Bird of Smithfield

Bird of Smithfield Restaurant Review:

Alan Bird was the largely unsung hero of the kitchen at the Ivy and at the Soho House Group. Then he flew the coop and landed in this handsome five-floored Georgian building facing Smithfield Market. Take a light snack on the ground floor; chill out in the bar/club basement; or try the 1st floor restaurant where the chef produces British dining with a nice modern twist. The 2nd floor is for private dining, and the top floor is an open terrace. The well-thought-out menu includes the likes of herb and London gin-cured salmon with pickled cucumber, fennel and capers as a starter. Die-hard fans of the chef go for Alan’s Shepherd’s pie as a main; otherwise, try a deeply satisfying braised ox tongue, cheek and kidney pie, or an imaginative whole Brixham lemon sole with seaweed and shellfish butter. Desserts go a similar adventurous route; try the steamed chocolate pudding with Seville orange marmalade and vanilla custard, or stick to tradition with a Welsh rarebit. There’s a wide-ranging tea list as well with tasting notes to help you choose. At Saturday brunch a full English is just the thing to soak up the excesses of the end of the week drinks the night before. If you want more of a snack, peruse the bar menu.