Fenchurch Restaurant, Sky Garden

"Our visit to Fenchurch will definitely go down as one of the highlights of the year. The Caribbean Tasting Menu inspired by chef Kerth Gumbs is fantastic. The service especially from our waitress Greta was excellent and the views over london from this stunning location are amazing. So yes I would highly recommend a visit. The restaurant itself is in the Fenchurch building which is in a great location and only a short walk from a variety of stations. You arrive at the reception where you pass through a quick security check before making your way round to the lift. From here you make your way up to the thirty fifth floor. This is where the Sky Garden is located. You then make your way round to another lift for the final two floors. As we exited the lift on the thirty seventh floor your at the reception to the restaurant. Here we were given the most delightful welcome before being escorted to our table. The first thing that hits you are the amazing views where you can see Wembley stadium and beyond as well as great views of the river thames and many of london’s famous landmarks. Once settled we then met our waitress Greta who I have to say is a credit to the industry. She presented us with the A La Carte and Tasting Menu’s that also included a wine pairing and a cocktail pairing. We both decided on the tasting menu as this is more Caribbean influenced and for myself I was very interested to try the cocktail pairing. We started with a drink while we enjoyed an amazing selection of snacks. These were Jerk Beef Tartare in a Prawn Cracker , Sweet Potato and Oregano , Mac n Cheese as well as Sourdough Bread with seeded lavroche , curried haddock and tomato butter. I can tell you now they were all delicious and you would have left happy if this is all you had. Now it was time for the first course. This was the famous Johnny Cake with pickled crab , scotch bonnet mayo , roe. The cocktail pairing was a Rhu-Tai (rhubarb , almond syrup , lime) all I can say is wow what a way to begin. The second course included a bit of theatre at the table. The Fungi and Salt Fish of octopus , gungo peas , okra , avocado and cornmeal arrives at the table as one. They then pour water over the dry ice. Once settled the dish is separated into two separate parts. The pairing was a Bush Tea (gin , lemongrass , green chartreuse). Next to arrive was the Roast Scallop with textures of cauliflower and roast chicken butter sauce where once again the flavour combinations were absolute heaven with the perfect amount of spice in each dish. This was paired with a Rum Soul (chamomile , rosemary , lemon) Now it was time for the main course of Aged Duck with tamarind , turnip , sorrel and accompanied with a duck patty. The cocktail was a punchy Brixton Rum Punch (tropical juices , spice rum , nutmeg) another amazing pairing. Our waitress Greta then asked if we would like a little break before desserts. It was during this time we received a nice surprise as out from the kitchen came Kerth to say hello and have a nice chat. He then said as a complimentary extra we could choose a dessert to share from a la carte menu. We decided to opt for the Seasonal Soufflé of Orange Marmalade with candied almonds and pistachio cake. Firstly though came the pre dessert of Soursop and pink peppercorn lollies with whiskey gummy bears. This was followed by the dessert of Chef Kerth Gumbs Conkie Dumpling Cake - sweet potato , caramelised white chocolate coconut and salted milk ice cream. The final pairing was a Fenchurch Cafe (coffee , tonka , white chocolate) just heaven. We finished with coffee and petit fours to bring to an end a fabulous dining experience. The Caribbean flavours and spicing were absolutely amazing , the cocktail pairings matched each course perfectly and the service from our waitress Greta was excellent. This is definitely a place I would recommend and now cannot wait to return to try the a la carte which is filled with a twist of classic british dishes. As we left we personally had the chance to thank Kerth for our amazing lunch. Thank You Kerth , Greta and all the team for a fantastic dining experience and look forward to seeing you all again soon."