David Muñoz’s long-awaited Street XO finally set to open

By The Caterer

Street XO, the London outpost of three-Michelin-starred Spanish chef David Muñoz, is finally set to open in November this year.

It will launch on Old Burlington Street in Mayfair and promises to be a more accessible counterpart to Diver XO, Madrid’s only restaurant with three Michelin stars.

The much-delayed project was originally announced in January 2014, with a scheduled launch of June 2014, before being delayed to the end of that year, and then to March 2015.

Like the original Street XO in Madrid, the menu at Street XO London takes inspiration from European, Asian and South American cuisines; however, most dishes have either a Mediterranean or East Asian backbone.

Described as the enfant terrible of the Spanish gastronomic scene, Muñoz promises to marry refined and intricate dishes with frenetic restaurant atmosphere akin to a street food market, with diners sharing dishes and interacting directly with chefs, who will serve dishes alongside waiters.

The menu will be made up of sharing dishes including Pekinese dumpling, crunchy pig’s ear and strawberry hoi sin, aïoli and gherkins; steamed club sandwich, ricotta cheese, fried quail egg, shichimi – togarashi; kimchi croquetas, tuna steak, burnt butter.

Muñoz said: “After moving to London when I was 21 and spending five years working in restaurants like Nobu and Hakkasan, I feel like this is my second home. Great things have happened for me here and I really grew as a chef working in London kitchens. I’m so excited to now bring a cooking style that I’ve really evolved in Madrid to London.”

In addition to the food, the restaurant promises a range of playful and inventive cocktails including: Liquid DiverXO – jasmine, coconut vinegar, lime, ginger and violet essence; the Smoker USA – aged rum, lime juice, cola, cranberry juice, mandarin tea and ginger; Japo, Jerez – smoked pea soda, shiso, miso, yuzu, sake and palo cortado served with flamed street shrimp.

Meanwhile, the interiors of the restuarant, located in a lower ground floor space, are expected to be “moody and atmospheric” with deep red marble, concrete and salvaged fixtures from a container ship.