A NEW DIRECTION FOR CAROUSEL'S WINE BAR

This June, Chef and Co-Founder, Ollie Templeton, will present the latest evolution of his Wine Bar menu at Carousel, Fitzrovia. Inspired by his travels through Central America, including pop-ups in Mexico City, Tulum and Guatemala City, and the community of chefs that Ollie and his brother Ed have established over the years through Carousel’s weekly guest chef collaborations, dishes on the new menu are a vibrant marriage of polyglot flavours and techniques with seasonal British ingredients.

As ever, Ollie’s dishes hero local suppliers like Herefordshire’s Penlan Rare Breeds and Flourish Farm in Cambridgeshire, who grow with the seasons. Summer favourites on the 100-strong wine list will encompass unique selections like the elegant L’Écorce Buissonnière Provençal rosé and Kekfrankos Balf Franz Weninge, a chilled Hungarian red that’s 100% biodynamic.

Snacks – a wine bar forte since it opened in November ‘21 - include crispy Hash brown, homemade ‘nduja and boquerón and Mangalitza pork skewer, fermented rhubarb, a charcoal grilled celebration of this rare breed of pork with marbling akin to wagyu. Smaller plates will run from the deep nutty flavours of Burnt asparagus, leeks, sesame, to Grilled squid, smoked butter and chintextle, a homemade chilli paste from Mexico; while the larger dishes on the menu now come with a choice of sides and include crowd-pleasing Mangalitza Milanese with a sauerkraut-like chilli salsa; charred Chicken, Swiss chard and pickled celery salsa (the chicken is marinated overnight in shio koji and guajillo chilli for added umami); and a regularly changing vegetarian special.

Carousel favourites have been updated with the seasons. The much-loved Fried chicken with Scotch bonnet honey will now be accompanied by a punchy wild garlic emulsion, whilst the refreshing, ceviche-inspired Scallop crudo will come with kohlrabi, tomatillo and mizuna, adding astringency and bite. A concise dessert section will consist of creamy Chocolate mousse, hazelnut, olive oil and a seasonal Fried pastry, rhubarb, crème fraîche ice cream dessert.

Now guests can enjoy a revolving selection of these dishes at lunch with the introduction of a new, outstanding value prix fixe menu priced at £22 for two courses and £25 for three, available Tuesday to Friday from 12pm to 3pm.

For more information, please contact Harriet on harriet@gemmabellandcompany.com