Hidden away beneath South Kensington’s Ampersand Hotel you shall find Apero – a somewhat understated (but not underrated) venue focusing on Mediterranean influenced foods with fine dining touches. Is it worth the trip? We think so!…
Rating:
Cuisine:
Mediterranean fine dining
Appeals To:
Serious ‘restaurant people’ (‘fine diners?’) out on a limb in South Kensington, perhaps pre/post museum but certainly keen on something culinarily challenging (and not entirely Mediterranean…).
Those in search of interesting spaces. What kind of spaces? Dark, secluded, intimate underground spaces. Spaces for drinks and possible deviance. But probably just drinks, this is South Kensington, not Lewisham (…sorry Lewisham!). You could probably take someone on a date here and do quite well…
Anyone keen on the history and culture of the local area. You can learn stuff from the cocktail menu and, afterwards, take a look at some of the art that the hotel has managed to acquire.
In a Word
Graceful
What’s an ‘apero’ anyway?
Apero: it first opened back in 2012 and is French for ‘aperitif’. And it’s quite a find! It lives underneath the somewhat chic Ampersand Hotel (which has a five star, 19th century townhouse thing going on here and is owned by a mysterious, presumably wealthy, Russian).
The Ambiance
Apero is small (40 covers) – and built into a 19th century (Victorian) vault that forms the foundation of said hotel. As you can see, the cellar arches give it a slightly industrial look and, if you listen carefully, you can hear the rumbling of the tube, as it passes by/through nearby South Kensington station (or at least I think that’s the sound of the tube).
Despite its perhaps… stately location (this is MUSEUM TERRITORY), Apero itself is pretty laidback in terms of atmosphere and approach. Spanish tiling on the floor, plus semi-minimalist brick walls and filament lighting give the place an ambiance that feels a little closer to East London than Central-West London.
The place isn’t so big, but the nooks and crannies (this is a cellar after all) add a little mystery and privacy (should that be what you’re looking for…)
The Food
The menu is made for sharing, and has the undeniable influence of Mediterranean cuisine, plus a few fine dining touches. It’s definitely not…traditional Mediterranean, as you can probably see in the presentation. And yes, although the haute cuisine influences are noticeable here, at no point do you feel like you’ve just been checkmated by what is essentially beautiful, yet tiny/massively overpriced food.
It passed the ‘not hungry anymore’ test, and it did this …aesthetically.
The food (which is of this quality) is pretty reasonably priced too. The consensus seems to be that best value eating here is lunch: a 3 course ‘lunch special’ will set you back a mere £15.
Head chef, Chris Golding, has a track record that includes Nobu and Zuma. He is, apparently, also obsessed with beetroot (which is understandable).
The Drinks
As for the drinks – the wine list is almost entirely French and Italian, plus a few Spanish numbers (no complaints there). Pricing is pretty reasonable, with the most expensive (a Barolo) coming in at a ‘mere’ £54 (which ain’t so bad for Kensington!).
Additional fun fact: All the drinks on the cocktail menu are inspired by/created in honour of historic South Kensington residents….
What We Ate
‘Chef’s selection of Apero signature dishes’
Essentially a daily tasting menu. So daily that I couldn’t find
Roasted Padron peppers, chilli & garlic
Not entirely sure what this was…
Some kind of gravalax with beetroot
Focaccia, apple balsamic & olive oil
Nope, don’t know what this one’s called either…
Venison carpaccio, textures of winter cauliflower & Parmesan crisp
Cheese selection
Mysterious elegantly arranged dessert
Caruso & Minini – Frappato, Nerello Mascalese blend
‘The Rebel’
Diplomatico Reserva rum, Kamm & Sons British Aperitif, walnut & chocolate bitters topped with an absynthe chocolate twirl (…inspired by the movie debut of comedian Tony Hancock).
Made with one of my favourite rums, you can taste the underlying spirit, with some of the sharper alcoholic notes smoothed out by some subtle dark (not milk) chocolate flavours. Very easy to drink and very delicious indeed…
The Verdict
A sedate and cozy space that, when it comes to food, has found a strong concept and seems to do it very well.
Once you get your head around the idea of ‘fine dining food with a Mediterranean theme’, you’ve probably got your head around Apero. And, when it comes to food quality/novelty (and considering the local competition) – this place punches above its weight.
I’ve heard good things about the breakfast and brunch offering, so would like to return at some point and see if they can deliver on that as well!
Intrigued? It’s worth a visit…
