As London dining becomes more trend-driven and homogeneous, we should be thankful for those restaurants with a singular vision to be something different. On the surface, Planque fits an easy trend - East London, wine-led, housed in a brick railway arch - but as you brush through the entrance curtain and the room unfurls in front of you, the scale of this passion project snaps into focus.
It’s a lofty, modern, architectural space - a gallery masquerading as a dining room. Pale terrazzo floors run the length of the room, given room to breathe by the generous proportions; Planque could easily pack in more diners, but it chooses aesthetics over covers - a decision we rather admire. Exposed ductwork and industrial fixtures draw silver lines across the ceiling, intersected by taut, diagonal light-ropes. It’s a strikingly geometric, dynamic interior - one that reflects Planque’s sense of adventure.
We saunter past an enormous central banquet table, set up in front of the open kitchen, and settle into a low-lit corner with a view of the whole room. It takes three snacks and about five minutes for Planque to mark itself out as something special. First, a beautiful tartlet of scallop and sea lettuce, as pretty as it is precise and balanced. Then, fresh, briny Carlingford oysters with a mischievous prickle of hot sauce. And finally, something utterly delicious - a disk of fried bread, covered in Choricero pepper jam and dressed with fatty slices of tuna belly. It’s perfection - joy rendered as a flat circle.
Beef tartare with peppercorn sauce is a smart fusion of classics, which we happily shovel up with crisps. Crab rice leans into the mellow sweetness of white crab, delivering pleasing nuggets of crispy rice in amongst the rest. Veal sweetbreads are majestically cooked, creamy-centred and resting on a bed of deep, murky braised greens and capers. Wine pairings are spot on too, thanks to a team that clearly knows its stuff.
If it wasn’t already clear, Planque seals the deal with a thrill ride dessert of meringue, malty bread caramel, and the funkiest Wigmore cheese ice cream. It shouldn’t work, but all it's disparate parts come together into a beautiful harmony. Like so much here, it is much more than the sum of its parts, and leaves you wide-eyed and smiling.
Assured, exhilarating cooking, thoughtful design, faultless wine service - Planque is the complete package, and easily one of the most exciting restaurants in London, full stop.