Harriet Mansell to launch 'Garden Table' experience

Utilising the outdoor space behind Lilac, the low-intervention wine bar and small plates restaurant she launched in 2021​​, Mansell will launch her new Garden Table dinner series in late June that will run weekly on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

Serving a ‘plant forward’ tasting menu, Garden Table will take cues from Robin Wylde, which she opened in late 2020​​ and closed last summer​​, and centre on wild and foraged food picked by Mansell with the menu drawing on the history and folklore of the area.

“The entire menu is representative of a desire to honour processes that take time, and to work on doing things with care and attention,” Mansell says.

Mansell is working with Anna Wardrop, who has been responsible for the garden design of The River Café, Hermes Roof Terrace and Shoreditch House, to develop the outdoor space, which will hold 14 covers in total.

Every element of the space, from the decorations through to the menus, will be hand crafted or designed, with Mansell having taken time to learn how to woodcut and how to do calligraphy.

“By learning skills and handcrafting as many elements as possible, which I am currently doing, it imbues the entire project, from my perspective, with a slow and calm level of care and attention to detail,” she continues.

“I am hoping that this will elevate the project sufficiently to become a worthy evolution of 'Robin Wylde.”

Mansell adds that she hopes the Garden Table will allow her to continue to develop her style and offering whilst she works on securing a location for a future restaurant with rooms and education space.