The right outlook at Byron

I’ve sometimes been struck when writing this review about a strange discrepancy in my views about London. The problem arises because my attitude about London is relentlessly positive, which puzzles everyone who thinks cynicism is etched into my DNA. OK, in many ways there is a lot I don’t like about London: the traffic and the stupid bendy buses, and the appalling new generation of bus drivers; the dirt and litter; the tourists making much of Victoria and Trafalgar Square impassable; Heathrow Airport (my T5 story sees Guy and I boarding the plane on time, only to wait for 70 minutes while they find a tug to reverse the plane, causing us to miss the rehearsal of our friends’ wedding – how hopeless is that?). And then there was Ken, who didn’t exactly help much, or make one proud of what should be London’s civic face to the world.

But at the same time, I’ve always been swept away with all that there is to praise about London, and that’s where the (well-hidden, I admit) optimistic side of me leaps out. The restaurants in London are one small but essential component of what makes it fun to live here, which is why writing this column is such a fantastic job. I have often thought how wonderful it would be if we could engage the vibrancy, the innovation, the business expertise and the sheer hard work that makes so many of our finest eating places the very best in the world, and unleash it on the elements in our capital that are failing.

Maybe our liberation from Ken’s tired, monochrome regime will be the spur to do just that.

Rather like the owner of a new restaurant, Boris is filled with passion and determination to succeed. Failure is not an option. He wants to make it happen, draw a crowd and, I predict, be very smart at tweaking what he’s offering his customers. There will be none of the silly ‘we’re listening now’ mantra that has spewed from the government these last few weeks, but a ruthless intuition about what people need. And so far, he’s assembling around him a gang who are not part of some giant client state, dependent on handouts and patronage, but actually personify the best of London. And, like a good local restaurant, his entire family seem to be joining in, too.

With these happy thoughts in my mind, and despite having spent a few days wondering how on earth I was going to find a way of dropping a few pounds before the summer started, I set about finding a restaurant that embodied these ebullient aspects of our new regime, and from where I could imagine Boris conducting the city’s affairs. What better than a burger, for which I had a craving anyway? Not any old burger, but what I had been told were the best burgers in London. Remembering that this recommendation came from an exceptionally thin fashion designer friend, I somehow managed to convince myself that a burger for lunch wouldn’t make me expand to post-LA Robbie Williams size.

Byron is a bit of a secret, despite its fantastic position at the entrance to Holland Park on Kensington High Street. If it’s trying to be shy, it shouldn’t. The food here is brilliant. They call them ‘proper burgers’ and that couldn’t be a more honest slogan. Made from grass-fed Aberdeen Angus, on a perfect soft bun, and with a great choice of cheese and other toppings (I went for gruyère and mushroom, my friend for Irish Cashel Blue and bacon), my greedy soul sang. We had chips and onion rings, too, which were both very good, although I have to confess we ate hardly any as the burgers were more than ample for lunch. Those fat Robbie photos kept haunting me (will he end up as huge as Elvis, do you think?).

Drinks arrived in frozen glasses, which was a nice touch. Indeed, the whole place seemed very well thought through, and it was great to have such attentive and friendly staff in what is really a very humble restaurant. Décor is simple – lots of white, a few charming plastic cows and a bright mural – with exceptionally comfortable chairs. Given the menu and location, it was no surprise that the place heaved with energy, enthusiasm and eternal optimism. And, yes, everyone there was beautiful.

Byron is the sort of place where new Londoners – Boris’s Londoners – will go. And if this restaurant is anything like the enterprise at City Hall, we can start feeling sunny about London again. Look out for a Byron opening in a neighbourhood near you.

Byron
222 Kensington High Street, W8 7RG