The Ark, Notting Hill Gate

Eating out used to be one of my great delights.   I am sure I could diet very successfully if I ate out everyday - one can't sneak extra portions and snack - I always used to lose weight on holiday.

Yesterday in London we went to the Ark in Kensington Palace Terrace in Notting Hill Gate.

When I was a smallish child in the 1960s we used to walk past the Ark on our way to school, it was a small restaurant, with a rather temporary air, it had (I think) smoked glass windows, and a menu, handwritten, in the window.   I always liked the look of it and wanted to eat there.   We never ate out, except in Chinese restaurants - my parents went to Indian restaurants occasionally, and out with friends.   As children we began to eat out occasionally when we moved out of London - family treat meals at Berni Inns.  

Perhaps the Ark, with its mysterious menu and slightly closed off look then, began my intrigue with restaurants.  I don't think I particularly yearned for the food on offer then - stuff like avocados and prawns, pasta dishes, pates, soups - fairly standard 60's bistro stuff.

When I came back to London as a student - I found it mentioned in a book of cheap places to eat in London.  I can't remember when I first went there - probably about 1977-8.   At this time it was a very bohemian place, benches with cushions on them, wobbly tables, close proximity to the neighbours - very little space in the long galley like restaurant.  The food was a sort of Elizabeth David-y mix, still had advocadoes, and all the usual sort of main course, porc au pruneaux, and a selection of bistro puddings, mousse au chocolat and lemon sorbet, the food was basically comforting, but very well done, usually with a little extra twist of some kind.  I went there often, usually with Sue and Peter and Mike - all those friends I had through James, and later we went there with Anna and Robin - who are still my friends now.   It was our basic restaurant, the way Andrew Edmunds became in the 80s and 90s. 

I really liked the food there - so when I had the thought of going there yesterday, I was actually rather disappointed to discover it had become an Italian restaurant.  I know Italian food is fashionable - but there is plenty of it about - it didn't seem to be ethnically Italian - more a sort of Italian new cuisine - exquisitely thin slices of swordfish topped with a salad of marinaded fennel and capers - it was nice, but the bread that accompanied it was not in its first youth.... and the focaccia was not as good as mine (when is it?).

It was nice - although the grilled aubergine that accompanied the main course was undercooked - I was happy to eat there, but like so much in life it was not the restaurant I had once enjoyed.   There was a nice outside area - which was pleasant - and the interior had been done over, a sort of reddish purplish black feel - with huge mirrors at either end of the galley room.   Yes, it did make it look larger.  But I felt much sorrow for the restaurante experience I had had there in the past.

If I had stumbled upon it for the first time I would have been delighted, but as it was.... I wanted to go back to the Ark that I knew, and I can't.