Tucked away discreetly in a terrace just off the iconic King’s Road is The Five Fields (an allusion to how this part of Chelsea was known in the 18th century), which has just celebrated its tenth anniversary. And what a decade it has been for the restaurant, established by Taylor Bonnyman (whose illustrious career as a chef included the kitchens of Daniel and Corton in New York and alongside Pierre Gagnaire in Paris), and overseen by head chef Margeurite Keogh, an alumna of Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley and the Gordon Ramsay group. The restaurant boasts a sizeable Kitchen Garden based in the bucolic Sussex countryside, from which organic seasonal produce is provided exclusively for Five Fields. The restaurant has received numerous awards and plaudits, and has held a Michelin star since 2017.
A smart yet understated entrance opens into an elegantly decorated, duck-egg blue tiled dining room – an intimate space with just forty covers. The oval tables are well spaced and dressed with proper white linen tablecloths, chairs have comfortable cream-colored leather upholstery. The lunch format was a tasting menu only, priced at £95 per person, with a cheese course an optional extra at £18.
The meal commenced with a trio of canapés. Smoked salmon with crème fraiche was served inside a little tomato tuile, alongside a deliciously crisp and crunchy velvet crab tartlet and earthy onion consommé. Next came a deeply woody and rich celeriac velouté braised with pine, served inside a voluptuous bowl, which contained a single, perfectly poached oyster. The celeriac was creamy and had a wonderful depth of flavour. We soaked up every drop with crusty bread that was made on the premises.
The first formal course was a single, immaculately seared and dried scallop: served tight and clean with its pale white sides submerged in a carrot broth and its golden top crowned with eight little pieces of carrot cut so intricately that it looked like a miniature field of carrots. Texturally and in terms of flavor, this dish was a masterpiece. Next up was confit Dover Sole, wrapped inside slices of green and yellow courgette. The overlapping courgette was redolent of tuck shop confectionary and was visually stunning. The courgette sauce was the perfect accompaniment to the fish. Next came the main course: saddle of fallow deer with pumpkin and mushroom. There were two clever plays on the pumpkin: on the plate it was presented in a dehydrated spiral topped with five little spots of pumpkin mousse and pumpkin seeds (resembling mini mushrooms) and also separately in velouté form an egg cup topped with sautéed mushrooms. The textural contrast and cleverly contrasting presentation of the pumpkin and mushroom was quite something, but the star of the piece was without a doubt the four lozenge-shaped pieces of venison, which were superlatively cooked, had an unctuously rich flavor, and were as tender as soft butter. Little wonder that this was the standout dish: the restaurant sources its fallow deer from its estate adjacent to its Kitchen Garden, and it really is outstandingly good.
Preserved plum sorbet as a palate-cleansing pre-dessert was both surprisingly and delightfully served with grated dehydrated green tea and seaweed scattered atop. The slightly saline tanginess was a perfect chaser to the rich deer. This was immensely refreshing and experimental – a true testament to the culinary playfulness for which The Five Fields is renowned.
The apple tart was a somewhat more conventional pudding. It was magnificently done: poached and caramelized apple served inside a perfect pastry tart, with a generously decadent dollop of whipped cream served separately in a little bowl.
Service was flawless throughout: solicitous but never suffocating. There is meticulous attention to detail: I was wearing dark trousers, and upon arrival, my starched white napkin was swapped for a black one. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable – we had a particularly enjoyable time talking to Sebastien Pe, the charismatic restaurant manager – and the succession of dishes arrived at a steady pace. This was a memorably wonderful meal, with an interesting menu executed with considerable technical flair and a welcome dash of creativity.
The Five Fields Restaurant
8/9 Blacklands Terrace, London SW3 2SP
020 7838 1082
