Borough Market favourites Applebee’s Fish expand to the South Bank
The last 25 years has seen Applebee’s Fish go through an interesting evolution. Located at the entrance to Borough Market, perhaps the heart of London’s food scene this last two decades, Applebee’s has morphed from a fish stall to celebrated restaurant. It’s also happened under the guidance of the Applebee Family; originally Joy & Graham Applebee, but now run by their three sons Jack, Harry and Matthew.
Now the family is opening La Gamba, a Galician-inspired tapas restaurant at the Southbank Centre, offering modern takes on traditional Spanish dishes and a wine list that ranges from the Douro River to the hills of Rioja. With 1500m of coastline, Galician cuisine is somewhat seafood-heavy which, given the Applebee connection, doesn’t come as a huge surprise…
Basque Architect Cristina Lanz Azcarate from Atelier EURA has created the interiors, with emphasis on natural tones of terracotta, stone and oak, while dishes will include things such as St Austell Mussels cooked in a rich albariño and chorizo sauce. Cornish crab and fennel tostada, Iberico pork cheek empanadas and Galician picanha steak with truffle and San Simón cheese. And yes, there will be a Burnt basque cheesecake because, well, it’s the law now.
For more details take a look at their website or Instagram, @lagambalondon
Neil Davey
Neil Davey is a freelance writer specialising in things you can do sitting down, but mostly eating, drinking, travelling and interviewing the odd famous person. The author of The Bluffer's Guide To Chocolate, Neil also writes for The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, Metro, Delicious Magazine, Sainsbury's Magazine, Escapism, Foodism and Hello!. Thanks to a karaoke machine in Montana, he once told a billionaire that he loved his sweet little pussycat nose and sang I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For with a Hollywood star, in the space of 15 minutes. He now generally stays away from karaoke machines in Montana.