Avenue restaurant and bar in St James brings a little bit of Manhattan glamour to London with striking contemporary interiors transformed by Russell Sage who gives it the feel of a glamorous Manhattan loft space with eclectic modern art and design features including a stunning drinks centrepiece. The bar which is pretty much adjacent to the said centrepiece we’re told once boasted the longest bar counter in London (though we believe this is no longer the case) is stunning and is run by some very talented and innovative bartenders.
We were there to check out Kentucky’s most famous export – fried chicken, which has made it all the way to St James’s. The all American fried chicken menu at Avenue is served in the lounge and not surprisingly offers only fried chicken. Our friendly and helpful host Pilar guided our choices and we ended up ordering everything on the menu, minus the burger.
For drinks we had some Californian sparkling wine to start and a few delicious alternative porn star martini’s with a spicy kick the bartender Mohammed (who just recently started at Avenue after a 5 year stint at Beneras in Mayfair) created to complement the chicken, named the passionfruit chutney martini.
The chicken skins are divine, the wings succulent and the popcorn chicken tender and juicy. The chicken and waffles with maple syrup are surprisingly good together – all in all the menu is a zinger and gets a big old thumbs up from us.
Available until the end of June, pop in the bar for a few drinks and enjoy a dangerously tasty chicken feast.
Avenue really succeeds in capturing the New Yorks buzzy dining scene whilst maintaining its St James’s roots offering American cuisine with a twist. The weekend bottomless brunch is next on our list…
Avenue
7-9 St James’s Street
London
SW1A 1EE
020 7321 2111
http://www.avenue-restaurant.co.uk
