Following a late summer closure and significant refurbishment and re-think, our Rotunda Bar and Restaurant at Kings Place will officially reopen on 24th September 2018 with a fresh new look and new menus and drinks lists and a dynamic kitchen and front of house team.
Launched in October 2008, the Kings Place complex also houses two concert halls, two art galleries, several private functions spaces, and a number of offices. Rotunda was a pioneer being the first restaurant in the emerging King’s Cross redevelopment, paving the way for commercial and residential growth over the past decade. Leading the pack, Rotunda quickly developed a strong customer base for drinks, lunches and dinners, as well as both private and corporate events. Additionally, with a lively schedule of music, spoken word and arts festival in the two Concert Halls in Kings Place, as well as exhibitions in the art galleries, Rotunda also provides superb pre and post-event dining and drinking options.
Highlighting a ‘gate to plate’ ethos from day one has enabled Rotunda to utilise the company’s own 288-acre Corneyside Farm in Matfen, Northumberland, which has stocks of 750 breeding sheep, 1300 lambs, 300 cattle and 20 pure-bred Texel-cross stock rams. Animals are born and bred on the farm meaning their passports contain only one stamp when they arrive at Rotunda. This exclusive ready supply chain provides a constant supply of Limousin X beef and Texel lamb. Rotunda’s chefs, and new Head Butcher Neil Cox, dry-age (beef for a minimum of 32 days), hang and butcher on site, and then tailor the seasonal menus to accommodate every cut of meat. The kitchen also uses bones for stock and fat for dripping and wrapping around meat.
Menus at Rotunda
The new menus emphasise the close relationship with the farm, as well as using the ideal cooking techniques and the latest equipment, including Big Green Eggs and a robata grill. The repertoire of meat dishes features steaks (cuts include rump, sirloin, ribeye), Côte de boeuf to share, Texel rack of lamb to share, as well as short rib, burgers, pastrami, steak and kidney pie, and even beef jerky snacks. The menu does not rely only on meat, but broadens with Steamed Cornish razor clams with confit shallots and white beans, Pit-roasted pumpkin with borloti bean risotto, Charcoal-cooked whole sea bream with preserved lemon and capers, Grilled Cornish monkfish with foraged sea greens, and Grilled Cornish crab claws with crispy seaweed and aioli. Desserts impress and range from Coconut and pistachio tart, and Triple toffee apple trifle, to Blueberry Eccles cake with espresso coffee choc pot, and Flaming blackberry Alaska for two. Prices for the main à la carte menu range from £8-£12 for starters, £12-£35 for main courses, and £7-£12 for desserts. There is also a set two course menu at £19.50 for lunches from Monday-Friday and early dinners (til 7pm) from Monday-Saturday. Sunday lunch is a highlight and features the stalwart Sunday Roasts and to share dishes, whether roast topside of beef, slow-roast rare breed pork belly, shoulder of lamb or whole free-range roast chicken – making it a vital ‘go to’ weekend destination for friends and families with compelling canalside views adding to the weekend relaxation.
Wine and Drinks Lists
Collaborating with local London suppliers and key wine merchants, the overall drinks programme at Rotunda has a strong personality. The wine list features 100 bins, starting at £21.50 (bottle), with 18 available by the glass (from £5.50) or carafes (500ml, from £14). A section of the list also offers suggested wines for different dishes, designed to enhance the enjoyment of lamb and beef dishes. A range of draft and bottled craft and local beers is offered, with monthly guest beers available. Cocktails are a strong focus of the enhanced new bar, with a mix of classic and modern options, including a Barrel-aged Rum Old-fashioned, and a Barrel-aged Boulevardier Negroni.
Interior Design
DesignLSM have transformed Rotunda Bar and Restaurant with a relaxed and inspiring interior that brings their passion for food to the forefront. The new flexible design scheme provides guests with an open kitchen, dedicated 12-seat chef’s counter and meat-aging cabinet, which houses their exquisite cuts of meat from their farm in Northumberland. A warm and tactile palette of materials including rich timber, bespoke brass and glazed chevron tiles, harmonised by colourful hues of tan and sea green creates a welcoming and enriched environment. The outside terrace area has been revitalised with an expansive social lounge area featuring intimate lighting, heaters and rich greenery, allowing guests year-round access. Rotunda’s private dining room has also been enhanced with seating and artwork, accommodating up to 30, it has its own terrace area with lounge seating, with views of the canal.
The Team
Green & Fortune’s Chief Executive John Nugent steers a notable team of chefs and front-of-house professionals. The kitchen is led Head Chef Jai Parkinson, whose CV spans several steak and seafood specialist restaurants, including past stints at Wright Brothers and Holborn Dining Room, he is supported by Chef Director Jason Wild who oversees all of Green & Fortune’s kitchens. Head Butcher Neil Cox and Jai collaborate on all aspects of the ‘meat’ side of the menus, ensuring maximum usage of the animal and content. The front of house team represent a balance between log-standing members of staff and some fresh faces joining too.