Replacing the Steak & Lobster Bloomsbury restaurant at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Bloomsbury Street hotel in London is this new and modern restaurant, Bloomsbury Street Kitchen. The cuisine at the new restaurant is a fusion between contemporary Mediterranean classics and Japanese small plates (intended for sharing), complemented by southern-European wines, Japanese sake and signature cocktails.
The 74-cover restaurant includes an eight-person ‘Kitchen Table’ for semi-private dining as well as a six-person ‘Chef’s Counter’ for a chance to see the chefs' cooking in action. A lounge bar will feature an additional 46 covers, while the intimate outdoor garden, dotted by plants such as Mediterranean olive trees and Japanese sago palms, will seat a further 16 around zinc-topped tables.
The intriguing blend of cuisines has resulted in dishes such as five different carpaccios (yellowfin tuna, say, with truffle lime oil, or sea bream from Amalfi, and black pepper-crusted beef with shaved parmesan and truffle); signature gyros, oven-baked lobster and charcoal-grilled lamb cutlets.
From the Japanese side, diners can expect the likes of sashimi and salads of spinach, hazelnut and white goma dressing; signature dishes such as seared beef tataki with truffle ponzu; and Japanese flat tacos featuring ingredients such as tuna, beef and avocado.
Dead in the centre of Bloomsbury, the restaurant is perfect for pre- or post-theatre dining, or perhaps as a place for lunch in-between all that shopping. The hotel is also located only a stone's throw away from the British Museum (we’re talking 50 metres), so Bloomsbury Street Kitchen would work well as a pit-stop for people sightseeing and visiting the museum.
The four-star hotel itself captures the literary heritage of Bloomsbury by displaying a lot of Virginia Woolf’s famous work in the spacious lobby, which also boasts an impressive wrought-iron staircase and modern artwork. The stylish décor of the hotel also translates to its restaurant, which is modern and clean-lined and focused on plants to create dynamic and atmospheric interiors. Italian glazed porcelain tiles will feature alongside white-washed exposed brickwork, while the more formal dining areas will be separated from the internal gardens through the use of bespoke white metal and glass screens.