London Food & Drink News: 22 November

Dean Nicholas
By Dean Nicholas Last edited 136 months ago
London Food & Drink News: 22 November

Bored of pop-ups? Probably not a good idea to read this, then. From 5-8 December, a high-end private house on Swain's Lane that overlooks Highgate Cemetery will be transformed into the Krug Institute of Happiness. The eponymous fizz flinger has hired Nuno Mendes, the fêted Portuguese chef behind Michelin-starred Viajante in Bethnal Green, to knock up a four course meal (bear with us) "Inspired by the craftsmanship, passion and magic found in each glass of Krug champagne". The cost of this "multi-sensory journey"? A mere £220 per ticket. Except they can only be booked in pairs, so it'll actually set you back nearly half a grand. Any takers?

Formerly known as Eat Street, the recently-rebranded KERB market in King's Cross hosts a party tonight (Thursday) at their King's Cross haunt. Street food stalwarts will be on hand, and there'll be plenty of opportunity to ward off the chilly climes with alcohol.

Depending on your perspective, Brixton Village and Market Row, the trendy covered arcade where fishmongers and fruit 'n veg stalls jostle with hip restaurants and bars, has either led the revival of SW9 or turned the area into a coddled, middle class, gentrified ghetto. Either way, it's certainly popular, and from Tuesday 20 November the market has extended its opening hours during the week. It's now open 'till 11.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

Fans of Borough Market (and if you're reading this post it's likely that you are) will enjoy this article by Kieran Long in this week's Evening Standard, which delves into the foodie haven's history, and what visitors can expect in the future once the current work around London Bridge is complete.

It's unlikely to appeal to everyone, but for those who like the taste of horse, there's a pop-up restaurant focused on dishes containing the noble quadruped, on the 23 and 24 November in a central London location. Visit the Flogging A Dead Horse website for more details.

Did you mourn the Buddha Bar when it went bust in 2010? Us neither. Well, it's back, this time in Knightsbridge, and with an all-new hyphen in its name.

He's only served up two posts thus far, but we're enjoying the quirky, occasionally awkward prose stylings of Bart Tricks, the (presumably pseudonymous) author of new bar review site Cool Bars for Uncool People. The entry for Quiquiriqui (which we visited on our mezcal bar crawl) is particularly good. One to throw into your RSS feed.

Finally, this week's most buzzed-about new opening is at John Salt in Islington, where Ben Spalding (who boasts stints with Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsey, the Fat Duck and, most recently, Roganic on his CV) has set up a six month residency. Sample serving? Chicken on a brick. We've yet to have the pleasure, but if you've been let us know what you made of it.

Photo / doilum

Last Updated 22 November 2012