Flower power: modern British dishes will cooked over a wood grill
(Picture: Ed Schofield)Notting Hill’s recent run of restaurant openings — which has included Caia, the Pelican, Ben Tish’s excellent pub the Princess Royal, and the not-so-excellent Zephyr — is set to go on, as a new modern British bistro opens up in October a stone’s throw from the Ledbury. Its owner, though, says he hopes it will be “anti-Notting Hill”.
Dorian comes from Notting Hill Fish + Meat Shop man Chris D’Sylva, who made headlines during the first lockdown with the Supermarket of Dreams, which hand-picked its stock from the very best restaurants across town. D’Sylva seems to have taken a similar approach here, with a team that between them have worked at some of the capital’s top places. Dorian’s head chef is Max Coen, who has worked at Ikoyi and Kitchen Table (and, outside of London, at three Michelin-starred Frantzén in Sweden); he will lead a team that includes Kai Menneken, who worked as a sous chef under Phil Howard, and ex-River Café chef George Williams, who recently cooked alongside Rick Stein, Allegra McEvedy, Rowley Leigh and Henry Harris at Pino restaurant’s Ukraine fundraiser.
Elsewhere, in charge of the bar is Ale Villa, who looked after drinks at Core by Clare Smyth — another three star spot — with the general manager Ben Whitfield, a long-time Corbin & King man, one who has looked after, over the years, Brasserie Zedel, Colbert and the Wolseley.
Though an early press release indicates the restaurant will be “approachably priced [sic]”, Dorian sounds a stylish, high-end affair. It will be a darkly-painted, glass-fronted, wood-panelled room with brass furnishing, marble tables and classic Bentwood bistro chairs. That said, D’Sylvia will be using a stylised eight-bit logo to add a kitsch, 80s-modern touch.
Cooking will be done from an open kitchen, with Coen and his team using a wood grill. Dishes will include John Dory, dry-aged côte de boeuf , oysters, and potato rostis with griolles; suppliers include Philip Warren. Details on the drinks remain limited, though the wine list will be put together with help from Keeling Andrew & Co — the wine import business run by the team behind Noble Rot — and the cocktail list will include a fig leaf Negroni.
D’Sylva said of the project: “Notting Hill is my home. This is where my London roots are. We want Dorian to be an anti-Notting Hill restaurant for people that live in and love the area,” says Chris. “It will be the place to eat at every day — as well as celebrating your most special occasion. I want it to feel like it’s been there forever.
“The team we’ve put together is phenomenal — they’re all embedded in the local community and are some of the most talented people I’ve ever worked with. They’re rockstars.”
