Chef Jackson Boxer brings food, flavours and fun to Vesper in Exmouth Market.
Chef Jackson Boxer has spent at least a decade building a sturdy name for himself in London, and now he has opened the European restaurant, Vesper, in a prime corner spot of Exmouth Market. From the moment you arrive, it looks and feels classic: a whitewashed interior with a single skinny candle atop each crisp tablecloth. But the spaceship sheen of Vesper’s boxy metal bar suggests something more than straightforward tradition.
Vesper’s façade of windows upon windows is ideal for preprandial people-watching – with a spot-on Vesper Martini, naturally. (That means there’s bittersweet aperitif wine in the mix.) Happily, on the steaming-hot London day of our visit, all those windows didn’t dictate the temperature within, but they did make the dining room beautifully bright. Equally, one can imagine the outdoor fairy lights that garland the market twinkling comfortingly through the glass amidst winter’s gloomy depths.
The European menu is a procession of steadily larger plates, mostly starring vegetables or fish, followed by large meats to share. The former is one creative, fantastic idea after another – every dish placed before us sparked a dedicated conversation.
The menu changes, but our early-summer selections included a starting plate of delicately constructed Spring Onion Pancakes, built from stacked, paper-thin batter layers, crammed with an umami miniature artwork of raw tuna and a blob of Cantabrian anchovy paste, held within the petite ring of a green olive slice.
Torched Trout arrived ready for its close-up: an inordinately pretty plate, the white flesh surrounded by deep pink raspberries and green peas, little leaves of wood sorrel scattered among them. I can confidently say I’ve never tasted all of these flavours in a single mouthful before. If you value creative flair and gentle intrigue from your chefs, this is your man. From Galia Melon with cashew cream and cascabel chilli, to clams with cider cream, each of Vesper’s smaller plates oozes imagination and care.
We wolfed down a sizeable Fried Potato Pizette – almost a meal in itself – topped with stracciatella and a few strapping sheets of mortadella, lent a dollop of sticky sweetness with a smear of pineapple mostarda. The side of Baked Saffron Rice was laced with crab fat, which tasted just as chewy, golden and joyous as “baked in crab fat” sounds. We ordered a Veal Chop that almost took us out, glistening cubes of rumbling juiciness, Camembert-like Tunworth cheese melting among them.
Each idea we tested was markedly different from the next, so ask for dish-pairing suggestions if tastebud whiplash concerns you. And then on to shares of something from the British turf variety, such as a Whole Herb-Fed Chicken cooked among the coals, or a hefty Yorkshire Lamb Chop. This means, winningly, that Duck Fat Chips are a side option.
We still had dessert. We shared a Coconut, Pineapple and Grapefruit Frozen Dessert – a happily refreshing coupe of zesty layers – but had to forgo the Guinness and Champagne Cake, which, like most of the menu, sounded like something I should meet.
Perhaps, this is why the restaurant was given its name: the Vesper Martini takes a classic and adds a creative and subtle but unexpected twist. As do the other cocktails. Gooseberry Margarita, anyone? Or how about a Dirty Negroni with (you guessed it) olives, but also red pepper and saffron bitters. Who could’ve guessed that?
As for the wines, well, any restaurant that sticks its neck out and suggests a Riesling from Mosel in Germany as one of its special pours by the glass may ask for my hand in marriage. The full list takes an enthusiastic romp through western Europe – including a smattering of interesting stops in southern England – without straying into outrageous prices.
Unfortunately (or fortunately), we may have over-ordered on the food. Such is the risk with a menu populated only by things that immediately spark your curiosity. So, if you want to visit the new Jackson Boxer restaurant, Vesper, here is my advice: pay attention to the guidance of the waiters, ask lots of questions, order thoughtfully, and enjoy.
Where: Vesper, 8-10 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QA
When: Tuesday 5.30pm to 10pm, Wednesday to Saturday 12pm to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm
Contact: https://vesper.restaurant