Opening up within the former Newman Street Tavern, Dickie Fitz plans to shine rays of Australian sunshine upon the hungry of Fitzrovia. Did we bask in its warmth, or get horribly sunburnt? Read on for our verdict…
Leave aside the questionable (but undeniably memorable) name: this handsome all-dayer delivers a menu full of interest, inspired by the diverse flavours of the Pacific. Dickie Fitz is the first restaurant from the group behind The Henry Root, Princess Victoria and Lady Ottoline pubs, who have sacrificed their Newman Street Tavern to house the venture. The ground floor is now a striking dining room and bar, decked out in canary-yellow and clean-lined furnishings – which allow the dazzling dandelion clock-style chandeliers to steal your attention and accentuate the high ceiling. Upstairs is a more intimate but equally informal dining room looking over Mortimer Street; ask for table 22, ideally positioned in front of the tall, curved corner window.
The kitchen is the domain of Sydney native Matt Robinson (formerly behind the stoves at Chelsea’s Bluebird and Piccadilly’s Criterion), who brings together the cuisines of multiple nations on to one plate: think tuna tataki and ponzu teamed with avocado to start, followed by lamb chops and mint with saké, or gyoza stuffed with cauliflower, pine nuts and raisins. The organisation of the menu is discombobulating, with separate sections labelled ‘small plates’ and ‘starters’ – suggesting that Robinson can’t decide between a traditional starter-main-dessert concept or a sharing format – but there’s much to enjoy nevertheless. Our highlight was the aforementioned gyoza, their fillings suffused with mouth-flooding flavour and featuring superb texture clashes. A bowl of jet-black ‘macancini’ (macaroni-stuffed arancini) was also diverting: the balls light and carefully infused with truffle. Steamed barramundi (Asian sea bass) had exquisitely moist yet firm flesh and was paired with charred white cabbage which, while visually bland, lent the dish welcome smokiness.
Other plates weren’t quite as successful: our honey-glazed pork ribs were pleasingly sticky yet burnt and dry, while the green apple sorbet we picked for dessert had a strange, chemical flavour. Stick to the coconut-smothered lamington cakes – a fun nod to Australia and a steal at £1 each.
As you would expect, the wine list owes much to the New World; there’s plenty of choice by the glass, as well as Tasmanian sparkling options to add interest. A range of pricey cocktails continues the Australasian theme (our favourite being Choice Bro, with its sweet, strong-rum and orange-bitter flavours), and you’ll also find an array of Australian beer to soak up the meat-heavy Sunday Feasting menu.
Opening a restaurant in this relatively quiet corner of Fitzrovia is a bold move, but on our visit the place was buzzing. If the kitchen team can fix the dickie dishes on its menu, this charmingly staffed venture could become a perfectly adequate all-rounder – and a solid choice for a reasonably priced gastro-tour of the Pacific.
Find out more and book a table at Dickie Fitz
We’ve been scoffing around town like Lent never happened, so if you need to know the verdict on London’s newest restaurants, read our take on Mark Hix and Damien Hirst mash-up Pharmacy 2 here, then read Square Meal’s review of Jason Atherton’s Sosharu here.
This article was published 17 March 2016