A modern take on the traditional pub is what these two new additions to the area will be offering once they open for business
By Reyhaan Day
THE BLUE BOAR
Formerly head chef at The Harwood Arms, Londonâs only Michelin-starred pub, Sally Abe is reinvigorating the food and drink offering at Conrad London St James. The first part to open will be The Blue Boar â a plush take on the British pub.
âThe interior is quite modern, itâs got a glamgold bar and gantry, so itâs certainly not a traditional pub; but with the food, weâll be doing things like coronation chicken scotch egg; bar snacks like pork scratchings and whitebait; and a menu featuring super seasonal British produce, with classics like shepherdâs pie and fish and chips, all cooked to a really good standard.â
Though the pandemic has caused understandable delays to the project, Sally hopes she can soon announce the rest of the upcoming food offerings in more detail. âThe restaurant will be refined, modern British. That will be more similar to what Iâve done at The Harwood, but another level up. Then weâll be doing an afternoon tea later in the year, which is exciting as Iâve always wanted to do that.â
THE GANYMEDE
Itâs not the best time for pub operators to be planning new openings; but The Lunar Pub Company has found itself doing just that. The Hunterâs Moon opened six months before the pandemic hit; and it is hard at work getting things ready for a new opening on the site of the old Ebury Wine Bar.
âWith The Hunterâs Moon, we were busy enough and had a good enough reception that weâve survived the lockdowns and will continue to do so,â says Hubert Beatson-Hird, the companyâs owner-director. âWith The Ganymede, it is frustrating that we canât open it as early as we likeâ but itâs also nice not to be rushed on a build. Beatson-Hird says that The Ganymede will be a place to suit all needs.
âOur places cater to you if you want to come and have a coffee and read the papers; they cater for you if you are wanting to have a light lunch with some friends and a spritzer, or if you want to discuss property in the afternoon over several jars of beer; and they cater for you if you want to take a significant other out for a fantastic, top-end, three-course meal to celebrate a special occasion.â
The new pub boasts two spaces: a more informal, relaxed bar area reserved for walk-ins, which will be âlight, warm and welcoming, with wood panelling and exposed brickâ; and a dining room, which features âdeep, dark, plush leather banquettes and boothsâ. Wood and brass furnishings will run throughout, with subtle nods to the lunar theme (Ganymede is the largest moon of Jupiter).
Chef and Beatson-Hirdâs business partner Oliver Marlowe, who has worked at the likes of Le Gavroche, Chez Bruce and The Ledbury, will cook up elevated pub classics â with dishes such as slow-cooked featherblade of beef rubbing shoulders with quality burgers and Sunday roasts. While there will be a considered, premium beer offering including a good selection of British ales, The Ganymede will be wine-led â with a list curated by Liberty Wines and Beatson-Hird.
âBeing on the old site of the Ebury Wine Bar, we really want to give a nod to the legacy of the building. Weâll be offering over 100 wines, utilising Coravin so we can serve high-end wines by the glass.â For Beatson-Hird, Belgravia was a no-brainer when it came to opening the new site.
âThis is where I like to hang out. Itâs where my friends are, and we know the area well. We feel that the people who live, work and commute around Belgravia like a relaxed British pub, but also expect that attention to detail and quality that we look to deliver.â