Coming Soon to London: Bubbledogs

The Bubbledogs team; photo via Bloomberg

By Claire Coleman

Sometimes a concept so niche comes along, you wonder quite how anyone came up with it. Such is the case with Bubbledogs, a concept serving champagne and hot dogs. Yup, that's all, but don't write it off just yet. The champagne will be Grower and the sparkling wines will come from small producers (glasses from £6, bottles from £26). The menu will be comprised of 10 dogs starting at £6, served on traditional steamed buns, including the BLT dog, wrapped in bacon and served with truffle mayo and caramelized lettuce; the Jose dog with guacamole, sour cream, salsa and jalapeños, and a regularly changing guest chef’s special.
Withhold your scepticism because the people behind this aren't wet behind the ears. Husband and wife team James Knappett and Sandia Chang have some serious pedigree - head chef, Knappett, has done time at The Ledbury, The Berkeley, Noma and Per Se, while general manager Chang was also at The Berkeley, Noma and Per Se, and most recently at Roganic.

However, aside from the bubbles and dogs, which incidentally, you won't be able to reserve for, Knappett will also be hosting intimate lunches and dinners for a maximum of 19 guests at the reservations only Kitchen Table, out of sight of the main dining room and seated directly around his kitchen. He will prepare, serve and talk through his dishes with diners, who can opt for lunchtime menus of three or five courses, priced from £25, or an evening menu, priced from £50. Sample dishes include: beetroot, fennel and garlic scapes; chicken skin, grilled onion and burrata milk; beef, dead nettle and carrot; and hay, strawberry, malt and sweet cicely. The wine list will consist of 100-150 bins, primarily lesser-known fine wines and small producers. It sounds like two restaurants in one and is an ambitious concept but if anyone can pull it off, it'll be these two. Opening July 2012.

Bubbledogs and Kitchen Table; 70 Charlotte St., London W1T