What do we need to know about Blixen?
It's the new restaurant from Clive Watson Previously, Watson was best known for being at the forefront of the launch of both Village East and Riding House Cafe. This is his first solo venture and he's moved to Spitalfields for it, taking over a building which once housed a bank. Blixen is an all-day brasserie and bar not like anything else currently in the area. Think part Parisian railway restaurant meets Victorian conservatory with a bit of a Grand Cafe style thrown in too.
And soon it'll have some outside space, edging into Spitalfields Market.
The terrace space will fit a further 40 but it'll be shielded from bustle of Spitalfields market by a boundary of greenery - likened to a jungle by the staff when we visited. It'll be a prime Spitalfields space come spring. That opens (along with the bar) at the end of February.
Plus there's a downstairs bar and a big private room too.
It was still having the finishing touches added to it on our visit, but it'll fit 20 comfortably so will be ideal for nearby City folk (and there'a a big screen too, if you have to show a presentation over lunch or dinner). When the dining room is not being used for private dining room, the bar will extend into it.
Where should we go for a drink first?
The downstairs bar (which seats 40) will certainly be worth a visit (our cocktails were impressive - see the gallery below), although there are also two prime nearby openings that we'd recommend. First there's the revamped gastropub The Culpeper for beer and natural wine, and right opposite that is Copita Del Mercado if you fancy a carafe of Spanish wine before or after your meal. Alternatively the bar at Hawksmoor isn't too far away either.
And where should we sit?
We scored with our corner banquette just inside the front door which lets you look over the entire room. If you can't get that, then we'd definitely recommend the two seats at the far end of the main bar. They also act as a mini private area to sit in, while being very close to the drinks. Otherwise we liked the counter dining seats by the kitchen and the booths for six people beside them too - so it's good for both solo diners or large-ish groups.
And how about the food?
As Blixen is an all-day affair, we can only speak first hand about the dinner we had - think good brasserie food, offering something a little bit above and beyond the expected - with a few excellent touches.
For us, standout points were:
- The excellent squid, chorizo and chickpea stew - a great winter dish with a bit of a kick to it
- The dish of the day - the burger with belper knolle (which, ahem, we now know is cheese) and fries. The fries were particularly well done, simple, but some of the best cooked we've had recently.
- A deeply caramelly creme caramel with brandies prunes
There's plenty on the menu to return for, including a daily special (although we'd say the burger should always be available at dinner - like it is at lunch).
And the drink?
They offer a good selection of cocktails around the £9 mark - the ocho sour (rum, cherry eau de vie, lemon, egg white sugar and cherry bitters) being the best. The wine list has plenty of choices under the £30 mark but we went with the Flower and the Bee triexadura that we'd enjoyed so recently at Barrafina - available here at £36.
Overall thoughts?
Embracing the challenge set by a space that has to entice people in from morning to night, Watson has been very clever with Blixen. Whether you're after a party space with friends, a quiet bite for two or some counter dining, there's a space here for you. Add to that the promise of a downstairs bar and great terrace space, and how could it fail to be a big hit in this area?
Blixen is at 65A Brushfield Street London E1 6AA. Telephone 020 7101 0093. Find out more about Blixen.
Hot Dinners ate as guests of Blixen. Prices were correct at the time of writing.
