What: Spiritland Royal Festival Hall
In a nutshell: South Bank gets a new all day eating and drinking spot
Summing it all up: Spiritland's new Festival Hall digs gives as much importance to what's playing and how it sounds as what's being served up. Oh and it's open very late too.
The low-down
As we discovered on a recent trip to the theatre there, if you're looking out for a good place to eat or drink on the South Bank you're not exactly spoilt for choice. So we're pleased to report of a promising-sounding new opening there.
Spiritland, which also has a venue in King's Cross, opened a huge 180 seat restaurant at the Royal Festival Hall fairly quietly a few weeks back. They've taken over a what used to be Canteen at the back of the hall with a restaurant and oyster bar.
They say they're putting on "a bold, international menu of sharing plates". The place is open all day so it's also going to be an easy place to pop in for a pre-show cocktail and bar snack. Dishes on the menu include:
- Carrot m’hanncha, spinach, pine nuts, raisin and oregano dressing
- Sweet and sour pork, octopus, pork belly, coconut, pomelo and ground rice
- Crab, prawns, jalapeño, crème fraîche, bonito
- Kimchi rosti, pulled pork, slaw and pickled chillies
- Aubergine, wild rice, black garlic, tofu, kale (below)
It does look rather beautiful in a 1970s modernist way - those leather curved booths are gorgeous. And, given Spiritland's passion for music, the music and sound is almost as important here as the food. So they've designed in wall panels and other pieces of ‘sonic architecture’ - all the better to hear the music out of the vintage Air Partner speakers from Living Voice.
We've endeavoured to create a space that combines a sense of intimacy with its own unique acoustic signature, a temple to music. Inspired by 1970's iconic talk show sets and landmark sound studios." Patrick Clayton-Malone, Creative Director of Spiritland
The place has a 2am licence so you'll find guest DJs playing their collections from Thursday through Saturday nights. They've also collaborated with Radio 4 broadcaster John Wilson for talks where special guests recount their life stories through music.
More about Spiritland Royal Festival Hall
Where is it? Belvedere Road, Southbank Centre, London SE1 8XX
When does it open? Open now.
How to book: Email receptionrfh@spiritland.com or call 020 3146 1982
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @spiritland
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