Eyal Shani, founder of the cult hit Miznon, is to launch his newest London restaurant, Lilienblum on 19 May. Named after the street of one of Shani’s first restaurants in Tel Aviv, Lilienblum will be opening in East London, nestled between Shoreditch and Old Street.
The kitchen will be headed up by Oren King, also hailing from Israel, whose previous positions have seen him work at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Roka, and Hide.
In contrast to Miznon’s fast-casual dining approach, the restaurant will focus on family-style sharing plates packed with theatre. Dishes will be cooked in an interactive open kitchen, with diners able to sit at the counter and watch the magic of Oren’s kitchen first hand.
The menu will be written in Shani’s typically quirky and tongue-in-cheek language and divided by ingredients rather than ‘starters’ and ‘mains’, however, the friendly team will be on hand and sit with guests to get an understanding of their likes and preferences. This allows them to come up with a suggested menu tailored to each table, ensuring everybody that steps through the door has a perfectly curated unique experience.
An extensive range of vegetable-based dishes will include Green asparagus perfectly arranged in a paper envelope and A slice of cabbage cake that melts into itself. Seafood dishes will boast Seafood pan roasted in tomato ovaries and Pearls from the ground swirled with farro and clams, whilst meats include Ribeye steak, the way GOD intended, and a Half rack of lamb with perfectly chopped Arabic salad.
The wine list and cocktails will play an important part in the Lilienblum experience. Overseen by General Manager Kitty Sparks, previously at Fifteen and Aquavit, the wine menu will feature an array of lesser-known Israeli wines as well as more classic European producers with an extensive selection from the Burgundy region.
The cocktail menu will feature playful twists such as the Kittini, a delicious tequila and grapefruit martini, as well as the classics.
The welcoming entrance with its bar anticipates the culinary magic of the restaurant and the al-fresco urban terrace beyond.
Lilienblum launches on Friday 19 May and is open from Tuesday - Saturday but available for private hire on Monday and Sunday.