Sketch, the Gallery, was one of the most memorable dining experiences I had in London. Everywhere you look there is some detail or charm to be taken in. It seems each chair, table, plate, and glass is different, as if it had all come from a well-positioned St Vincent de Paul shop, bequeathed with treasures from surrounding mansions.
Sketch has lots of gimmicks to keep you enthralled as you settle in to your table. There are lasers tracing geometric patterns on the walls, there are cocktails in tea cups, and there are of course the ladies toilets housed inside huge eggs, where you listen to some kind of frogs singing in the rainforest from inside your own personal egg. . . It's like my version of Lamb's Wonderland.
I went to Sketch with two friends, and it was hard to focus on the menu with so much atmospheric buzz! My mind went something like this:
"OK. . . salmon, nope. . . oh laser. . . right, lamb, nope. . . oh look at that vase. . . come on, focus. . . chicken, nope - oh I feel so low in my chair compared to everyone else. I guess because it's one-of-a-kind. Alright - noodles with miso. Read, read, read, no meat - done. Hmmm. . . I want a drink from that spaceship sunken bar I saw under the toilet platform. . . Hang on, do I really want a drink from the room under the egg toilets? Ooooo Lasers. . . I think they're moving in a different pattern now"
Honestly, the surroundings never really melt into the background here. With so many exciting colours dashing here and there around us, it took some time before we zeroed in on our own company. The waitress had to come back several times to check in on us before we were finally ready to order - I think at Sketch, where design seems to be the headlining act, it's probably not unusual for the waitstaff to have to zero you in on the meal!
I had some kind of Japanese inspired noodle dish, where the soup element was poured on at the table in front of me. (Here's exactly what it was: Udon: an infusion of burned onions and marjoram, tofu, Judas ear mushrooms and girolles). I kept hearing that the chefs at Sketch were French inspired and following the infusion trend. . . I definitely noticed the snails and Camembert on the menu! There was also a veggie risotto and ravioli on offer, and generally I think 3 options is a good run! There's a lot of variety, however I chose to steer clear of the Italian vegetable items as they're pretty easy to find on any menu.
My noodle dinner was very nice. Strangely to me, it didn't feel like fine dining. I think living in Asia, noodles to me are associated with a quick lunch at the local food hall, so although the flavours were nice, it didn't have an aura of 'spesh'. I liked the shape of the plate and the presentation.
The waitstaff were fine - nothing in particular to mention.
The headline is the theme. I think you could come to Sketch over and over, and still find something fun to occupy yourself. We had nice wine and lots of stimulation. And with enough veggie options to keep a few of us happy, I could certainly come again to see what I find!
Address: 9 conduit street, london w1s 2xg
Ph: +44 (0) 20 7659 4500
Web: http://www.sketch.uk.com/venue_Gallery_Martin_Creed.php
Sketch has lots of gimmicks to keep you enthralled as you settle in to your table. There are lasers tracing geometric patterns on the walls, there are cocktails in tea cups, and there are of course the ladies toilets housed inside huge eggs, where you listen to some kind of frogs singing in the rainforest from inside your own personal egg. . . It's like my version of Lamb's Wonderland.
I went to Sketch with two friends, and it was hard to focus on the menu with so much atmospheric buzz! My mind went something like this:
"OK. . . salmon, nope. . . oh laser. . . right, lamb, nope. . . oh look at that vase. . . come on, focus. . . chicken, nope - oh I feel so low in my chair compared to everyone else. I guess because it's one-of-a-kind. Alright - noodles with miso. Read, read, read, no meat - done. Hmmm. . . I want a drink from that spaceship sunken bar I saw under the toilet platform. . . Hang on, do I really want a drink from the room under the egg toilets? Ooooo Lasers. . . I think they're moving in a different pattern now"
Honestly, the surroundings never really melt into the background here. With so many exciting colours dashing here and there around us, it took some time before we zeroed in on our own company. The waitress had to come back several times to check in on us before we were finally ready to order - I think at Sketch, where design seems to be the headlining act, it's probably not unusual for the waitstaff to have to zero you in on the meal!
I had some kind of Japanese inspired noodle dish, where the soup element was poured on at the table in front of me. (Here's exactly what it was: Udon: an infusion of burned onions and marjoram, tofu, Judas ear mushrooms and girolles). I kept hearing that the chefs at Sketch were French inspired and following the infusion trend. . . I definitely noticed the snails and Camembert on the menu! There was also a veggie risotto and ravioli on offer, and generally I think 3 options is a good run! There's a lot of variety, however I chose to steer clear of the Italian vegetable items as they're pretty easy to find on any menu.
My noodle dinner was very nice. Strangely to me, it didn't feel like fine dining. I think living in Asia, noodles to me are associated with a quick lunch at the local food hall, so although the flavours were nice, it didn't have an aura of 'spesh'. I liked the shape of the plate and the presentation.
The waitstaff were fine - nothing in particular to mention.
The headline is the theme. I think you could come to Sketch over and over, and still find something fun to occupy yourself. We had nice wine and lots of stimulation. And with enough veggie options to keep a few of us happy, I could certainly come again to see what I find!
Address: 9 conduit street, london w1s 2xg
Ph: +44 (0) 20 7659 4500
Web: http://www.sketch.uk.com/venue_Gallery_Martin_Creed.php
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