Disco Bistro EC4 is a new culinary residency in St. Paul’s from itinerant chef Carl Clarke, which offers two distinct dining experiences.
Carl’s first solo project, housed within The Rising Sun pub on Carter Lane, is a restaurant of two halves. Downstairs, in what still retains the feel of a ‘proper boozer’, is a bar which serves creative yet sustaining ‘trash food’ to the working lunch and after-office drinks crowd. In the dining rooms upstairs, however, simplicity is the key. A daily changing menu features rare breed meats and day boat fish, all cooked over wood and charcoal on a robata-style grill, paired with seasonal wild and foraged greens.
© Paul Winch-Furness
The pub bar sees the return of some of the staples that have put Carl and his collaborators on the ad-hoc dining map. There’s the lobster corn dog with gooseberry ketchup created by Glyn Gordon (ex-Roganic and L’Enclume), who remain’s Carl’s right hand man, and the French-dipped burger that caused more than a stir at Daniel Young’s Burger Monday. Upstairs expect marginally more decorous pairings of 50 day aged Dexter (one of the smallest breeds of cattle, with a concentrated beef flavour) and smoked stuffed bone marrow, and roe deer and raspberry stout pudding, with spiced pumpkin and pickled elder.
It’s not all about the kitchen though, with general manager Michael Donnelly (ex-Admiral Codrington, Groucho Club, God Save the Clam) heading up a crack front of house team. The wine list has been picked with the help of experienced sommelier and man-about-town Zeren Wilson (Bitten & Written), and features just four reds, four whites and two sparkling numbers, starting at £17 for house bottles.
The main dining room has been designed with the help of British artist and lighting designer Alex Randall, who has adorned the stark, white-washed walls with taxidermy squirrel lamps and the ceiling with a gramophone chandelier. The second, smaller room, is kitted out as a quirky Georgian pantry, made possible thanks to a partnership with architectural salvage company Lassco.
Head on down from 12 November for a heady mix of food, art, punk swagger and most of all, fun.
Win two tickets to the opening night* – just tell me in the comments box the sample dish you’re most looking forward to seeing on the menu. Winner to be picked at random on Friday 2 November.
- Saddleback lardo (pork charcuterie), black treacle & buttermilk
- 50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow
- Roe deer & raspberry stout pudding, spiced pumpkin and pickled elder
- Rose hip jelly & brown bread custard
- Wild sea trout cooked over wood, crispy onions, lime & lavender vinegar
- Crispy lamb breast, sheep’s curd dumplings, black peas & cucumber broth
- Cornish bream, kale and Marmite turnips
- Cheddar & rye doughnuts, quince ketchup
*date subject to change. Prize valid throughout November.
Gotta be the Roe Deer and Raspeberry Stout Pudding for me. I’ve been lusting after this since trying it (or something very close to it) at Carl’s Cornish Grill session at the Redhook.
I was there too. The best Cornish Grill to date, in my opinion! And that roe shin and raspberry stout pudding… one of the best things I’ve eaten all year.
It’s got to be the 50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow.
smart move
Everything looks fantastic! It ‘s a tough call – would have to say I’d most be looking forward to tasting the Roe deer & raspberry stout pudding, spiced pumpkin and pickled elder on the day – sounds like the perfect dish for November the 12th!
We’ve got an early leader – thanks for commenting, Simon.
Wow! The Chedder and Rye doughnuts sound astonishing! That’s the thing I’m most looking forward to trying.
Me too – it’s a bit of a head scratcher!
although the concept of marmite turnips sounds amazing and there is obviously the temptation of Roe Deer that will certainly be brilliant, kind of has to be the 50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow. sounds incredible. genuinely excited by the prospect.
Dreams will come true this November.
Quite simply all of it sounds amazing, however like others here, the Roe Deer is just too intriguing to pass up!!
I’m a bit of a pig when it comes to Saddleback and old-spot types, (and would doubtless be the size of a house if I gave into it such cravings as often as I’d like), so most definitely the lardo….
I can see me now, stabbing my finger at the menu and asking breathlessly for the Venison and Stout Pudding before gripping my cutlery and tapping the table to the rising beat of my heart!
Cheddar & rye doughnuts, quince ketchup! Goodness me. my work packed lunch just isn’t going to cut it today after the introduction of these into my life. I don’t think Im going to be able to think about anything else all week!
Everything sounds awesome… Very keen to try to wild sea trout cooked over wood, as you cannot get anything like that from EC4 at the moment!!
Yep – Disco Bistro will be a foodie oasis. Not a mirage!
More than anything I can’t wait to see the cheddar and rye donuts, hope i’m the jammy one whose dunkin the french dip too mind
For me I am loving the sound of the Roe deer & raspberry stout pudding, spiced pumpkin and pickled elder. I really would like to taste these amazing flavours and textures coming together to complete this dish, sweet, sour, savoury and meaty with a slight kick of spice. It all sound like brilliant combination. Looks like a lot of effort and time has been involved to design this dish. Sounds delicious already!
You’re damn right Wendy. Thank you very much for your comment.
I’m loving your creative replies. Looks like a busy few days for you to come up with a unique response and whilst we’re doing it for the awesome prize do you get to enter as well? =p
Very busy few days. But very exciting days. Tomorrow I’m meeting Ferran Adria!
Do you know about Halloween Hell Night at Ben’s Canteen? http://www.benscanteen.com/halloween-party/
Brown Bread Custard? Where my savoury world meets sweet. All over this one.
Like a ‘pigeon on a chip’. Cheers John.
I think the Saddleback lardo, black treacle, and buttermilk sounds heavenly! As an American I have a weakness for anything I can find over here with buttermilk, and of course treacle… Oh so good.
You and me both (buttermilk, not American). I’m really getting into custard shakes at the moment. Expect to see some of those around London soon!
The Cheddar & rye doughnuts w/quince ketchup is immediately jumping out at me, why? Because I have no idea what it is or what it tastes like but I am certainly intrigued, excited (and maybe a little scared?!) to find out!
Glyn will be pleased – that’s one of his ones!
The Rye & Cheddar duffnuts with Quince. This is a clever idea which, although bamboozling a lot of people SHOULD completely work.
Looking forward to finding out if you pull it off Chef!
I admire your confidence!
The Cheddar & Rye Duffnuts with Quince – it’s a clever idea that, while bamboozling some, SHOULD completely work.
I look forward to finding out if it does Chef!
Those lamps look tasty, if your gonna roast up one of them I’ll have one
Look forward to seeing you there, Luke!
50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow – I can never go past a Dexter when I see it. Little black nuggets of beef producing excellence.
50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow – cos i love beef!!
50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow!?!? Shitballs that’s got me written all over that, but i have to say the whole menu looks like the doggy’s dangly bits!
Sampled Carl’s french dip burger at Burger Monday, he’s food is damn good!
Rose hip jelly & brown bread custard because I loved it at the Invaders Must Die session and I was left wanting more!
So did I! It was beautiful!
i want that too!!
It has to be the saddleback lardo, black treacle & buttermilk because when i first saw it on the menu I shouted ‘holy Mcjesus’ across my office. That and i also believe there is no such thing as too much treacle. I’d like to be buried in it.
Your office sounds like a forgiving environment.
Not really. My contributions to the work swear jar last year meant the office could buy a new coffee machine. It grinds the beans and everything!
Definitely the Saddleback lardo, black treacle, and buttermilk. Because as a Southern girl, I love anything to do with buttermilk, and treacle is just gorgeous. I’m drooling already!
Oh no I didn’t think my comment went through earlier! Double post. Oops. ;_;
The uniqueness of each dish on this menu makes this decision glorious, but hard. I’d have to go with the Roe deer & raspberry stout pudding with spiced pumpkin and pickled elder.
Give me that any day.
Best of luck on the opening night!
What a choice. At a push it would be the Crispy Lamb Breast… But I would eat my own arm if it was on this menu!
Definitely the Crispy lamb breast, sheep’s curd dumplings, black peas & cucumber broth for me, the cucumber broth has me intrigued, I am a lamb lover and its the perfect for this time of year, served with a lovely smooth merlot…..Heaven!
That was perfect meat!
As my hubby Steve Wilde above knows I can never choose quickly from a menu and this amazing selection would be a bigger challenge than normal. However, I think I would go for “50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow” as it sounds the most decadent. But give me five more minutes and I will probably change my mind..
50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow. It sounds like it’ll be a beefy punch to the face. Can’t wait!
wow – I’m looking fwd to the Wild sea trout. sounds awesome!
Got to be the lardo with black treacle and buttermilk. Drooool!
WOW what a menu to only choose one thing – will have to be the 50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow!!! AMAZING – cant wait!!!
deffo the Cornish bream, kale and Marmite turnips
50 day aged dexter beef & smoked bone marrow. Simple dish, defined by great produce cooked to perfection. Rare to find beef hung that long aswell.
Pondered the roe deer but got to be the 50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow – sounds lush and melt in the mouth!
Amazing menu but eventually the Wild sea trout cooked over wood, crispy onions, lime & lavender vinegar won out
Chef, eclectic, inspiring and darn yummy! Dexter please! Best of Luck everyone.
Cheddar & rye doughnuts sound incredible!
Gonna have to be the Dexter!! Just round the corner from the office, can’t wait.
Where’s your office? We could send you details of our opening week lunch promotion
Saddleback lardarse (pork charcuterie), black treacle & buttermilk!
Cheddar & rye doughnuts, quince ketchup!!
Love, love, love CHEESE!
My other half works just round the corner too – could you send details of you opening week lunch promotion please!
This: Cheddar & rye doughnuts, quince ketchup
And this time I promise to order the doughnuts rather than make the other half order them and stare longingly throughout
Ooooh. That’s a toughie as they all sound good (and wouldn’t say no to any of them!). But, I really, really, really have to choose, then maybe the Roe Deer and Raspberry Stout Pudding. If allowed seconds it would be the Rosehip Jelly and Brown Bread Custard. Can’t wait to try them all!
It has to be “50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow” – seriously, the combination is making me drool on the keyboard right now. Don’t need to say much more than that!
Cheddar & rye doughnuts for me. I really hope they mean rye whiskey.
50 day aged Dexter beef and smoked stuffed bone marrow. I’m a sucker for anything to do with bone marrow but frankly you had me at 50 day aged!
Cheddar & rye doughnuts, quince ketchup!
It all looks fantastic, but I’m drawn to the crispy lamb breast with sheeps curd dumplings.
I have strong sexual feelings about eating the ‘Wild sea trout cooked over wood, crispy onions, lime & lavender vinegar’. I am going to dress up as a giant fish for the feast. I’ll put it in my face with great pleasure and tell tales of the dark depths of the ocean. I’ll also drink some ale.
Roe deer sounds like heaven right now!
The 50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow sounds heavenly. I bet with the 50 days ageing process, it brings a richness to the taste of the meat. I can’t wait to try it out!
Cheddar & rye doughnuts, most definitely. Two of my favourite tastes combined in a completely new way.
50 day aged Dexter beef & smoked stuffed bone marrow… Because I AM MAN!
I’d definitely say the wild sea trout cooked over wood, which for me is the most exciting dish on the menu; it sounds genius.
Roe deer for me!
Roe deer, yes please, I’ll be getting this regardless of whether or not I win the freebie.
Looking forward to the lobster corn dog!