The Handbook
The Handbook
By | 19th November 2012

Gail’s Kitchen, the first restaurant from the team behind GAIL’s artisan bakeries in Bloomsbury, opens this Wednesday. Artisan bread has always been at the heart of Gail’s bakeries and the menu, primarily made up of sharing plates, is inspired by the baker and the oven. The bread oven itself will sit at the heart of the restaurant while an open kitchen will allow guests to watch the chefs prepare dishes.

Breakfast will include French toast with caramelized apples and maple butter; Cornbread with fried eggs and tomato salsa, and Minute steak with poached egg, potato cakes and hollandaise. The lunch and dinner menu will feature snacks such as baked Puglia olives and quail’s eggs with aioli and anchovy while sharing plates will include: Pizza Bianca with burrata, char-grilled violet artichokes and Parma ham; Seafood chowder with herb cobbler; and Young leeks vinaigrette with maple and mustard croutons.

Sharing dishes for two or more people will be available as daily-changing specials such as Braised shin of beer in Nero d’Avola with garlic, rosemary and polenta; Whole sea trout baked in salt with braised spinach and lentils; and Slow-roast pork loin on sourdough trivet with potatoes, carrots and greens.

Finally, desserts will include an Ice-cream sandwich; Croissant-wrapped pear with brown sugar custard, and savouries such as Raclette on toast with pickled onions. Drinks menu will be wine and beer-led with additional cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks and smoothies made from fresh fruit and vegetables.

Décor is all bespoke salvaged oak and steel tables and leather and linen banquettes. The walls are pitted cement plaster and the floor is poured concrete in warm grey, while the lighting is a combination of LED pendants and spun aluminium lamps. The front of the bar is lined with concrete panels rough-cast in timber shutters, while the bar is topped with large salvaged oak beams. The Kitchen has also teamed up with the Bloomsbury based Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery for a rotational exhibition of artwork.


Opens Wednesday 21 November

Gail’s Kitchen

11-13 Bayley Street, W1, 0207 323 9694