Latest opening: Ikoyi

By Joe Lutrario

- Last updated on GMT

Ikoyi restaurant moves to much larger space at 180 The Strand
Chef Jeremy Chan and his front-of-house counterpart Iré Hassan-Odukale finally have a space that befits their restaurant’s stature.

What:​ The relaunch of one of the capital’s most awarded and cutting-edge restaurants. Ikoyi has moved from a cramped site in St James’s Market to a much larger space within 180 The Strand, a recently overhauled Brutalist building that’s largely pitched at creatives comprising a private members club and numerous exhibition and events spaces. Ikoyi 2.0 - as it is not called - has a similar number of covers to its predecessor but now boasts a huge fully open kitchen, a far more spacious dining room and a private dining area. 

Who:​ Ikoyi was founded in 2017 by chef Jeremy Chan and his school friend Iré Hassan-Odukale. Initially billed as a Nigerian restaurant, the venture had a bumpy start but things picked up when the duo went tasting menu-only and won their first Michelin star.​ Last year, the restaurant was awarded a second star and also made it onto the The World’s 50 Best Restaurant’s list for the first time.

The vibe:​ Ikoyi’s second iteration has been designed by acclaimed Danish architect and designer David Thulstrup. Working closely with Chan and Hassan-Odukale, Thulstrup has created a strikingly modern space that has already taken home design magazine Wallpaper’s award for Best Restaurant. Apparently inspired by a mood board created by the pair that included cathedral architecture and Ridley Scott film sets, Ikoyi’s second iteration features textured copper wall panels, a grey stone floor and a ceiling constructed from steel mesh. While the lighting might not be the greatest for food pics it is beautifully judged: Chan says he wanted the interior to glow like a lantern, and that’s exactly what it does. 

PDR

The food:​ Chan’s food isn’t getting any easier to pigeon hole. The restaurant might be named after a district in the Nigerian capital, but these days the cooking is not really of a place. Controlled use of spice is a hallmark, as is the procurement and careful handling of top quality produce from Britain and, occasionally, further afield. Some dishes do reference Ikoyi and Hassan-Odukale’s Nigerian roots, including plantain, spiced efo and roasted peanut; and smoked jollof rice (now served with chunks of lobster). Other dishes on the current tasting menu include mussel and saffron creme caramel with N25 Caviar; octopus morels and peas; sweetbread with duck and coffee; and almond butter and einkhorn wheat. The price of the tasting menu is £300 before drinks and service, putting Ikoyi right up there with the most expensive restaurants in the country (a shorter £180 menu is available at lunchtime on Wednesdays and Thursdays). 

To drink:​ With barely any storage space, the original Ikoyi was only able to offer a tiny wine list. Sommelier Lorenzo Lentini now presides over a much more extensive, naturally-leaning list and also offers a tea pairing. 

And another thing:The duo are looking to run their new restaurant in a manner that works better for themselves and their staff.​ Ikoyi is only open Monday to Friday and diners are requested to arrive for dinner before 7pm to allow the team to get out at a decent time (in a recent interview, Chan said that he hoped the kitchen would send out its last plate of food before 9pm). The pair have indicated that they would consider switching back to a more traditional operating model should this potentially divisive approach to running a top-flight restaurant not work out, but with a huge backlog of reservations carried over from their previous place they are able to call the shots for the moment. 

Ikoyi dish 1

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