RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: Mini martinis (still trending!) are the talk of Londontown this month thanks to Noisy Oyster, a new seafood bistro serving the diminutive cocktails alongside creative, colourful plates. Opened in late June on a buzzy side street outside Spitalfields, it’s the second London venture from the duo behind Soho wine bar Firebird, Madina Kazhimova and Anna Dolgushina.
The Vibe: Servers clad in lime green t-shirts, with a website and menu spiked by the same colour scheme (still Brat summer!). The interior is spacesuit-esque, with silver chairs and tables and PVC strip curtains separating the main room from the loos. It feels very Shoreditch in its decor, yet the menu is more Soho.
The Food: There’s plenty of caviar, like the ‘red caviar toast’ (Guinness bread, Yarra Valley salmon roe, whipped butter) and the star of the menu, the mini maritozzo, a savoury riff on the Roman cream bun, filled with whipped ricotta and Osetra caviar. Pop it in your mouth in one go, and wait for the sweetness of the brioche to segue into salty, creamy notes.
Among the rest of the excellent snacks and starters are a crispy-skinned Hasselback potato served with bottarga and a nostalgic sour cream and chive sauce, while octopus con tomate features meaty octopus chunks, sweet tomato pulp, and dazzlingly soft Datterini tomatoes. It’s what might happen if you crossed the pulpo at Sabor Asador with José Tapas’s pan con tomate. Highlights among mains and desserts include a single egg yolk-oozing raviolo stuffed with smoked eel and a light-as-air rum baba.
The Drink: There are three mini martinis: a vodka-gin-sake-vermouth combo, a gin-vermouth-sherry and a tequila-mezcal-sherry. They’re designed to be perfectly chilled and not too strong, but this lightweight was (happily) tipsy after one sip. There’s an excellent selection of cocktails, wines and non-alcoholic drinks too.
The Verdict: In a neighbourhood of great restaurants, Noisy Oyster feels unique, fresh and particularly appealing while the weather’s hot. Pitch up outside with a mini martini or two and as many small plates as you can muster. –Laura Price
→ Noisy Oyster (Shoreditch) • 2 Nicholls and Clarke Yard (off Blossom St) • Wed & Thu 530-11p, Fri 12-3 & 530-11p, Sat 12-11p, Sun 12-9p • Book.