LASSCO Bar & Dining must be one of the most unusual venue spaces you will find in London. The LASSCO (London Architectural Salvage and Supply Company) Ropewalk warehouse stores all types of reused and salvaged items. The fabulous private dining space, the textile room contains all forms of reclaimed fabrics from curtains, towels, cushions and vintage clothing. The Eisenhower room uses reclaimed wood from wartime US Naval HQ in Grosvenor Square.
LASSCO is a labour of love from the owners James and Jerome, one in charge of the kitchen whilst the other is responsible for the bar and they have previously worked together in the universally praised, Coal Vaults in Soho.
The menu is at a very reasonably priced £30pp which includes bread, amuse bouche, 3 courses and an aperitif. Almost all their ingredients are sourced from nearby suppliers from Maltby Street bar the seafood which is from Hove.
Jerome was the brains behind the hit pop-up cocktail bar above The Ten Bells pub in Shoreditch; hence it was no surprise to find even the soft drink options exquisite. I tried a very attractive looking and thirst quenching hibiscus and sarsaparilla fizz.
I did find the snapery sourdough less spiky than I had hoped, perhaps due to my late dinner seating. However, a starter of Poole Bay clams in lillet was extremely fresh, gently citrusy and fragrant. Clearly, a lot of thought has gone into creating the dish with the use of special pickled cockle butter and edible sea purslane.
Five-hour lamb was as tender as you would expect from the careful slow cooking and had wondrous flavours of the farm having been cooked in lavender and hay. Smoked anchovy and white bean crock along with nettle and mint have also been slowly cooked to ensure all the flavours soak into the lamb meat.
The classic British influence is clear on the menu; for desserts, I chose an archetypal rhubarb fool along with lemon thyme shortbread and raspberry sorbet sundae. The contrasting textures made for a delightful dessert which should be served at every summer party this season.
There are 3 options available to choose from for each course and it is the type of menu that makes you want to book your next visit as soon as you return home from the restaurant.
baldwin@townfish.com