Restaurateurs Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney have revealed more details about their forthcoming project in The Shard.
Oblix, which will open on the building’s 32nd floor, will be a New York-style grill serving spit-roasted
and charcoal-grilled meats, and wood-fired breads and pizzas. In similar style to Zuma (another of the pair's ventures), the restaurant will also feature a separate lounge bar.
The interiors, designed by Claudio Silvestrin (whose other London projects have included L’Anima and Princi), will be pared back, featuring warm, neutral, earthy colours and textures that do not detract from the magnificent
views of the capital.
‘You can’t compete with the view – it’s what being in The Shard is all about,’ said Becker. ‘We’ve used warm colours and shaped both the restaurant and the bar to achieve the balance between the
view and the interior. From the 32nd floor, you capture the enormity of the panorama, but not so much that you miss the detail. Every time I’m there, I notice something different.’
The location of Oblix – in western Europe’s tallest building – influenced both Becker’s choice of name and his vision for the restaurant. ‘The idea for Oblix grew from the height and boldness of
the skyscrapers in New York,’ he explained. As for the name, it relates to the obelisk shape of The Shard.
Oblix is Becker and Waney’s third joint venture; their other joint business interests include international branches of Zuma and Roka. The new restaurant will open this spring.
This story was published in January 2013.