It’s hard to hide in London. Anyone who lives here will be painfully aware of the phenomenon which states that every time you leave the house, you will bump into someone you kind of know. Your college nemesis in the Holborn branch of Boots. The dull date you abandoned at the Chesham Arms just before the pandemic. The peculiar flatmate who collected empty cans of Tyskie, strolling by Moorfields Eye Hospital. London is crawling with casual acquaintances, and sometimes, it can be a bit of a slog.
Enter then, the diminutive Evelyn’s Table, potentially the smallest fine dining restaurant in town. Not unlike a gourmand’s take on Churchill's WWII bunker, you’ll find this tiny 12-seater tucked under The Blue Posts pub (aka the Posh Blue Posts) on the outskirts of Chinatown. It is, in other words, the perfect place to embark on your next scandal without fear of running into a single soul.
A gourmand’s take on Churchill's bunker, you’ll find this tiny 12-seater tucked under The Blue Posts pub (aka the Posh Blue Posts) on the outskirts of Chinatown.
The titular Evelyn isn’t, as I first assumed, Evelyn Waugh, who regularly wrote of local Soho debauch, but rather Faye Dunaway’s character in the moody 1974 movie Chinatown. That the film was set in the 1930s Chinatown of Los Angeles is, we assume, unimportant. What is important is that Evelyn’s Table feels so discreet that we might be breaking some kind of code by even discussing it. Thankfully, the cat has been out of the bag for some time.
Opening in 2018, it came to acclaim when the cheffing Selby Brothers, (Luke and Nathaniel and Theo) took over the kitchen in 2020, securing a Michelin star in the process. Since then the Selbys have scattered, and James Goodyear (formerly of another Michelin-star wonder, Ollie Dabbous's Hide) is now in charge, ushering in a new, cunningly elusive tasting menu.
James is all about celebrating British produce, and dressing it up using sleek Scandinavian and Japanese techniques, before presenting everything like a display garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. Bring a mate who’s a stickler for aesthetics, and watch them swoon in delight at miraculous micro greens and plates worthy of wall space at the Tate.
Happily, everything tastes as divine as it looks. There are five courses, with a couple of extra wildcards thrown in – a welcome addition, seeing as it’s £125 a head, with an extra £80 for the wine pairing. First was a succulent mound of confit trout, slaughtered ike jime style – which is apparently much less traumatic for the fish, but certainly doesn’t sound like it when James explains the method in detail. Served from a tray topped with a small forest of smoked pine, the pageantry was lowkey, but impressive, and a broth made of the sacrificial fish’s bones was poured ceremonially around the trout and the accompanying lovely little twists of pink turnip. Next came thick, indulgent slices of Iberico pork, before a standout serving of Scottish langoustine with creamy risotto and Barbie-sized bouquets of edible flowers.
A beauty of a bread course was even more intricate, topped with what looked like the fabric design for a Cath Kidston cushion, while the main event – some flawless Lake District venison – offered huge flavours, served with a side of stately home energy.
Hiding from the world has never been so satisfying.
The vibe A teeny basement bunker with a decadent tasting menu.
The food Seriously good British ingredients dolled up and ready for the culinary catwalk.
The drink Wine – and cider, and sake – pairings, which are delivered with high octane enthusiasm and the life stories of the winemakers.
Time Out tip Arrived early – or want to carry on the evening after dinner? Then pop into The Mulwray (another reference to Faye Dunaway’s Evelyn Mulwray) wine bar above the Blue Posts for a glass of something nice.