With Arcade Food Hall Centre Point mere hours from opening, it appears that headline act Saborcito will no longer be part of the restaurant line-up.
When JKS Restaurants announced the nine-strong line-up for the long-awaited, revamped Arcade Food Hall at Centre Point, Nieves Barragan-Mohacho’s Sabor was without doubt one of the biggest names on the bill. Rumours have circled for years about a second site for much-loved Mayfair stalwart Sabor, and Saborcito was exactly that - a more accessible, seafood-centric younger sibling to the smart Heddon Street flagship.
According to Eater, the decision to pull Saborcito from the lineup was made a fortnight prior to the launch date of 22 April, whilst the food hall was going through a soft launch period. Staffing issues may have contributed significantly to the decision - with Sabor holding a lofty reputation (as well as a Michelin star), opening Saborcito with reduced staff capacity may have been deemed too risky to the excellent reputation of Sabor as a whole.
The empty space left by Saborcito will be taken by Tipan Tipan - a Nepalese momo dumpling and noodle concept, run by former Berenjak chef Arjun Gurung. At restaurants like Berenjak and BiBi, JKS has shown a willingness to promote talented chefs from within its ranks and put money behind their ideas. Tipan Tipan will be specialising in two areas which have proved mighty popular with Londoners as of late - dumplings and noodles. The momo is a type of dumpling, similar to a Chinese baoxi or Middle Easter manti, traditionally filled with meat, vegetables, cheese or khoa (milk solids). The Tipan Tipan menu also promises dishes like crispy spiced squid with roasted tomato and cashew, spicy grilled lamb belly with mustard oil, and crispy pork noodles with mustard greens.
Stay tuned for more news and reviews from the latest openings at Arcade Food Hall Centre Point. In the meantime, check out our guide to London’s best food halls.