As part of both Frieze and the London Restaurant Festival, Pret a Diner aims to scratch both itches by offering a Michelin Star pop-up in the heart of a winding maze of artwork and film in the Old Vic Tunnels.
Hot Dinners was invited along to check out the unveiling of the concept. It's a collaboration between Soho street art specialists the Lazarides Galleries and Kofler and Kompanie, a German based catering company whose Pret A Diner concept specialises in flashy and eye-catching events in unusual spaces. Previous projects from them have included a six week sell-out dining event at a Berlin coin mint, and a ‘tree house’ concept pop-up in a Frankfurter skyscraper.
Inspired by the winding cavernous spaces of the Old Vic Tunnels, The Minotaur brings together street art and fine dining under one railway arch. Lazarides affiliated artists have put together work inspired by the classic myth, but it’s Pret a Diner that has been making waves. The high prices (£75 per head) haven’t put off those looking for a taste of decadence; the restaurant is booked solid until closing night.
A rotating line-up of chefs will be presiding over the dining room, including king of the high-scale pop-up Nuno Mendes and three Michelin-approved German-based chefs Juan Amador, Matthias Schmidt and Ollysan. Teasingly enough, menus are still officially under wraps – however, we got a sneak peek of Ollysan’s lineup, the sushi chef amongst the bunch.
Ollysan’s menu focused on fresh sushi with some elegant twists – a hollowed out lime filled with roe was a great touch – and, fittingly enough for a tribute to a bloodthirsty beast, a triple star filet with teriyaki shiitake. For dessert we tried out a coconut marshmallow rolled in seaweed salt and a chocolate truffle with mushrooms swimming in white chocolate. The artistic setting demands some fireworks on the plate – this is no place for steak and chips – and Ollysan played the role of understated showman well.
We can’t wait to see how Nuno bends his eclectic dishes to fit the occasion, but one thing is clear – this really isn’t just about the food. The candle-lit grand sweeping dining hall, strewn with champagne bottles and skull centrepieces, is theatre enough – and the chance to wander through the maze and see street-inspired art based around the Greek myth is priceless.
The Pret a Diner reservations may be bulging at the seams, but we’d suggest a trip through the Labyrinth anyway. The space includes a lounge bar complete with impromptu dance floor, and it’s a unique experience that will be missed when it’s gone.
The Minotaur exhibition will be open until November 25th. For more information visit:
http://theminotaur.co.uk/exhibition/book/
For more information on Pret a Diner visit:
