ABOVE AT HIDE

RESTAURANT REVIEW:

REOPENED AND REBRANDED, ABOVE AT HIDE IS, QUITE SIMPLY, ONE OF THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED, DARING AND BEAUTIFUL DINING EXPERIENCES IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW

One unexpected element of a window seat at Above at Hide is that the view out of the floor-to-ceiling windows puts you directly in the sightline of the top deck of the Number 9 bus as it trundles along

Piccadilly. It takes a lot to distract the senses from the cooking of Ollie Dabbous and his team but, should rapport with your dining partner be on the short-of-sparkle side, then making eye contact with a random, ever-changing collection of commuters is an effortless lubricant to conversation.

‘Should I raise my glass to that bloke?’ my dining partner asks. ‘Best not,’ I conclude. For I cannot think of a less likely conduit to friendly interaction than to give a wink and raise a glass from the window of a one Michelin-starred restaurant to a bloke in a tracksuit top who’s reading the Metro while eating an egg mayo sandwich. The prices I’m about to write down, after all, may initially shock you, and all regular eaters of egg mayo sandwiches. The eightcourse tasting menu with the ‘classic’ wine pairings (the cheapest of the three wine pairing options) costs £245. Per person. Before service.

Yes, we’re in a pandemic. And that is, even by London standards, an extremely ambitious price point. Yet, there are ways

of making it feel more palatable. Opt for the eight courses and you’re in for a four-hour experience, which, for two people, costs no more than a train fare and overnight stay in Edinburgh. Now, I adore the Scottish capital as a staycation option. But I will take four hours in Above at Hide over 48 hours on the Royal Mile. Because this is, quite simply, one of the most accomplished, daring and beautiful dining experiences in this country right now. It was nearly a decade ago that I ate at Dabbous, Ollie’s eponymous restaurant in Fitzrovia; a place where waiting lists were year-long and dishes set a new standard for intense, highly-focused flavours and unusual ingredients. It was where I ate meadowsweet for the first time – an almond-tasting perennial herb, the hazy aroma of which I now covet to the point of drinking meadowsweet tea when nobody’s watching. There’s a more modestly-priced ground floor brasserie here – formerly called Hide Ground, now simply Hide – and a wine bar in the basement next to a cellar groaning with bottles of Screaming Eagle at prices that even Elon Musk would think twice about (guests can also choose wine from Hedonism’s nearby store – the largest in the world – which will be delivered to your table within 15 minutes). Words: Rob Crossan It’s after climbing a gargantuan oak staircase that looks like a Lewis Carrollimagined approach to the world’s poshest treehouse that you arrive at Above, where Primal Scream and The Velvet

LEFT GARDEN CUPCAKE, FROM THE EIGHT-COURSE TASTING MENU (£245)

Underground provide the soundtrack and the waitresses wear tops with puffedup sleeves that make them look like Regency-era weightlifters.

What Ollie and his team began in the late Dabbous has been, if anything, augmented and escalated. These are small dishes of dexterity, wit and aesthetic allure which consistently manage to show off ingredients to their best advantage.

Highlights (and there are, quite honestly, nothing other than highlights in this meal) include an eggshell filled almost to the top with a thick sauce of smoked butter and mushrooms, in a nest of hay that smells of Guy Fawkes Night. Then there’s the fragile tartlet of ricotta with a beetroot carved and scalloped to resemble a rose flower. In other dining rooms this would look far too try-hard. Here, it succeeds in looking deceptively simple and tasting of everything earthy, sweet and deep that a beetroot should.

Next there was a roasted apricot with confetti and osmanthus. Lightly doused with almond and soy milk ice cream, it’s a fairly obvious combination of flavours that leaps off in a new unexpected direction; each component becoming familiar friends in the mouth to create a cheesecake-like texture that seems to almost deftly trapeze on the tongue.

As for the wines, we are guided by Federica who hails from Lombardy and who, for reasons that baffle me, does not quite yet have her master sommelier qualification. I can only assume it’s lost

“This is Michelin with its scuffed moleskins on”

in the post; the enthusiasm with which she explained her choices was a genuine pleasure to listen to, in the same way that hearing Michaela Coel talk about good drama is interesting; puppyish vivacity combined with intuitive skill.

Federica’s choices were absolute bullseyes, from the hazy, dry, almost ciderlike Georgian Rkatsiteli, to a sake from the Tosa Brewery in Kochi, on Japan’s Shikoku island, that was as crystal clear and pure as drinking from the sleeve of a geisha’s kimono on the summit of Mount Fuji.

Best of all, the atmosphere here is not one of cathedral-like genuflection at the altar of Ollie. This is Michelin with its scuffed moleskins on; the laughter coming from the couples and small groups of fellow diners is full throated and convivial, not braying or nervous.

But what’s really stayed with me after the long, long evening at Above at Hide is how much this experience feels like a genuine conversation with the hedgerows, tidal pools, marshes, seas and fields of this country. It’s not affected; that only happens when a chef’s manifesto takes precedence over taste. That’s never allowed to happen here and nobody is crass enough to call the tasting menu a ‘journey’.

This is simply an opportunity to taste the creations of a chef who has succeeded in the almost cruelly difficult challenge of evolving from critic’s darling upstart to stalwart of London fine dining. May his reign be as long, but perhaps not as bumpy, as the route of that Number 9 bus.

Make it personal.

The Moisturiser The Hydrator

Your skin’s needs are unique and always changing. The world-renowned beauty trailblazer, Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh pioneered the concept of mixing different, powerful serums to create a personalised daily ritual that perfectly meets your skin’s needs. Potent and award-winning, Dr Sebagh’s iconic serums—including the trio of super-serums featured here—can all be used alone or combined, for agelessly radiant results. Moisturising is essential to restore the skin barrier, protect against environmental aggressors, seal in hydration and keep skin plump. Deeply moisturise and soothe your skin using Rose de Vie Serum, with antioxidant and nourishing rosehip oil, blended with the hydrating, hyaluronic acid-rich Serum Repair, which instantly leaves skin looking and feeling plumped, firmer and tighter. Add a trouble-shooting, ‘Ageing-Maintenance’ hero to the mix with a few drops of Supreme Maintenance Youth Serum. It boasts 95% active ingredients, more than any other skin care product, including the ‘youth molecule’ Resveratrol, three anti-aging peptides, a mineral radiance booster and an anti-pollution film.

Power-up your serum blend even more with a little Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream. This patented, highly concentrated and stabilised powder-to-cream formula can be mixed with any serum to brighten the skin, prevent pigmentation and bring back its glow. Available in-store and at drsebagh.com

The Anti-Ager The Brightener

The founding designers behind D&G are future-proofing the brand, but will never do away with the magic of real fashion shows. Find out why on page 74.

Couture

CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH

DANIEL CRAIG AS JAMES BOND IN NO TIME TO DIE, © 2021 METRO-GOLDWYNMAYER STUDIOS INC/EON PRODUCTIONS

A LOOK TO KILL

The best Bond merch from No Time to Die

Words: Charlie Thomas

Thrice delayed by Covid-19, No Time to Die will, at the time of writing at least, hit cinemas on 30 September – administering a much-needed shot in the arm to an industry still struggling to get bums back on seats.

Amid the sheath-slim Tom Ford suits and clumsy product placements, some bona fide brand tie-ups mean that Daniel Craig’s 007 swansong might just be the most stylish James Bond film ever made. These are the hero pieces most worth investing in...

The watch: Omega Seamaster

Omega first appeared in Goldeneye 26 years ago, but the latest watch to grace 007’s wrist is arguably the finest yet. A stripped-down-tothe-basics diving watch you can imagine being worn by real-life field agents, it boasts a ‘tropical’ brown dial with pre-aged, oversized hour markers, as well as a distinctive mesh bracelet. The whole thing is crafted from titanium, making it lightweight but virtually imperishable. £7,880, omegawatches.com

The legacy collection: Orlebar Brown

There’s no word on whether Orlebar Brown will be featured in No Time to Die – its swim shorts were last worn by Craig during the Shanghai rooftop pool scene in Skyfall (2012) – but the British brand has announced another collection harking back to historic Bond films. Key pieces from the capsule look to the Connery days, with a pair of Thunderball shirts being revisited, as well as a linen suit worn by George Lazenby. Swim shorts, £195, orlebarbrown.com

THE SUIT: TOM FORD

The suits in Spectre were cut so slim they bordered on spivvy. The film stills from No Time to Die look a lot more promising. From mid-grey two-pieces, to Prince of Wales blazers to shawl collar dinner suits, for the fourth consecutive time most of Daniel Craig’s wardrobe will be made-to-measure Tom Ford. Speaking of the partnership, the American designer said: “James Bond epitomises the Tom Ford man in his elegance, style and love of luxury.” The specific suit block Craig’s outfits have been based on is the O’Connor, a slim-fit, two-button style with mid-width notch lapels and flap pockets. Go for grey and wear it like Bond with a plain blue tie and white pocket square. £2,670, mrporter.com

The luggage: Globe-Trotter

Established in 1897, GlobeTrotter first appeared as Bond’s luggage in 2015’s Spectre, a partnership that’s set to continue for No Time to Die. Last year, the brand released a pair of hard-case designs inspired by those featured in the film. Made from Globe-Trotter’s vulcanised fibreboard in ocean green, they feature subtle Bond touches, such as a 007 branded plaque and luggage tag. It might blow Bond’s cover during check-in, but it works for us. £2,220, globe-trotter.com

The sweater: N.Peal

That sweater, the one Craig wears in the original poster, caused quite a stir online. What was Bond doing out of his signature tux? Had 007 joined the cadets? When you consider Bond’s history as a commander in the Royal Navy, though, it makes perfect sense. Made by N.Peal, the jumper’s ribbed construction and canvas patches are militaristic in look and feel, yet stylish enough to be worn to the pub. £345, npeal.com

The shoes: Crockett & Jones

Daniel Craig was reportedly a client of Crockett & Jones before he became Bond. In No Time to Die, Craig wears the Highbury (as he did in Skyfall and Spectre). A classic shoe in black calf leather complete with a hidden rubber sole, it’s the ideal complement to a suit but with added comfort and grip. £445, crockettandjones.com

The sunglasses: Barton Perreira

Daniel Craig’s Bond has been known to wear classicshaped sunglasses over the last few films, which often complement the simplicity of his tailoring. For No Time to Die, things aren’t any different, with these Barton Perreira shades about as classic as they come. A simple, angular design and all-black finish means they can be worn with both smart and casual looks, and the subtle ‘007’ insignia on the temple leaves no guesses as to from where their inspiration is derived. £320, bartonperreira.com