Time Out

Mark Hix is part of one of the small, but sparkling constellation of London celebrity chefs who write a bit, cook a bit – and socialise a lot. He used to be head chef at The Ivy and its sibling Caprice Holdings restaurants (Le Caprice, Scotts, J Sheekey) before winning personal fame and success through a cookery column in The Independent newspaper.

His first own proper restaurant, Hix Oyster & Chop House, opened in Farringdon last year to a mixed reception. Chums in the press loved it; paying customers were often disappointed by the patchy service and erratic cooking. But Hix’s latest restaurant is better – much better.

Hix has two distinguishing traits. This first is his associations with YBAs (Young British Artists), which dates back to Caprice Holdings days; the second is his enthusiasm for British seasonal food. The artistic bent is apparent in both the bohemian clientele, and the artworks. The dark, very classic British interior is reminiscent of The Ivy with its leaded glass windows – hardly surprising as designer Martin Brudnizki was also responsible for Scotts and the J Sheekey Oyster Bar. But the look cleverly subverts conservatism via artworks which include mobiles by Emin, Hirst, and Noble and Webster.

The British and seasonal mantra has become something of a cliche in London gastropubs of late, except that Mark Hix does it far better than most, and has been doing it for longer. He seems to know his stuff. Although Hix himself is not cooking – he spent the entire evening of our visit glad-handing pals and regulars – Kevin Gratton, previously of Scotts, has everything under control. This is the same Gratton who Gordon Ramsay once described as ‘an exceptional cook’ – and we agree.

There’s plenty to amuse and interest on the daily-changing menu. Cod’s tongues with girolles were cooked perfectly, the tongue firm but tender, the girolles more yielding, the flavours an unlikely match. Likewise, partridge is served as shredded meat on toast, with piquant elderberries and slivers of water celery. These are imaginative combinations that could all go horribly wrong, yet both dishes were ingenious, well-considered, and very well-received.

The kitchen’s conscious of fish sustainability. Megrim sole gets the thumbs-up, topped with Morecambe Bay shrimps. However, the fish was slightly overcooked and dry; the plate it arrived on was scalding hot, which made us wonder if the fish had continued to cook in the plate’s residual heat. No such problems with veal cheeks which were were perfectly slow-cooked and tender, with intense, concentrated meat flavours.

Desserts include retro nods such as lemon trifle or cider apple and blackberry jelly with vanilla ice cream.

Mark Hix seems to be getting plenty of exercise legging it up and down the stairs to Mark’s Bar, which is in the basement. It’s a good-looking space, groovier than the ground floor.

The bar has a A-team of cocktail mixers headed by Nick Strangeway, now no longer at his previous bar, Hawksmoor. Strangeway’s characteristic fascination with historic drinks and quality spirits is in evidence, and we sat at the bar watching the barmen deftly split huge blocks of crystal-clear ice with tiny icepicks.

Around us, pals and acquaintances of Mark Hix ebbed and flowed. It felt like a private club, but for now at least, it’s public. If you’ve been wondering where Cool Britannia went, it’s moved to Soho