London gets two ‘modern American’ restaurants

This month sees the launch of two new ‘modern American’ restaurants in London: Two Lights, from the team behind The Clove Club, and Potus near the American Embassy.

Two Lights in Shoreditch is from the team behind The Clove Club

Two Lights, headed up by American chef Chase Lovecky, occupies at 52-cover site on Kingsland Road in Shoreditch.

Named after the National Park in Lovecky’s home state of Maine, The Clove Club alumnus takes inspiration from his time working at David Tang’s bold, innovative and experimental Momofuku Ko in New York’s East Village.

Roast artichoke with sunflower miso

Championing informal fine dining and influenced by his global travels, Lovecky’s dishes draw from Japanese and Korean cuisine, pairing roast artichoke with sunflower seed miso, and riffing on a Katsu sandwich with the addition of sardine.

More traditional dishes include grilled shortrib with beetroot and pickled walnuts, while British game makes an appearance in the form of grouse sausage with cocoa beans and figs.

We love the sound of the brown butter ice cream with hazelnut and pear.

The wine list is shot and to the point, formed of just nine wines, all of which are available by the glass and bottle. Among the whites is a Viognier from Peirano in Lodi, California.

The single rosé on pour hails from Provence, while the reds include a Syrah from St Joseph and Viano Cabernet 2013 from Contra Costa County in California.

Across town on Albert Embankment an American restaurant called Potus is due to open adjacent to the new US Embassy’s headquarters on 31 October.

Headed up by Mexican chef Pablo Peñalosa Najera, Eater reports that Potus will take up residency in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Albert Embankment in Lambeth.

Najera, who has clocked up stints at El Celler de Can Roca and Martín Berasategui in northern Spain, will serve the likes of San Franciscan fish stew;

New England clam chowder; and dry-aged steaks with a potent Potus house rub made with cayenne pepper, paprika and coriander seeds.

Najera will change his menu seasonally to incorporate dishes from across America, including classic New Orleans dessert, bananas foster.

Rather than being inspired by Donald Trump, Najera told Eater that the aim of Potus is “about representing the American nation through food”.