Whether it’s the huge, sweeping horseshoe counter, the ever-so-carefully frayed grandad collar shirts, or the quiet solemnity of lunch, it’s clear even from the early going that Behind is a very specific sort of restaurant. Counter dining, tasting menu, Scandi-chic, high price tag. London has reached saturation point on the top end of this particular spectrum, so the question becomes, where should you go and spend your cash? Well, Behind is right at the front of the pack for our money.
That said, the setting might not suit everyone. As you walk in and pass through the curtain, Behind is a large, airy space that can feel a little sparse. The kitchen is completely open and staff regularly pass through the invisible border between front and back, delivering dishes. Chef patron Andy Beynon works the room throughout, visiting tables to deliver dishes and have a chat, and happily breaking out bottles of wine as though he’s just running a dinner party in his front room.
This could easily feel stuffy and tightly wound, but the team bring the energy back to a relaxing ground level. Meanwhile, the food is, at its upper ceiling, utterly brilliant. The menu sticks to the hyper-seasonal - a prerequisite at this level - but Beynon also avoids using any additional salt, preferring instead to maximise naturally occurring salt and umami in stocks, as well as salt water, shells, kelps and the like. Why? We’re not sure, except perhaps just to challenge himself even further. Nonetheless it’s mighty impressive, and it does sometimes result in a crystal clear clarity of flavour, as in an opening salvo of prawn tea that is made simply by gently reducing a rich prawn stock.
Dishes are precisely formulated, often coming with a specific instruction on the best way to eat them. Unless you’re a phenomenally seasoned diner, almost everything at Behind will be something of a discovery. Beynon is also a master of breaking down individual parts of ingredients for multiple dishes, for example a mackerel, which is served belly first with fresh apple and horseradish, before the fillet comes ceviche-style dressed in tiger milk. One fish, two very distinct dishes, both exceptional.
We could rattle on further about some of the superb cooking on display, but most of these dishes will likely be gone by the time you visit. Safe to say, there isn’t a dud in the house and for a restaurant to maintain the highest level of deliciousness and ingenuity is rare indeed. Superb on every level, and with a very reasonable lunch menu on offer, Behind should be on everyone's bucket list.