Shoreditch is known for its elaborate street art, creative community and an eclectic mix of vibrant street style and alternative culture. Its food scene is just as expansive with a hodgepodge of restaurants, street vendors and cafés, all with unique atmospheres and menus. The latest addition to the neighbourhood is Bar Valette, a European restaurant that truly is a journey through regions of France, and Spain, and unites each country's cuisine in harmony.
Bar Valette is an ode to unfussy dining
The restaurant itself is hard to miss; with a bottle-green exterior, it elegantly signals its presence on Kingsland Road. As you venture inside, the interior is considered, yet casual; an ideal spot for a laidback date night (also see our tips for where to eat in London this Valentine's Day), dinner with friends, or just taking up a seat at a long table by the window with a glass of wine and a good book.
This relaxed atmosphere is exactly what founder and chef Isaac McHale wanted to achieve, as he told Wallpaper*: ‘We worked closely with Azka Saiyed Design, [whose eponymous founder] is also a dear friend, and we asked for her help in revamping the space with light airy bathrooms and an unfussy, modern style. She works mainly on residential spaces, which is what I think works well for Bar Valette to give it a relaxed, intimate atmosphere.
'I’ve been searching for art to fill the Cornish clay and whitewashed brick walls with colour. We have prints by Stuart Davis [the American modernist], from LACMA and the Whitney, and an original work by [British artist] Florence Hutchings. The space is quite neutral, with simple white paper tablecloths and a few doilies here and there, so we wanted to inject it with colour and framed prints that will pick up the candlelight nicely in the evenings.’
McHale, who is also the founder of the two-Michelin star restaurant The Clove Club, wanted to pay homage to intimate, yet unfussy dining through his menu. He took inspiration from the cooking around Nice, Monaco, Provence, and San Sebastian, and simple Spanish cuisine where the produce is the star of the show. ‘This blend of influences, brought together under one roof and explored through the best wild game, seafood and meat you can find in each of these countries, is what makes the menu exciting.’
Torbay prawns with aioli
The dishes served vary each week, the chef selecting what would work best for the evening ahead, including fabada asturiana (a Spanish pork and beef stew); red mullet in green olive emulsion; John Dory and estoficado sauce and sides of duck fat sauté potatoes in persillade & carrot râpées; lamb chops. Torbay prawns are fried whole and and encouraged to be eaten as such via an aioli dip. To round off the meal the surprisingly light gâteau Basque offers notes of cinnamon and brown sugar; or share the decadently dense chocolate mousse, which is thick yet light with a layer of cream and chocolate dusting.
Barbajuans on doilies
‘It was a thrill to write a beautiful, exciting menu, filled with dishes people rarely see in London, and to take a fresh look at the amazing produce we work with at The Clove Club, with a chance to serve it in a simpler style.'
Gâteau Basque
McHale continues, ’For example, not many people might be familiar with barbajuans, which are these stuffed fritters with ricotta and chard, typical of Monegasque cuisine. Delicious things, constructed simply with ingredients that have great provenance, is what it’s all about.'
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