Latest openings: Market Halls West End; El Gato Negro; Mr Ji

Market Halls West End

Market Halls has opened its flagship site, the UK’s largest food hall, in the former BHS department store on London’s Oxford Street.

As well as four bars, a children’s play area, three event spaces and a demonstration kitchen, the space has 11 food vendors, including Stevie Parle’s Pastaio pasta concept, Chinese dim-sum and roast meat specialist BaoziInn, Roti King’s Malaysian Tamil offshoot Gopal’s Corner and vegan restaurant Cookdaily.

Smokehouse and barbecue restaurant HotBox, Fanny’s Kebabs and Mexican taco trader Super Tacos also feature alongside Flank, which has created a new rotisserie chicken concept called Good Birds.

Other new names in the Market Hall portfolio include Angelo Sato’s Japanese Yatai, pizza restaurant Paradise Slice and Jian Bing specialist Pleasant Lady.

The kitchens, two bars and event spaces are on the first floor, overlooking Cavendish Square, with a 150-cover cocktail bar above with a retractable roof.

• **Opened **15 November
• Covers 900
• Owners Simon Anderson and Andy Lewis-Pratt
• Website www.markethalls.co.uk

El Gato Negro

Simon Shaw and Mills Hill Developments have opened a third El Gato Negro tapas restaurant in a former Jamie’s Italian site in Leeds. New furnishings have been brought in to decorate the heritage building on Park Row, which joins sister sites in Manchester and Liverpool.

• **Covers **200
• Typical dishes Pan-fried hake with tomato, sherry and garlic sauce; braised pig’s cheek and roast chestnut empanadas
• Website www.elgatonegrotapas.com

IT London

Ibiza dining concept IT has launched its debut in London’s Mayfair with a menu by consultant chef Gennaro Esposito of two-Michelin-starred La Torre del Saracino in Naples. The venue takes over a former art gallery at 28-29 Dover Street and showcases emerging British artists. Entrepreneur Alessio Matrone is behind the concept.

• Typical dishes Olive soup with pan-fried cod and almond cream; spaghetti pomodoro; pizza
• Website www.itrestaurants.com

Mr Ji

Samuel Haim has opened Taiwanese night market chicken concept Mr Ji in London’s Soho. The restaurant’s hero dish, the Big Ji, is a butterflied chicken breast that is brined and coated in gluten-free sweet potato flour, deep-fried and then dusted with flavourings.

• Covers 30
• Design Mystery
• Typical dishes Spicy fried chicken thigh bao buns; split wings with seven-spice powder
• Website www.mrji.co.uk

Singapulah & Arôme

Singapulah & Arôme has opened in London’s Soho, from a team including Ellen Chew of Rasa Sayang and Lobos Tapas. By day, the site is a 12-cover bakery (Arôme); in the evening it becomes a 50-cover restaurant (Singapulah) serving hawker dishes.

• Head chef Lynette Zheng
• Typical dishes Bak chor mee (noodles with minced pork); chwee kueh (savoury rice cakes with preserved radish)
• Website www.instagram.com/singapulah_lon

Six by Nico Liverpool

Nico Simeone’s latest restaurant, Six by Nico, has opened in Liverpool. The site will follow the brand’s signature £29 changing tasting menu, launching with a chip shop theme, including chips and cheese, steak pie, fish supper and a deep-fried Mars bar. The venue is the sixth Six by Nico, and the second in England. Turn to page 36 for this week’s Menuwatch at Six by Nico.

• Covers 90
• Website www.sixbynico.co.uk

14 Hills

D&D London’s latest site, 14 Hills, has opened in the City of London. The restaurant, bar and deli on the 14th floor of 120 Fenchurch Street showcases British produce with a French flair and is decorated with trees and shrubs.

• Executive chef Thomas Piat
• Bar manager Leandro Conti
• Typical dishes Turbot roasted on the bone with cuttlefish risotto and beurre blanc; caramelised veal sweetbread with girolles and amontillado jus
• Website 14hills.co.uk