Restaurant Review: Little Quiet, Clerkenwell in London

From lighthouses to urban rooftops, studios to warehouses, Disappearing Dining Club have been hosting great dinner parties since 2010. Nick Constance goes in search

The latest in a series of temporary dining rooms by the Disappearing Dining Club, Little Quiet is a cross between a supper club and going round to your (very talented) mate’s house for dinner.

Nestled in a Clerkenwell backstreet, in Central London, it’s the perfect spot for a foodie rendezvous; it’ll make you look terribly clued-up about London.

Little Quiet, Clerkenwell in London — Little Quiet is a tiny new restaurant, hidden away near Barbican

Tap the coordinates into your gizmo and you’ll be led to a dark doorway leading to an even darker dining room: low lighting, tranquil music, and shelves lined with books and ornamental curios are the order of the day. With seating for only 16, Little Quiet feels like the perfect place to plot the downfall of a dodgy government.

The kitchen is headed by flat-cap-wearing Swedish chef Fred Bolin, who overseas a tasteful Franco-Scandi menu, all of which is available as two, three or (heaven forbid) six courses.

His menu rotates frequently, but expect the likes of creamy White Bean Soup, (£7) or Salmon & Scallop Ceviche, (£9.50) for starters. The main event, meanwhile, offers saucy numbers such as Pan Fried Sea Trout with Herring Vinaigrette and crushed potatoe, (£17) or Roast Duck with warm Barley, Orange and Carrot. (£17)

The food was simple, yet sophisticated, and the service was heartfelt and unassuming. Don’t ask me how he manages ‘simple but sophisticated’, it just was. Decent wine list, too, with the likes of (whites) Chevassu-Fassenet 2013 (£45) and (reds) Cab Sauv Chateau Senejac 2012 (£55) respectively.

“Gorgeous” and “orgasmic” were just 2 of the words JJ used to describe the beautifully presented Chocolate Tart with Popcorn Ice cream. Safe to say it was dangerously moreish.

I, however, must have been living under the proverbial rock, as I didn’t know Popcorn Ice Cream was even a thing.

Befitting its moniker, Little Quiet leaves us in a quandary – to spread the word, or keep it hush-hush. Well, you know what George Orwell said? “If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”