Kapara is big and bold, full of joy and exuberance. It serves as a wonderful reminder of the many good things about Israeli culture and constitutes a welcome addition to the London restaurant scene.
Fatt Pundit: Culinary crossover
Brits have a well-known love for both curry and Chinese cuisine. What happens then, when you mix the two? India and China share a border and so some crossover must be inevitable. There has also been a long history of migration, with the Hakka of Canton having moved to Kolkata, bringing along with them many of their cooking techniques. It is this vein that Fatt Pundit happily taps into. Others should follow.
The Devonshire: Welcome home
It was hard not to enter or leave the Devonshire without a broad smile. Open for only four weeks, it has become one of the hottest tickets in town. Even early on a Monday lunchtime, the front of house told us that she had already had to turn away six parties. Your reviewer felt justly smug, having booked when the Devonshire first opened. Two happy hours later, our group of three all left well sated and could comfortably have stayed for longer, had the real world not intervened.
Feng Shui Inn: Got much voice
Choosing a restaurant in London’s Chinatown is not for the faint-hearted. There are around 100 options within the space of just a few blocks. To the untrained eye, many look identical. Searching the Internet is may not help, since not all venues even have websites. Local knowledge can be advantageous. Feng Shui Inn was endorsed by a friend (whose family are also involved in the venture). It proved a worthy recommendation.
Baozilnn: No wow from the bao
Diners who come to London’s Chinatown do not lack for options. There are over 100 places to eat within walking of the district’s famous Gerrard Street Gate. Baozilnn is not one of the best. Admittedly its flagship restaurant is located in London Bridge, but its Soho sister falls flat. In offering too many different things, it fails in producing memorable food in any area.
Alex Dilling, Hotel Café Royal: Diligent delivery
Way back, in 2018, your reviewer and his dining comrade were privileged to eat at The Greenhouse. This was a gem of a restaurant that commanded two Michelin stars throughout its existence. Now sadly shuttered, that meal was particularly memorable owing to the quality of the cooking from a young chef named Alex Dilling. British born, but having trained in New York under Alain Ducasse and other luminaries, he seemed to be a talent to watch. It is now fitting that he fronts the recently opened new restaurant at the Hotel Café Royal. Within its first year, Dilling has again the award he deserves – two Michelin stars.
Zahter: What a lot of turkey
On paper, it all sounded so good: a Turkish chef who trained under Yotam Ottolenghi but built his own brand working at Soho House opens his first outlet in trendy Soho. No expense has been spent on the décor, with some beautiful tiling and a lavish bar with countertop dining. Nonetheless, you can’t buy atmosphere and neither the food nor the service quite hit the highs we were hoping for.
Speedboat: Thai-geist
How do you make a restaurant both cool and of its place? One simple answer is to involve the Sethi brothers. Their JKS Group is behind many of London’s perennially on-trend restaurants. Despite their Indian roots, the team has done it again, taking the former venue of Xu and turning it Thai. Our recent visit to Speedboat was a marked success; a happening vibe with some superb food to boot.
Ember Yard: Still smokin’
London restaurant goers have notoriously short attention spans and nowhere more so than in Soho. Barely a week seems to go by without some new venue opening in search of the next cool thing. The fact that Ember Yard has been going for almost a decade speaks to its success. Your reviewer’s first visit in seven years served as a reminder that if you have a winning formula, then don’t try and change it.
Bubala: Oh, my darling (or maybe not) – Soho edition
One of your reviewer’s favourite dining experiences of 2022 was a visit to the original Bubala, located on the Commercial Road in Shoreditch. I noted then that stepping inside was “almost as if one were in Tel Aviv.” Sadly Bubala’s second outlet, in Soho, did not quite replicate the same vibe. Like an upstart cheeky younger brother, Bubala Soho felt almost as if it was trying too hard. Sure, the food was once again lovely, the attitude less so.
Maresco: A Scottish-Spanish love affair
Portmanteaus are wonderful things. Take two words, combine them and you’ve created a brand new one, perhaps even a concept too. This is exactly what Scot Stephen Lironi has done at Maresco, a new Spanish venue in the heart of Soho. The clue is in the name: ‘mar’ in recognition of the sea and ‘esco’, from escocia, as in a homage to Scotland. Beyond mere gimmickry, Maresco is a place with serious culinary intentions.
Paradise: On the way there
Say the word paradise to most people and they envisage some sort of idyll. Think of it as an end point, or something we all strive towards. For any restaurateur to choose this term for their venue is a bold move. Culinary paradise for me would not specifically be an opportunity to dine at a small on-trend Sri Lankan venue in Soho, although there was much to like about this restaurant.
Arcade Food Hall: Lucky dip
Could Arcade be the future of modern dining experiences? Many would believe so. Go visit at any time of the day and Arcade is packed. Even with a capacity of 350 covers, booking on a week night evening has now become necessary. Far from the JKS Group (the backers of Trishna, Gymkhana, Brigadiers etc.) having over-extended themselves with Arcade, it is an exceptionally well-executed concept. There’s something for everyone.
Miznon: High on chutzpah
People love stories and there are no shortage of these at Miznon, a buzzy new Israeli street food venue in Soho. Take the humble pita bread. Eating it at Miznon, the luridly-hued menu tells the diner, is “about recreation, not assembling.” Something may, of course, have been lost in translation. Regardless, whatever else Miznon loses, it more than makes up for in terms of chutzpah, that wonderful Yiddish idea of extreme self-confidence and audacity.
Sucre: Hitting the right notes
The former home of the London College of Music’s concert hall now comprises the site of Sucre, one of last year’s hottest openings. The duo behind the venue launched the original Sucre in Buenos Aires where it became an instant hit. For Londoners, Sucre offers a hip take on the decadence of old-world Argentina.
Plaza Khao Gaeng: Top Thai taste
When it comes to restaurants it seems as if the JKS Group, pioneers of Gymkhana, Hoppers, Bao and many more, has a Midas touch. Despite their venues representing cuisines from a range of different Asian countries, there is no let up in quality. Each combines great food and ambience; a winning combination for sure, if you can achieve it. Plaza represents their take on Thai. It is very good.
Korean Dinner Party: Global mash-up
Imad’s Syrian Kitchen: Top story, top food
The eponymous Imad greeted us smiling on our arrival at his restaurant. He has every right to be happy. Not only is his restaurant a true success, but it also marks the culmination of a journey from Syria. Previously a restaurateur in Damascus, its capital, he was forced to leave during the recent war and eventually relocated to London where he was granted asylum. The opening of his restaurant was delayed owing to the pandemic, but with just over six months its belt now, the Syrian Kitchen is ticking along nicely
The Seafood Bar: Plenty of Fish
The London restaurant scene is a big sea in which to fish. Similar to the real world, only the fittest survive. The Seafood Bar is a laudable concept, but whether it will endure remains to be seen. The original venture opened nine years ago in Amsterdam when a local fishmonger turned restaurateur. Now, the chain is five strong, with the London outpost opening last month. There is certainly something very Dutch (or Scandinavian) about the venue…
Rum Kitchen: Cue commercialised Caribbean cooking
Everyone likes a party, right? Few come bigger than Carnival, a celebration of all things West Indian in London’s Notting Hill every August. It’s a great vibe and your reviewer, who lives locally, has been going on an off for the last two decades. What the Rum Kitchen offers is not a homage to Carnival – as their website might seem to suggest – but a commercialisation of the Caribbean experience. If it’s an informal party vibe you’re after at a competitive price, then Rum Kitchen is for you. However, diners hoping for authentic Caribbean food will be sorely disappointed.