Dello’s Kitchen, on Cockburn Street, had a very fresh feel to it, when I visited, the other day. Tables, in the brick, stone and wood interior, had that freshly sanded feel to them, and the whole place was bright and new.

Exterior

Until recently, the premises was occupied by the Sultan’s Kitchen. I’m not sure whether the retention of the “Kitchen” in the name means that ownership remains the same, and it’s just the focus of the cuisine that has changed. Whatever the case, the menu has a south Mediterranean influence, with Portugal the inspiration for many of the dishes.

I chose to start with their soup, which was carrot, then follow with a classic bacalhau (salt cod) a bras. I added an intriguing sounding non-alcoholic apple malt beer.

Apple beer

Service was a little confused to start, with the waitress asking if I was ready to order before bringing a menu, but this perhaps reflected that the place is equally welcoming to those popping for a coffee as it is for diners.

My apple beer arrived first and was rather good. It had a good level of apple flavour to it, without having that intense sweetness that sometimes makes your teeth feel they’re about to seek refuge from the onslaught somewhere away from their rightful home in your mouth.

Carrot soup

Carrot soup soon appeared and was good. It had a pleasing texture, but could have used more seasoning. Worthy of note was that it was served at the ideal temperature for eating, which is not something that’s consistently achieved. More often things are too hot, which is definitely the side on which to err, but it was good to see the kitchen hit the temperature mark so accurately, today.

The main course was similarly good, with the dish proving to be not dissimilar from kedgeree, with small potato batons replacing the rice. It was a nice dish, but again could have been improved with a little more salt added.

Salt cod

So overall, Dello’s Kitchen was very decent. I didn’t wow me, overly, but it served me two good dishes, in pleasant surroundings. If you have a sudden hankering for Portuguese food, do pop in here, as you’ll be nicely served.

Scores
Blythe scores Dello’s Kitchen
3.5/5 for food
3/5 for presentation
3.5/5 for setting
3/5 for service
giving an overall 13/20

Today’s quester was: Blythe

I ate: carrot soup; bacalhau a bras

I drank: apple beer (non-alcoholic)

I wore: blue and pink tie

Total bill: £13.95