The Silver Birch

The Silver Birch has been praised for its hidden gem status many times over the past year, with diners commending it for serving exceptional British cuisine in an understated yet refined setting. It’s been 12 months since our last visit and that status is still very much intact, although now that word has got out, we find ourselves seated in a distinctly busier dining room than a year ago.

If you were strolling past its navy-blue awning on Chiswick High Street, you could easily miss it, but The Silver Birch defies its modest outfit with cooking that would sit comfortably in any of London's best fine dining restaurants. Head chef Nathan Cornwell leads the kitchen, and his tasting menu clearly reflects his time spent at Michelin-starred The Barn at Moor Hall, cramming impeccable attention to detail and reems of skill into nine perfectly executed courses.

Nathan’s food is beautiful, and he puts effort into elevating each element to some degree, from a trio of dainty snacks served on a plinth of sunflower seeds, to verdant lovage butter decorated with delicate micro herbs. His meticulous eye also means that the overall structure of the menu is balanced – dishes are well placed. An intense celeriac broth heady with fragrant aniseed, earthy truffle and girolles, is followed by a clever take on roasted carrots, served with sprightly wild garlic, puffed pearl barley kernals and a mellow cheese sauce. Another highlight is a pearlescent fillet of poached cod immersed in a pretty split smoked roe sauce, and then there’s the finale: a gleaming chocolate delice of silky ganache, boozy soaked cherries and milk sorbet.

The team have been trained to offer a level of hospitality that goes one above your average neighbourhood restaurant. Staff are friendly and noticeably attentive, ensuring we feel looked after from the moment we walk through the door. Drinks are excellent, including a lip-smacking mocktail of ginger root, citrus, honey and egg white. The Silver Birch is the epitome of laid-back professionalism, but we’d still pitch it as a destination restaurant – one you plan, book and look forward to with gleeful anticipation.

In the last few years, London diners have witnessed the rise of local, neighbourhood joints that foster a sense of community. In well-heeled Chiswick, The Silver Birch is a local opening that has joined in on the action, setting up shop on the area’s bustling high street.

The Silver Birch serves up a string of modern European dishes as part of a menu which evolves with the seasons, while plates are crafted using ingredients that have been locally sourced where possible. With such an impressive commitment to fastidious pedigree, it should come as no surprise that the chef behind the food here is far from an amateur. Heading up the kitchen is Nathan Cornwell, who has previously worked at big hitters like Geranium in Copenhagen which has three Michelin stars and Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham which has been honoured with two Michelin stars.

Diners can start off with creations such as organic celeriac, Coolea cheese, hazelnut and celeriac broth or Devon smoked eel with Jersey Royals, chive and asparagus. Mains continue with the likes of Shetland cod with Swiss chard and chicken butter sauce, alongside lamb with wild garlic, glazed tongue, pickled cockles and sea herbs, and new season asparagus with pickled leeks.

To finish, guests can opt for a pear and brown sugar tart with gingerbread, brown butter chocolate delice, milk sorbet and caramelised white chocolate, or a summery dish of Gariguette strawberries, cream cheese and strawberry sorbet.

The dining room is a relaxed, pared-back space which exudes calm thanks to a mix of natural materials and unfinished textures. Olive green seating is complemented by the exposed brick and plaster walls, while a stream of dappled sunlight illuminates the room come afternoon. The Silver Birch also boasts a chef’s table which overlooks the open kitchen, if you would prefer a seat close to the action.