Roll up, roll up, there’s a new kid on the block and…newsflash…it’s a blinder. Lore of the Land opened in January in Fitzrovia, serving straight up London-boozer-done-good-realness with a top notch menu by young chef Mikey Seferynski. It’s the latest pub edition from Guy Ritchie, in fact, who seems partial to a pub and has previously owned the Punchbowl in Mayfair.
Guy put it through a 1M+ renovation when he took it over and it sure is looking swanky. Downstairs is a gorgeous pub serving beer brewed at his estate’s own brewery, The Gritchie Brewing Company. Food is available downstairs, but upstairs is where the true magic happens, in the main restaurant. It’s another cool space, with an open kitchen (and a massive, seriously sexy, custom made iron grill) and some of Ritchie’s own art hanging on the walls. Don’t be trying to run off with it though – if its anything like my visit, you’ll be hard pressed to make it past the ‘in cognito’ bodyguard heavies lurking outside. Indeed – already the place has become QUITE the celebrity hangout, with Ed Sheeran, David Beckham and Jason Statham already spotted there since it opened!
The food brings even more boys to the yard. The menu is a dream of modern european classics with all the swag that Chef Mikey beams in person. It features quite a few foraged or home grown ingredients too, which definitely scores some points in my book and speaks to a chef that, well, cares. I try almost everything and practically roll out of the place afterwards. First up blows my mind – crusty sourdough, walnut, treacle & marmite butter, which is way sluttier than it sounds and can be conveyed best by the below photo.
I also get immense pleasure from a cheeky little dish of scallops with cucumber. It’s baking outside and this brings me just the right balance of cool, sweet and citrus. I also love their harissa marinated prawns with fennel salad and a yummy little ricotta number with asparagus and tomato shards (photos at the bottom of the post).
Mains bring me tender Wiltshire beef ribeye, Mikey’s own cured beef bacon and wild garlic capers. The beef tastes…..beefy. This isn’t lazy blogging- it’s a big compliment! You can tell it’s been handled properly and prepared to taste like the best version of itself. The wild garlic capers bring pizazz and the bacon, well…when does bacon ever not improve a dish?
The beef comes with Mikey’s crispy charred potatoes with truffle mayonnaise. They’re pretty damn good – not an inch of surface area that isn’t crunched up to perfection, and…well…truffle mayonnaise, hey.
You may have noticed that dear Chef Mikey has an eye for plating? Hadn’t noticed? BEHOLD his grilled english asparagus, confit egg yolk and sourdough cream and bask in its splendour.
We then move to the seaside, and try a whole roast john dory with lemon and wild garlic aioli. This is really one of the kings of the sea and just one of my favourite ever fishes! My dining companions think I am super weird when I exclaim about how beautiful it is, but I’m not wrong! The wild garlic pairs well with the juicy white fish which is perfectly cooked, juicy and clean.
Me and Chef almost have words when it comes to dessert. He proposes Sticky Toffee which is my signature dish and one which I think I do better than everyone else. I tell him, he laughs and tells me to try his. Hmph.
It arrives and yes, it is good. It’s made with walnuts, beer, coffee & malt ice cream, because it just had to score some extra cheffy points! The malt ice cream is glorious. Malt is always great in desserts and it suits the rich pudding. Is it better than mine? NO (naa naaa nee naa naa. Not biased at all, of course.) but it is great and brings something a little different to the norm with the coffee and malt, etc. I would order it again.
Overall, Lore of the Land smashed it and I cannot wait to see what they serve up next. If summer was so good, I bet Mikey does an amazing Autumn season menu and don’t even make me think about what that man could do with a pie. Pricing wise, plates range between £5-£20 and you’ll probably want about 4 each. Get your hands on some quick, and try not to stare at the star spangled clientele in the process. Enjoy, folks.
4 Conway St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 6BB, UK
