As if its name wasn’t enough of a hint, boredom is a word seldom used at Carousel, an exciting venue where the chefs rotate just as frequently as the menus.
Opened by cousins Ollie, Ed, Will and Anna Templeton, the Marylebone restaurant and gallery space takes the form of a multifaceted three-storey building, used for exhibitions, screenings and performances. Front and centre, however, is the ground floor dining room and al fresco courtyard that regularly host guest chefs in residence. When we recently visited,Erik Anderson and Jamie Malone, from Brut restaurant in Minneapolis, had taken charge of Carousel’s theatrical open kitchen. The duo’s modern approach to French cooking was seamlessly played out in well-crafted dishes such as wood pigeon and duck roulade with charcoal roasted shallots, and Norwegian cod with chanterelles and a ham and herb salad. Cocktails came courtesy of Ira Koplowitz from Bittercube, a creative Milwaukee-based bitters specialist, who added the infused mixtures to tinctures such as the ‘Green Isaac’s Special’, a gin, cherry bark vanilla bitters and sugar concoction presented in a gold coconut shell.
It’s all served amongst a convivial atmosphere, on rustic communal tables in a dining room flooded with light thanks to a series of floor-to-ceiling windows. Designed by Rise Design Studio, the minimalist setting of low hanging pendant lights and concrete flooring and pillars offers an industrial twang. Most importantly, it provides a seamless canvas onto which chefs may project their own individuality or themes. Anything but boring.
ADDRESS
71 Blandford Street
-
Homespun pleasures are the order of the day at this warm Kraków restaurantLocated in the Kazimierz district, Dala Restaurang emerges as a space where homely character meets a love for nature and the simplicity of life
-
Gergei Erdei’s furniture collection with Porta Romana is inspired by treasured family heirloomsWorking closely with the British furniture and lighting company, artist and designer Gergei Erdei drew inspiration from his grandmother’s jewellery box to create a furniture collection which has an air of antiqueness
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fountainhead will be opened to the public for the first timeThe home, a defining example of the architect’s vision for American design, has been acquired by the Mississippi Museum of Art, which will open it to the public, giving visitors the chance to experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius firsthand
-
One of London’s favourite coffee shops just opened in Harvey NicholsKuro Coffee’s latest outpost brings its Japanese-inspired design to the London department store
-
Enjoy a Kyoto-inspired menu with London attitude at this new restaurantAki London offers a serene counterpoint to Oxford Circus, where stately interiors and elevated Japanese cooking cross paths
-
At this charming bolthole in The Cotswolds, doing nothing is an art formLeave your mobile on ‘do not disturb’, switch off and slow down at this 16th-century manor-turned-hotel
-
Lee Broom reimagines the Christmas tree at Mandarin Oriental MayfairThe London hotel unveils an inventive take on the festive tradition – with absolutely no needles
-
Cinema’s tastiest moments to be celebrated by Mubi in an all-day festival‘Let’s Eat! A Film Feast’ spotlights the sensory power of food on film with a day of screenings, talks and culinary delights in London
-
An around-the-world art tour with RosewoodFrom London to New York, Amsterdam and São Paulo, the hotel group showcases curated art that reflects the unique local context
-
Chef Matt Abé steps out solo with Bonheur in MayfairA former fine-dining institution is transformed through a study of light, tone and materiality, courtesy of Russell Sage Studio
-
Dining at Motorino: the 'young and playful' London restaurant with all the right ingredientsThe newest restaurant from Stevie Parle and Luke Ahearne is sleek in design and menu, finds Ben McCormack
