[Updated 31/10/12 with opening date and dining room details]
We've had it on our Coming Soon page for several months, but this week we heard more details about the upcoming Bo London from famed Hong Kong chef Alvin Leung.
The two Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong has been known for its challenging dishes like the infamous Sex on a Beach which featured such delights as an edible condom. It labels itself as X-treme Chinese cooking and the chef says "“I like to challenge people’s expectations, to surprise and excite them." Sex on a Beach will be available in London at an £8 supplement to the main menu, with all proceeds going directly to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
The UK menus do range from the quite affordable to the "I'll need to re-mortgage my house" which can be really seen in the dim sum menu which starts at £5.50 and goes up to £28 for a taro croquette and Osetra caviar or £15 for foie gras lettuce wrap with "abby’s" sauce. However, this is balanced out by the lunch menu at up to £35 for "2 dim sums, 1 main course plus dessert du jour" including Quail (beggar style, wolfberry, lotus leaf, yellow lentil) and Cod (sauternes saffron miso) although there's a healthy supplement for the above croquette too.
There are some very specific nods to the UK with his "Ode to Great Britain menu" - 12 courses for £98 - which includes things like Bed and Breakfast (smoked quail egg, crispy taro nest, caviar), a very literal Toad in the Hole (frog leg, bone marrow, lotus leaf), Steak and Kidney (Xiao long bao, avruga) and the intriguing dessert of "Strawberry Cream, & Chips".
The main attraction will be the fifteen course chef's menu at £138. witha few courses that should raise interest, including Bed and Breakfast (smoked quail eggs, crispy taro nest, caviar), Umami (dry shrimp oil, wild mushrooms, tomato, pappardelle) and Fried Condensed Milk (banana, “bai jiu” caramel) with the vegetarian equivalent including the lovely sounding Dead Garden (green onion lime, avocado, enoki, morel).
And finally - there's a promised appearance of "Sex on the beach" - the famed "edible used condom course" which will be served with a £8 supplement to the main menu, donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
The main dining area will be pretty small - seating just 32 guests. But there will also be an entrance bar seating 10 which will open with lunch service and serve selected dim sum throughout the day, and two private rooms - a chef's table for 8 and a private dining room for 20.
Bo London will open on 6 December 2012 on Mill Street in Mayfair. It will be open for lunch Monday–Friday from 12:00–15:00; for dinner Monday-Saturday from 19:00–23:00. Dim Sum available Monday to Friday 12:00-23:00; Saturday 19:00-23:00.
