The Grade II listed building is being revamped after being purchased by the Maroush Group at the start of this year, and will re-open on 25 October as a dining and drinking space. The venue will offer three distinct spaces including a large bar in the front with its own separate menu, a restaurant in the middle and a more intimate dining room at the back a fireplace and open kitchen. There will also be a large outdoor terrace area.
The building was originally constructed in 1898 as the Crown Hotel, working as a pub for over a century before closing in 2004. The Maroush Group aims to restore it to its former status with its revamp and makeover.
Food and drink offering
The menu at Crocker’s Folly has been put together by head chef Arek Bober, who previously worked at Pollen Street Social under Jason Atherton. His intention is to serve up a range of seasonal and ‘unpretentious’ dishes.
The menu will change depending on the time of year. Examples of starters include crab gnocchi, courgettes and chili, and beef tartare with charred pickled onions and chanterelles. Mains on offer will include sea bass with cauliflower couscous and cauliflower purée & truffle, miso marinated lamb shoulder with kale and potato mousseline, and pork belly with butternut squash and Sichuan coleslaw.
The signature fare will be steaks cooked in a Josper grill, with customers able to choose between sirloin, bavette or côte de boeuf.
The menu will also feature a number contemporary Lebanese dishes, as the Maroush Group has been serving Lebanese food in London for more than 20 years.
Reflecting the heritage
The group’s aim with the venue’s restoration is to make sure the building’s heritage was reflected in its new form, and its design focuses on this. The designers are attempting to give Crocker’s Folly a more contemporary feel while keeping its old architecture and features in place.
More contemporary additions to the original design will include large bespoke Venetian glass chandeliers and new furniture that has been imported from Italy.
The older features will be seen in the saloon bar, which features 50 different kinds of marble, Romanesque columns, carved mahogany and cut glass chandeliers.