May
26
Tags
LONDON EATERIES – Spoilt for Choice at KuPP, Paddington
Located in Paddington’s Merchant Square, one of the first things I noticed about KuPP was its enviable canal side seating – a luxury you’d expect from Venice, but not so much from London. Considering that it was also close to Paddington tube station, making travel simple, it already had two points in its favour before I even walked through the door!
And as we did, I was definitely not disappointed. Spacious and bustling with an after work crowd, an immediate atmosphere formed – this was definitely the place to be. We were greeted by a striking neon sign behind the bar and friendly staff who directed us to our table. Being slightly removed from the bar area (and seated by a wonderful large window) gave us a bit more peace but just as much atmosphere. It became immediate that it would be a great location not just for drinks and dinner, but also lunch, coffee or for holding meetings for those working in the area.
The decor was simple yet stylish with low hanging lights, colourful chairs and cool artwork. Somehow, everything managed to fit together and create something both modern and edgy. The high ceilings added to the feeling of space, and the tables were far away enough from each other so that there would be no squeezing past anyone to find toilets or head to the bar.
There was an awful feeling that no matter what we picked, we’d inevitably be missing out on something equally as tasty.
Being confronted with the menu turned out to be somewhat traumatic – but only because we couldn’t make a decision! It’s rare that everything on a menu appeals to me, but at KuPP it did. There was an awful feeling that no matter what we picked, we’d inevitably be missing out on something equally as tasty. Although they had a great selection of cocktails, we decided to go simple and ordered Sauvignon Blanc.
Our lovely waiter came to our rescue as we floundered over what to order, making a few recommendations. He was also kind enough to explain how certain dishes were made and informed us about the Scandinavian style of dining KuPP was hoping to promote. I have to say that the service was incredible. A number of staff members dropped by to say hello and ask if they could get us anything, which was much appreciated, and they all had a sense of humour – a definite plus!
Eventually for a starter, we ordered the smoked pork meatballs – smoked in-house, no less! They arrived quickly, presented beautifully with bread and sauce. The flavours were fantastic, so much so that we ended up fighting over who had the last meatball! Next time, we concluded, we’d have to order one each.
My pork Swede dog was equally as impressive, served with a drizzle of sweet mustard, pickled cabbage and gherkins.
The main course was perhaps the most mouth-watering. Although there was a huge range on the menu with salads, sandwiches and much more, we went for the Handmade Pork Swede Dog and the signature 8oz Beef Burger. Both came with skinny fries, and we opted to add Vasterbotten cheese as well. When the food arrived, the potions were incredibly generous – more than worth the reasonable price. The beef burger looked delicious, laid atop a lightly toasted bun with salad. My pork Swede dog was equally as impressive, served with a drizzle of sweet mustard, pickled cabbage and gherkins. It definitely put the hotdogs I’d eaten before to shame. After staring in awe for a moment, we tucked in. In both dishes the meat was of very high quality, and fantastically cooked. I found myself wishing I had a bigger appetite, as leaving anything uneaten seemed like a crime. Even when I had finally called it a day, I was unable to stop eating the skinny fries – they were just too moreish! Luckily, our waiter swooped in to give us the dessert menu.
The view from our table led straight to the canals, and as the sky darkened outside, it was a lovely way to end our evening.
While the dessert menu offered some delicious sounding treats served with different flavours of ice cream, we were both too stuffed to manage any of them. Instead, we took the suggestion of tea, picking out the peppermint for me and the red berry for my friend. As with everything else, it arrived speedily and tasted great. The view from our table led straight to the canals, and as the sky darkened outside, it was a lovely way to end our evening. As we left we had another chat with the amazingly personable staff, and went away extremely happy with the entire experience. With a beautiful building, helpful staff and the ability to remain a calm and pleasant place to eat despite it being very busy, KuPP proves that Scandinavian dining is the way forward – and I guarantee that you won’t ever be leaving hungry!
5 Merchant Square, Paddington, London W2 1AS
Heart London 5 * Review:
Décor 4
Food 5
Drinks 4
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Heart London Magazine, Guest Writer, Laura
Heart London Magazine 
Reblogged this on LondonBiz WordPress Blog.