Please note, Tom's Kitchen has now closed. Time Out Food editors, JANUARY 2020.
The cooking at this chic but relaxed Chelsea hangout can be exceptional. But there’s a catch: you need to know exactly what to order, because that’s what makes the difference between ‘yeah, fine’ and ‘holy shit that’s great’.
Here’s what to do: order off The Grill menu, or stick to one of the many meaty mains. Case in point: our juicy ‘Flintstones’-sized portion of grill-seared chateaubriand kicked the wimpy arse of the forgettable seafood starters (grilled jumbo prawns, Devonshire crab cake).
As plate after plate of burgers, chicken sandwiches and schnitzels whizzed passed our table, it became quite clear that everyone else already knew what we would soon learn: It’s all about the glorious meat.
Unfortunately, service was also laughably bad. Yes, we picked some bad dishes, but we certainly don’t remember ordering utter disdain, appalling apathy, and mistake after ludicrous mistake. It’s quite likely this was limited to our waitress, given how packed with regulars the place was.
So yes, Tom’s has potential. With a quick edit of the menu and some work on the service, it could go from very good to absolutely great.