A SMART street corner in the heart of London’s Marylebone has just become a little more special thanks to the recent opening of A.O.K Kitchen on Dorset Street. Specialising in dishes free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar, London’s new must-be-seen-in restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can spend an entire evening in A.O.K Kitchen enjoying the stylish and buzzy ambiance of the spacious interior, or you can opt to dine alfresco, warmed by the huge outdoor heaters.
A.O.K Kitchen, Marylebone. Courtesy of: A.O.K Kitchen
At the helm of the restaurant is Greek chef Kostas Rampias, who was formerly the head chef at MoMo. His menu is inspired by the Mediterranean and Californian coastlines, where seasonally focused comfort food is combined with a healthy lifestyle. A.O.K has a separate bakery downstairs, selling the most sumptuous freshly baked loaves of bread and pastries, prepared by Sebastien Chiono, the former pastry chef from The Arts club. A.O.K’s décor includes hand-painted silk wallpaper and an imposing vine trawling across the entire ceiling, while the mirrored bar takes centre stage, surrounded by plush bar stools, the perfect spot for pre-dinner drinks and a nibble.
A.O.K Kitchen Interiors. Courtesy of: A.O.K Kitchen
I managed to finish off the whole basket of bread of airy sourdough and gluten-free fluffy French bread while sipping a glass of bubbly. The first plate to arrive was the roasted cauliflower on a bright maroon-coloured beetroot and caper base.
Roasted Cauliflower with Beetroot & Ravigote Dressing. Courtesy of: A.O.K Kitchen
The ravigote dressing added a Dijon punch to the creamy florets, which simply crumbled into bite-sized pieces to savor as my fork plunged in. Although there was a reasonable choice of mains including honey-roasted salmon with shimeji mushrooms and grilled baby chicken with pak choi and Medjool dates, I opted for a vegetarian main, my favourite comfort food, a plate of the feather-light and smoky tasting (thanks to the roasted aubergines that accompany the dish) homemade gnocchi.
Cheesecake with Rhubarb Topping. Courtesy of: A.O.K Kitchen
After a perfectly round cheesecake with a tart rhubarb topping finished off my dinner, I was left feeling comfortably full without any sense of over-indulgence, despite eating every morsel on each plate served.
by Amanda Bernstein
A.O.K Kitchen
52-55 Dorset Street
London
W7U 7NQ