Latest opening: Paper Moon London
What: A high-end, 109-cover Italian restaurant housed within the Old War Office building that’s managed by Raffles London hotel. The space has a bar and lounge as well as an outdoor courtyard.
Who: Paper Moon London is the sister venue of Paper Moon Milano, which opened in the heart of Milan’s fashion district in 1977. The family-run business also operates restaurants in Turkey in Istanbul and Bodrum as well as the Algarve, Hong Kong and Doha.
The food: As befits its imposing location, Paper Moon’s menu is unashamedly large and ambitious with some notable Italian flair in the mix. Kicking off with caviar, which hits the dizzy heights of £280 for 50g of Beluga, the antipasti menu features dishes that include seared baby squid on roasted potato foam; warm king crab meat with confit cherry tomatoes; and a tartare selection of tuna, red prawns, and amberjack. Dishes in the primi section range from a raviolo of burrata and raw red prawns (pictured above); porcini mushroom risotto; and linguine with Homarus lobster that is £75 for two people. Secondi dishes, meanwhile, include grilled lamb chops with baked potatoes; a breaded veal chop with rocket salad; and crispy spring chicken with rosemary and thyme roasted potatoes. Also on offer is a surprisingly large pizza offer that starts at £18 for a margherita and tops out at £28 for one topped with porcini mushrooms and seasonal truffle. Most antipasti dishes are between £15 and £30, while primi plates are around £25 and secondi plates around £35 to £40.
The vibe: The restaurant’s design was created in collaboration with design studio AB Concepts, which was responsible for the design of the original Milan paper Moon. The interior draws inspiration from an Italian house, featuring olive trees, greenery, terracotta colours, wooden flooring, and travertine marble and can be neatly summed up as Italian chic. The colour palette is muted, with grey, browns and whites the dominant colours.
To drink: Paper Moon’s wine list has a European focus with a selection of more than 100 wines from regions across the continent. There’s also a cocktail list featuring contemporary takes on traditional Italian creations.
And another thing: Paper Moon is the first restaurant to open at The OWO that’s not part of the main Raffles hotel. Other independent restaurant spaces at The OWO include Café Lapérouse with Langosteria and a rooftop restaurant from Endo Kazutoshi both due to join the building next year.
The OWO, 7 Horse Guards Avenue, London, SW1A 2EX
https://www.papermoonlondon.com/
