A Salon for Spring

Spring, the critically acclaimed restaurant opened by Skye Gyngell in the New Wing of Somerset House last October, has announced the launch of The Salon, an intimate trio of spaces adjacent to the main dining room, opening on Friday 3^rdApril.

The Salon will comprise of tree lined tables at the front of the restaurant, a dining bar, and an atrium garden, and will offer a relaxed and airy dining space flowing from Spring’s entrance into the heart of the restaurant. The space, created by Australian interior designer Briony Fitzgerald, sister of chef proprietor Skye Gyngell, will seat 45 in total and will be flooded with light from the atrium’s glass ceiling, while flora and fauna designs by acclaimed landscape designer Jinny Blom will create a natural backdrop brining the outdoors in. A light colour palate reflects the design that the restaurant has become known for, with white and cream linens sitting alongside striped yellow banquettes in the garden. Open from noon until 11pm, Monday to Saturday, and from noon until 5.00pm on Sundays, The Salon will not accept reservations, thus encouraging those working or living nearby, or visiting Somerset House or the Strand to drop in for a brief lunch, a post-work cocktail, or an early supper.

The menu, which will deliver the same quality revered in the restaurant, will feature small plates, cheeses, seasonal ice creams and wines by the glass and will reflect Skye’s signature ingredient-led style of cooking. Dishes will include Confit of fennel with crème fraiche and roe; Pan fried monkfish liver, soda bread, salted butter; Piccolo fritto of artichoke & lemon with warm aioli; and Ortiz anchovies on toasted sour dough with chilli and fontodi extra virgin olive oil. A selection of seasonal ice creams created by Spring’s Head Pastry Chef, Sarah Johnson, will also be available alongside a cheese plate.

A short but accessible wine list, briefly comprising five white wines and five reds, has been devised by Head Sommelier Frank Embleton. The focus will be on wines by the glass, and the list will include two daily changing wines to compliment the small menu, allowing diners to sample a few dishes, with suitably paired wines. Frank’s choices, whilst based predominately around food-matching, will also take into consideration lesser known producers and regions. A small selection of cocktails will include the Spring Vesper; a Seville orange gin fizz; a Verbena sour; and a Damson margarita.

Along with the new Salon menu, the restaurant’s daily-changing Set Lunch offers diners a reduced menu, priced at two courses for £25.50, or three courses for £29.50, available lunchtimes Monday – Sunday.