Tom's Kitchen Chelsea

Context is crucial for Tom's Kitchen.  If you know chef Tom Aikens, that's certain to provide context for the sustainable, seasonal menu.  If you can navigate from the South Kensington tube station to the restaurant, winding through some of the quaintest and most luxurious homes in the world (let alone London) then you also have geographic and psychographic context.  If you're acquainted with crisp London mornings so icy the streets are quiet, then the warmth of the open kitchen and jovial servers might be the best context of all for comfort food.

Tom's is known for celebrity/sustainability/location and it's true, my own experience was very specific to the ingredients, address and atmosphere—but it's how personal and special it felt to me that was impressive.  If every restaurant I went to felt like coming home (and, you know, being treated like royalty) I guarantee cooking at home would be a lost art.  I ordered a smoked salmon eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce so lemony I ignored how rich it was.  The egg yolks were bright orange and it was a shame to break them!  I was insanely hungry for brunch at 2pm so I ordered thick-cut French fries and they might have been the best I've ever tasted.  Ketchup optional.