It is a fitting touch that the new restaurant and bar, Arthur Hooper’s in Borough Market has chosen their name to reflect the historic nature of their location. Victorian Arthur Hooper was once an endearing fruit salesman that occupied 8 Stoney Street, which is the current site of the restaurant. The new venue has been lovingly restored to resemble a rough jewel box interior and clever touches that reflect the historic nature of city markets like the hexagonal flooring along with the smart steel caged light fittings. It feels upscale yet welcoming at the same time; guests feel at ease to pop in just for a few glasses of wines and some light bites.
Working with local suppliers like Neal’s Yard, Cannon & Cannon and Bread Ahead means they offer some of the best ingredients you will find in London, which are nutritious and delectable at the same time.
Vegetarian dishes might not be the most scintillating to choose from normally, but when you have beans cooked with divine harissa butter, gently charred tenderstem broccoli and salted ricotta that might be an entirely different story. It was also reasonably priced at £7 considering the well-sourced ingredients used.
The distinguished provenance of their beef carpaccio was never in doubt when it arrived in all its vibrant, sharply red-coloured glory. It is a simple dish that just doesn’t require much apart from the salsa verde and capezzana olive oil to give added layers of flavouring.
Their mackerel main course was bristling with oily textures of the sea and a meltingly tender texture. It was well-matched with white beans, brown shrimps and horseradish to create a beautiful oceanic gem of a dish. They do also have a carefully curated list of cheese and cured meat for those who want to savour something even lighter over a glass of wine.
They have worked closely with Liberty wines to come up with their signature wine list of over 50 wines. The classy glass of Picpoul de Pinet I tried paired exceptionally well with the mackerel. In fact, the versatile wine went equally well with the dessert which was chocolate hazelnut pot with hazelnut crispies. The texture of the mousse was as smooth as butter and a great way to finish off a faultless meal from talented chef Lale Oztek.
Borough Market might be filled with dining and drinking options, but Arthur Hooper’s is a welcome addition to the historic market place.
baldwin@townfish.com