An evening of fondue at Bodo’s Schloss in Kensington

Bodo’s Schloss, a restaurant, bar and disco reminiscent of an Austrian alpine lodge, opened late last year and became an instant hit with the Chelsea set. For them and personalities such as Cameron Diaz and Gwyneth Paltrow, in fact, it’s rather like a little slice of Lech and Zürs has come to London.

 

Continue the thread

Two stories to keep beside you

Five of the Best – The Royal Borough’s Best Restaurants – Matthew Steeples highlights five stalwart restaurants for your Rolodex in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, SW1, SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 – The Chelsea Corner, No. Fifty Cheyne, Giovanni Ristorante, Granger & Co. Chelsea, Riccardo’s
The same people in the Steeple archive

Five of the Best – The Royal Borough’s Best Restaurants

Matthew Steeples highlights five stalwart restaurants for your Rolodex in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea The Chelsea Corner 451 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9UZ; +44 (0) 20 3055 0088 The Chelsea Corner replaced the ‘no frills’ Chelsea Kitchen in August 2018 and occupies what was originally a public house. Managed by the most […]

Five of the Worst – London Bars and Restaurants – Matthew Steeples takes a look at where you might want to not go if you wish to avoid bad service, hygiene disasters and vile customers.
From the same Steeple territory

Five of the Worst – London Bars and Restaurants

Matthew Steeples takes a look at where you might want to not go if you wish to avoid bad service, hygiene disasters and vile customers Baglioni Hotel London – 60 Hyde Park Gate, Kensington, SW7 5BB The bar at the Baglioni Hotel serves gin and tonics. They don’t actually know how to serve gin and […]

The entrance to Bodo's Schloss is next to the gates to the driveway to Kensington Palace and underneath The Royal Garden Hotel
The entrance to Bodo’s Schloss is next to the gates to the driveway to Kensington Palace and underneath The Royal Garden Hotel
Advertisement
The restaurant and bar area is decorated in the style of a traditional alpine lodge
The restaurant and bar area is decorated in the style of a traditional alpine lodge
The DJ booth in the club area is housed in a vintage gondola
The DJ booth in the club area is housed in a vintage gondola

Occupying the space of the former casino to the Royal Garden Hotel, this Kensington venue is terribly convenient for Prince Harry, a close friend of the owners, Tom Inskip and Thomas van Straubenzee, especially since there’s even a back door providing discreet access to Kensington Palace. As a result, the red-headed royal need not be troubled by the paps on a night out here and a couple of weeks ago he was at Bodo’s Schloss partying with Ashley Roberts of Pussycat Doll fame.

Advertisement
Monday night is fondue night at Bodo's Schloss
Monday night is fondue night at Bodo’s Schloss
A jolly group
A jolly group

Monday is normally a night when most Sloanes stay in to recover from a weekend of excess, but at Bodo’s Schloss they’ve decided to up the ante by serving fondue each week from 5pm. Last week, I was lucky enough to be amongst the first to try this out when I went, accompanied by the undisputed “King of Macaron” Jean-Hervé Nedelec, for supper with the most amiable Francisco Gomes, who is part of the team marketing the venue. The place was packed and joined by four delightful ladies, we enjoyed a great evening discussing everything from one of the best selling books ever written, Heidi, to the story of Baroness Maria Augusta von Trapp and the Trapp Family Singers.

Advertisement

On offer is an excellent triple cheese fondue with sour dough bread and vegetable crudités at £17 per person; a meat fondue at £18.50 per person of beef filet, chicken and Frankfurters served with a vegetable bouillon and dipping sauces and finally a milk chocolate fondue with a shot of rum and fresh fruits at £19.50 per person.

The portions, which are perfect for sharing, are generous and one of each was more than enough for our entire party. To accompany, we sampled some excellent wines from a primarily Austrian dominated wine list that ranges from £17 a bottle for an Aguila Real Viura Chardonnay through to £75 a bottle of K+K Kirnbauer ‘Das Phantom’. A truly good time was had by all.

You need never have a mundane Monday again. Head to Bodo’s Schloss and make Heidi proud.

Advertisement

Bodo’s Schloss, 2a Kensington High Street, London, W8 4RE. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7937 5506. Website: http://www.bodosschloss.com

Follow Bodo’s Schloss on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/BodosSchloss