If there’s one thing that Londoners love more than a pint, it’s a new watering hole. Preferably one with some nice nosh thrown into the mix. Enter stage left a new kid on the Old Brompton Road block of bars, pubs and restaurants.
Snug, low-ceilinged, softly lit and kitted out in a splash of blue, black and gold, Coquine (French for ’mischievous’) is the latest bolt-hole brought to us by the team behind Chelsea hotspot, The Valmont Club.
The drinks menu is French posh with the regulatory brigade champagne and cocktails. The Gallic-vibe is carried through to the mod-ish menu, featuring things like tiger prawn tartines, foie gras burgers, ballotines and steak tartare, though there are unlikely international interlopers like chicken maki, fish fingers tacos and flash fried Oreos.
But interior designer Lee Broom’s fit out of the double-level space is Coquine’s most eye-catching feature. Many pieces from Broom’s ’Heritage Boy’ furniture range - including the ’Carpentry’ pendant light and ’Tiles’ lamp - have been incorporated, but we’re particularly taken with the ’Decanterlight’, which is exactly what it sounds like: lights made from vintage lead-crystal decanters rescued from antique shops and flea markets.
Broom liked the ’Decanterlight’ so much that he’s created a special retail range that will launch on 26 May. The good news, says Broom, is that this will not be a limited edition. ’This is the first, more accessible range I have designed. Although each piece is indeed unique, the collection will only end when no more vintage, cut crystal decanters can be found.’
