If you're an East Dulwich local, you may have been wondering what was happening at the old Il Mirto site on Melbourne Grove. We can now reveal that it's going to be a very interesting new neighbourhood restaurant, Norbert's.
What's interesting about a rotisserie place, you might well think? If we tell you that the folk behind it are John Ogier (ex-The Marksman and Lasdun) and chef Jack Coghlan (ex-Planque and Lyle's) that might make you sit up and pay attention.
We caught up with John yesterday to find out a little bit more about what to expect. "I've been planning this in my head for a long time," he told us. "After doing something like Lasdun, I felt that I wanted to do something more local. I live here. My kids go to school here, and Jack's local-ish (he lives in Peckham).
Rotisserie chicken does seem to be on trend right now. "It's annoying," says John. "I hate to be on trend but I have been planning this for the past two years." So what's going to make their place different? "The locale and the small space. Me and Jack are going to be front and centre so we can just do super delicious chicken at a price point that works."
They're still working out suppliers for the chickens, doing research at farms up in Yorkshire and Suffolk for the right size of bird for the rotisserie, but we're told the chicken will be treated with a top-secret rub ("I could tell you the recipe, but I'd have to kill you") and served with rotisserie potatoes and chips, along with "really lovely salad". Starters on the launch menu include:
- Popcorn sweetbreads
- Chicken liver pate & brioche
- Salt cod brandade
Luckily for John, his partner is Helen Evans who's behind the amazing East Dulwich bakery Eric's. She's working on some milk buns for Norbert's so they can serve up roast chicken and confit garlic in a milk bun for lunch with a cup of chicken broth for a tenner. Vegetarians won't miss out as there will also be a radish & egg mayo milk bun on offer too.
To go with the food, there's going to be a tight list of cocktails including pina colada, pisco sour and a Norbert's margarita with a chicken skin salt rim.
The space is small - just 20 seats - but the vibes will be immaculate with a playlist consisting mainly of 70s/80s/90s bangers - think Def Leppard Pour Some Sugar on Me as a perfect playlist track. "I'm not cool or trying to be cool," insists John. "We're just trying to be welcoming. This is somewhere you can come in for lunch with your kids, or later with your friends and have a bottle of wine." They'll also be doing takeout if you want to grab a chicken for dinner at home.
"People take themselves too seriously and I'm so over it," says John, "and I want a relaxed, fun place to come as well as work."
More about Norbert's
Where is it? 5-6 Melbourne Terrace, Melbourne Grove, London SE22 8PL
When does it open? Early May 2025
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @norbertslondon
Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners
