David Carter, one of the co-founders of Manteca in London's Shoreditch, is poised to launch a new venture – a Greek restaurant named Oma, scheduled to open in London's Borough Market this spring.
Carter will collaborate with chefs Nick Molyviatis, formerly the head chef of Kiln in London's Soho, and Jorge Paredes, the executive chef of Sabor in London's Mayfair. Together, they aim to present modern interpretations of cherished Greek dishes, often prepared on a hearth, in authentic clay pots sourced from Crete, or served in their raw form.
The menu at Oma will showcase an array of enticing dishes, including hung sheep's yogurt paired with a salt cod XO sauce, wood-fired breads crafted from Wildfarmed grains, Santorini fava complemented by capers and a soft-boiled egg, butterflied red mullet slow-grilled to perfection with red miso butter, and olive oil ice cream adorned with fennel pollen.
Carter has reunited with Box 9, the design firm behind both of his previous ventures, Smokestak and Manteca in Shoreditch, to collaborate on the design of Oma.
The restaurant draws its name from the Greek word for raw, and it is designed to feature a 2.5m crudo bar, an open-plan live-fire kitchen, and a 60-cover terrace adorned with artisanal furniture in natural, earthy colours.
Emily Acha Derrington, the group wine buyer for Carter's restaurant group DCCO, has collaborated with Alessandra Tasca to curate Oma's wine list. The extensive 400-bin selection focuses on Greek wines and also includes offerings from islands such as Corsica, La Palma, and Tenerife.
Carter said, 'OMA represents everything I love about restaurants: it offers a dining experience in its most intentional conception. From the design to the food, the style of service and aesthetic finishes, every part of Oma has been considered. It encapsulates and celebrates the raw beauty, natural landscapes and warmth of the places that have inspired it. The bold flavours of Greece and the Levant, created with amazing British produce treated simply and with respect.
'Emily's incredible choice of wines take this menu to the next level. I'm excited to welcome guests to try the dishes that Nick, Jorge and I have developed, with some paying homage to Mediterranean classics while adding our own spin to others.'
