The office has never been better - Coal Office Review
It’s fair to say when I found out there was a new restaurant from Assaf Granit opening in London, the foodie in me was as excited as a child is for Christmas. So, table booked, I hoped it would be the ideal date night spot for dinner with my girlfriend. For those who haven’t heard of Assaf Granit, he’s the chef behind The Palomar and The Barbary, arguably two of London’s best restaurants (which were my favourites), as well as the original restaurant Machneyuda in Tel Aviv. Coal Office is a slightly different venture than his previous restaurants, with this being a collaboration with British designer, Tom Dixon. The restaurant is practically an extension of the adjacent showroom and all the fixtures, fittings and tableware are designed by Tom Dixon.
The Location Coal Office has mixed up its location compared to the very central Palomar in Soho and The Barbary in Neal’s Yard. It’s in the new(ish) Granary Square behind Kings Cross, where Dishoom and Caravan have turned what was a brownfield site into a foodie destination. Coal Office, on Bagley Walk, is off to the left as you approach Granary Square. The building was the Fish and Coal building in the 19th century, built as accommodation for the clerks watching over the (you guessed it) coal and fish being brought in, so the name is a considerate nod to the history of the site. Given the location, more likely than not, you’re going to be heading to Coal Office specifically rather than stumbling across it, as we did for our dinner. The Space It’s clear from the theme that Tom Dixon is behind the design... his signature mirror ball lampshades show the focus on modernist, chic decor and attention to detail; even the wine glasses are designed by him and available to buy!
The restaurant is split into two sections, the first being the bar/open kitchen a la Palomar with high seating to the right of it, while the second section has more traditional table seating. There’s also a private dining room for larger groups, adorned with Tom Dixon’s staple lighting and fittings. What sets Coal Office apart from other restaurants (in the same vein as The Barbary/Palomar), is the joviality and energy in the place. The music is loud and rhythmic, there are calls of “yes chef!” ringing out and you’re encouraged to talk to the chefs preparing the food in front of you. To sum up, it’s a show and meal all in one!
The Food First tip for the meal is to definitely ask to be seated at the bar. Luckily there was space when we arrived and we settled in for the show in front of us. Even though it was the summer preview, it was still a surprise to see Assaf Granit himself at the pass, checking each dish before it was served (far left of the photo above). No sooner had I gotten over his presence, we were served a shot of arak (Turkish spirit) and tropical juice concoction as a welcome. I’d heard dishing out shots was commonplace at the Palomar when it first opened, so was glad to see the hospitality had continued at Coal Office.
As we looked over the menu, we were presented with two intro tasters by the chefs; celeriac crisp and a fried red pepper on guacamole and bulgar. The bulgar was similar to kisir, a Turkish dish of tomato, bulgar and pomegranate, which was delicious alongside the crispy pepper. An unexpected great start to the meal.
After getting over how good the tasters were, we looked over the menu. The first section was the breads, followed by "Small Plates", "In Between" which are more small places, and "Big Plates".
We started with the Manakish Zaatar (£5), a mini soft loaf topped with the Lebanese spice mix, and Plate for the Brave (£4.5), a selection of different chillis to add some heat to the dishes where needed. The bread was warm and fluffy, served alongside chickpea msabaha, a cumin-based chickpea dish to dip the bread in.
This was quickly followed by the Josperised Aubergine 1,2,3,4,5,6 (£9), which was caringly prepared right in front of us. Probably my favourite dish of the night, grilled smokey aubergine smashed and spread across a plate, a liberal helping of olive oil and finished with dollops of green tahini, pistachio, pomegranate arils and blackberries. You’ll definitely want to order one of the breads to help clear the plate and mop up any of the oil that’s left! The sweet and smokey combination was just too delicious, definitely a dish I’m going to try and replicate at home.
Next up, Machneyuda’s Polenta (£10)... creamy, perfectly seasoned polenta topped with discs of asparagus, Parmesan shavings and finished at the table with grated black truffle. Probably the best polenta I’ve ever eaten, it was moreish; the salty Parmesan paired perfectly with the smooth polenta, crunchy asparagus and rich truffle.
We took our hosts recommendation for the next dish which was the Shivkia (£11), red tuna cured lemon aioli and date confit. Best described as sweet, deep fried pastry with a generous topping of raw red tuna, lemon aoili and date confit dots all on top of a yoghurt base (similar to tatziki). I’d never tried flavour combinations like this before, but it worked, with the meaty tuna pairing well with the sweet date confit and citrus aioli, while the crunchy pastry added great texture to the dish. Another standout plate of the night!
Last up for the savoury courses, and a dish we couldn’t resist ordering, was the Baked Bone Marrow - Midnight Shawarma (£17). One of the most generous portions of bone marrow I’ve had in London, served alongside two slices of brioche and finished with grilled onions and sweetbread, you can’t fault the size of the dish! That bone marrow spread on the sweet brioche with some grilled onion on top... just thinking about it makes me want to go back! It’s not always a dish for everyone though as the texture and richness can be a bit much, so it’s best to balance it out with a lighter choice.
After all that, we were definitely satisfied, but obviously had to try dessert. Before we could even check the menu, Chef Granit ordered a round of Arak shots to everyone at the bar (second of the night) and we clinked glasses with the chefs in front of us, the host and the other patrons sat next to us. Feeling the effects of the wine and shots, we deferred to one of the chefs for what dessert to order, and we ended up with Uri’s Mother’s Basboosa, served with tahini ice cream (£8). Our host appeared, thinking she’ll take our order, and low and behold, a third arak shot was thrust into our hands, which we duly finished, with another round of cheers. Definitely can’t fault the service! This was quickly followed by the chef at the pass surprising us with a taster of the sour cream ice cream and citrus on a spoon, an interesting play on sweet and sour that worked well.
Our taste buds tingling from the taster, the sight of a sponge cake served up in front of us topped off the meal. The Basboosa was syrupy with a caramelised crumb while the tahini ice cream added a savoury twist from the sesame, balancing out the sweetness. Great call from the chef who recommended it!
We thought that was it for the night, but there was one last surprise... our host appeared again, this time with another taster (thankfully not an arak shot), the Rice Pudding, Mango chutney and sour cream ice cream.
The presentation wasn’t what I was expecting; the rice pudding had been shaped into a ball and caramelised, adding a clever twist to the school dinner dessert. The sour cream ice cream complimented the sweeter mango chutney, and combining all three made for a tasty mouthful. A nice surprise to end the meal! The Verdict Coal Office definitely didn’t disappoint... the bar was set high with the Palomar and the Barbary and it definitely cleared it! The food, vibe and service was all on point, a difficult task given it was only the summer preview which make it even more impressive, I’m just hoping it keeps it up once it’s fully up and running. Downsides, well I can’t really find any! If I was being picky, the cost can quickly add up, so it’s not a spot if you’re looking for a cheap eat, but our experience certainly made up for the price. If you want a lively, immersive meal, take a seat at the bar and enjoy the show, otherwise a seat in the second room works for a more intimate dinner; although I can't guarantee all the free tasters during your visit! Portion sizes are good and more filling than they appear, so between two people, four dishes and one of the breads would work, giving you room for dessert, and that’s not taking into account any free bites that magically appear! All in all, I can’t recommend Coal Office highly enough, and it might just be my new favourite restaurant in London, so you know it must be good!
2 Bagley Walk,
London
N1C 4PQ