King

King Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: Chefs Clare de Boer and Jess Shadbolt met at London's The River Café. At the duo’s SoHo spot, dishes take their inspiration from the south of France and Northern Italy. The handsome, small restaurant has white exposed bricks and tables set with white tablecloths. Décor is simple, soothing and graceful.

Likes: Carta di musica; Harry’s Bar Sandwich; sea bass with a delicate, crunchy skin.
Dislikes: The small space can feel cramped, and make it hard to score a table.

Food & Drinks: Since the chefs really do change the menu nearly every day, don’t get too attached to any one dish. Still, Harry’s Bar Sandwich, a buttery grilled cheese on sourdough inspired by the Venetian classic, is a tried-and-true bar snack that will leave you hungry for more. As will the carta di musica, a crispy flatbread brushed with rosemary and rich anchovy butter. Then, move on to warm poached octopus with briny bottarga and chickpeas. An artichoke stew is both satisfying and light, with cannellini beans and creamy potatoes. Wild halibut comes grilled with asparagus, Castelluccio lentils, sorrel and marinated anchovy. It’s a tender and well balanced dish. For dessert, olive oil cake is dense, crumbly and made bright with lemon, and chocolate tart is served with silky crème fraîche. Pair the food with cocktails like the Beton Brut, a smooth combination of Byrrh, rye and Pastis, or with wines, mostly from small French and Italian producers.