Nothing quite sobers you up after a lovely drink at north London’s best new bar (Bar Gemišt) like seeing Wes Streeting’s cherubic mug on a billboard saying we have 1000 days to prepare for war. Baby boomers onwards have only really known peacetime on these shores but I suppose, in some ways, Covid was an amuse bouche for suspending liberties and reminding us of our mortality.
Oddly, this made me nostalgic about the pandemic half a decade ago (where does the time go?) and those brief pockets of joy we had between full-blown lockdowns. One such pocket of joy was a little ‘holiday’ on (what is now) the Mildmay Line to Richmond (a glacially slow but useful TfL connection… when it works); international travel was banned at the time but a sojourn to this quiet stretch of the Thames, and specifically The Dysart near Richmond Park and Petersham Woods, seemed just the ticket. It impressed in early autumn 2020 but would it live up to those memories in 2026?
Revisiting six years after first reviewing it, The Dysart hasn’t lost its charm; it remains one of the few restaurants where you feel every muscle relax, aided by soft lighting, cushions, generous table spacing and unobtrusive music. Really it hasn’t changed at all apart from a little inflation (four courses is now just under £100, but as we’ll come to, this is great value considering the quality of ingredients; this also includes sourdough focaccia, Parmesan shortbread and petits fours).
If our time on this planet is about to be cut even shorter, I’d like to spend as much of it as I can at The Dysart
Perhaps one notable change since 2020 has been an increase in critical acclaim, but the management wear their various accolades modestly: chef Kenneth Culhane was already a Roux scholar of course but has since become a member of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, he and managing director Barny Taylor are part of the prestigious Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe, the restaurant has three AA rosettes and they have retained a Michelin star since they were first awarded one just before Covid struck. They don’t shout about these though because nothing about The Dysart is brash (though I’d argue they are under-appreciated in fashion-focused social media, so maybe they can feel free to blow their trumpets a little more).
Segueing into autumn with a martini by a crackling fire and the aforementioned crumbly Parmesan shortbread, there was only one way to really get going with this meal: two of their staples that have been on the menu since the pub became a restaurant in 2014. First, charred bream with radish, ginger and Champagne for a little Franco-Asian fusion to start proceedings (inspired by Kenneth Culhane’s trip to Japan as part of the Roux scholarship). This delightful introductory act was light, subtle and refreshing, paired with a white Burgundy from Barny Taylor’s meticulously-prepared selection.
The ox tail with bone marrow risotto is another Dysart classic and if it’s on the menu it’s frankly a mandatory order. On paper it seems similar to the Milanese dish but to differentiate it from an osso buco there’s a little pickled chilli (Kenneth Culhane is known for playing with spice, also evidenced on this visit by a turmeric sauce Jacqueline to accompany steamed Cornish turbot or cumin caramel with the dark chocolate pavé). I didn’t try the risotto last time – a regret I can do nothing about – but I’m ruddy glad I did this time. This was unimprovable in every way: the yielding, gelatinous meat which had clearly been cooked for hours, the al dente texture of the risotto rice, umami off the charts, a little nutrient-rich Manni olive oil; a ‘primi’ dish for the ages.
Ox tail with bone marrow risotto
Kirkwood Farm lamb, courgettes, glazed carrot and sauce Périgueux
Caramelised apple with roasted yeast and bay leaf ice cream
Next, Kirkwood Farm lamb (served just à point) with courgettes from the garden, glazed carrot and sauce Périgueux. This was unabashedly Gallic in style, bathed in one of the most luxurious French sauces based on Madeira and demi-glace, heavily reduced yet never overpowering, while the truffle successfully negotiated that precarious tightrope between stealing the show and being a forgettable walk-on part. Overall, staggeringly delicious and as good as (if not better than) restaurants with more stars. And again, the wine department didn’t disappoint, a Douro at a standard mark-up complementing this well.
Cheese was tempting (noting that the supplement had only increased by 50p) but the caramelised apple caught my eye. It didn’t sound like it would amount to much (hence the test) but this was impressive pastry work, with a roasted yeast and bay leaf ice cream and crème anglaise for additional decadence, encased in an apple and walnut tuile for crunchy yet dainty contrast.
And just like before, service by all members of staff was professional and attentive; I have zero ‘notes’, only praise. Indeed, it’s always very impressive when servers remember details about your previous visit, especially when that was four Prime Ministers ago. (I know that Jeremy King et al have techniques to make guests feel ‘seen’ but let’s not ruin the magic – turning mere service into actual hospitality is what makes dining out such a joy, but very few places get this right.)
The Dysart sailed through this little check-up six years later with flying colours. In fact, I’m upgrading its score. If our time on this planet is about to be cut even shorter, I’d like to spend as much of it as I can at The Dysart.
135 Petersham Road
Richmond
TW10 7AA
November 2026
