Bubala, everyone’s favourite so-good-you-probably-wouldn’t-realise-it-was-vegetarian-unless-someone-pointed-it-out restaurant is opening a third site.
It’s hitting King’s Cross in April, in a striking two-floor space with an expansive outdoor terrace.
The venue itself sounds pretty dramatic in fact. Apparently, people will come in through a six-metre-high arched entrance (!), then find themselves in a 65-cover ground floor dining space, with an additional 25 seats upstairs and 30 more on the alfresco terrace. A large halo light installation marks that massive entrance, leading into a design that is distinctly Bubala—y: warm, inviting, and just the right amount of modern. The open kitchen, with its wood-fired oven and charcoal grill will take up the centre of the space, with a low-set pass hopefully allowing some of the energy of the kitchen to spill out. The bar even has a ‘backless’ design facing the restaurant, so that it all feels a bit more communal.
Building on the absolutely blinding success of their Spitalfields & Soho outposts, founder Marc Summers and Executive Chef Ben Rand are putting together a menu that mixes up a few of the favourites with a helping of new stuff too. Fans of the oyster mushroom skewer with tamari & coriander seeds or the confit latkes with garlic toum & Aleppo chili will be happy to know they’re making the move to King’s Cross. Meanwhile, new arrivals like charred cucumber tzatziki and fava bean with vadouvan braised broad beans will keep things fresh.
The kitchen’s wood-fired oven will be working overtime, turning out the likes of mujadara – a fragrant lentil & rice dish topped with tahini, zhoug, and amba – and a crisp, golden spanakopita börek stuffed with spinach & cheese. For dessert, they’re introducing something called ‘Bubala’s Big Pud’, which is apparently a shareable affair featuring chocolate mousse, brûléed bananas, coconut caramel, tahini, and sesame snaps. Yum.
To wash it all down, Bubala King’s Cross will continue their tradition of wine on tap, natural bottles, UK-produced beers, and Gazoz house sodas, which are (for the uninitiated) homemade drinks infused with ferments, local fruits, spices, herbs, and syrups that comes lightly sparkling.
Bubala indeed.
NOTE: Bubala King’s Cross is set to open in April. We’ll be back then with the full scoop. In the meantime, you can find out more at the Bubala website.
Bubala King’s Cross | Unit 1, Cadence Court, 4 Tapper Walk, N1C 4ED
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