The Light Bar

A former power station in the shadow of Amazon’s London HQ, handily between Shoreditch High Street and Liverpool Street stations - the scene is potentially set for a gimmicky, opportunistic joint targeting commuters and serving unimaginative cocktails to weary City workers.

Thankfully the Light Bar defies expectations, and offers, put simply, very good food and drink. Servers are eager to help navigate the difference between ‘starters’ and ‘small plates’ and how many of each to order, and the dishes live up to their pan-Asian label while also making flavours familiar to many Londoners feel interesting. Beef tartare manages the delicate sensory balance of sweetened soy sauce, tangy apple and crunchy shallot with finesse. Likewise, a mound of subtle, slightly salty whipped cod roe is surrounded by a wall of wasabi prawn crackers, presented more beautifully than a dish based around a takeaway snack has any right to be.

The main dishes are notably heartier - think Korean hanger steak and slow-cooked pork burgers - but the flavour combinations here still refuse to be predictable, with the pickled Nutbourne tomatoes being one particularly imaginative way to offset the tender texture of the steak. The only real miss is the opening salvo of flatbread with artisanal butter - while the bread is soft and pillowy and we relished dipping it in various other sauces, the butter lands somewhere a little too sweet, and far away from its ‘miso’ and ‘mushroom’ labels.

As you walk past down Norton Folgate, the always-packed front terrace can look rowdy and off-putting, but inside its bounds it feels like a welcome escape from the street (and an exciting people-watching opportunity to boot). If you can’t get in for food here, do try and have a drink - the summer Margarita menu stretches the potential of the Tequila-based cocktail, and we particularly enjoyed the deft balance of mango juice, Thai chilli, and salt in the ‘Spicy Mango’ variety.

Though it might feel like a geographically obvious choice, don’t overlook The Light Bar for interesting food and drink in a crowded market.

The Light Bar & Dining is found within a charming Victorian power station constructed in 1893, and spans three floors. The new team (Morten Jensen & Darren Collins) are long standing Hackney residents, and pride themselves on offering contemporary cuisine crafted from seasonal ingredients sourced from local providers, accompanied by a thoughtfully curated drinks list featuring selections from well acclaimed producers. Being set over three floors, the aim is that guests will feel calm, the vibes are fun, and the food is generous, with the drinks flowing, of course.

Start off your meal with a raw roll made of pickled mushrooms, crunchy seasonal veg and rice noodles, or Korean fried oyster mushrooms with a soy and tofu dressing, togarashi, dill and lime. If you prefer veggie based starters, order the roasted beetroot and pomelo salad with chilli sambal dressing and crispy onions or the spiced cucumber salad with tamarind citrus dressing and herbs.

For mains, enjoy the king prawn, coconut and turmeric curry with coriander, lime leaf and puff rice, or the in house smashed cheeseburger with house sauce and pickles. The portobello big macque bun is a clever play on a well known beef burger, but in a veggie friendly version. There's also a delicious dish of char siu pork flatbread with pickled shiitake mushroom, chilli and coriander, and a pork schnitzel with sweet soy glaze and pickled. On the side, try the Jasmine rice, chilli citrus salad, shoestring fries and sriracha mayo.

No good meal is complete without a delicious cocktail menu, so be sure to try the house selection. Try the Light Negroni or Girlcore cocktail, or Lollipop for a blend of bubblegum infused Glendalough gin, noilly prat, campari, fair kumquat and rose.