The duo behind the two-Michelin-starred Trivet in Bermondsey, chef Jonny Lake and master sommelier Isa Bal, have opened a second restaurant in the former Met Bar – once a notorious celebrity haunt – in Mayfair’s Como Metropolitan Hotel.
Labombe started life as a low-key Monday night residency at Trivet, and carries forward the same principles that shaped the Bermondsey venue: an à la carte menu with bold flavours, carefully sourced ingredients and fine-dining finesse. But it takes a different tack, with share plates and easy-drinking wines setting the tone.
Lake’s sweet and sour “hot tongue bun” – brioche filled with thin slices of braised Wagyu Angus tongue, anchovy mayonnaise, blackcurrant mostarda and pickles, which occasionally appeared on the Trivet menu – brings a hint of the Bermondsey restaurant to the new venue. The rest is “more Eurocentric”, says Evan Moore (ex-Dinner by Heston London and Melbourne), who is heading up the Labombe kitchen.
Among the early highlights are “snacky bits” like bite-sized bottarga toasties, duck heart and cherry skewers, and a plant-based take on the Gilda with king oyster mushrooms. Get them with cocktails mixed at the marble bar – a nod to the Met’s starry past – from midday to midnight, or to kickstart a bigger meal.
Larger plates, meanwhile, encourage theatre in the open kitchen. “We have this exciting woodfired oven that gives us the flexibility to be a bit more creative,” Moore tells Broadsheet. Cuts including iberico pork chops, txuleton (Basque bone-in rib steak) and sirloin share billing with grilled monkfish and coco beans. There are also “New York fries”, a side inspired by a Canadian mall chain of the same name.
“It’s not going to be on the menu as New York fries,” says Moore. “But we’ve got a Turkish spice mix that emulates the New York fry spice … we think it’s the exact replica.”
For dessert, there’s a mind-bending Campari crème caramel and a butter tart. Filled with a mix of butter, sugar and syrup, the tart is another Canadian classic – a nod to Lake and Moore’s shared backgrounds.
This high-low philosophy is echoed in the wine list, led by head sommelier Philipp Reinstaller. A largely European selection, it features fine and everyday wines from France, Austria, Georgia, and as far afield as Australia and Argentina. Prices by the glass start at £9 for 125 mils of house red or white, reaching £65 for a 2004 López de Heredia rioja.
Designed by Turkish architect Umay Çeviker, the space leans into the same polished yet approachable ethos. Muted tones, soft lighting and pale brown leather banquettes are accented with artworks by London artist Emilia Momen. “We like the restaurant to feel comfortable and relaxing, and not too [many] bright colours,” Bal says, “to allow the food to sing.”
Labombe
19 Old Park Lane, W1K 1LB
02074473334
Hours:
Restaurant
Mon to Sat midday–2pm, 6pm–9.30pm
Bar
Mon to Sat midday–midnight
