Looking into the main dining room with the counter to the right.
What do we need to know about Humo?
Billed as a 'wood-fired culinary concept' this new restaurant sees Executive Head Chef Miller Prada take on his first solo venture. He's the protege of Endo Kazutoshi of Endo at Rotunda and Sumi, but this is a very different beast to both of those restaurants.
Where is it?
You'll find it on St George Street in Mayfair, just south of Hanover Square. If the place feels familiar, that's because it used to be the original Wild Honey. The nearest tube is now the Elizabeth Line's Bond Street station which has an entrance on the square itself.
Executive Head Chef Miller Prada shows us his "before" shot of the trout and caviar dish (see "after" below).
Where's a good place to meet for a drink first?
There is a tiny bar at the back of the ground floor dining room at Humo - and certainly, the cocktails are well worth trying - but if you need more space then The Windmill pub is only around the corner or there are the bars at Maine and Hush, both of which have large outside heated terraces.
Cocktails at Humo are unmissable. There are seven on offer ranging in price from £7 for a non-alcoholic Zerbert to £25 for the theatrical Anilo de Fuego which comes with a ring of smoked wire wool which is then set fire to in front of you. This is the oh-so-glittery Kemui Gold (£21).
Where should we sit?
If you love the idea of seeing the kitchen in action then the counter seats are perfect - not least for a close-up view of the marvel that is their four-metre-long wood grill with all its levers, pulleys and pits. We'd really recommend the counter as it's such a great experience, but there are other tables dotted around the room if you'd prefer not to be quite so close to the action. There's also a 10-seat chef's table downstairs if you're after something a bit more bespoke. .
So, what's the deal with the menu?
If you take as the guiding principle the fact that every dish comes into contact with fire or smoke at some point, the a la carte is split into four sections - Ignite, Smoke, Flame and Grill.
Here's what we had to give you an idea of what to expect:
Kombu-Gin-Me Cornish wild sea bass (£18) served with Mexican vanilla, Voatsiperifery pepper and finished off with olive oil from head chef Giacomo’s family farm in Lazio
Trout & Caviar (£22) - 14-day aged Ike-Jime Hampshire trout you could cut with a spoon, if you weren't using chopsticks, served with three-month aged caviar that's been grilled in konbu kelp.
Cauliflower cooked under ash with Rokko Miso, yuzu, clementine, and nori and then finished off with generous shavings of Spanish black winter truffles (£12).
Hand-dived Orkney scallop (£18) grilled in front of us on French oak served with a Speyside whisky sabayon with white kombu
Cornish lobster (£16) given the flambadou treatment which involves cooking it by pouring over flaming beef fat and serving it with a Limousin oak aged Pouilly-Fuissé dressing and HUMO 9 spice mix
7-day aged Brixham turbot (£26) in a fish bone sauce served with a morels skewer with Arlington White yolk sauce
32-day aged Cornish lamb (£24) with a beetroot sauce and a side of pink radicchio & castelfranco - particularly beautifully cooked, tender lamb,
Room for dessert?
Despite this sounding like a lot, because pretty much all the dishes are low to no-carbs we had plenty of room for dessert. The "Cinders" section of the menu is essentially dessert, and short and sweet with just three options. They're on the pricey side for London desserts but given the intricacy of each dish that's not a surprise. There was an Amalfi lemon tart with oak-burnt Italian meringue too, but here's what we had.
La Andina (£14) - Single sourced Lancashire milk “Crema Catalana” with Colombian Granadilla and Timut berry - you see the fruit whole before it is converted into this dessert and in those spoons are a little taste of it.
Whisky barrel infused Babà (£14) with “Grain of Paradise” seed caramel, barley popcorn and barley koji ice cream - the lightest of babas with a hit of booze which wasn't overpowering and the best ice cream.
What about the drinks list?
Merlin Ramos is the head sommelier here and comes here via Pollen Street Social and Ikoyi. He's put together a list arranged by wine variety - so you'll see sections for Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir or Gamay as well as more varied sections like "Regional whites and ducks out of water". The menu is also arranged from light to heavy wines as opposed to being in price order, so you should find it much easier to choose something according to your taste.
There's also a notably strong selection of wines by the glass, and they keep those on rotation so you'll always find something new there. Wines start at £38 (a Vinho Verde Loureiro/Alvarinho from Azevedo, Portugal) but you'll find a lot more choice in the £40-60 range. Although, if you're really hitting the heights, then that'll be a Hill of Grace, Eden Valley Shiraz for £1200. You'll also find a short selection of high-end sake on the list.
Overall thoughts
Stylish, inventive and relaxed, Humo is exactly the kind of restaurant that makes London such an exciting place to dine out. Chef Miller and his team have spent a lot of time and thought on the experience here and it shows, from the deft service to the wonderful food. This gets a very high recommendation from us.
More about HUMO
Where is it? 12 St George's Street, London W1S 2FB
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @humolondon
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Humo. Prices correct at time of publication.
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