This coming February will see the launch of ‘Cometa’, a brand-new concept from London’s pioneering culinary collective, Carousel. The contemporary Mexican seafood restaurant will take over the existing Charlotte Street Wine Bar, with the space evolving to celebrate the very best of British waters through a creative and modern Mexican lens.
Translating to the Spanish word for ‘comet’, the new restaurant from Ed and Ollie Templeton will focus on pairing bold Mexican flavours with top-quality UK day-boat fish and seafood from Carousel’s trusted long-standing suppliers, including Fin & Flounder, Flying Fish, Keltic Seafare and The Sea The Sea.
Building on years of guest chef collaborations with prominent Mexican chefs like Tomás Bermúdez (La Docena), Thalía Barrios Garcia (Levadura de Olla), Santiago Muñoz (Maizajo) and Gerardo Vázquez Lugo (Nicos), the kitchen will be led by Carousel trio, Ollie Templeton, José Lizarralde Serralde (Relæ, Nicos, Meroma) and Alejandra Juarez (Estela, Máximo, Makan).
With a respect for tradition and a playbook of varied techniques inspired by the likes of Contramar, The Four Horsemen and the streetside carretas of Ensenada, the menu will loosely take the shape of a classic French brasserie-style format, with Mexican flavours at the forefront. A bold selection of raw dishes including Ceviches and Aguachiles is followed by sharing plates such as Crab chilpachole rice, brown butter, chive and larger grilled dishes to share for the table such as Lobster, chintextle, smoked butter sauce, served alongside seasonal sides.
The drinks menu will draw similar inspiration as the food, from Tepache and homemade Aguas Frescas to agave-based cocktails like Cometa’s Spicy Margarita and a Mezcal Old Fashioned.
Re-designed by the Templeton brothers themselves, the space will offer a cosy, intimate dining experience, featuring soft textiles, oak-topped tables, and a warm, earthy colour palette.
Of the opening, Carousel co-founder Ed Templeton says, “There’s been a Mexican heartbeat to our kitchen for several years now. These are the flavours that we keep going back to, so opening Cometa felt like the natural next step for us. Our guest chef programme isn’t going anywhere, but with this new restaurant we wanted to put our own style of cooking and our own personality, front and centre, where it deserves to be. Cometa marks an exciting new chapter for us, and we hope it will become a much-loved destination for diners in search of some of the best seafood in London”.
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