Monday Bulletin: Mareida to open in June & Jordan Bailey’s smashburger pop-up

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Mareida

Chilean restaurants in the UK are few and far between, which makes the arrival of Mareida in June on Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia, all the more exciting. First-time restaurateur Prenay Agarwal has gathered a team of Chilean female talent including Carolina Bazán of Ambrosía in Santiago, voted Latin America’s Best Female Chef by The World’s 50 Best in 2019. Trinidad Vial Della Maggiora, formerly of Ambrosía, will lead the London kitchen, while Bazán’s sommelier partner and Ambrosía co-owner Rosario Onetto will take charge of the cellar, stocked with bottles from across Chile. Interiors by Santiago architect Macarena Aguilar and a soundtrack by London-based Chilean DJ Raff will complete the experience. Agarwal, whose partner is Chilean and who spent a year in Chile exploring the food scene, says: “I was taken aback by the abundant flavours and dishes of the underexplored cuisine. I want to share my love of the country and show London everything that is has to offer.”

Heard

Does the world need another smashburger brand? Only when it’s by Jordan Bailey, the former Maaemo head chef who won two Michelin stars within four months when at Aimsir. Bailey has spent the last year refining his recipes in the Heard food truck and has now opened a 40-cover pop-up at Flat Iron Square in Borough. A Soho flagship is imminent. Bailey’s burgers involve double patties of 35-day aged beef from HG Walter, Ogleshield cheese and homemade pickles, served in a toasted, buttered, roasted potato bun. On the side? Beef salt fries. Bailey’s sommelier wife Majken Bech-Bailey pairs the burgers with low-intervention wines, craft beers, and non-alcoholic wines from her own brand BÆK.

Small Plates

• Four of Paris’s coolest bistros and bars are coming to Peckham for Levan’s ‘Paris à Londres’ Sunday series. Each event will begin with lunch at Levan, then an after-party at Bar Levan next door. The Line-up: Minibar on 27 April; La Verre Volé on 18 May; Buttes Snack Bar on 15 June; and Les Oeillets on 20 July.
   
• 3 Gorges, the luxurious new Cantonese restaurant on Goodge Street launched last month with a tasting menu format. In response to popular demand, however, Chef Qian (ex Gouqi) has switched to à la carte and added whole roast Peking duck and pancakes to the menu. For those with the means, a £388 Deluxe Jade menu is also available.
   
• e5 Bakehouse has a third location in the offing: e5 Storehouse, which opens 31 May at V&A East Storehouse in Hackney Wick. V&A East Storehouse will be the first of V&A East’s two sites at East Bank in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
  
  
• Be Inclusive Hospitality and Bibendum Wine have joined forces to offer ten funded places to study WSET Level 2 or Level 3. Applications close 14 April. Further information including eligibility criteria available here.
  
  
• Chef Ben Humphreys and his wife Bo are opening Bangkok Diners Club in the dining room at The Edinburgh Castle in Manchester this week. Ben, who got a rave review from Marina O’Loughlin when at District, will combine US and Thai BBQ techniques in dishes like smoked mutton rib gaeng khua and pork jowl with nam jim jaew.
  
  
• Jordon Ezra King (Rubedo, Brawn, Mob Kitchen) is taking his brand of modern Italian to Isla at The Standard, London for three months from March 19. On the menu: crostini with lemon labneh and anchovies, pizza fritta with ricotta, dates, sumac and mint.
  
  
• Asimakis Chaniotis, executive chef at Pied à Terre for 13 years, opens his first solo restaurant in South Kensington, in May. Myrtos will celebrate Greek food, wine and lifestyle, with cocktails by Line Athens (current no.6 on the World’s 50 Best Bars).