Tag: yotam ottolenghi

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Design

Hotel W Maldives Relaunch + Icetank Covent Garden London

Urban Joy Island Bliss

On a freezing winter’s evening the coolest people in town are at Icetank to celebrate the reopening of Hotel W’s hottest destination: W Maldives. The temperature’s rising; so is the tempo. There’s a supper crafted by Israeli British Chef Yotam Ottolenghi to enjoy while the sound of Indian Ocean waves lap round the room. Images of W Maldives flash across the white walls of Icetank. Seaside sculptures are a reminder of topical tropics. Peace, tranquillity, serenity.

Amila Handunwala, General Manager of W Maldives, announces, “We’re all set to reopen in January with a bold full scale renovation that redefines the island escape. We’re the first W Hotel to undergo the brand’s global branding initiative. Every detail of the resort has been thoughtfully redesigned from the 77 beach villas with private pools to cutting edge dining and bar concepts. I look forward to welcoming you to W Maldives!”

Boom! Bang! Blast! Drummers ascend from the basement, mystical sea creatures appear from nowhere, and London based French musician DJ Maïa sets the room on fire! Musically, that is. Tuesday is the new Friday and 7pm the new midnight as everyone takes to the Nu Disco, House and Funk dancefloor. It’s like a Vogue celebration and Goodwood party rolled into one. Beautiful people, beautiful places, beautiful times.

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Architects Architecture Art Design Luxury People Restaurants Town Houses

Old Union Yard Arches + Bala Baya Restaurant Southwark London

Behind The Music Box

It’s a long time since Gilbert and George sang Under the Arches (1969) and an even longer time since Flanaghan and Allen did too (1941). These days, railway arches are – like every square metre in London – hot property. The Low Line. Theatres, restaurants, bars and community hubs fill the stretch from Union Street to Surrey Row known as Old Union Yard Arches.

But before the arches were redeveloped, there was, and very much still is, The Music Box. The capital’s most exciting apartments and music college scheme. Developer Taylor Wimpey Central London had the vision to commission the exciting young architecture practice Spparc (now in full bloom) to design a building that entwines architecture and music in a standout standalone standing ovation on Union Street.

A mezzanine divides the archway of Bala Baya into two levels. The ground floor is achromatic in deference to the White City of Tel Aviv. Upstairs, the exposed brick vault lends a more rustic allure. Owner Chef Eran Tibi – you guessed it – is Televivian. Interior designer Afroditi Krassa added bright terrazzo slabs from a Haifa factory. Eran says, “I wanted to walk on floors that remind me of home.” Tableware comes from one of Jaffa’s famous flea markets. The rear wall of the mezzanine is built up in perforated breeze blocks of the type you see just about everywhere in gardens in Israel. But the biggest import is the custom built pitta oven from Israeli manufacturer Jagum.

The rumble of trains overhead provides an accompaniment to dancey music. Six years old, Bala Baya still strikes the right chord with a cacophony free lunch. Putting that oven to good use, pitta is served with mezze: Pink Tamara (smoked roe, extra virgin olive oil, chives). Fish Clouds (smoked haddock fish cakes, pita crumbs, poached egg, white taramasalata, apple, fennel) are a reminder of Tel Aviv’s western coast. ‘Bala Baya’ means ‘mistress of the house’ and the pudding Lady Baharat (pink lady, salted caramel, Baharat cream, wonton) proves to be a woo worthy sweet symphony. Israeli wines are labelled “from home”. Pale straw coloured Carmel Selected Sauvignon Blanc 2020 carries aromas of tropical fruit notes against a backdrop of cut grass. Like The Music Box, the wine is aging well.

Unsurprisingly Eran is a protégé of Yotam Ottolenghi. Michael Kaminer explained in his 2017 review of Bala Baya for The New York Times, “Before he became a global brand, Yotam Ottolenghi introduced Londoners to modern Israeli food – a minor trend that has become a phenomenon.” Bala Baya is part of this movement from minor to major, taking it up another octave. Encore! Encore!