GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED HOUSE OF MING RESTAURANT OPENS ITS DOORS THIS SPRING
The globally acclaimed House of Ming restaurant will open its doors to diners in London this spring. House of Ming will be housed within St James’ court, a Taj Hotel, and is set to offer unbeatable and authentic Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine. The new restaurant will open for bookings from 25th May.
The interior of House of Ming was conceived by award-winning designers Atelier Wren who are renowned for creating internationally recognised hospitality destinations across the globe.
“We are delighted to welcome House of Ming to Taj Hotels London, and we are excited for the restaurant to make its mark into the London food scene with unrivalled Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine matched with breathtakingly beautiful interiors.” Ms Mehrnavaz Avari, Area Director, UK & General Manager, Taj Hotels, London
House of Ming incorporates elements of Sichuan, Chinese, and Cantonese design to create a rich and intimate dining space with a focus on bespoke craftsmanship and artistry. For House of Ming, Atelier Wren carefully selected some of the leading scenic craftsman to oversee in fulfilling their vision for the project.
The intimate 58-seater restaurant has a stunning blend of green hues and lush red lacquer enhanced by a verre eglomise made by Anna Didik in South London, referencing the designs by Lara Fiorentino.
Exhaustive trials and samples were undertaken by the scenic team to achieve the red lacquered finish on the timber framework, lattice screens and doors. Finishing touches such as antique brass hand and handcrafted furniture give a sumptuous feel.
House of Ming will feature two sets of love seats, with their own velvet curtains to create a unique intimacy. The romantic two-seater booths feature a brass bespoke crafted button by Nocturne Workshop that discreetly calls the kitchen for champagne or the request for privacy. The golden seats are trimmed in Opium fabric by Nobilis, The marble tables sit under brass “twisted gingko” pendant light designed by Atelier Wren and made by Nocturne Workshop and is guaranteed to be one of the most romantic dining experiences in London.
Ceilings were hand painted onto canvas by Lara Fiorentino, designs were inspired by Chinese silk screen painting from the Ming dynasty and feature pine trees, mountains and ginkgo leaves. The gold is used to warm the space and offset against the rich green and reds of the wall finishes and upholstery.
Large embroidered silk panels were produced by Jacky Puzey, whose task was to translate the drawings and samples into the final pieces. Working to programme Jacky used her own state of the art digital embroidery machine to create layers of stitches specific to the artwork, abstracting forms from the pine and ginkgo drawings, adding plum blossom appliqué to some panels to create a little decorative motif that balances with the drama of the pine shapes and sweeping needles. Finally the finished panels are mounted to conservation standard by experienced conservators Textile Conservation Ltd, based in Bristol, to maintain the quality and finish necessary for the embroidered artwork. The Atelier Wren team, working closely with Jacky, selected a gilded/dark edge frame, unglazed, to show off the textures of the artwork and the handwoven silk dupion base fabric.
Apart from a legacy of cuisine, the Ming nobility also brought botanicals to China, and the restaurant comes alive with the intricately designed gingko leaves, a sacred concept of yin and yang symbolising longevity and vitality. The restaurant is reminiscent of the Ming dynasty with the custom Celadon Ceramics. The House of Ming in London brings rich culture, history, and most importantly, cuisine from across China.
The restaurant opens under the direction of an outstanding team including Food and Beverage Manager Asif Bajwa, experienced Executive Chef Sujoy Gupta and Hong-Kong Chinese born Head Chef, Dickson Leung. House of Ming’s menu is modern, easy and simplistic, presenting celebrated authentic flavours from the provinces of China. The menu has an amazing selection of shareable dishes that balance hot, sweet, and sour favours, and an unmissable meat, seafood and vegetarian Dim Sum list to choose from.
The menu is inspired by the leading elements and ingredients influenced from House of Ming restaurant in New Delhi with culinary additions specific to London. The menu will feature an extensive Dim Sum section with delights such as prawn truffle siu mai, crispy taro and oyster dumpling, fresh bamboo roll, seafood and golden mushroom and classics such as char siu bao and sticky rice. Small plates include salt & pepper water chestnut, lotus stem with honey and chilli, stuffed crab claws, crispy fried fish with chilli and oyster sauce and BBQ lamb with cumin and chilli. Larger plates include stir fried lobster, king prawns with XO sauce and signature dish Flaming Duck, which is guaranteed to wow as not only will a traditional gong sound with each order, but the duck will be flamed at the table. For those looking for a high-end dining experience, there will be an imperial dining option of the Chef’s Choice which consists of a stunning seventeen course menu, designed exclusively to be enjoyed in the private dining room.
In addition to the magnificent food menu, House of Ming has an excellent selection of beverages from around the world. The innovative drinks menu includes a wide variety of Chinese white tea, green tea, black tea and oolong tea, and House of Ming has its own dedicated Tea Sommelier, as well as a unique tea trolley. There is also a carefully curated cocktail menu utilising Asian inspired flavours and includes the likes of House of Zhu, a Vodka cocktail with clarified oolong tea and grapefruit bitter, garnished with a pink blossom and served in a Chinese teapot. The restaurant’s wine list has a selection of the finest wine from around the globe, focussing on small producers and upcoming Vineyards, with choices of excellent Chinese Chateau Wines.