The top line: Alex Craciun has returned to the London dining scene after spending the past five years consulting in the Middle East. In Fitzrovia, Aces Foodcraft showcases the precision of Japanese cooking techniques without being confined to a single cuisine. Eight years in the making, the restaurant is owned and run by Craciun and his wife, Aleksandra Jazevica, with no other investors. Craciun is best known for Soshuru, the short-lived Farringdon restaurant he opened for then-boss Jason Atherton in 2016. Though well received, the large Japanese restaurant struggled with its location, particularly the lack of lunchtime trade.
On the menu: Perhaps informed by that experience, Aces Foodcraft offers a small, tapas-style menu at lunchtime, before transforming into a more conventional high-end restaurant in the evening, serving both a la carte dishes and a £95 tasting menu. With a CV that includes time at some of Japan’s most celebrated restaurants, including the three-Michelin-starred Ryugin, a regular on the World’s 50 Best list, Craciun’s food is strikingly original. It’s easy to see why Atherton identified him as a major talent all those years ago. While taking inspiration from Japan, Craciun creates dishes that are only loosely “Japanese” - a hybrid taco-temaki and a very clever mushroom ramen where thin strips of mushrooms replace noodles are standout examples. But such labels hardly matter. Aces Foodcraft is one of the most original restaurants to open in London this year, offering inventive, ingredient-led dishes unlike anything else in the capital. Highlights include a raw dumpling with a smoked mussel “soup,” smoked milk soup with wild salmon roe, toasted almonds, red pepper and lemon, and roast quail with king cabbage in a glossy foie gras sauce. The European-leaning wine programme has been curated by Aces Foodcraft’s general manager and sommelier Alexi Ghenciu, in collaboration with wine expert Laure Parte (formerly of Pollen Street Social and Maze by Gordon Ramsay). Focused on wines “with personality that honour the depth and thought of the cuisine,” the list also includes selections from Craciun’s native Romania.
The vibe: Located just across from Motorino on Pearson Square, Aces Foodcraft seats nine around a slightly raised kitchen, with around 20 additional covers at front tables. Above the kitchen, a glass cabinet displays top-quality produce supplied by Jazevica, a director at Primeur, a specialist provider for many of London’s leading chefs. Over the past eight years, Craciun and Jazevica have also sourced tableware from around the world. The result is a homely, inviting space with soft, warm lighting, natural wood textures, and carefully chosen antiques.
And another thing: Aces Foodcraft is named after Craciun and Jazevica’s son, Ace.
8 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF
https://acesfoodcraft.com/