Tomos Parry and the team behind Brat are to launch a brand-new restaurant in June named, Mountain, located on Beak Street in the heart of Soho,
Mountain is, in essence, a wood grill and wine bar reflecting Tomos' favourite meals from journeys across Spain over recent years. He explained, “Mountain draws on the 'mar y montana' (or sea and hillside) cooking of Spain, alongside the seas and mountains within the Welsh landscape, the language and of course the produce which guides us everyday.”
Inspiration is drawn from long lunches around barbecues in friend's vineyards, to small plates of raw prawns in bustling fish markets, hearty slow braises of shellfish and rich beef sweetbreads in local tavernas and youthful memories of landing shimmering wild sea bass from the Llyn Peninsula.
As ever, Tomos' cooking is led by long standing relationships with the fishermen and farmers in Wales and Cornwall whose guiding principle on sourcing from the ground in the morning to on the grill in the evening has been the backbone of Brat's approach for the last 5 years.
Vermouth made in Sicily for Mountain by Salvatore Marino will be poured from tap, alongside blood orange Garibaldis and a selection of spritzes made with citrus fruits from the magical Todoli Foundation in Valencia.
At the head of the snack menu are two types of Sobrasada, made for the restaurant by Lluis Cirera on a 300 acre organic farm in Mallorca. Lluis is now one of the few sources of traditional Sobrasada using both the black and white pigs and the chillies he grows, here served either with butter or grilled over charcoal with honey.
Other snacks on the menu will include raw Carmarthen prawns, wild asparagus and braised peas with cockles.
Mountain is housed in a handsome red brick building built in 1911 on Beak Street and is archetypal Soho, complete with a history of iniquity and scandal. Large windows the length of the building frame a huge counter bar created from beautiful English elm.
At the centre of the room, the dining tables and open kitchen merge. The simply constructed woodwork from carefully sourced timber by designer and maker Dan Preston, reflects Tomos' uncomplicated menu - pink bream served whole, split and roast on the plancha, a plate of wood grilled lamb chops and whole Anglesey lobster in a rich caldereta aromatic braise.
A traditional dish of Menorca, lobster caldereta, will fill two to three people and the ceremony of these steaming ceramic pots being carried from the grill to tables is as satisfying as the eating. Diners can also enjoy wood fired rice and smoked potatoes alongside the main dishes.
A different approach to the wine list has been developed in collaboration with Keeling and Andrew of Noble Rot, which will focus on a dozen or so winemakers that are meaningful to the restaurant and whose wines reflect the 'mountain and sea' inspiration in the kitchen. Older vintages from lesser known Galician producers and coveted cuvees from a few more familiar faces.
Downstairs, a burr poplar timber bar is stacked with vinyl records and serves all the classic cocktails. Saddle up at the bar or slide into the booths and watch the chefs working a large wood fire oven that is roasting the deserts, ensaimadas and almond tarts.
Tomas said, “Caldereta, amongst others on the menu is the type of food I find hugely transportive and deeply satisfying to eat. I’ve always loved walking by the windows of Soho restaurant institutions catching glimpses of tables which began at lunch and are now threatening to roll into dinner.'
'I can’t wait for guests to eat these dishes and share in these moments, watching the world go past the windows at Mountain,” he concluded.