Latest opening: Caravel
What: A floating restaurant and bar housed in the hollowed-out shell of an old working barge moored next to Holborn Studios, on the Regent’s Canal between Hoxton and Islington in London.
Who: Brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri, who are the sons of St John founding partner and restaurant consultant Jon Spiteri and Rochelle Canteen co-founder Melanie Arnold. The pair opened Studio Kitchen on the pontoon next door to Holborn Studios in early 2020 and Caravel reflects the latest evolution of that business, having been acquired by the brothers in lockdown. Fin started his career in the kitchens at Bentleys and Locanda Locatelli, and later ran the restaurant and members club at Quo Vadis before eventually launching his own bar and cocktail consultancy business. Lorcan, meanwhile, began his career at Quo Vadis, cooking his way from runner to sous chef before moving on to launch Oldroyd as sous chef there. After a few summers at Rochelle Canteen, he launched his own brand ‘Guinea Fowlers’ where he ran two long term pub residencies alongside a pitch at Rupert Street Market in Soho. Fin takes charge of the floor at Caravel, while Lorcan oversees the kitchen.
The food: Caravel’s menu is ‘based on simplicity and the best seasonal ingredients’, with Lorcan partly drawing inspiration from his upbringing and the food that he and Fin enjoyed growing up. The regularly changing à la carte menu starts with snacks such as potato rösti with sour cream and caviar, with starters including sesame prawn toast with spiced tartare; confit duck rissoles; and violet artichoke with kohlrabi. Main dishes span a range of British, Italian and French classics, with white crab tagliatelle, fennel and garlic; crispy pork belly, green beans and anchoïde; and roast hake, confit potatoes and curry sauce. Desserts, meanwhile, include a blood orange jelly with honeycomb; and almond cake with salted caramel ice cream. Prices for small plates and starters primarily sit between the £5 and £10 mark, with the larger dishes ranging from £12.50 to £18.
The drink: As well as running the floor, Fin has created the drinks list at Caravel, which includes a short selection of ready-to-serve cocktails such as a blood orange margarita; a rhubarb negroni; and a ‘Rum’n’Coke Old Fashioned’. Alongside this is a small and selective wine list, with a focus on independent and organic producers.
The vibe: The 40-cover dining room is a pared-back space with smart, elegant touches. Light pours in from the boat’s windows, and wooden tables are covered with crisp white tablecloths and small, brass lamps. A small open kitchen is situated at the back of the boat, giving diners a glimpse into the waterside cooking.
And another thing: The name Caravel comes from a historical term that refers to a small, fast Spanish or Portuguese sailing ship of the 15th to 17th centuries.
172 Shepherdess Walk, London N1 7JL
thestudiokitchen.co.uk/the-boat
