenders are happy to whip anything you might fancy, and for those with more simple tastes, I can attest that their vodka martini is spot on.
After a couple of drinks, diners can drift languorously in to the dining room area. In contract to the red-hued bar, this is more traditional, with white table cloths, weighty cutlery and plush cream leather seats. Like the bar, however, the wine selection is ample with plenty of bottles to try by the glass.
When it comes to food, the menu is not enormous (there are five starters, three fish/vegetarian mains and three meaty mains on offer) but the dishes are individual enough to cater to every taste. Warm, freshly baked bread kicked off the repast, swiftly followed by our starters of an autumn salad of fig and beetroot, and a game terrine. The former was fresh and sweet while the latter was rich and hearty. Both were delectable. Service - topping up of water and wine, enquiries as to whether we wanted more bread (definitely) - was attentive but unobtrusive.
The mains of roasted red pepper with ricotta cheese and seared fillet of venison were simply done yet perfectly executed. This is the sort of place where portions are not enormous, but the quality means that you are left happily satiated (and thus unfazed by the £20-25 entrée price tag). Interestingly, the dessert selection is the biggest, with half a dozen saccharine creations on offer. The chocolate choice (fondant) hit the mark, although it wasn't especially enhanced by the side of Malibu sorbet. The cheese board was the largest portion of the night, with four generous slices to sample, plus a hefty dollop of quince jelly.
Remarkably full, wonderfully relaxed, and still buzzing from your stroke of genius in finding the place, this is definitely the place to while away the rest of your evening. There's always another cocktail to try...
www.keepershouse.org.uk
This very sensation occurs when wandering in to The Keeper's House. Tucked into the northeast corner of the Royal Academy, you have to wander across the cobbles, down an unremarkable staircase, twizzle round the corner, and only then are you are hit with the thrilling sound of cocktails being made.
Comprising the seductive Shenkman Bar, a secret garden-esque terrace area and the small and moodily lit restaurant, this is a place where anecdotes are both made and told. It's an eclectic crowd: artfully-dressed hip young things rub shoulders with companionable couples, while well-heeled types sit having sparky conversation. The common denominator is that they all appear to be having a jolly good time, no doubt lubricated by the Shenkman Bar's fantastic selection of cocktails. The Shenkman Red - a sweet and heady concoction - is certainly worth a try. The bartenders are happy to whip anything you might fancy, and for those with more simple tastes, I can attest that their vodka martini is spot on.
After a couple of drinks, diners can drift languorously in to the dining room area. In contract to the red-hued bar, this is more traditional, with white table cloths, weighty cutlery and plush cream leather seats. Like the bar, however, the wine selection is ample with plenty of bottles to try by the glass.
When it comes to food, the menu is not enormous (there are five starters, three fish/vegetarian mains and three meaty mains on offer) but the dishes are individual enough to cater to every taste. Warm, freshly baked bread kicked off the repast, swiftly followed by our starters of an autumn salad of fig and beetroot, and a game terrine. The former was fresh and sweet while the latter was rich and hearty. Both were delectable. Service - topping up of water and wine, enquiries as to whether we wanted more bread (definitely) - was attentive but unobtrusive.
The mains of roasted red pepper with ricotta cheese and seared fillet of venison were simply done yet perfectly executed. This is the sort of place where portions are not enormous, but the quality means that you are left happily satiated (and thus unfazed by the £20-25 entrée price tag). Interestingly, the dessert selection is the biggest, with half a dozen saccharine creations on offer. The chocolate choice (fondant) hit the mark, although it wasn't especially enhanced by the side of Malibu sorbet. The cheese board was the largest portion of the night, with four generous slices to sample, plus a hefty dollop of quince jelly.
Remarkably full, wonderfully relaxed, and still buzzing from your stroke of genius in finding the place, this is definitely the place to while away the rest of your evening. There's always another cocktail to try...
www.keepershouse.org.uk