A pop-up restaurant and bar, ahead of the opening of Oriole’s second, permanent site
A three-month pop-up restaurant, bar and innovation space from the team behind cocktail bars Oriole, Nightjar and Bar Swift. PRELUDE by Oriole paves the way for the second iteration of award-winning speakeasy, Oriole, which will reopen in a permanent location in The Yards, Covent Garden later this summer.
At PRELUDE by Oriole guests have the opportunity to enjoy a brand-new list of cocktails featuring the likes of Brugal 1888 rum, The Macallan, and Highland Park.
For the first time at Oriole, cocktails are accompanied by an à la carte food offering. Argentine Head Chef Gustavo Giallionardo has created a menu which explores the ways that Latin American ingredients and cooking styles intersect with those from the rest of the globe.
Drawing influences from various places and traditions, including Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) and Argentine-Italian cuisines, the menu combines ingredients such as Mexican delicacy huitlacoche (corn smut), Peruvian ají amarillo (yellow pepper), koji, seaweed and matcha in a creative variety of dishes and desserts.
These include:
Oyster, Amarillo Chilli
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Raw Scallop, Kiwi, Edamame Agua Chile
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Pumpkin, Peanut Sambal, Green Curry Ice Cream
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Duck, Orange Mole, Tamal
The drinks menu draws inspiration from culinary and drinking traditions around the world, with each cocktail paying homage to the distinctive ingredients and heritage of its region.
Bar Manager Samet Ali has developed a selection of cocktails, including the Mizuwari, combining 12-year-old Highland Park whisky washed with chocolate miso, asparagus distillate, amontillado sherry, green walnut vermouth and cold brewed Hojoicha tea.
Drinks have been paired with the food menu to create a rounded culinary experience, with the Mizuwari perfectly complementing a dish of Huitlacoche, Mushrooms and Egg Yolk; and the Apple Tart, Miso, Dulce de Leche Ice Cream, which is paired with the Aomori, featuring ultra-premium Brugal 1888 rum from the Dominican Republic, as well as oak-aged quince rakia, meadow vermouth, Fuji apple juice and cherry blossom vinegar.
Many of the drinks and dishes served will appear on the menu at Oriole’s new permanent home in Covent Garden later this year, with the pop-up serving as a research and development space for both food and drink.
For fans of the original Oriole, selected signature cocktails also appear on the menu, such as the Acadia, a playful take on a Whisky Sour, inspired by the peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Speakeasy launched the original Oriole in Smithfield Market, which was soon after named ‘Best New International Cocktail Bar’ at the Spirited Awards 2016.
The pop-up is in partnership with Edrington UK, the UK’s number one premium whisky supplier owning brands including The Macallan, Brugal rum and Highland Park.
PRELUDE by Oriole is now open to guests on Wednesday – Saturdays, from 5pm. The pop-up will run for three months from Wednesday 13th March.
Address: 23 Slingsby Place, Covent Garden, WC2E 9AB
Opening Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 5pm – 11pm | Friday and Saturday, 5pm – 12am
Social: @theoriolebar
Website: oriolebar.com