Bird of Smithfield abridged and in pictures

Bird

Move over "Dude Food", Modern British seems to be taking over the London restaurant landscape. With a glut of chefs seemingly moving on from the old school British institutions such as the Ivy and St John, we see them trying to reinvent themselves and embrace what they love most. This can only be a good thing. At Bird, an ex Soho House alumni, expect the best of British produce updated in it's elegant upstairs dining room.




Radicchio, chicory, whipped Barkham blue, candied walnuts


Loomswood Park duck, sweet potato, cherry and beetroot


Birthday Banoffee Sundaes

Settling on Bird for my birthday lunch with one of my oldest friends, we enjoyed some elegant to some frankly excellent dishes. A simple Barkham blue cheese salad was elevated with the bitter notes of radicchio and chicory, with a sweet crunch from the candied walnuts. Pig cheeks were sadly chewy and tough, although they were the one bum note from all we ordered. My duck with cherry and beetroot may well be one of the best dishes I have eaten this year. Earthy and sweet with lip-smackingly succulent duck. The child in us got secretly very excited at the mention of a banoffee sundae special, so two were immediately ordered and despatched.

The staff were absolutely delightful, although trying to get their attention in their strangely sectioned off dining room proved challenging at times. All being said, the £40 a head we paid (sans booze) was decent enough, and whilst not necessarily good value, it was definitely good eating. It was raining when we went, but if you're enjoying this pretty great weather we are having right now, they also have a great rooftop bar.

Bird of Smithfield - 26 Smithfield Street London EC1A 9LB