All hands on Deca
In June, two years after the launch of his Shaftesbury Avenue restaurant, Incognico, Nico Ladenis opened a long-awaited follow-up, this time in London's Mayfair. Deca, which started trading on 12 June, just two months after final contracts were signed, occupies the ground and first floors of the Conduit Street building, which is the former home of Russian restaurant Firebird.
The David Collins-designed interior of wooden floors, leather seating and white linen has given the restaurant a feel somewhere between Chez Nico and Incognico in terms of luxury, according to head chef Paul Rhodes. He is also executive chef of Chez Nico Restaurants and was previously head chef at Ladenis's flagship restaurant, Chez Nico, until it closed in July.
To open Deca, Rhodes created a menu to meet the needs of well-heeled local residents and business-people. "We've been developing new dishes and trying to improve on some of our classics ever since the site was found," he says. "In the run-up to opening, I prepared about 25 dishes every day for the team to try." Now, he says, he's confident with the line-up of 16 starters and 17 mains, plus salads and vegetables, 10 puddings, nine ice-creams and sorbets, and cheese.
Among the starters are lobster with daikon and spicy Oriental sauce (£19.50), and Parma ham with cherry tomatoes and pickled artichoke hearts (£12.50). Classic Ladenis dishes such as warm escalope of foie gras with orange and brioche (£14) simply couldn't be left off, says Rhodes.
Sweet on sweetbreads
Offal dishes are proving popular newcomers to the main course list, with the likes of goujons of calves' liver with bacon and onions (£14.50), and breaded veal sweetbreads Pojarski (£16.50).
Fish is also emerging as a popular choice in the 80-seat restaurant - in particular, sea bass in an open ravioli with pesto (£17.50), and monkfish "Roger Verg‚" (£15.50). "This is our version of sauce vierge, which Verg‚ was known for," says Rhodes. "It's very light, with fresh cherry tomatoes, black olives, fresh shallots and herbs."
Rhodes has kept to classic puddings "because it's what we do best". All priced at £6.50, these include peach melba, lemon tart with raspberry coulis, and pear tart with crŠme anglaise. A variety of ice-creams and sorbets, another Chez Nico speciality, cost £5.50.
The kitchen team is supported by general manager Jean-Luc Giquel, who has built up a front of house line-up of 16 plus two receptionists. Completing the team determined to see Deca off to a strong start are Ladenis's daughter - and development and product director of Chez Nico Restaurants - Natasha Robinson, and group managing director Sergio Rebecchi.
Deca, 23 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XS. Tel: 020 7493 7070.
A selection from the menu at Deca
Six deep-fried oysters with tartare sauce, £9.50
Tortellini of langoustines in lobster sauce, £12.50
Red pepper salad with feta, £7.50
John Dory fillets charcoal-grilled with thyme olive oil, £16.50
Fillet of veal with rosemary juices, £18.50
Corn-fed breast of chicken with wild mushrooms and ravioli of foie gras, £15
Warm chocolate mousse, £6.50
Crème caramel with Grand Marnier, £6.50
Mousse of fromage blanc with raspberry jelly, £6.50
