New Restaurants
New Nightspots
| Name |
Address |
City |
Phone |
| Amuse Bouche |
51 Parson's Green Ln. |
London |
020-7371 8517 |
| Shed |
17-20 Ironmonger Ln. |
London |
020-7796 4991 |
| Tamesa@oxo |
Barge House St., 2nd fl. |
London |
020-7633 0888 |
| Village East |
171-173 Bermondsey St. |
London |
020-7357 6082 |
| Volstead |
9 Swallow St. |
London |
020-7287 1919 |
Coming Soon
Butcher & Grill
Dominic Ford, former director of restaurants and food retail at Harvey Nichols, is opening this new restaurant in the space that housed Café Rouge in Battersea (39 Park Gate Rd., SW11). The menu will specialize in grilled meats, and there will be an on-site butcher shop; scheduled to open in late June/early July.
Gilgamesh
Named for the ancient Babylonian king, this Camden Pan-Asian (Camden Stables Market, Chalk Farm Rd., NW1; 020-7482 5757) is set to open in June and will feature an open kitchen helmed by chef Ian Pengelley (ex e&o and Pengelley's), as well as a sake sommelier, a sushi bar and an oriental tearoom offering traditional Asian teas. The impressive setting will include a 40-ft.-high ceiling with a retractable roof, a lapis stone bar and hand-carved Babylonian scenes.
La Noisette
Chef Bjorn van der Horst (ex The Greenhouse) is partnering with Gordon Ramsay to open this French fine-dining restaurant in the former Pengelley's space in Knightsbridge (164 Sloane St.); the opening is scheduled for July 17th.
Good Deals and Other News
New Celebrity Chef Cookbooks
From preparation to presentation, Antony Worrall Thompson's Barbecues and Grilling (Kyle Cathie Publishers; £18.99) covers the basics, with valuable advice on cooking with gas and charcoal and a handy equipment review. The recipes – divided into chapters such as "On the Rack," "Skewers and Sticks" and "Veg Out" – hail from around the globe and include techniques for roasting, smoking, spit-roasting, baking and grilling. Meanwhile, Gordon Ramsay has just published his seventh cookbook, Gordon Ramsay's Sunday Lunch and Other Recipes from the F Word (Quadrille; £19.99), to coincide with the second series of the F Word television program. The book is divided into 25 menus that encourage cooking for friends and family, especially on Sundays; Ramsay will cook from the book at the "Taste of London" event listed above. Finally, Aldo Zilli is celebrating Zilli Fish's 10th birthday with the publication of his fourth book, Fish Cook (Jacqui Small; £16.99), containing 95 of Zilli's best fish recipes, plus tips to tell freshness.
The new Bluebird Epicerie (020-7559 1140), a continental-style gourmet traiteur, offers food and wine products including cupboard staples, prepared dishes, breads, cheeses, pâtés and fruits and vegetables. They will also pack hampers and picnic baskets ranging in price from £30–£100. Opening hours are 8 AM–8 PM Monday–Friday, 9 AM–7 PM on Saturday and 9 AM–5 PM on Sunday.
Bodeans
There is a new branch in Fulham at 4 Broadway Chambers, Fulham Broadway, SW6 (020-7610 0440).
The new ground-floor Martini Bar offers a monthly "Martini Masterclass" on the second Monday of each month. Barman Jeff Masson will teach a group of 30 how to mix, savour and appreciate the full range of martinis, from dirty to naked, Gibson to Churchill (time TBA; £12 per person, includes a martini from the 24-strong list; 020-7240 4222).
After 21 years of offering a set dinner menu, Sally Clarke has decided she is ready for a change. There is now a choice of dishes on her three- and four-course seasonal menus.
Is now open from 8 AM Monday–Saturday for breakfast. You can also shop in the Foodmarket at this earlier opening hour.
Owners (and brothers) Sam and Eddie Hart have just published their first cookbook, Modern Spanish Cooking (Quadrille Publishing; £20). The recipes explore the Spanish way of eating and drinking, from tapas to traditional entrees, and emphasize fresh, quality ingredients.
Salsa lessons are offered every Saturday afternoon between 4:30–5:30 PM. The in-house salsa expert will teach for an hour, after which you can enjoy a cocktail at the bar (£35 per person, includes the lesson and a cocktail; 020-7314 4000).
The 19 Swallow Street location has expanded into new, much larger premises at 25 Swallow Street, W1 (020-7734 4040), where a ground-floor wine boutique selling Argentinean wines, many exclusive to Gaucho, converts at night to a private dining area serving a wine-based set menu. There is also an adjoining wine bar featuring South American tapas dishes, a larger dining room and a supper lounge with live music. The original building will become an events venue.
New chef Marco Torre (ex Teca) is mixing Italian dishes into the Modern European menu at this eaterie, which is now more of a proper restaurant than a gastropub. The menu also boasts more affordable prices and recommended wines for each dish.
Sheraton Park Tower, home of One-O-One, has opened Café One-O-One adjacent to the restaurant. While the all-day outdoor cafe has operated during the summer months for the past three years, this is the first time that it will serve some lunch and dinner dishes from One-O-One.
Allan Pickett (ex Aurora) has replaced chef Andre Garrett, who has left to helm the kitchen at the new Galvin at Windows.
- Rowley's (Conduit St. location)