Eneko Atxa’s hotly anticipated Basque restaurant, Eneko at One Aldwych, was announced in April and now it's almost open. Today we're exclusively revealing that the hot Covent Garden newcomer will launch on 1 August, with 50% off food all month before fully opening on 1 September.
The Basque Country is famous for its cuisine and Eneko Atxa (above) is one of the region’s greatest chefs. With three Michelin stars under his belt for his Bilbao restaurant, Azurmendi (considered to be one of the top 20 restaurants in the world), it’s fair to say we are more than a little excited about his imminent arrival at Covent Garden’s One Aldwych hotel.
The 110-cover restaurant and 35-cover wine bar promise to be more accessible than his continental offering. The menu deals in hearty, ingredient-led dishes including a starter of txerri boda (wild boar) ‘pork festival’, which is a three-part dish of Ibérico ham and mushroom duxelle (finely chopped mushrooms with onions, shallots and herbs, reduced to a paste) in milk bread, suckling pig brioche and pig trotter bocata, a Spanish-style baguette.
Mains will include Basque-style hake tempura in a red pepper sauce, as well as beetroot tartare and a bomba rice risotto with Idiazabal pesto (a pressed cheese made from unpasteurized sheeps' milk). For dessert, expect Eneko’s signature rice pudding lollipops, coated in white and dark chocolate.
A mezzanine-level wine bar will serve wine by the glass from a hand-picked, all-Spanish wine list, with hot and cold bar snacks inspired by the restaurant menu.
We caught up with Atxa in April, who explained: “I’ve been a keen follower of the London food scene for a long time – there are so many fantastic chefs and wonderful restaurants doing some really exciting things here; I can’t wait to be part of it all. I’ll be bringing something different and unique to the city with my own interpretation of traditional Basque cuisine, based on quality ingredients, simplicity and its culinary heritage. One Aldwych will make the perfect partner as we share such a passion for quality and innovation. Together we look forward to delivering beautifully fresh, modern dishes in a relaxed and informal setting that people will return to again and again.”
The two-floor interior will continue the informal vibe, designed by Casson Mann. Marking the design studio’s first foray into restaurants, the focus will be on sustainability, with materials sourced from the Basque Country including chestnut tables, a chiselled pine wall and artwork from the region.
Find out more about Eneko at One Aldwych here and book yourself a table for the soft launch by calling 020 7300 0300.
Check out other London restaurants and bars coming soon, and have a look at London’s latest restaurant openings.
Prefer pop ups? We’ve compiled a guide to the best London pop ups this month too.
This article was modified 5 July 2016