Latest opening: Counter 71
What: A relaxed counter dining restaurant about five minutes to the north of Old Street tube. Set within a former pub, Counter 71 has 16 covers and serves a 15 course tasting menu for £110. The cooking style is modern British, with the menu aiming to showcase ‘the idiosyncrasies of the British seasons’. Counter dining is a growing niche within the fine dining space, but there aren’t many practitioners in and around Shoreditch, The City and Islington so the location - while not exactly obvious - does make sense.
Who: Chef Joe Laker. Originally from Hull, he has worked at a number of top UK restaurants including Roots, Elystan Street, St Leonards and Anglo. He was most recently head chef at Fenn, which closed earlier this year. His partner on the project is Georgia-born mixologist Ryan Sheehan, who will soon launch a standalone bar called Lowcountry downstairs. The 28-cover venture will offer creative cocktails that put Bourbon and Rye centre stage alongside a US-inspired food menu created by Laker and team.
The vibe: The corner site has an earthy green colour palette with design details including a striking marble countertop, Japanese tile foot rests, boucle upholstery, concrete floors and white half-length curtains that provide natural light while keeping things discrete. The open kitchen is spacious, with dishes prepared on a central kitchen island before being brought to the counter.
The food: Laker’s food is focused and creative, striking a good balance between classical and contemporary technique. Meals start with a succession of one-bite dishes that include chicken skin topped with crab; a sheep’s cheese tart with beetroot and herbs; and a punchy langoustine bisque sharpened with pickled carrot. More substantial dishes on the launch menu take in cod with oyster and lovage; and beef fillet with a powerful mushroom and onion-studded jus.
To drink: Counter 71 offers a wine pairing for £75. Perhaps surprisingly for the postcode, the wines aren’t exclusively of a natural bent. Still wines start at £33 a bottle. Lowcountry was originally supposed to launch at the same time as the restaurant but has been delayed. Despite this, Sheehan is already offering a selection of creative cocktails that includes a Cobbler made with Oloroso, Pedro Ximinez, Lagavulian, red wine and orange juice; and an Old Fashioned made with Buffalo Trace, maple syrup and bitters.
And another thing: Some of the site’s former regulars - it traded as the Duke of Wellington not so long ago - have apparently been coming in attempting to buy pints over the counter. When Lowcountry launches they will presumably be directed downstairs.
