From October 21st, The Gardening Society at John Lewis will open for the winter season and welcome its final restaurant residency of the year: The Ethicurean. For the very firsttime, the acclaimed Somerset based restaurant will bring fresh seasonal flavours inspired by the West Country to the roof of John Lewis Oxford Street.
With the nights drawing in, the winter themed Gardening Society will be the ultimate hideaway high above the UK’s busiest shopping street, alit with an abundance of festooned twinkling lights set against panoramic views of London. The rooftop will celebrate traditional festive pastimes throughout the entire season, with warming food and drink, cosy bookable lodges and seasonal experiences to suit all – including Autumnal pumpkin cocktails, hot toddies for Bonfire Night firework spotting as well as good old fashioned Christmas singalongs in December.
The Ethicurean Revamp the Old English Cookbook
“We are really excited to launch our new exclusive menu at The Gardening Society this winter,” comment Iain and Matthew Pennington, owners and chefs of The Ethicurean. “We will be bringing a few of our favourite dishes from Bristol to London for the first time, including some iconic and hearty British classics which have been given a special
Ethicurean twist. For anyone visiting the roof this winter, make sure you try our secret sticky toffee apple cake, the limited edition Christmas venison pie and the melt in the mouth Welsh rabbit with Chinese kimchi for the ultimate Ethicurean experience.”
Dishes on The Ethicurean’s menu will include:
- Victorian Scrambled Eggs: lightly scrambled eggs with Gentleman’s relish & toasted sourdough
- The Ethicurean Welsh Rabbit (rarebit), served with a choice of: Star anise confit duck, Hot smoked arctic char, Sauerkraut & caraway seeds, Chinese leaf kimchi
- Tandoor Spiced Cauliflower, with soft hen’s egg, smoked paprika, almond & parsley
- The Ethicurean Christmas Pie: Venison & Pipers Farm bacon pie with port stout, buttered mashed potato and cider & juniper sauce
- Truffle & Porcini Mushroom Pork Sausage with buttered mashed potato, cider & onion sauc
- London Sticky Toffee Apple Cake: scrumped apple cake with Thames imported spices & cinnamon cream
- London Stout Pudding: steamed chocolate & London stout, served with an inappropriate amount of cream
- Almond Milk Sorbet with honeycomb & sour cherry Winter Warming Tipples
Background Bars will be offering a range of seasonal serves during the winter residency crafted to complement The Ethicurean’s hearty food menu. Cocktails will include a warming Pumpkin Punch (bourbon and Maraschino cherry liqueur, mixed with honeyed Rooibos tea syrup, lemon, pumpkin and orange juice, topped with bitters), alongside creative festive signatures such as the 8 Spices Mulled Negroni, a traditional Hot Toddy, and the Red Sour (Chivas Regal 12YO Whisky, Malbec, lemon, cherry bitters, syrup and egg whites).
Bookable Lodges and The Pavillion Guests can book The Gardening Society’s iconic private lodges this winter which are perfectly suited to couples or smaller groups. All three lodges have been individually designed and boast their own unique scent, individual sound system and ‘ring for service’ bell. Guests are invited to imagine what the owner of each shed might be like, from the mismatched tool shed complete with bicycle wheels hanging from the ceiling, to a retro 70s escape including a vintage lava lamp and psychedelic cushions, and the final intimate snug featuring watercolour paintings and embroidery hoop art – all three eclectic designs are designed to appeal to a range of different personalities.
The Pavilion will also be available again for larger group bookings, re-creating the feel of a homely winter kitchen where guests can eat drink and enjoy their dining experience in a family style setting.
Winter Village on Oxford Street From 6th November, visitors to The Gardening Society will be transported to a setting reminiscent of a yuletide village green. A grandiose 12ft Christmas tree, adorned with twinkly lights and vintage baubles, will lead the way towards resident rooftop pub, The Gardener’s Arms, where Londoners will be invited to sing along to their favourite festive songs whilst enjoying a delicious warming tipple. Tucked away on the rooftop, The Ethicurean’s interior decor has been refreshed with nostalgic elements of yesteryear, including a vintage piano which takes pride of place in the restaurant.