From the birth of little Beak street Bacaro, Polpo, Russell Norman and Richard Beatty were onto a sure fire winner. Now, following three further variants on the theme - Polpo, Polpetto above The French House, the more casual da Polpo and Spuntino in Rupert Street - will open fifth instalment, Mishkin's next month.
Set in the heart of London's Covent Garden like da Polpo, Mishkin's promises to bring a slice of the East End and New York's Lower East Side to London's West End and is described by Russell Norman himself as "a kind of Jewish deli with cocktails".
Norman, along with group head chef Tom Oldroyd, has developed a menu of Jewish comfort classics such as Brick Lane salt beef on soda bread, a classic Ruben sandwich on rye, oxtail cholent alongside their own twists on familiar dishes such as cod cheek popcorn and house-smoked beef brisket hash and eggs.
The cocktail list will feature classic drinks from the 1930s and 1940s and this time it's gin not martini that's getting pride of place in the bar which will stock a huge range of gins including many London distilled varieties.
Norman always makes a point of personally sourcing conversation piece interiors for all his venues and Art Deco-inspired pieces at Mishkin's hail from buildings around the country and include a lovingly restored copper and mahogany sound booth from the BBC Television Centre in White City.
There will be 40 seats in total - a mix of leather booths as well as bar seating - and for those who prefer to plan ahead rather than chancing the habitual Norman no reservations policy queue, Mishkin's will take bookings as well. Something tells us that this will be a touch more exclusive than your average deli.
Opening November 2011
Mishkin's, 25 Catherine Street, WC2
http://www.mishkins.co.uk/
What more sitting at a bar with a crush of people wishing you would choke so they can get your table, you can keep it Mr Norman.
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