Overview
The upper level of The London Hotel in Paddington is about to get a major foodie facelift with the opening of East London this Friday, June 3. The restaurant and bar — which will sit on the upper level of the hotel — will have a "Chinese comfort food" menu influenced by both Shanghai and Sichuan cuisines.
The new eatery will be headed up by Executive Chef Jack Steer, whose resume includes the likes of Rockpool, Spice Temple and Melbourne's Chin Chin. It's not surprising then that he won't be dishing up your basic greasy takeaway Chinese food — instead, the menu will focus on fresh, quality produce to lighten up the cuisine's typically heavy dishes. Of course, guests can still expect to savour the traditional Sichuan spices and flavours, which range from spicy to flowery, sour to sweet and bitter to smokey.
The family-style share plates are Steer's version of Chinese comfort food, and the menu will change monthly. The new restaurant will open with signature dishes like drowned fish with dried chilli and shallots in chicken broth, grilled lamb neck with tofu skin, and chilli oil and crispy five-spice Sichuan duck. .
East London is also a bar so, naturally, Asian-infused cocktails will accompany the food; the Sichuan Love — a concoction of Havana three-year-old rum shaken with strawberries, Thai basil, palm sugar, lime juice and Sichuan pepper — is the one we're most keen to try. Steer is keeping it local with the wine list though, which features all-Australian wineries, from Tasmania's award-winning House of Arras to the edgy Some Young Punks from the Clare Valley.
The space has been redesigned by Humphrey & Edwards architect Chris Grinham, whose previous work includes Opera Bar and Chiswick. He's designed the place with a subtle Shanghai décor with a colour palette of jade, black and white. The 80-seater will be a classy yet homey newcomer to the Paddington restaurant scene.
East London will open in The London Hotel's upstairs space at 85 Underwood Street, Paddington on Friday, June 3. It will be open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday and lunch on Sunday. For more information, visit hotellondon.com.au.
Images: Alana Dimou.