Why two different neighbourhood restaurants now boast brand new names
Plus: The Oriental interviewed, Mirella reviewed, the future for Plough & Harrow and the story behind Leyton's incoming rotisserie Master Poulet
Restaurant name changes: a breath of fresh air, attracting a new crowd that previously didn’t exist? A deeper refining, even, of the original concept? Or a last-ditch attempt to inject life into a venue past its sell-by date?
The jury might be out generally, but what’s indisputable is that two recent high-profile examples in London have smashed it. Mayfair institution Le Caprice was reborn super successfully in 2024 as the Arlington, still under the aegis of industry legend Jeremy King, while Notting Hill seafood restaurant Orasay was rebooted by acclaimed chef Jackson Boxer as Dove to nothing less than a clamour.
Back in this neighbourhood, one place has also played with names over the years: Apus Dim Sum & Noodles on Leytonstone’s Church Lane was first known as Aquila when it launched in 2022, followed by a short stint as Vela Vietnamese before a final switch to its current moniker, all under the same owners.
But this week, two more under-the-radar name changes caught my eye. And they’re at opposite ends of Leytonstone High Road, well over a mile apart.
On a sleepy weekday lunchtime, the sign Mirella quietly appeared on the exterior of the dining room that, for two years since it opened, was called Eat My Pizza. You may know that this bougie high-ceilinged former Barclay’s Bank is part of the Romet Group, who are behind established East London restaurants including Figo (in Leyton and Stratford) and Venerdi on Clapton’s Chatsworth Road.
I was curious as to why they’ve rebranded without fanfare, and so in today’s issue set out to discover why: as well as speaking to the team, I pop by unannounced to order small plates and work out what — if anything — has actually changed.
And that’s not the only local metamorphosis. Twenty minutes’ walk south towards hit wine bar Le Regret is the former pared-back Japanese diner Yume. Next Wednesday (24th) it’s set to re-emerge cocoon-like as The Oriental, after a year of being shuttered.
It too is still steered by the same owner, Xian Jin Yu, pictured above earlier this week, a skilled chef who has previously worked for respected joints like Hakkasan and Duck & Rice, before opening his own South Leytonstone restaurant in 2022.
In today’s issue Xian tells me why it was closed for a year, the reason behind the rethink on both name and menu, and what his top three dish recommendations are for customers. Scroll down for lots more on all this.
Welcome to issue 85. Woodgrange Market in Forest Gate is not something I mention so much here, but it always makes a decent Saturday mooch (9am-3pm) opposite the Elizabeth Line station. This Saturday another reason to visit is the stall Poked, the locally produced small batch flavour-cured smoked salmon. Sounds delish for a lazy brunch.
This week I hit 10k free subscribers on Substack. This is a massive achievement so thanks again so much to everyone for following my work. As usual, if you enjoy the value you get from this weekly read and can afford to upgrade, it really would be so appreciated.
Paid subscribers have access to the entire archive of 85 issues, with hundreds of frank restaurant reviews, interviews and food stories you won’t read about anywhere else. No other title writes in depth about the swathe of East London from Stratford, the Olympic Park and Forest Gate to Leyton, Leytonstone and Walthamstow.
Other ways to support include hitting the heart button (for the all-important Substack algorithms), or sharing with friends for up to six months’ credit. And don’t forget you can listen to this newsletter like a podcast on the Substack app (press the play button top right).
In this week’s issue for paid subscribers:
As Leytonstone’s Yume becomes The Oriental, I sit down for a chat with chef-owner Xian Jin Yua about his story and why he’s rethought the menu, while he gives three personal favourite dishes
Inside Mirella: the reasons behind their own name change and an impromptu visit this week to try the small plates
Just who will buy the Plough & Harrow? I look at its long history and take a closer look at the options
The Parisian media controversy around Master Poulet, the smart new rotisserie chicken shop on Leyton High Road
Side Portions: a wealth of food & drink gossip, opinion, news, pop-ups, one-offs and foodie happenings