BLACKBOOK ON LOCATION
BLACKBOOK ON LOCATION Clockwise from left: the lit-up exterior of Boulestin restaurant on gilded St James’s Street; The London Edition’s dark, atmospheric lobby bar; the whitewashed façade of The Beaumont; Gymkhana’s colonial-inspired bar Boulestin is a triumph with sexy black and white floors, SCRUMPTIOUS MODERNIST ART and service which is tout-à-fait sympa In neighbouring Clerkenwell, St John Street is the setting for Foxlow (foxlow.co.uk), the new restaurant from Hawksmoor duo Will Beckett and Huw Gott, also slated for a December opening. Planned to be more intimate than their existing eateries, the focus will remain on great meat from ethically reared animals. Meanwhile, restaurateur Joel Kissin has revived one of London’s grande dame restaurants, Boulestin (boulestin.com). Now situated in St James’s – the original was in Covent Garden – it’s a triumph, with sexy black and white floors, scrumptious modernist art on the walls and service which is tout-à-fait sympa. As for the food, French classics faithfully done, it’s fresh and delicious and looks wonderful on the plate. A sprint up St James’s Street THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN In its 74 years, the exclusive Mayfair night spot Les Ambassadeurs has racked up a reputation for indulgence in the widest sense of the word: carefully curated spirits and superbly crafted drinks join with big-ticket betting and unrestrained frivolity. Just this year, the backdrop for The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night and Bond’s Dr No rejuvenated the Salle Privée, its most exclusive room. lesaclub.com brings us to the door of yet another newbie, Gymkhana ( $ gymkhanalondon.com), from Trishna chef-patron Karam Sethi. Generous of space and big of heart, this Mayfair hotspot is stylish without being themed: “dining car” decor with dark wood and rattan and booths which are the last word in comfort (and privacy) are the perfect backdrop for Sethi’s refined Subcontinental menu, heavy on meticulously prepared fish and game. JEREMY WAYNE HOTEL HAPPENINGS September saw a pair of much-anticipated properties unveiled in two of the metropolis’s hippest neighbourhoods: The London Edition (edition-hotels.marriott. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: NIKOLAS KOENIG, © THE BEAUMONT HOTEL, © LES AMBASSADEURS, © GYMKHANA, JAMES FRENCH 22 departures-international.com
