THE West End has an uber-cool new hot spot in the shape of KOL, the long-awaited debut restaurant from chef Santiago Lastra. Aiming to show off Mexico’s diverse food culture, the set menu of five or six courses is also a clear celebration of British ingredients, with dishes incorporating the finest produce from local sources.
Lastra, who grew up in Mexico City, has been based in London for the past few years and clearly identified the gap in the market for his native cuisine. While the city has several notable dining options for Latin American food, the quest for high-end, inventive cooking from this part of the world can feel a little frustrating.
KOL is changing that, with a seriously creative take on food from the region, particularly engaging with food cultures from the gastronomic haven of Oaxaca. Expect dishes such as Seaweed broth with chilli and mezcal, Kohlrabi and pink mole, and Langoustine tacos paired with smoked chilli and sea buckthorn.
During our visit the main dishes, which are served after four preceding courses – under the categories Bites, Aguachile, Taco and Pipian – were especially successful. Braised short ribs were served with a delightful quince mole, whilst seaweed macha and bone marrow accompanied crispy grilled octopus. Dessert, a plate of soft chocolate cake and creamy corn husk ice cream, was most definitely a crowd-pleaser. Unusual flavour combinations are at the heart of what’s going on here.
Seaweed octopus – a main dish at KOL
The space itself, designed by A-NRD studio, is wonderfully airy and vibrant, with warm amber and orange tones, and extremely pleasing large windows that look out onto Seymour Street. It felt cool and buzzy during our visit – somewhere you would be very happy to spend an evening.
The charming and accommodating staff certainly add to the mood. Downstairs is a private dining room, as well as a smart mezcaleria, the restaurant’s standalone bar.
Squash sorbet at KOL
Speaking of drinks, beverages at KOL are a truly stand-out affair, equal to the food options – and even surpassing many of them. The wine list is tremendous, highlighting a variety of biodynamic wines sourced from Central and Eastern Europe, many of which are really quite unusual.
Of course, mezcal, agave and other Mexican spirits also take centre stage, giving guests access to an array of varieties that would be hard to find elsewhere.
Add to that an excellent sommelier who really knows his stuff and was most helpful in making suggestions and pushing us to try things that might have been out of our comfort zone. If you’re going to experiment with drinks, moving away from your usual house red, this is definitely the place to do it.
The vibrant and warm dining room at KOL
Just a few steps away from Selfridges, KOL is exactly the type of fun and sophisticated dining space that the West End needed.
by Derby Jones
KOL, 9 Seymour Street, London W1H 7BA
For reservations, email: contact@kolrestaurant.com or call +44 203 829 6888.
Follow KOL on Instagram.