Food Review: Canteen 310, Notting Hill, London

I might be the only person on earth who finds the River Cafe incredibly overrated: but Canteen 310 turned out to be everything I had hoped the River Cafe would be, and even better.

Canteen 310 is a walk-in only spot run by two former River Cafe chefs, Jessica Filbey and Harry Hills. Normally, that would be a red flag for me: walk-in only places often feel like they’re chasing hype, and I usually don’t have the time or patience for that. But my friend was visiting from abroad and really wanted to try it, so I gave in.

We arrived at 6:30pm and put our names down. The lovely hostess told us it would be about an hour wait, so we took a nice stroll along Portobello Road while we waited. Thankfully, the weather was perfect—had it been raining, I’m not sure what we would have done for a whole hour.

We ended up sitting at the counter, which I actually think is the best seat in the house—you get to watch the chefs working their magic up close. We were right in front of the pizza station, which only made us crave a pizza even more.

Here’s what we ordered:

Asparagus with Anchovy Butter - 10/10: Such a simple dish, yet executed to perfection: the asparagus were incredibly flavorful (a rare find in London, where good produce can be hard to come by), and the butter had a beautifully subtle anchovy taste that wasn’t overpowering at all.

Focaccia Bread - 10/10: This focaccia reminded me of the one at The River Cafe (the only thing I actually enjoyed there), but somehow, this one tasted even better!

Mozzarella & Marinated Peppers - 7/10: The mozzarella wasn’t overly rich, and the acidity of the peppers added a nice balance to the dish. While it wasn’t particularly memorable, there’s no denying the top-notch quality of both the mozzarella and the peppers.

Prosciutto & Melon - 8/10: Once again, the quality of both the prosciutto and the melon was outstanding: but it lacked a wow factor, so I wouldn’t order it again.

Onion & Ricotta Pizza: Ricotta - 9/10: Another outstanding dish: deceptively simple, yet full of delicate, subtle, and delicious flavours.

Pasta alla Nonna - 7/10: The pasta was lovely, but maybe it’s just the glutton in me:I found there weren’t enough pieces of aubergine, which would’ve really made a difference. I probably wouldn’t order it again.

The Famous Chocolate Mousse – 10/10: I’m incredibly picky when it comes to chocolate mousse: it so often misses the mark. But if I had to imagine the perfect mousse, this would be it. Everything was spot on: the flavour, the texture, and the flawless balance of sweet and savoury from the salt and olive oil. I’d return just to have another bite of that little slice of heaven.

Final Thoughts: The ingredients were top quality, and the changing menu keeps things exciting: but the food was so delicious, I really hope they keep some dishes so we can enjoy them again. I love when a menu is short; it usually means the food will be great, and in this case, it truly was.

Food overall: 9.5/10

Service: 10/10

Atmosphere: 10/10

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