Latest opening: JOIA
What: Straddling two floors of the super stylish art’otel London Battersea Power Station, JOIA is an Iberian restaurant and bar. The venue comprises an impressive 14th floor bar and an 85-cover restaurant on the 15th floor, both overlooking the newly refurbished Battersea Power Station.
Who: Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa is the man in charge. One of Portugal’s most celebrated chefs, Sá Pessoa also operates the two Michelin-starred Alma restaurant and the more relaxed trans-Iberian tapas bar Tapisco, both of which are in Lisbon. He is also the executive chef at ARCA restaurant, which is located within art’otel Amsterdam.
The food: Iberian food, rather than that from Portugal, is the style of cuisine on offer, with the menu borrowing from Sá Pessoa’s culinary heritage and influenced by the flavours and cooking techniques of Catalonia and Portugal. The menu is split into sections including snacks, petiscos and tapas as well as larger dishes, some of which are cooked in a Josper oven. Standout dishes include la bomba de Lisbon (pictured below), Sá Pessoa signature croquette made with potato and traditional Portuguese Aaheira sausage, served with tomato and sofrito sauce; and bacalhau à brás - a dish of salted cod with shoestring potatoes, parsley, black olive served with an raw egg yolk that is mixed tableside; as well as grilled carabineiro prawns with orzo bisque and coriander. Desserts, meanwhile, include pao de lo - a sponge cake served with a goat’s cheese ice cream; and a dark chocolate mousse made with sherry caramel and served with savoury chorizo ice cream. A bar menu is also available featuring snacks, petiscos and tapas from the a la carte menu alongside some unique plates, such as Josper chicken wings; pan con tomate with Iberico ham; and beef tartare with mustard mayonnaise and capers.
To drink: The wine list is given over exclusively to wines from Portugal and Spain (apart from some French champagnes), starting with sparklers that include a £138 bottle of cava. Some wines are available by the glass as well as carafe with whites topping out a £200 a bottle for a Remelluri 2020 rioja and reds at £527 for a Clos Erasmus 2019 priorat. There’s also an eight-strong selection of Portuguese roses and a good list of port, sherries and maderia as well as a cocktail list inspired by the 12 precious gems of the Iberian region, including amber, opal and emerald.
The vibe: Designed by Russell Sage Studio, the venue takes inspiration from the art deco style of the Power Station combined with mid-century influences. The colour palette is soft with pinks and greens the dominant shades, which have been used to full effect, creating a warm and chic environment that befits its impressive location (and views). The bar below is accessed by a grand staircase designed to recall ‘old school glamour and parties of the 1920s’ and has a lighter feel with high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows and whitewashed walls, as well as an eye-catching red snapper wall-mounted sculpture.
And another thing: Although it sounds like the word ‘joy’, JOIA actually translates as ‘jewel’ in Portuguese.
art’otel London Battersea Power Station, 15th Floor. 1 Electric Boulevard, London, SW11 8BJ
https://www.joiabattersea.co.uk
