[Updated 24/9/12 with soft launch details] It's no secret that we're fans of Hawksmoor - their steaks are legendary, their bars brilliant and the service is second to none. So when the news that another Hawksmoor would open in Piccadilly broke a while back, we were pleased to say the least.
We now hear that Hawksmoor Air Street will open its doors on 1 November. This will be owners Will and Huw's biggest venture - the former L'Odeon/Cocoon site has 235 covers in the restaurant and 50 more in the bar.
What's big news is that they're teaming up with Devon chef - Michelin-starred Mitch Tonks - to help them create a new menu that gives equal billing to meat and seafood.
At Air Street Tonks has helped develop the menu alongside Richard Turner and his team of Hawksmoor chefs and helped, using his contacts to set up a direct line of supply of fresh seafood for the new restaurant.
"Hawksmoor is such an exciting project, we share the same attention to detail, working with the team has been great. I’ll be at the market a few times a week selecting fish, and I'm looking forward to getting some of the finest fish in Britain from my hometown of Brixham," says Mitch.
So in addition to the steaks you'd expect to see on a Hawksmoor menu, there'll be turbot, monkfish, John Dory and Dover Sole grilled simply over charcoal and a large selection of shellfish.
"We’re incredibly excited to be opening a seafood and steak restaurant," says Will.
Cocktails are always a key component to any Hawksmoor restaurant and at air street they'll have a list focusing on original drinks created by Hawksmoor bartenders. We can't wait to try the Full-Fat Old Fashioned uses a homemade butter infused bourbon, made with large quantities of bourbon, clarified butter and a sous-vide machine.
Design-wise, they've brought in Macaulay Sinclair, who were responsible for Hawksmoor Seven Dials and Guildhall interiors. They're going with the building's Art Deco heritage as inspiration so the bar will pay homage to the Fumoir bar at Claridge’s, there will be a run of reclaimed lift doors from the 1930s Unilever building on the Embankment and the restaurant will feature ten specially commissioned floor-to-ceiling arched stained and etched glass windows.
Soft launch details
The soft launch for Hawksmoor Air Street will be 50% off food. It starts at lunchtime on Monday 22 October and runs until dinner on Wednesday 31 October. As you might expect, they always get inundated with requests, but if you’d like to try and get a table email them at airstreet@thehawksmoor.com with your name, preferred date and whether you’d like to book for lunch or dinner, as well as number of guests, an email address and a telephone number.
It’s first come first served so “I’ll take any time on any day” is more likely to get a table than “I could do any time on Monday night”. Word to the wise, they get thousands of emails, and although they have three people working on it full time it can take them a while to get back to you. And they won't take bookings for the soft launch by phone.
Hawksmoor Air Street opens at 5A Air Street, W1J 0AD on 1 November 2012 (tel. 020 7406 3980).
