Our visit to the Mall Tavern in Notting Hill began with a chaotic misunderstanding… it was a shame because I was instantly encouraged by the jolly atmosphere of this quirky, characterful pub. On a Thursday night the place was crowded and buzzing with punters enjoying an after work drink. The restaurant round the back was less full although lovers and friends soon filled the wooden benches.

This restaurant certainly breaks the conventions of the standard English local, offering dynamic, diverse dishes with a daring experimental twist. There was many a surprise during our visit. I had heard about the chef’s taster menu from a friend who raved about the genius of the recipes… and apparently this is what we would be receiving, there was no choice in the matter.

After some simple, strong and scrummy fruit martinis, it was time for the procession of food to begin… waiter after waitress after waiter arrived each with a tiny offering to add to our growing collection of dishes.

Starters reigned supreme… the best course by far. An array of eccentric little pots and plates each filled with a flavoursome treat… these included the finest ‘PGT Village’ smoked salmon, Funky beetroot, whipped goats’ cheese & hazelnut salad, Mushroom & Chestnut pate, Pierre’s Plethora of Posh Potted Pates & Pickles, fresh warm soda bread, Taramasalata, and Chicken liver mousse with pickled onions.

It was fireworks for the palate, my favourites being the pretty and punchy beetroot with creamy goats cheese and the delish Mushroom and Chestnut pate… I don’t even like mushrooms much but this was very good. The salmon and the chicken liver mousse also impressed us with healthy soda bread to dip and soak up the juices.

The retro menu is filled with familiar childhood classics like Chicken Kyiv and Macaroni cheese… comforting dishes that will please the public but also challenge their tastebuds. For main we were given the Kyiv and the Crispy duck egg, savoury bread pudding, radishes, turnips & tops. Perhaps not the dishes we would have chosen from the list, but nonetheless intriguing. I really enjoyed my Kyiv, though the portion was huge… a giant crispy ball of breadcrumbed chicken immaculately constructed and filled with hot garlicky butter, that I managed to squirt across the table, how predictable. Presented on a bed of crunchy vegetables and a potato hash brown it was a yummy meal. The duck egg was disappointing, very stodgy and less appealing visually too.

The puddings sounded exquisite but didn’t quite live up to the fancy names: we were given the Lemon meringue mess and the Arctic rolls. The Meringue dish was, as it stated on the menu, a mess… which was a shame as it was tasty, but the presentation was quite off-putting. The Arctic Rolls were incredibly imaginative, three flavours (vanilla, Fisherman’s Friend and pea) of homemade sponge and ice-cream. They were made with care and attention, but I just didn’t like the bizarre tastes, especially the pea. Glum faced, the manager asked if he could get us anything else, I jumped at the chance to try the hot Marshmallow pudding and he promptly retrieved one from the kitchen. This was much more promising, an array of chocolate, nuts and baby dollops of meringue (blow-torched at our table). Very sweet and very naughty but also great fun to share at the end of your meal.

The Mall Tavern gets top marks for invention and creativity… if you can, try to book the chef’s table in the kitchen. After meeting the mad head chef Jesse Dunford Wood (a Willy Wonka like character behind the stove), I am convinced the interactive dining experience in his kitchen would be exciting and delicious.

Visit the Mall Tavern website here for more information and to book.