Formerly St John Chinatown and then One Leicester Street, now the same space has reopened as Leicester House. Owners Elliott Blum and Mark Cutler run a number of American restaurants under the brand Honky Tonk, but their plan for the Leicester Square property seem radically different.
The duo have brought together a team with an impressive pedigree to run the hotel's restaurant. Truffle Hunting's founder Nigel Sutcliffe whose most recent project were Newman Street Tavern and Mele e Pere and who used to be Director at The Fat Duck is on board. He's joined by chef Bruce Wilson who was Head Chef at Paternoster Chop House and the Tate Modern.
The 50-cover restaurant will be open all day, starting with breakfast from 7am and - good news - they'll have a bar that's open till 2am with a 30 cover terrace. The food will be French-Vietnamese and there'll be shellfish dishes, steaks and ribs, cooked on the Robata charcoal grill.
Launch menu dishes will include:
- Langoustines served with pickled seaweed and rapeseed mayonnaise
- Scallops with seashore vegetables, mirin, herbs and bone broth
- BBQ rump, dried shrimp, chilli, ginger rub
- Dressed red rice with radish and shoots and duck egg
There'll be a separate bar menu featuring Banh Mi including duck liver parfait, pork collar, rapeseed mayonnaise and pickles as well as fried crab and peanuts as well as charcuterie and cheese boards.
Wine buffs will have plenty to be excited about by Nigel's wine list which is mainly French and all from small producers. A short cocktail list of ten signature drinks will feature Mandarin Mojita - French Rhum with Mandarin segments, lime, mint and sugar and an Elixir Martini - Sipsmith vodka, lychee puree, lychee liqueur, jasmine, lemon and grapefruit.
Leicester House is now open at 1 Leicester Street, London, WC2H 7BL. Telephone 020 3696 6460. Opening hours will be open from 12 midday to 12 midnight serving food to 11pm (24 hours for hotel guests). The bar has a 2am licence. Keep up with their news on Twitter @LeicesterHouse
