Naturally we keep abreast of pretty much everything King’s Cross here at Gasholder, but – impressive new diner T.E.D aside – there hasn’t really been a high profile new opening since Grain Store last summer.
Until now, that is. The Greek Larder is, as you might expect, a Hellenic restaurant and food store from experienced chef Theodore Kyriakou and Panos Manuelides. And from tomorrow, it flings its doors wide on York Way, just above the canal.
Kyriakou will perhaps be best known to readers of a certain age as the founder of the acclaimed Livebait fish restaurants (very big in the 90s), and then The Real Greek, now a smallish, but successful chain.
As for this new 100-seater venture, it’s all about regional produce and the culinary history of the Aegean, with the focus on traditional eastern Med recipes and the “street food” of Athens.
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So expect delights like grilled fish and mussels, octopus and fava, stuffed vine leaves with smoked eel, and pastourma with smoked pork and parsley sauce. Â Pastry-lovers and the sweet-toothed can gorge on souvlaki, filo pies and sweets such as Manouri mousse with orange blossom honey and pistachios.
It’s all about pleasing the local community too, and getting both office workers and locals in on a regular basis. So breakfast will be served from 8am along with morning coffee (robust Greek coffee apparently a speciality), and an all-day à la carte menu runs in the week, with brunch at the weekends.
Finally, shoppers might wish to try the accompanying food store, which is stacked with independent produce, including cheeses, charcuterie, pulses, beans, and traditional sweets. A house beer range and white wines from the fertile volcanic soils of Santorini will complete the range.
Also: look out for Dishoom
And from later next month, another high profile restaurant joins the N1C throng. The humongous 250-cover Dishoom will open for breakfast menu and follow an all-day menu of small plates, grills, biryanis, salad plates, rolls and curries.
In an additional twist, the basement is set to be a speakeasy. Called Permit Room, the vibe will be “eccentric early 20th century bar in Bombay”. Cocktails will be aged in bottles or barrels, then served over chipped ice by the ‘chota peg’ or ‘burra peg’ (traditional Indian liquor measures).
And there’ll be beer on tap for the less adventurous: London Fields Brewery will provide cask ales and bottled beers, along with their existing Dishoom IPA. See you in the half-light.
Find The Greek Larder at Arthouse, 1 York Way N1C 4AS. From Oct 31, opening hours are from 8am weekdays and 10am weekends until 1030pm (5pm Sundays)
