Over at London's tallest building, things are moving apace on the food and drink front. Oblix is well up and running, with Hutong following next week. Hutong is from the Aqua group and is already a hit in Hong Kong but Aqua Shard, their next restaurant and opening a week later, is brand new for London.
More details of the menu at Aqua Shard have been revealed and this sees Aqua founder David Yeo collaborating with head chef Anthony Garlando to pul together a menu of "contemporary British cuisine."
Starters include golden beetroot broth with toasted cereals and rainbow radishes and Grilled octopus and Scottish mackerel with tomato sorbet, aubergine dressing and pickled shallots. Mains feature whole Dover sole from the South Coast with new season peas and broad beans and roasted saddle of Rhug Estate salt-marsh lamb with red pepper jelly and fondant potato (pictured). Finally, desserts include everyone's favourite summer dish, wild strawberries and cream.
The restaurant will be pretty huge, seating 220, and the decor and drinks will have a British feel - the latter seeing a focus on gin and tea. There will be tea cocktails both featuring and inspired by tea including a "Devonshire Cream Cup" with gin, Aperol, crème de fraise, lemon curd, tarragon balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Gin cocktails will include "Stinging Tommy’s" - tequila blanco, lemon verbena-infused St Germain elderflower liqueur, stinging nettle agave nectar, Citronge, lime juice and coriander seed tincture.
Aqua Shard opens at Level 31 of the Shard in the first week of July. We'll be taking in a preview of Hutong on Tuesday June 25 so keep an eye on our twitter feed for more info. Their website is www.aquashard.co.uk and you can follow them on Twitter too.
Reservations open tomorrow at 10am on 020 7478 0540. You can also email them at reservation@aqua-london.com or book online at www.aquashard.co.uk
