Restaurant radar: May 2018

Kyseri​
Following on from the success of modern Turkish restaurant Oklava in Shoreditch, owners Selin Kiazim and Laura Christie are launching a new Turkish-inspired restaurant. Kyseri will open in Fitzrovia, specialising in modern takes on the little-known Turkish pasta dishes ‘eriste’ and ‘manti’. Formatted like a traditional Italian menu, the restaurant will offer snacks, starters, pasta dishes and main dishes. Wine expert Christie will be curate a list of bottles from small producers across Turkey and the Middle East. 
64 Grafton Way, London
https://www.kyseri.co.uk/​

St. Leonards​
Jackson Boxer and Andrew Clarke, the duo behind south London institution Brunswick House, will open their second restaurant this month, in the St Leonards area of Shoreditch. Offering a ‘fire and ice’ focus, the restaurant will serve both raw fish, and grilled and roasted meat and seafood dishes. Set to be considerably bigger than its Vauxhall sister, the site will comprise 120 covers on the site of the former modern Spanish and Portuguese restaurant Eyre Brothers.
70 Leonard Street, London
https://saintleonards.london/​

Temper 3​
The third site for restaurateur Neil Rankin, the Covent Garden outpost of his Temper group will focus on two styles of pizza –deep pan ‘Detroit’ style and thin crust ‘bar style’- cooked in wood-fired ovens; ragu; and vermouth. The pizza toppings will be far from traditional, with a Korean option of rice cakes, and a wide range of cured meats. Opening halfway through the month, Temper Covent Garden will also open for breakfast, the first of Rankin’s restaurants to do so.
Mercers Walk, Covent Garden, London
http://temperrestaurant.com/coventcomingsoon/​

Kricket Brixton​
The Indian-inspired restaurant is returning to Brixton this month, taking over the former Brindisa site under the arches on Atlantic Road. The site is expected to be around three times the size of its now-closed Pop Brixton shipping container, and will offer some of the restaurant’s favourite dishes –including samphire pakoras; and Keralan fried chicken- alongside new creations such as lotus root yaki; rock oyster pakora; and pig head vindaloo. At the bar, a single-spirit based drinks lists will be on rotation for set periods of time.
41-43 Atlantic Road, London
https://kricket.co.uk/brixton/​

Stem​
Chef-patron Mark Jarvis officially launches his third London restaurant this month. The 36-seat restaurant site is headed up by head chef Sam Ashton-Booth, formerly head chef at Jarvis’ Anglo, who will showcase his modern seasonal cooking. Launch dishes will include hand-dived raw scallop, celeriac and white chocolate; asparagus, tarragon cream and lemon oil; and grilled pork chop, Romano pepper and Cornish mussels.
5 Princes Street, London
www.stem-byneo.co.uk​

Tuk Shop​
Leon will test the water for its Thai spin off Tuk Shop early this month at its Shaftesbury Avenue restaurant. The health-focused fast casual group has partnered with Bangkok-based food group Aylmer Aaharn. “Over the last fifteen years I have been fortunate enough to experience the culture and flavours of Thailand first-hand. And fortunate too to meet and learn from David Thompson (founder at Aylmer Aaharn), whose chefs have worked hard to make this happen,” says co-founder John Vincent. The menu at Tuk Shop will include curries, noodles, rice dishes and salads alongside “less familiar” dishes.
62 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6LT
www.tukshop.co​

Lina Stores​
The team behind iconic Soho deli Lina Stores open their first pasta restaurant this month backed by White Rabbit Fund (Kricket. Andrew Wong). Italian-born chef Masha Rener will head up the kitchen, with pasta handmade each day. Her menu will include gnocchi stuffed with ricotta and white truffle; farfalle with nduja and wild fennel; and pappardelle with slow cooked rabbit ragu; alongside prosciutto, cheeses and antipasti. Diners will be able to sit at a 12-seat bar surrounding an open kitchen, while the lower ground floor will have a further 36 covers split between banquettes and bar seating. The restaurant is just round the corner from the deli on Greek Street.
51 Greek Street, London W1D 4EH
www.linastores.co.uk​

The Neptune​
Increasingly prolific Aussie chef Brett Redman and his Texas-born business partner Margaret Crow will open their grand seafood restaurant at Principal London early this month. The pair closed their Hackney seafood spot The Richmond last year and say that their new Russell Square restaurant is in many ways The Richmond 2.0. As with Redman’s existing ventures (Jidori, Elliot’s Café) the kitchen will focus on high quality produce cooked over wood and charcoal. There will also be an emphasis on raw seafood dishes. Other openings at the 334-room hotel include coffee house Burr & Co and cocktail bar Fitz’s.
1-8 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 5BE
www.neptune.london​

Andina Panaderia​
Ceviche founder Martin Morales will open what’s claimed to be London’s first Peruvian bakery this month. On Notting Hill’s Westbourne Grove, Andina Panaderia will be led by head pastry chef Ana Velasquez and specialise in traditional Peruvian pastries, breads, salads and all-day brunch dishes to eat-in or takeaway. Menu items will include Andean black mint and sweet potato sourdough; the Pastel de Lucuma - an Andean twist on the Portuguese custard tart; and cinnamon-scented chancay bread. The open-plan bakery will also act as a space for London and Peruvian potters to sell their works through a series of collaborations and talks.
155 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RS
www.andinalondon.com​

Din Tai Fung​
The Taiwanese restaurant known for its dumplings, in particular its xiaolongbao (steamed soup dumplings) will debut in Covent Garden this month. Located on the former site of Henry’s Café Bar in Henrietta Street, the restaurant will serve steamed buns, soups and rice noodle dishes alongside its signature dish. The brand is also due to open a second London restaurant, at Centre Point, later this month.
5-6 Henrietta St, Covent Garden,​ London
www.dintaifung.com.my​​