We attended as guests the press & bloggers launch of The Cube by Electrolux
The Cube by Electrolux is an ambitious pop up restaurant that is on something of a global tour, its purpose to highlight the convergence between the new range of home kitchen appliances and the professional environment. To that end, Electrolux have dropped a temporary restaurant and kitchen onto the top of the Royal Festival Hall and have secured some of the biggest names in UK food to cook there including Daniel Clifford, Claude Bosi, Tom Kitchin and, cooking for us, Sat Bains.
To enter the Cube, you're required to go to the top floor of the Royal Festival Hall after which Cube staff lead you outside and up to the Cube itself which has been lowered on to the roof. The result of course is stunning views across London, especially west Parliament and the London Eye, and with the Cube effectively glass on three sides, it offers amazing views while you eat.
You start with a champagne reception on a constructed terrace on the roof of Royal Festival Hall before entering the Cube to sit down at a single table that accommodates 18 diners. While one end of the table offers the aforementioned views of London, the other end offers full access to the chefs so you can watch them at work and even see Sat plating up on the pass. Aside of the views and the quality of the food from the chefs, what the Cube really offers is access, the ability to have a dialogue with them throughout the meal.
Plates are introduced by the chef throughout the meal but before, during and after you really can just walk up to the kitchen area and engage with the chef on any topic; in this respect Sat was great though out and as always, 100% entertaining. The surprise outcome however was how the event brought a bunch of strangers together resulting in our section of the table deciding to prolong the get together by all going to the pub afterwards.
The Cube by Electrolux is an ambitious pop up restaurant that is on something of a global tour, its purpose to highlight the convergence between the new range of home kitchen appliances and the professional environment. To that end, Electrolux have dropped a temporary restaurant and kitchen onto the top of the Royal Festival Hall and have secured some of the biggest names in UK food to cook there including Daniel Clifford, Claude Bosi, Tom Kitchin and, cooking for us, Sat Bains.
To enter the Cube, you're required to go to the top floor of the Royal Festival Hall after which Cube staff lead you outside and up to the Cube itself which has been lowered on to the roof. The result of course is stunning views across London, especially west Parliament and the London Eye, and with the Cube effectively glass on three sides, it offers amazing views while you eat.
You start with a champagne reception on a constructed terrace on the roof of Royal Festival Hall before entering the Cube to sit down at a single table that accommodates 18 diners. While one end of the table offers the aforementioned views of London, the other end offers full access to the chefs so you can watch them at work and even see Sat plating up on the pass. Aside of the views and the quality of the food from the chefs, what the Cube really offers is access, the ability to have a dialogue with them throughout the meal.
Plates are introduced by the chef throughout the meal but before, during and after you really can just walk up to the kitchen area and engage with the chef on any topic; in this respect Sat was great though out and as always, 100% entertaining. The surprise outcome however was how the event brought a bunch of strangers together resulting in our section of the table deciding to prolong the get together by all going to the pub afterwards.
The always original South Bank
The Cube on the roof of Royal Festival Hall
The view from the dining room
table for 18 please
the man himself, Sat Bains
Foodwise, Sat cooked up a seven course meal with food that he suggested was typical of his style. Menus were provided at the end with colour coded dots highlighting the balance in the dish between salt/sweet/sour/bitter/umami which was a clever touch and not something we've seen before.
Food highlights for us included the scallop dish with the scallop cooked on one side only with the heat simply allowed to fuse through it, and topped with tomato and strawberry, drizzled with olive oil and a smear of elderflower mayonnaise. The freshness that the fruit topping brings to the naturally sweet scallop is a winning combination for summer, even if it's clouds not sunshine outside.
The lamb, a braised shoulder and a ragout together with seaweed, smoked and charred leek, goats cheese and lemon purée as the main really worked well, the lamb braised to perfection and the dish on the menu warranting a big brown Umami dot telling you partly why this is so very good.
Ahead of dessert, a new Cropwell Bishop soft cheese (Beauvale) draped across a Banbury cake with a drizzle of tawny port syrup was simply cheese heaven as the soft cheese married with the rich pastry and currants.
Food highlights for us included the scallop dish with the scallop cooked on one side only with the heat simply allowed to fuse through it, and topped with tomato and strawberry, drizzled with olive oil and a smear of elderflower mayonnaise. The freshness that the fruit topping brings to the naturally sweet scallop is a winning combination for summer, even if it's clouds not sunshine outside.
The lamb, a braised shoulder and a ragout together with seaweed, smoked and charred leek, goats cheese and lemon purée as the main really worked well, the lamb braised to perfection and the dish on the menu warranting a big brown Umami dot telling you partly why this is so very good.
Ahead of dessert, a new Cropwell Bishop soft cheese (Beauvale) draped across a Banbury cake with a drizzle of tawny port syrup was simply cheese heaven as the soft cheese married with the rich pastry and currants.
NG7 2SA (Sat's postcode), horseradish panna cotta with wild garlic soup
Sat plating up on the pass, view from the table
Scallops, strawberries, tomato
Jersey Royals, dashi, onion juice, ham
Spring lamb, leek smoked - charred
Banbury cake, beauvale cheese, port syrup
Chocolate, yoghurt, cumin, lime
Treacle sponge, lemon, pine
ice cream lolly finish
The Cube is in London for four months with the chefs cooking several one week periods during that time. What it offers you is the opportunity to get that little bit closer to the food and the chef. It's not however cheap with lunch being £175 and dinner £215 though that is all inclusive for food, wine (paired by the chef's sommelier) and service. Further details on the Cube by Electrolux including booking details can be found here:
The Cube by Electrolux
We are not the biggest fans of pop us restaurants as a rule for it seldom provides as complete an experience as that offered in the chef's restaurant but there's no denying this was a very polished affair indeed and we really did enjoy
it. Given the line up of chefs and the unquestionably brilliant vantage point of the Cube, we expect this particular pop up will provide a memorable summer of eating.
Return to homepage
Related links
Restaurant Sat Bains homepage
Another view: The Cube by Hungry Hoss
The Cube by Electrolux
We are not the biggest fans of pop us restaurants as a rule for it seldom provides as complete an experience as that offered in the chef's restaurant but there's no denying this was a very polished affair indeed and we really did enjoy
it. Given the line up of chefs and the unquestionably brilliant vantage point of the Cube, we expect this particular pop up will provide a memorable summer of eating.
Return to homepage
Related links
Restaurant Sat Bains homepage
Another view: The Cube by Hungry Hoss
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