5/915 - Updated with soft launch details
City folk looking for a new destination for morning meetings can stop searching now. We've got the news on Anna Hansen's new place and it sounds like a doozy.
The queen of brunch - the Modern Pantry is deservedly one of London's most popular spots for the meal - is opening a second restaurant in Finsbury Circus. The new restaurant will feature a tapas bar, restaurant and private dining room taking over the ground floor of a large Art Deco building on the corner of Finsbury Square.
The Head Chef Rob McLeary has worked with Anna since 2008. His menu will be in keeping with The Modern Pantry’s mantra, so expect bold flavours, colourful ingredients and herbs and spices from around the world.
We like the sound of sitting up at the 18-seater oak bar in front of the kitchen trying their liquorice, soy and cardamom cured beef fillet or maybe bar snacks like quinoa, caraway and sumac lavosh or Iranian lime and herb marinated olives.
Tapas dishes will include:
- Chilled pea & lemongrass soup, Iranian lime cream
- Smoked cassava & fenugreek croquettes, quince aioli
- Dhansak spiced rose veal mince omelette, chopped herbs, crispy shallots
- Morcilla mole, salted cocoa nib hen egg, spiced apple relish
- Smoked mussel, avocado, seaweed & brown crab mayonnaise brioche bun
- Grilled amchur & fenugreek lamb cutlet, nettle & pistachio pesto
In the space next to the tapas bar will be the restaurant with a menu featuring frankly amazing-sounding dishes including:
- Golden beetroot, broad bean, mange tout, quinoa, toasted buckwheat & pickled gooseberry, shaoxing, verjus and Argan oil dressing
- Confit duck leg, anise marinated black fig, pickled pink onion & grilled endive, black cumin & liquorice dressing, olive & macadamia crumb
- Seared diver caught scallop, burnt shallot puree, ponzu butter, caramelised shallot-dusted wild rice
- Amchur & fenugreek marinated lamb rump, pea & lemon verbena puree,
"Although the space looks different to Clerkenwell," says Anna "it will feel very similar - relaxed and friendly with lots of tasty food and great sherries, wines and cocktails."
The Modern Pantry Finsbury Square will open for a soft launch on for lunch and dinner on 8 and 9 September and lunch only on 10 September with 50% off on food and cocktails for both bookings and walk-ins.
It'll open fully on 11 September at the Alphabeta Building, 14-18 Finsbury Square, EC2A 1BR. Opening hours will be 7am for breakfast followed by lunch and dinner, while the tapas bar will open daily at 11am and stay open until 11pm.
