What: Described as an Italian inspired neighbourhood restaurant, Wild Tavern sits a few doors down from Phil Howard’s Elystan Street.
Who: George Bukhov-Weinstein, one of the main players behind Burger & Lobster, Goodman and Beast, and partner Ilya Demichev, are behind the project. They’ve brought in Marco Peri, formerly head chef of the Darwin & Wallace group restaurants The Old Town and Chiswick Fire Station, to head up the kitchen.
The food: While Wild Tavern has Italian food at its heart it is also big on ingredients from her in the UK as well as Canada and Norway, which will come as no surprise given the owners’ pedigree. Thus whole Norwegian king crab, Canadian lobster, Cornish turbot and wild seabass (priced per 100g) as well as tartare of Spanish tuna loin; Sicilian red prawns; USDA Chateaubriand; and wild line-caught whole seabass as well as dishes such as artichoke salad with parmesan; tomato salad with tuna ventresca; and tortello with lemon and ricotta. Unsurprisingly, caviar also makes an appearance on the menu. Prices are very Chelsea but reflect the super premium quality of ingredients.
The vibe: Bukhov-Weinstein and Demichev have gone for the smart yet understated look that fits in well with the Chelsea set. Wood abounds, from the dark wood panelled ceiling to the lighter, quite rough and ready parquet flooring and dark wood tables with red banquettes finishing off the look. A huge wood-burning stove is an impressive central focal point of the room.
And another thing: Though it hasn’t been open long, the restaurant has already caught the eye of some influential people, including Alan Yau, who paid a visit just before Christmas.
2 Elystan Street, Chelsea
