Latest opening: Maene
What: A relaxed contemporary bistro atop a four-storey Victorian warehouse close to Spitalfields Market. Maene offers a tight, simple menu of modern British dishes alongside creative cocktails and a naturally-leaning wine list.
Who: Maene is the latest restaurant from Nick Gilkinson, who launched the much smaller (but not dissimilar in terms of market positioning) Townsend down the road in Whitechapel Gallery in 2020. Great British Menu chef Amber Francis leads the kitchen. The Bristol-born 27-year-old has an impressive CV that includes The Ritz, Brawn and a number of roles within Robin Gill’s group (she joins Maene from Zebra Riding Club, where she was head chef). The general manager is Christina Santelli, who was most recently at 12:51 by James Cochran.
The vibe: Just off Commercial Street to the south east of Spitafields Market, Maene occupies the top floor of a large yoga studio called Mission (helpfully for those looking to find the place there’s a prominent ‘m’ sign at ground floor level). There will soon be a private lift to whisk diners up to the fourth floor but for the moment guests must take the stairs. The 54-cover restaurant and 25-cover bar is housed in a single open plan space. Designer FareInc - which is responsible for Soho restaurant Paradise - have worked sympathetically with the fabric of the building to create an attractive minimalist space with navy blue banquettes, white-washed walls, exposed brickwork and dozens of pendant light fittings. A north-facing terrace will soon open offering views of the City skyline.
The food: Francis has created a simple menu that’s arranged into snacks, smaller dishes and larger dishes that are roughly the size of a standard main course. Options include whipped Sussex ricotta, pickled beetroot and thyme; Cornish mussels, smoked cider and bacon sauce; pork loin, spring greens and hazelnut pesto; and sea buckthorn with smoked rapeseed oil and 70% chocolate.
To drink: Maene’s modestly-sized wine list is responsibly priced and big on organic producers. The cocktail list, meanwhile, has a zero-waste slant with most options using products from the restaurant that would have otherwise ended up in the bin including sourdough and coffee grounds.
And another thing: Maene - which takes its name from ‘an old English word with connections to community’ - is not to be confused with Mayfair New England style brasserie The Maine.
7-9 Fashion Street, London E1 6PX
www.maenerestaurant.co.uk
