The Counter’s Kemal Demirasal to open second London restaurant

Turkish chef Kemal Demirasal is set to launch his second London restaurant, the Counter Soho, next month, two years after opening the Counter in Notting Hill.

The Counter Notting Hill, which showcases traditional south eastern Anatolian cooking, was Demirasal’s first restaurant outside of Turkey, developed in partnership with Gees Court Partners.

His second venture with Gees Court takes the form of a new 60-cover grill restaurant, the Counter Soho, and a 30-cover underground listening and cocktail bar, Under the Counter.

The Kingly Street restaurant will feature dishes inspired by the cuisines surrounding the Aegean, as well as Demirasal’s childhood growing up in Izmir. These include the likes of whipped tarama and fish roe; cheese saganaki with pistachio and honey; and grilled octopus with mashed fava.

Some of his signature dishes from the Counter Notting Hill, such as the chocolate babaganoush with dukkah and Levantine lamb tartare, will be available alongside a selection of changing seafood delicacies and catch of the day specials.

Under the Counter will offer food and cocktails fusing Greek, Turkish, Mediterranean and Levantine flavours, with drinks such as Silkroad, made with sesame oil Cognac, amaretto, sugar syrup and lemon, and the Yia Mas, made with rum, osmanthus and yuzu, Maraschino and tonic water.

Both sites have been designed by Turkish design company Mia Architecture and Tuğcu Design.

The downstairs bar will feature a sound system with a Michell Gyrodec turntable, Michell TecnoArm and Technics 1210 turntable, and Klipsch Cornwall and Klipsch Heresy speakers.

Demirasal said: “We’re really excited to be bringing the flavours of the Aegean, which unites Greece and Turkey, to central London. We couldn’t be happier to be opening our second restaurant in Soho and to open our first ever bar, Under the Counter, in the heart of London’s vibrant West End.”

Photo: Ola O Smit