After a dose of sunshine and good ‘ol comfort Malaysian food, I was excited and ready to dive back into the food and culture scene in London, and what better place to start than a visit to the Boulevard. Having made its return into the heart of Soho last fall, this new incarnation incorporates an innovative new performance space, featuring Europe’s most advanced revolving theatre, and a two-floor glass bridge leading to a stunning art deco style restaurant and lounge style bar. The driving force behind this development is Director of Soho Estates, Fawn James, together with Artistic Director, Rachel Edwards, who have put together a vibrant programme of art for the Boulevard Theatre, which has opened its doors to the public for the first time in over 20 years.
Our evening began at the Boulevard restaurant which is reached by crossing the modern glass double height bridge, the glass windows on each side offered the perfect lookout on the 24-hour buzz of Soho. We walked past the bar and into the art deco-themed dining area, painted in millennial pink and fitted with brass interiors, complemented by soft boudoir-style lighting.
The menu focuses on local, seasonal ingredients which has been designed by head chef, Greg Hillier, previously of The Commonwealth Club and The British Academy. In 2017 Greg opened the National Army Museum for Searcys and has worked under Michelin trained chefs Arnaud Stevens and Killian Lynch at Sixty-One Restaurant and The Gherkin. The menu interestingly also appeared to have a good variety of plant-based dishes, which is good news for vegetarians.
We were graciously welcomed with glasses of chilled Champagne before we tucked into a selection of their small plates. Our waiter kindly recommended a few dishes which were excellent choices indeed: the Whisky cured mackerel with celeriac, and horseradish remoulade, Barbeque dry rubbed chicken, with winter slaw, and apple puree, and a very moreish dish of mushroom arancini, filled with creamy Taleggio and accompanied by an onion puree and raw radicchio.
We then shared a perfectly seared salmon with chilli kale, beetroot, and pink fir potatoes, and a medium rare Rhug Estate organic bavette steak with blue cheese butter, served with the tastiest portion of triple-cooked chips. For our sides we ordered some tenderstem broccoli and sweet potato fries which went down well with our mains.
The vanilla panna cotta must have been a favourite that evening as it was unfortunately unavailable by the time we ordered dessert! Thankfully there were other options that tantalized our tastebuds including the chocolate & olive oil cake with whisky custard and vanilla ice cream, and the highly recommended ice cream sundae with chunks of delicious peanut brownie and drizzled with salted caramel – the perfect sweet finish to an enjoyable meal.
And of course we didn’t miss out on trying some drinks from their innovative cocktail menu which has been curated by renowned barman, Fin Spiteri. I tried The Boulevardier (Whiskey Thief Bourbon, Campari, Antica Formula) followed by The Frenchman’s Dream (Sacred Gin, lemon, raspberry, Absinthe, Duval-Leroy Champagne), whilst Sarah went for the classic Espresso Martini. The drink menu also includes a carefully selected beers and wine list as well as alcohol-free options.
Our night however didn’t end there, as we also had tickets to their After Dark show that evening – my first ever cabaret show and it sure was as entertaining as I had expected it to be. Brilliantly guiding (and serenading!) throughout that show was the fabulous mistress of ceremonies whose French accent I truly adored. Each and every act entertaining in their own way, my favourite amongst them was undoubted Javier Jarquin the Card Ninja! Closely followed by an absolutely mesmerising performance by an LED hula hoop acrobatic dancer. With glasses of champagne in hand, it was a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday night out that I’ve had in a long time – not many things keep me out past midnight these days, but this was definitely worth it. I’d definitely love to return to check out their Jazz nights on Wednesdays and Comedy Fridays.
For the theatre buffs out there, there is also a show on at 7.00pm on selected days of the week – The Sunset Limited is currently running until the 29th of February, or you can view more upcoming shows on their website. And if you do decide to book tickets for a show, why not enhance your evening with a pre-show fixed price menu which is certainly good value for money.
The restaurant is open to guests from 8am – 1am daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and anything in between. The Boulevard also offers a range of memberships which give members exclusive perks and offers across the theatre, restaurant and bar. Find out more at
boulevardtheatre.co.uk/memberships.
- My visit to Boulevard Soho was complimentary – views and photos are my own.