RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: Long before he was executive head chef at The Fat Duck, and even longer before he opened Trivet, Jonny Lake was a school kid in Ontario with big dreams. When a French teacher tasked his class with inventing a restaurant, the 13-year-old dreamt up an entire fictional menu for ‘Labombe’ (meaningless name, all one word). Decades later, the now-decorated chef came across his old French homework, and decided to use the name for his newest London venture, Labombe by Trivet, which opened yesterday.
The Vibe: Labombe fills big shoes. The site was once the Met Bar – favourite haunt of Liam Gallagher, Kate Moss et al in the nineties and noughties – located inside the swanky COMO Metropolitan London hotel, with its own entrance just off the stress-inducing dual carriageway that is Park Lane. Once inside, it’s serene, stylish, with an art-filled dining room looking onto a long counter and open kitchen. There’s also a spacious private dining room at the back.
The Food: Meat-heavy, Europe-centric sharing plates with a touch of Basque. The most inventive, original stuff is concentrated in the very reasonably priced snacks. An imaginative gilda features a deep-fried king oyster, while a skewer of grilled duck heart with pickled cherry packs rich flavour. My two highlights were also snacks: first, a miniature toastie with lashings of butter, crispy quinoa for texture, and umami-laden, creamy bottarga. Then, what will surely become Labombe’s signature: the ‘hot tongue bun,’ a pastrami-like sandwich of fried brioche with thinly sliced braised ox tongue, anchovy mayo, pickles, dill, anchovy pieces and – the best bit – blackcurrant ‘mostarda’ that recalls the winning combo of IKEA meatballs and lingonberry jam.
The rest of the menu is a mix of small and heavier, meatier plates. Seabass crudo comes with four sizeable slices in a tangy orange ponzu, anchovy garum and, again, crispy quinoa for crunch. Grilled kalettes are dressed with pork fat vinaigrette, tuna heart and lemon, while farinata with a side of mortadella was a tad too greasy for me. Grilled confit Delica pumpkin is welcome respite from the meat, and comes with sherried almond purée and candied almonds.
For mains, mackerel was beautifully butterflied and lightly cooked, while a bitter leaf salad provided much-needed greenery. Bavette was perfectly medium rare and flavoursome, with just a few flecks of sea salt. A side of skin-on fries were nicely seasoned with ‘Turkajun’ spice and came with a pot of fresh-tasting charred tomato relish that beats any ketchup. For dessert, there’s a classic crème caramel with bitter Campari that’s too rich for one person, and an excellent fig and almond frangipane tart with cardamom cream.
The Drink: When the young Jonny Lake got his homework back, his French teacher had scrawled a note: ‘Où sont les boissons?’ Turns out he was so absorbed in creating his imaginary menu that he forgot to include drinks. Thankfully he’s now joined by his Trivet partner, master sommelier Isa Bal, whose extensive global wine list covers every price point, with older vintages and rare options too. Cocktails nod to The Met Bar and are separated by decades: O’Hagan’s tipple for the 1870s, Negroni for the 1910s and, for the 2020s, a Labombe Spritz featuring Chartreuse gentian and sparkling wine.
The Verdict: Similar to Trivet in many ways, Labombe is more accessible, price-wise, and a little more laidback. You could pop in for steak, chips and salad, or go all-out by ordering half the menu. It would be too easy to say it’s ‘the bomb,’ but it’s an excellent second opening from a talented restaurateur duo. –Laura Price
→ Labombe by Trivet (Mayfair) • 19 Old Park Lane • Daily 12-2p & 6-930p • Book.