Chef director David Taylor of two Michelin-starred Grace & Savour has opened a more relaxed offering on the other side of the restaurant’s kitchen garden and, as its name suggests, Kynd operates with a big heart and an even bigger conscience. The team works solely with British suppliers and uses produce from its neighbouring Victorian walled garden, but rather than a meticulous tasting menu, this rustic restaurant favours a more relaxed dining experience, serving bold, simple food that honours comfort just as much as flavour.
Where Grace & Savour is light, airy and neutral, Kynd is moodier – rugged, even – in its design, marrying exposed brick walls with patio-style flooring, low lighting and warm wooden elements. Outside, you can book a seat in one of its Victorian greenhouses, which twinkle with fairy lights when the night draws in and outdoor heaters and blankets keep guests warm during the later hours. Between the warm glow of the main restaurant and its romantic garden glasshouses, Kynd feels like a home-away-from-home.
The restaurant has only been open for five months when we visit, but has already established a set of firm menu fixtures. There’s a bronzed, spiralled potato fondant that gets carted out with every main dish, and a bubbling tipsy cake soaked in Welsh rum with a molten sugar glaze. These are generous, crowd-pleasing dishes that will easily win hearts, but the menu still leaves room for David’s trademark ingenuity. Sweet, Hebridean scallops are paired with lacto-fermented chilli honey and a fresh mint sauce, while blushing lamb rump with a fantastic glossy sauce is cleverly countered with green tomato oil and al dente spring vegetables.
The food here both soothes and surprises, and generosity runs through its veins. Three courses will leave you well-fed, although we recommend adding a couple of potato rostis to the bill, crowned with flaky crab, lemon verbena and the gentle hum of fresh chilli.
A selection of low-intervention wines, carbon negative beers and botanical cocktails garnished with herbs from the garden comprise a thoughtfully put together drinks list, and the whole experience is underpinned by friendly, relaxed staff. Kynd? It most certainly is.