Ex-Gaucho MD prepares to open M

Former Gaucho managing director Martin Williams has confirmed that his long-awaited first solo venture ‘M’, will open in the City of London this Friday.

Located in a 15,000 sq.ft site on Threadneedle Street, M will play home to two 100-cover restaurants as well as a wine tasting bar, a destination cocktail bar, private dining rooms, events spaces and a secret den.

Williams released details of steak restaurant M Grill in October, and has now given further details for the rest of the venue.

M RAW

Casual dining restaurant M RAW will feature a Tartare and Tiradito bar, with brightly coloured seating, sharing tables and high stools.

Open from 7am it will serve breakfast classics alongside ‘brain breakfasts’ and juice in the morning, moving on to a selection of tartars, sashimi, pulsing salads, cured and smoked dishes and yakitori for lunch and dinner.

Signature dishes will include scallops and bacon made with scallop tartare, apple jelly and bacon crumble, black sugar cured salmon and onglet steak cooked at the table over salt stones.

M BAR and M DEN 

Curated by Lance Perkins, bar & beverage director at London Edition Hotel, M BAR will be situated on a mezzanine level and feature a dedicated stage area, a sweeping fireplace, distressed ceiling, oak floors and artwork from photographer Slim Aarons.

The bar will serve an ‘eclectic cocktail’ menu and street-food inspired light bights, with music from live bands and DJs building in tempo throughout the evening.

There will also be a dedicated wine room, with a range of the world’s highest quality and rarest wines available to taste on tap.

A small ‘secret’ bar called M DEN will feature personal bottle lockers, table football, a humidor, a 32-inch television screen and a variety of Bang & Olufsen gadgets.

M will also house four private dining and event spaces for parties of eight to fifty.

M Group

M is the first solo venture from Williams, who left his role as managing director of Gaucho Restaurants earlier this year after almost a decade with the group.

The Threadneedle Walk site will be the first of four initial venues for the M group and Williams said he has secured sites in ‘several futuristic developments’ which are currently under construction and ‘tipped to become iconic features of the London skyline’.

Martin Reid – who was previously executive chef at Gaucho – is acting as executive chef for the group, while Jara McCarrol, formerly of Chiltern Fireplace, will be head chef at the Threadneedle site.

Francesco Cappucci, formerly of Corinthia Hotel and Cecconi’s, has been appointed restaurant director for the group.

“We have brought together the finest talent in the industry who are like-minded in a passion for hospitality and a determination to create ground-breaking experiences for our guests, coupled with the finest food and beverage ingredients at an accessible price point,” said Williams.

M will open on 28 November 2-3 Threadneedle Walk, 60 Threadneedle Street, London, EC2 8HP