Following its collaboration at Cowley Manor, a countryside hotel in the heart of the Cotswolds, global hospitality brand Experimental Group has once again teamed up with British chef Jackson Boxer and French designer Dorothée Meilichzon to bring Henri to life, a Parisian-inspired restaurant on the ground floor of Hotel Henrietta in London’s Covent Garden.
Henri Restaurant
Briefed to blend elements of both traditional British pubs and Parisian brasseries, also reflected in Boxer’s menu, Meilichzon used textures to add depth, with bright velvet banquettes, wooden panelling, classic Art Nouveau Thonet chairs and frosted windows. At first glance, Henri might seem traditional – think floor-long table skirtings and melting bistro candles – yet it’s in touches such as the linen tapestries gracing the ceilings or the wall’s distracting artworks that keep the space ‘contemporary and fun’, as described by Meilichzon herself.
Meilichzon adds: ‘We wanted to create a cohesive dining room that is both intimate and glamorous, where the space is bookended with the open kitchen and bar.’ The result is a restaurant that is transportative but in touch with its surroundings. A palette of dark green hues, light blues and deep Bordeaux reds are revealed through Botanical shapes woven throughout the restaurant that nod to the humble beginnings of Covent Garden as a fruit and vegetable market.
Staying true to a traditional bistro layout, tables at Henri are so close together that you might be influenced by what the guests at the next table are ordering. Boxer, known for London restaurants such as Brunswick House, Orasay and Jackson Boxer at the Corner, has designed an expansive all-day menu that promises ‘something for every mood.’ French-inspired dishes feature the likes of a mighty Swaledale bavette, cooked with XO Cognac and wild peppercorns. While for the more adventurous, the grilled snails with green garlic and veal rice make a great starter.
The sun-drenched outside terrace will transport you back to the hustle and bustle of central London – in other words, the perfect post-dinner spot to taste the creative list of cocktails, each named after a French icon. After all, what could go wrong with a regal Marie Antoinette whisky-infused concoction?
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Henri is located at 14, 15 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8QH, henricoventgarden.com
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