Diego Jacquet and Alberto Abbate to open second London restaurant Zoilo
Argentinean chef and restaurateur duo Diego Jacquet and Alberto Abbate are to open their second London venture, with the launch of Zoilo Restaurant & Bar in Marylebone next month.
The pair, who also run Casa Malevo near Hyde Park, will open the new restaurant on 5 November.
Zoilo will showcase traditional cooking from the different regions across Argentina, from Patagonia in the south to Salta in the north. The kitchen will be overseen by Jacquet as well as head chef Tara Sobott, with the menu inspired by Asado, the traditional Argentinean sharing ceremony.
The menu will feature small tasting dishes, ranging from steaks to sweetbreads, sausages and fish; ox tongue, white beans and mustard; and beetroot, goats' cheese and "garrapiñada" (caramelised almonds). Seafood dishes will include mackerel escabeche and spicy "humita" and crab soup.
The wine list will comprise solely of Argentinean wines, with most available by the glass or carafe.
Interiors at the 45-cover Zoilo have been developed in collaboration with architect Neil Wilson. Spread over two levels, the ground floor decor is inspired by the classic café style of Buenos Aires, with a long bar and tiled floor, while the lower ground floor features an open kitchen. There will also be a private dining room for eight guests.
Originally from Buenos Aires, Jacquet has worked at acclaimed restaurants including Ferran Adrià's El Bulli and Marcus Samuelsson's Aquavit, before arriving in London in 2003 to head the teams at the Trafalgar Hotel and subsequently the Zetter Hotel.
Zetter hotel chef Diego Jacquet leaving to run his Argentine catering company >>
By Kerstin Kühn
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