Noble Rot Soho : It’s a risky thing to be nostalgic which can result in all kinds of old gubbins being recreated. It’s also one of the most captivating emotions, that’s why the restaurant owners Noble Rot have taken over the former location that was the Gay Hussar which was founded in 1953 – located on Greek Street in Soho, they pledged to preserve a portion of the famous Hungarian establishment and political lunching spot’s past glory. That’s why the first thing I thought of was “Lord God, why?”
There’s no doubt that the Noble Rot gang, if you’ve had the delight of visiting their first Bloomsbury Restaurant is a group of people who are able to do things right, providing creative, contemporary European cuisine, a shrewd carefully curated wine menu and an attentive, calming service, as well as an elegant dining area brimming with scarlet-nosed foodie experts. They also have a gay Hussar. Gay Hussar, on the contrary as I was last there the restaurant in 2013 was brutal in many ways including the cold Cherry Soup that tasted of Nesquik combined with Lidl Bull’s blood and the soupy bean cholent stew that was served inside a potato-lattice castle to the smudge-ridden carpets, dusty shelves, menus that were laminated, the smell of the fryer and staff that used to sit in the kitchen looking over you from the cook’s pass , like the characters from Meerkat Manor. It was the best option Noble Rot could have done for this location should they had requested it the right questions, would have been to fill it up with explosives and then stand back.
Luckily, they didn’t have to ask me. Instead, they’ve lovingly transformed this beloved into something that is truly stunning and have created a stunning image of something that did not exist. Noble Rot II – the sequel – is a classy and softly lit restaurant, with its with slick brown leather banquettes elegant bordello lamps and cut-glass decanters, two cozy dining rooms as well as a dark, creaky staircase, and a political cartoon on the walls, as an apparent reference to the past. They also have goulash as a main dish. Most importantly they’ve also put in the skilled Alex Jackson, previously from Sardine in the kitchen. the kitchen stove.
This isn’t a menu for those who are trying to shed those 10 or so lbs that are locked down “upholstery” This is more of an opportunity to embrace this new version of yourself and gain protection from the cold winter ahead, including the choux buns (let’s simply refer to them as profiteroles) filled with rich duck liver pate, and decorated with Tokaji jelly and clams in bowls dipped in sweet riesling sauce and a side of freshly baked buttered bread to serve as a mop for. The baba is smothered with Armagnac and served with whipping cream. The cheese plate with the Langres, St Nectaire and Selles Sur Couffy can be enjoyed along with their own sticky wine tasting flight that includes Alsatian and German sweets.
Wines range from drinkable reliable, affordable, pocket-friendly wines like Chin Chin, which is the house Vinho Verde, Chin Chin with a price of PS3 per glass to brands like Emidio Pepe Cecile Tremblay as well as Lynch-Bagesthat people who are geeks love.
After lunch, I’ve advised a number of people to keep this location in their pockets in case they’re not afraid of London or eating out, or even of the people. Noble Rot Soho is a celebration place for birthdays or other special occasions however, it’s also a spot on any Tuesday you’re looking to remember that life is good. It’s not a harkening to the past, but rather, it’s reminding that there are plenty of reasons to get out of the house when winter comes around in 2020. If anyone could keep the old home going for another the next 67 years the answer is this group.
