Harwood Arms and Anglo chefs to open Neo Bistro

Alex Harper, the former head chef of the Harwood Arms, is to open Neo Bistro in London's Mayfair this May, guided by former colleague and chef-patron of Anglo, Mark Jarvis.

The 25-cover Neo Bistro, on Woodstock Street, will take its inspiration from the new style bistros of Paris, where classically trained chefs are moving away from the constraints of fine dining in favour of a more relaxed approach.

The ever-changing menu will be characterised by "moderately priced" dishes dictated by the market's best ingredients.

Typical dishes will include: cured Tamworth pork, venison chorizo and fresh cheese with smoked potato, grilled leeks, and walnut pesto; roast sea bass with mousserons, English asparagus & thyme; chocolate tart with malt ice-cream & salted caramel; and Gariguette strawberries with lemon verbena.

Front of house will be overseen by Anglo's Nick Gilkinson, who has devised a wine list of bottles from emerging regions and lesser known grape varieties, with ‘house' glasses from £5 and bottles from £19.

Counter style seats on ‘butchers block' stools will be kept free for walk-in guests at the bar, while banquette tables will be available for reservations.

Jarvis said: "The Neo Bistro movement has totally transformed the cooking scene in Paris, bringing chefs, like Alex, who have trained in some of the country's best kitchens, to a space where they can be freely creative with their skills, and aren't restricted by anything that they do. It results in a restaurant more attuned to the way people actually want to eat, and the environment they want to be in, which is something we've always kept at the heart of what we do at Anglo and will form the basis of this project too. Alex and I have worked in some great kitchens together over the years, but to be doing things on our own terms is really rewarding."

Pictured: Nick Gilkinson, Mark Jarvis and Alex Harper

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