Shoreditch, Fusion - Restaurant Guide

“Striking a perfect balance between elegance and comfort” – this artfully curated experience is part of hard-to-define Shoreditch venue ‘The Blue Mountain School’: a dining and retail space founded in 2019 by husband and wife, James & Christie Brown who run it as an art, retail and restaurant space within a six-floor Shoreditch townhouse. It would be fun to deride its willfully artisanal approach and chef Taz Sarhane’s much-tweezered, micro-seasonal dishes as pretentious, but reports (if not numerous) are steadfastly positive on its 12-course menu for £195, which you eat as a couple in the rather traditional ‘Dining Room’: with larger groups of 4-6 enjoying a more chef-led occasion in the ‘Hearth Room’ adjoining the kitchen. (“Went as a group of four to Cycene and had an absolutely fantastic evening. The meal was exceptional, with each dish showcasing innovative flavours and impeccable presentation. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. From start to finish, a memorable dining experience”.)

“With its eclectic Mexican/Japanese fusion fare”, this duo of funky bar-restaurants offer a “fun” time as a “great location for drinks and snacks with fabulous cocktails and tacos” and is “especially good if you’re dining with a few people so you can share dishes”. At least that’s what most folks feel about these surprisingly vibey and “buzzy” haunts in Notting Hill and by Liverpool Street station. On the downside, “it is easy to rack up a large bill and service can be erratic”. Where such criticisms are made, it’s mostly concerning the larger, newer EC2 branch (“had a rooftop meal in the City and although we knew it would not be ‘bargain basement’, we felt we were treated like cash-machines to be brought in and moved out again as quickly as possible”). See also Juno and Luna. Top Menu Tip – “nearly everything is gluten-free” and also nut-free.