clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

London’s Hypebeasts Flock to Mayfair Michelin Star That Opened Six Years Ago

Gymkhana’s reopening week has been a doozy for the industry’s movers and shakers

A large pot of colorful biryani, with a doughy cover peeled back. Gymkhana [Official Photo]

Welcome back to Insta Stories, a column examining the London restaurant scene through the often-problematic medium of Instagram. This week’s filter is a full Nelson.

News of the week

Q: Is Valentine’s Day a charming opportunity for restaurants to get a little creative? A soulless suck of a money-grab sponsored by the heart-shape industrial complex? The one day a year explicitly dedicated to the concept of romantic love — whatever that means — and therefore worth celebrating in a way that suits each individual — whatever that means? Retrograde and a bit naff but worth an affectionate skewering? The one day a year in conjunction with which the phrase “an affectionate skewering” should probably not be deployed? Good? Bad? Fun? Sad?

A: Yes.

View this post on Instagram

♥️ Happy Valentine's Day ♥️

A post shared by OLDROYD (@oldroydlondon) on

View this post on Instagram

Happy Valentine s day

A post shared by Westerns Laundry (@westernslaundry) on

Welcome return of the week

If only there were a mythical beast whose symbolic, triumphant resurrection from its own ashes could be used as a metaphor for the resurgence of Mayfair icon Gymkhana, which temporarily closed following a devastating fire last year, like a Gymkhana from the flames.

Carb load of the week

Tired: Ram-Don

Wired: Rav-gnoc-pap-pic-tag-olini

Golden ratio of the week

Advice to prospective restaurateurs: Ensure that at least 25 percent of your dishes feature at least one fried component.

View this post on Instagram

Here’s tonight’s menu. Diversifying the feed a bit.

A post shared by Four Legs (@fourlegs_ldn) on

Depressing Finding Nemo spinoff of the week

RIP, Gill. May death give you the escape you spent your life pursuing.

Cronenbergian body horror of the week

Who wore it most distressingly?

View this post on Instagram

Pulpo Gallego Terrine w/ Alioli.

A post shared by Nick Bramham (@nick_bramham) on

Liberal hand of the week

Potatoes £1

Cheese £3

Plate £2

Black truffle £300

Hot dog £5

Someone who is good at the economy help me budget this. My profit / loss account is dying.

Tribute of the week

As the food/wine/music/art quarterly Noble Rot has been demonstrating for years now, there is a huge area of overlap between cooking and other forms of creative expression. So perhaps it’s unsurprising to see some of the London restaurant scene’s leading polymaths pay tribute to Andrew Weatherall, who passed away this week at what feels like an unfairly young age. Although surely the only conceivable way to truly honour his legacy is with a Gastronomic Plentyfications-inspired 23-course tasting menu, with a Screama-delica pumpkin bonus dish?

View this post on Instagram

Defined integrity. Thanks for the inspiration Andrew. RIP

A post shared by Smoking Goat (@smokinggoatbar) on

View this post on Instagram

Not usually one for sharing when people have passed away but I feel the need to this time. Like so many of my peers I grew up listening to music Andrew Weatherall had touched and didn't realise until I was a little older; then I came to learn how huge his influence had been. When we first started The Clove Club supper clubs which brought us all together, we were lucky enough to be friends with some amazing musicians and DJs who we asked to soundtrack those first few dinners. Andrew was friends of friends but we got through to him and he instantly accepted the challenge and joined us for dinner as payment. He turned up with a CD in this envelope - "Gastronomic Plentyfication" he shoved it into my hands and said - "there you go! - and I didn't do any googles or downloads, not one they're all in my collection, I bet no-one else you asked has done that - it took me fucking ages!". He was as so many of you described that evening, so humble, funny and intelligent. I tried to keep in touch and would send him a message every now and then and we tried to get him to come to the opening of the restaurant once we were established but he didn't make it and alas we lost touch. I saw him every now and then in the street but never had the courage to remind him who I was but I always listened to his show on NTS and kept up with his constant flow of creativity. What a shame to have lost him at such a young age. Well cheers to you Andrew, from all of us who met you back then @cghandel, @johnnyclove & @its_isaac where ever you are - we'll raise a glass to you tonight sir x

A post shared by Daniel Willis (@danielclove) on

Tekkers of the week

Always toss the salad with the fingers.

Battleground of the week

Historians will no doubt record how the Fancy Sandwich Wars of 2019 spilled over into a host of internecine squabbles in the 2020s — much as the Second World War’s apparent resolution in fact led to half a century’s worth of regional conflicts. And it looks like London has its first frontier: let the battle for the city’s most outrageous fried chicken sandwich begin!

View this post on Instagram

VTEC @vasilis_chamam ‍

A post shared by Yotsuba Chan (@toastiez.london) on

Contender of the week

Although, if really wanting to play in the fried item big leagues, Scotland is where it’s at.

Optical illusion of the week

Important: not radicchio.

View this post on Instagram

(aka chip salad!)

A post shared by Khushbu Shah (@khushandoj) on

Dish of the week

Not sure it gets better than this lot.

Shot of the week

It’s a Romanesc-ode!

Gymkhana

42 Albemarle Street, , England W1S 4JH 020 3011 5900 Visit Website

Noble Rot

51 Lamb’s Conduit St, London, Greater London WC1N 3NB +44 20 7242 8963 Visit Website