Sneering French and belligerent Americans were — and in some cases, still are — quick to dismiss the city as a trader of dull food, or else one that presented only haute cuisine at high prices or pie and mash and flabby roast beef.
asserted
that → dismiss → prices
The 1990s laid the groundwork for one of the most eclectic and diverse food scenes in the world: pioneering restaurateurs such as Jon Spiteri (St John) and Terence Conran (Bluebird, Quaglino’s) and avant-garde chefs from Marco Pierre White to Gary Rhodes, Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, changed the game for ever.
asserted
restaurateurs → lay → game
“It was a transformational time,” says Nick Jones, who founded private members’ club Soho House in 1995.
asserted
who → say → 1995
“Soho was rocking.
asserted
Soho → rock → ?
I was there, hanging around at the Coach & Horses and the French House, meeting lots of interesting people.
asserted
I → hang → people
The Groucho Club was thriving, people were having a lovely time, it was all a lot of fun.
asserted
it → thrive → fun
I can hardly remember it.”
asserted
I → remember → it
“I don’t really talk about that sort of thing.
asserted
I → talk → thing
And, truly, I can’t remember.”
asserted
I → remember → ?
Safe to say, the celebs poured in.
asserted
celebs → say → ?
Perhaps, to some degree, London was missing good food in the decades before.
asserted
London → miss → decades
There were exceptions to the rule — the River Cafe, Harvey’s and Langan’s all existed.
asserted
Cafe → be → rule
Alastair Little, the godfather of “modern British food”, was well established by 1985.
asserted
Little → establish → 1985
Anyone who wanted to eat well back then, could — but to do so was much harder and certainly more exclusive.
uncertain
do → want → ?
Jones concedes perhaps there was truth to the capital’s skewed reputation.
asserted
Jones → concede → reputation
“It was more limited for a time,” says Jones.
asserted
Jones → limit → time
“It was simpler then, you mostly either went to the pub or to a restaurant.”
asserted
you → go → restaurant
It took the roaring 1990s to democratise, to expand the scene.
asserted
It → take → scene
“The 1990s laid the groundwork for one of the most eclectic and diverse food scenes in the world”
Soho was full of pioneering chefs by 1990.
asserted
Soho → lay → 1990
Mark Hix was there, taking over as head chef at Le Caprice in that year before moving on to become the executive head chef for Caprice Holdings — the work of feted restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King — and overseeing venues like The Ivy.
asserted
Hix → take → Ivy
“The Ivy was amazing in the 1990s,” says Jones.
asserted
Jones → say → 1990s
Across town, the parade of new, dynamic restaurants continued apace.
asserted
parade → continue → restaurants
The Eagle, cited as the country’s first gastropub, launched in Farringdon in 1991.
asserted
Eagle → cite → 1991
St John opened nearby in 1994, wooing Nigella Lawson and Anthony Bourdain among countless others.
asserted
John → open → others
Jones’s list of hotspots is long, beginning with the River Cafe, in town since 1987.
asserted
list → begin → 1987
It made its mark in the 1990s.
asserted
It → make → 1990s
“River Cafe stood out as easily the best.
asserted
Cafe → stand → ?
I think it still is.
asserted
it → think → ?
It’s my favourite, anyway.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
He’s a bit forgotten now.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
But he set up wonderful restaurants like Bluebird and Le Pont de la Tour.
asserted
he → set → Bluebird
They’re still going now (under different ownership) and that speaks volumes.
asserted
that → go → volumes
“I used to go to the Savoy Grill, an old-time place, and Simpson’s in the Strand with my dad.
asserted
I → use → dad
And then there were places like Moro, by Sam and Sam Clark — that place was so cool and groundbreaking.”
asserted
place → be → Clark
Read More
“People were having a lovely time, it was all a lot of fun.
asserted
it → read → fun
I can hardly remember it”
asserted
I → remember → it
Cafe Boheme was among Jones’s first restaurants, opening on a Soho corner in 1992.
asserted
Boheme → open → 1992
It’s still there, serving oysters, steak frites and tuna Niçoise.
asserted
It → ’ → oysters
“It was my first successful place,” says Jones.
asserted
Jones → say → ?
“It’s still doing omelettes.”
Today, when it comes to restaurants, London is well formed.
asserted
London → do → restaurants
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
