Last week I was invited to go to the London Secret Garden, to dine in their exclusive pods and try the new tasting menu. I was feeling generous, so turned it into a date night and I took my bald other half with me. The location is a short walk from Gloucester Road tube, so for those that are not that familiar with London-it’s easy to get to.
We were greeted by the friendly staff who led us through to the foyer. The foyer is outside covered by a canopy, filled with heaters, tables, faux fur throws and blankets. We were then met by the five lit up pods which look so beautiful, especially with the backdrop of the old church. It was so still and almost had a whimsical feel that would make you forget you are in Central London. Each pod is named after a musical icon, ours was Aretha Franklin and I grew up listening to her with my family so thought it was quite the ideal choice.
Walking into London Secret Garden, the pod is heated (ideal on a winters night!) and there are more faux fur rugs to cuddle into should we need. The décor inside the pod is simple, delicate and elegant. I also really liked the cutlery, is that a strange thing to comment on? There are two choices when it comes to the Pan Asian tasting menus, a four course and a five course, we choose the latter (no judgement please). It’s then on to choosing the drinks and there is a long and varied cocktail list, which I always love to see. We chose an Espresso Martini and some sort of Spritz, (for the life of me I cannot remember the name-sorry) they both looked and tasted fantastic.
The starters all came out at once (which we were told when we first ordered). This could be slightly overwhelming for some, but I am in my element seeing an array of dishes come my way accompanied by all the delightful smells. The Miso soup was delicious, I know Miso is a simple dish, but it was the tastiest one I have had for a long time. The chicken satay, salt and pepper squid and unami mixed vegetables were our favourites for the starters, all tasty and generous portion sizes. We were given plenty of time to enjoy the dishes and we didn’t feel rushed at all, we were checked on to ensure everything was OK, (which it was) and continued at our own pace.
I was slightly apprehensive for the mains to come out as I felt pretty full from the starters, but we ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and I was able to power through!
The star of the show for the main courses was the coconut prawns; creamy, spicy with an abundance of juicy prawns. This paired nicely with the Jasmine rice, I think I would have been happy with a bowl of that to myself.
For a tasting menu the portions are very large, and I know I am someone who loves my food but when the main courses came, they could have fed 4-5 people easily, so that is something to think about.
For dessert we are treated to an array of cakes, fresh fruit and green tea. After a large dinner a cup of green tea goes down very well. The cakes are delicate and colourful with different flavours from; pistachio, strawberry and chocolate to name a few. It was hard to choose a favourite as they were all very scrumptious.
All in all we had a great time at London Secret Garden. Although I felt naming each pod after a musical icon has no relevance to the experience. When we arrived, they explained that music can’t be played because the garden is by a church and is next door to the nunnery. Each pod has a picture of its namesake outside of it, followed by two pictures inside and on the cover of the menu and that’s it. I don’t know if it’s different during the day but you wouldn’t know the difference of being in Aretha Franklin’s to George Michael’s pod. I think the whole experience is special enough without that gimmick, that’s all.
For me and my baldie, it was an ideal setting for a date night in London, it was romantic, picturesque, and the privacy to really talk to each other. Then again we saw a group of women celebrating a milestone birthday who seemed to be having a good laugh, so it is definitely suitable for different occasion’s. It’s a lovely experience and you won’t be leaving hungry!
A northern girl living in London. Love trying new restaurants and bars and a self confessed Musical Theatre Geek. Determined to see as much of the world as I can whilst meeting every dog along the way.
