Last Updated on August 26, 2024
A mystery menu
Once a month, The Table Battersea Rise runs an Omakase “Mystery Menu” Night. Omakase is a Japanese word meaning “I’ll leave it up to you” or, in a restaurant setting, “I’ll trust the chef”. However, the four-course mystery tasting menus at The Table are in no way confined to Japanese cuisine and are instead designed to celebrate their chefs’ diverse cultural and culinary backgrounds. Part of the fun is the fact that you have no idea what type of cuisine you’re going to be eating until you’re sitting at your table and are presented with the menu. I like a mystery and love a tasting menu so was keen to go and try it out.
There has been a branch of The Table in Southwark for 17 years, offering relaxed brunch to evening dining. We went along on a sunny evening to the newer Battersea Rise branch where there’s an outdoor terrace as well as a spacious, light and airy indoor dining room.
Things started very well with two glasses of crisp, sweet, chilled Kir Royale – that joyous mix of sparkling wine and cassis. What’s more this welcome cocktail was included as part of the Omakase offering.
Our friendly waiter explained that previous Omakase evenings had so far included Indian, Italian and Thai and now it was time for the big reveal. This month’s menu was strictly based on home turf: A Taste of Britain.
Our tour round British cuisine began with the amuse bouche: a Beetroot and Victoria Plum Shot. This was at essence an infusion of deep earthy red flavours topped with a crispy beetroot tuile dotted with foams, herbs and beetroot cubes. With this dish, any fears of a Harvester-esque or school-dinner British dining experience were instantly dispelled.
We both enjoyed our well put together starter of Asparagus, Confit Egg Yolk and Hollandaise Sauce. My companion’s only complaint about this dish was that there wasn’t more of it.
Next, it was onto the main course and that British classic: Beef Wellington. At this point, vegetarians and anyone else who felt like it could diverge and choose the Veggie Wellington.
We both opted for the beef version, which was served pink, with delicious and well-seasoned mash plus colourful splashes of pureed vegetables (beetroot, carrot and onion) – a very satisfying plate of very British food.
My companion had two observations. One was that the dish brought to mind Jackson Pollock and the other was that you really had to like beetroot.
Perfect for a sunny evening in London, the surprise menu’s pudding was another typically British dish – a Summer Berries Eton Mess packed with super ripe fruit.
The Table’s Omakase meals are ideal for lovers of culinary surprises and tasting menus, plus there’s the joy of not having to choose. It’s also a perfect way of dining for anyone who ever looks wistfully across a table and wishes they had ordered whatever their friend is having – here you will be eating exactly the same thing. And I don’t think there is anything to stop the world’s more unadventurous eaters from joining their friends and dining from the known pleasures of the à la carte menu.
The Omakase Night is remarkably good value too at £35 per person for four courses and includes the welcome cocktail. The Table Battersea Rise’s next Omakase evening is coming up shortly on 28 August 2024.
35–37 Battersea Rise,
London SW11 1HG
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