At the end of last year (November 2016), London got an early Christmas gift in the shape of the new Design Museum which finally reopened to the public, two years later than originally planned. Within its flashy new location at High Street Kensington, the museum’s original 1960s Grade II listed building was trusted to architects John Pawson and OMA to reconfigure the interiors. They also had the task to restore the existing outer shell of the building, including its distinctive hyperbolic paraboloid copper roof. It’s safe to say that the spectacular result was well worth the wait.
Along with the package of course comes the highly anticipated museum’s new restaurant by Prescott and Conran, with a name that celebrates the shape of the roof, Parabola.
Being situated within a design dedicated museum, Parabola has achieved an appropriately sleek look, designed by Universal Design Studio. However it is very much a no-nonsense restaurant with the focus poured onto the art of the food itself. We have here an exciting venue for all gastronomic fanatics: in the daytime head-chef Graham Blower, who comes straight from Pharmacy 2, will be serving classic to Modern British dishes whilst in the evenings the restaurant has lined up a glitterati of guest chefs as part of Parabola’s ‘Guest Chef Series’ in partnership with Veuve Cliquot. For a short period of two months each, the guest chef will be serving their signature dishes in the supper menu, and the program was kick-started with chef Rowley Leigh, who ends his residency very soon at the end of January. His much-loved Parmesan custard and anchovy toast is being served so hurry!
The restaurant tends to be busy during lunchtimes since this is when museum visitors tend to stop by for a bite. With the museum’s First Thursday Lates, where the museum will close at 8pm on the first Thursday of each month, I’m sure this will also attract more visitors to the exciting food being served during the evening too. Thankfully, Parabola has its own entrance, so that it can operate independently outside the museum opening hours. Do not miss the views from the restaurant bar which overlooks beautiful Holland Park; why not take a seat and check out the Holland Park bar menu which serves cocktails inspired by the neighboring Kyoto Gardens.
The New Design Museum has so much in store: as much as we have waited, the museum does not disappoint. It now offers three times more space than its previous home at Shad Thames; the public will be able to enjoy one permanent collection display as well as two temporary exhibition spaces. It even has its own adorable stand-alone museum shop. Watch this space!
