LONDON
A FEAST FOR THE SENSES IN A WONDERLAND OF ART, ALCHEMY AND FLAVOUR...
GALLERY AT SKETCH, LONDON
BY SAMANTHA READY
Sketch is not just a restaurant. It is theatre, fantasy, art gallery and culinary temple all rolled into one; a wonderland journey that begins from your first website click... Housed in a labyrinthine 18th-century townhouse just off Conduit Street, this iconic Mayfair venue is made up of five wildly distinct spaces, each more imaginative than the last. There’ s the forest-inspired Glade, perfect for whimsical cocktails; the sleek, speakeasy-style East Bar, all clean lines and glowing orbs; and the Parlour, a playful lounge for afternoon tea or late-night bites. The flagship Gallery- where we dined- is the heart of the Sketch experience, known for its immersive art installations, rotating exhibitions, inspired menu and futuristic glow of its iconic egg pod toilets( yes, really!). Upstairs, Lecture Room & Library, helmed by acclaimed chef Pierre Gagnaire, holds three Michelin stars and offers one of the capital’ s most prestigious fine dining experiences. Together, the spaces are a sensory journey, brought to life by Gagnaire’ s boundary-pushing French cuisine, playful interiors by India Mahdavi, an incredibly encapsulating rolling programme of curated art installations, and an unwavering commitment to making dining an event, not just a meal.
Our evening began in The Glade- a room that feels as though it’ s been conjured from a fairytale with moss-green velvet, foraged woodland murals and plush mismatched furniture. We eased into the magic with cocktails from their conceptled menu which takes classic mixology and adds a Sketch twist. Each cocktail is offered as either‘ Roots’, which aligns with classic interpretation,‘ Alchemy’, which implies a Sketch nuance, and‘ Essence,’ an uncompromising non-alcholic incarnation. My own Alchemy pick offered my first ever clear Espresso Martini topped with orange foam that layered flavours of velvety hazelnut, thyme, orange and quirky tonka bean to add a whisper of praline and freshness to the typical coffee hit. Mr R’ s Alchemist Negroni offered yet more nuanced surprise, bitterly elegant with hits of fresh raspberry and Chambord unpinning Casamigos Blanco and Bruxo Mezcal, served with the precision and theatricality Sketch is known for.
Then, on to the Gallery, the star of the show. During our visit, the entryway had been transformed as part of Sketch in Bloom, a seasonal celebration inspired by the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen. Think floral cascades, giant pages tumbling from a wall-hung typewriter and gilded calligraphy dancing across the walls. Elegant, eccentric and unapologetically romantic.
Yet inside the Gallery, the artistic impression changed again.
Playful harlequin patterns appeared everywhere from the backs of curved bucket chairs in bold yet cocooning yellow, the edges of the crockery and at times almost invisibly amidst the incredible African-inspired wallhung artwork. It is so rare to find a space that literally makes you stare in every direction in between dishes in open-mouthed awe and still find things you missed.
As curated as its artworks, dining at Gallery at Sketch is a journey of artistic flavourful discovery. Each and every dish is layered. Just as you think you have all the taste bud hits, something throws you a tongue-pleasing
148 • www. insidekent. co. uk