Pomona’s: A dose of California sunshine in Notting Hill
It was late last year when California-inspired Pomona’s launched onto Notting Hill’s restaurant scene, bringing with it a much-needed dose of bright US sunshine.
In fact, there’s not a thing about it that’s not bright. From the mismatched chairs in lucid pink, yellow, green and blue, to the wide windows that let the sun in, and the perky-flavoured dishes which sing with citrus, ginger, wasabi and coriander.
The day kicks off with brunch of a weekend and runs right through to dinner all week long, when cured meats, oysters and large meat dishes rub shoulders with salads and small plates.
Given the range, it’s wise to let the smaller plates dominate, as it allows you to absorb all the more of those flavours.
Highlights include a zingy steak tartare laced with shredded kimchi and served with lardo toast, and wonderfully smoky-scented charred squid that comes with punchy salsa verde and lentils made delicious through being cooked in a rich stock.
The mention of sweet potato toast — that’s slices of sweet potato piled with toppings (and sometimes cooked in an actual toaster — brings to mind drab diet food. But not here. It comes with avocado, a lemon, garlic and coriander gremolata, and a coconut labneh and is searingly fresh and feisty.
Thanfully, there’s no whiff of a diet where pudding is concerned. You won’t regret choosing the caramelised croissant and prune pie with lashings of crème anglaise. And prunes are healthy, right?
To wash it all down, choose from a selection of mainly European and Californian wines, starting at £22 a bottle, a short but interesting range of international beers, or cocktails including a twist on a margarita made with blood orange and cinnamon salt.
It works, and so does Pomona’s. In fact, given how bright and feel-good a place it is, perhaps intermittent wintertime meals ought to come on prescription.
Pomona’s: The lowdown
Final flavour: Sunny small plates in bright surrounds.
At what cost? Small dishes start at £7, large at £16 and puddings at £5.
Visit if you like: Salt & Honey, Dickie Fitz, The Shed.
Find it: 47 Hereford Road, W2 5AH; pomonas.co.uk.
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