Upstairs at the Ten Bells

The Young Turks collective based round James Lowe and Isaac McHale worked together on a number of pop-ups before having a more sustained stint at The Ten Bells, a bustling boozer opposite Spitalfields market. The Ten Bells has been an active pub since the mid-18th century although it gained some notoriety through its association with a couple of Jack the Ripper’s victims.

The Young Turks have a glittering CV between them including stints at Tom Aikens, The Ledbury and St John Bread & Wine. After their first extended sojourn together, Isaac McHale has been leading the kitchen for the last few months and has recently announced a new venture called the Clove Club. Reviews had centred on interesting combinations of flavours so this seemed like an ideal place to check out.

As usual I was running late with no real idea where the venue was. As I rushed up Commercial Street there was a large crowd across the road but there was so little fanfare to the pub that it was only as I got close that it was obvious I’d found my destination.  Even then, it’s still not obvious where the restaurant is other than knowing you have to find some stairs (thanks to the clue in the name). I battled my way through the crowded pub trying to ensure that nobody’s pint was spilled as I went past and in the far corner found them. Stairs! Going up towards the increasing buzz you emerge into a fairly dark room illuminated by a mix of wall lamps and candles. Furniture is rough & ready and lone diners end up at the ends large tables intended for bigger groups rather than on small solo tables favoured by most places. 

The regularly changing menu is quite brief with the options restricted to four each of snacks, starters, mains and desserts. Even as a solo diner you get plenty of bread and the small brown sourdough loaf with accompanying butter was a pleasure.

First up from the snack portion of the menu were two poached rock oysters with Hendrick’s Botanicals and cucumber. The wonderful fresh oyster benefitted from the unusual combination with a quite strong juniper kick to the liquor. Addition of small croutons provided a nice crisp texture to contrast with the oyster. A lovely refreshing way to kick things off.

Next up was cured mackerel with speck, endive and pomegranate. The mackerel had a fairly mild flavour that luxuriantly rolled round your mouth long after each mouthful was gone. The caramelised endive made perfect sense with the sweetness of the cooking keeping the bitterness of the endive in check. The combination of the mackerel and ham was superb with the salty ham picking out the cured notes in the fish. This was an excellent way to serve the fish.

Roast partridge with parsnips, oats and pickled apples was the star of the night. Both the partridge breast and the leg with its crispy skin had wonderful depth of flavour elevated by the rich jus. Roast parsnip was a good partner but it was eclipsed by the lush parsnip purée. The apple was more spicy than vinegary but it gave a lovely refreshing balance to the gamey meat.

I went with the light option for dessert but it turned out to be another lovely dish. Roast quince with custard and ginger snaps was an elegant construction. The delicate custard and vaguely appley quince were a great combination and were the highlights of the dish. The ginger snaps had a mild spice that comfortingly lingered. 

Overall verdict.
This was an excellent meal in a venue that had a nice buzz to it. My only criticism was the subdued lighting because it seems such a shame to make it difficult to clearly see food this good .

Would I revisit Upstairs at The Ten Bells?
That largely depends on whether Isaac McHale is still cooking there next time i visit London. It’s much more likely that I will try and catch up with his residency at Clove Club or any other subsequent projects.


Overall Rating - 4.5/5