We last reviewed The Star a year ago when new manager Duncan Watson-Steward (formerly at The Stag in South End Green) took over. Since then he’s been through a couple of head chefs with mixed results; back in spring, for example, we weren’t that impressed with a weekend lunch that missed the mark.
But we were curious to return when Duncan invited us to try The Star’s latest menu, created by new head chef Zach Preece (Kensington Place, The Chancery, Rose & Crown, Highgate).
A stuffy evening, drizzle in the air, we took a table in the corner: it’s such an easy space to relax in, with those high ceilings, wooden tables and tiling. And the food offering? Simple, clean, summery, perfect for a diet that has become a little too meat heavy of late. I know, I know.
We began with a zingy gazpacho, its creamy depth something special; it made me wonder why I’d never made one at home (as something of a wannabe soup expert). A salad of heritage tomatoes and dandelion wasn’t packed with the sweetness that summer should usher in, but deep fried marbles of bocconcini added a luxurious touch.
Meanwhile, unpotted trout (main pic), light and lovely, was a little fridge cold to reveal its earthier notes, but its accompanying sliver of seared fillet with “cucumber spaghetti” was nearly perfect. Trout two ways, if you like. Where’s the fish from, anyway? “A guy called Damien who supplies from Billingsgate.” Fair enough.
The mains were impressive: sea bream, sashimi-like in its clean finish, rubbed up to a fennel and cucumber salad, adding notes of aniseed, with salsa verde kicking things up a bit. But best of all was a pairing of crunchy bulgar wheat (boiled for a minute, then fried) with pink lamb and a cannelloni goats curd “cigar”, which chef Zach later explained he made using hoover parts. This unexpected partnership sang with textural juxtaposition: crisp, creamy and tender all at the same time, the meat from the excellent Barratt’s in England’s Lane.
To finish? Vanilla bavarois – tangy creamy light pear, with a really citrusy sorbet – and chocolate praline crunch with salted caramel (as usual, the ice cream is from Ruby Violet), both well portioned and sized. We drank Picpoul (a fiver a glass) and a decent French house red, £16.50 a bottle.
So is it back on track, this atmospheric room with relaxed service and ambitious food? We hope so. The crowd seemed a little older on this visit and, while nearly full, it didn’t quite have the buzz of some of the more central K-Town venues. (A swift drink afterwards at the Bull & Last – rowdily full at closing time – underlined the difference geography and a long-held reputation can make.)
But a quieter buzz is precisely the point of a true local. So, if you still haven’t discovered this outer corner of the neighbourhood, it’s well worth taking an evening stroll over there.
