Matto bar & pizzeria

Matto means crazy mad or wild in Italian. Matto is the creation of Yenn Wong, the entrepreneur and mastermind behind the JIA Boutique Hotels. JIA is a collection of residential style boutique hotels and restaurants created for the design-conscious traveler seeking high standards of personal attention without the necessary formality or intrusion. Originally  founded with the opening of the Philippe Starck-designed JIA Hong Kong on March 6, 2004, in the very short time since its opening, the JIA properties have gone on to win  multiple awards including the Conde Nast Hot List, Travel & Leisure It List and other prestigious accolades. [1]

Of course the sheer brilliance of MATTO took everyone by storm as since only 3 months of its opening, it went on to receive the culinary honor of 'Shanghai’s Best Pizza' in the 2012 Food & Drink Awards. [1]

[1] Ref. http://www.yatzer.com/MATTO-Bar-Pizzeria-Shanghai

the Septime restaurant in Paris

Before he surrendered to his love of cooking, Bertrand Grébaut already had a degree in literature and had worked as a graphic designer. So it’s no surprise that the delicious market-driven contemporary French dishes that have been tantalizing Paris at his restaurant, Septime, are aesthetically flawless and come seasoned with a subtle literary sensibility. [1] When you arrive at Septime, besides its unnamed blue façade, what is striking is the friendliness and homely simplicity. In Septime the crucial thing may be gastronomy, but they do not forget that the point is to have a good time also. [2] The interior with its sparse details conveys that casual and relaxed atmosphere. Beautiful open kitchen, industrial concrete floor, cool lighting and nice wooden tables. You will also be served by the friendly staff dressed in blue aprons, jeans and sneakers. Read some reviews here and here.

[1] Ref. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/travel/restaurant-report-septime-in-paris.html?ref=travel&_r=0

[2] Ref. http://www.mrlung.com/2012/09/28/septime-restaurant-paris/

the homely Marmalade cafe in Brighton

When in town, check out the recently opened Marmalade café in Brighton, UK, owned by Tania Webb and Louise Carter. The interior is pared back, with original crackle-glazed tiles on the wall, handwritten menu boards, which change daily and a long counter full of freshly made pies, quiches, cakes and salads (fennel slaw, and butterbean with sweet chilli dressing, for example).

There is a lenthy presentation / interview in Argus : “Webb is in the white shirt when I visit. Carter is in the white apron. The old friends like to get their hands dirty in the kitchen. They often bring in dishes they’ve baked in their kitchens at home. Recipes from newspapers are pinned on the wall behind the Marmalade counter for inspiration. The mix for Marmalade’s creamy scrambled eggs is written in marker pen on the tiles above the hobs. It’s certainly a relaxed affair.” [1] Read other reviews here and here.

[1] Ref. http://www.theargus.co.uk/leisure/fooddrink/10516224.print/

the Ziferblat cafe concept

It was September of 2011 in Moscow, that the first ever Ziferblat was established. It was a relaxed feel-at-home / café / meeting place, that amongst other things formed as the place for new music start-ups, a place where goods were baked and jams were made, with a carefully selected library, and what ultimatelly became the proving gropund for most of the Ziferblat team’s ideas and projects. Now over 2 years from the original realisation date, the Ziferblat is counting 8 locations in Russia and one in London, UK, all interestingly diversified, but with a unique characteristic in their conception.

In London, an average cappuccino at a artisanal café costs around £2.65 (3.20Eur, 4.35USD) . At the newly opened Ziferblat café, you can get as many cappuccinos as you want for free – but there is a catch – you have to pay for every minute you spend there. The pay-per-minute café idea comes from Russia, where multiple Ziferblat cafés have popped up around the country in the last few years, after the original outpost in Moscow proved successful. Rather than paying for goods, customers are paying for the space and comfort. The cost at Ziferblat is 3p per minute (ie. £1.80 per hour, or 2.15Eur, or 2.95USD) – which means you could stay in the cafe for almost ninety minutes at the cost of that cappuccino. Whilst there you can tinkle on the piano, make yourself a coffee with the self-serve espresso machine or grab some cookies from the cupboard and milk from the fridge. It is like a friend’s apartment, where you feel perfectly comfortable helping yourself. [1]

Ziferblat means clock face in Russian and German (Zifferblatt). The idea is guests take an alarm clock from the cupboard on arrival and note the time, then keep it with them, before, quite literally, clocking out at the end. There's no minimum time. Guests can also get stuck into the complimentary snacks (biscuits, fruit, vegetables), or prepare their own food in the kitchen; they can help themselves to coffee from the professional machine, or have it made for them. There's even a piano – an idea that could seem brilliant or terrible, depending on who takes the seat. [2]

In their own words : “Ziferblat is a place where everyone can feel at home. Here you are free to be yourself; you can work, do some art, read a book, play piano, get acquainted with good people, attend events, drink as much tea or coffee as you want — in other words, do whatever you like as long as you respect the space and the other people in it. Ziferblat’s doors are open to everyone. Each Ziferblat guest becomes a sort of micro-tenant of the space, responsible for it and able to influence its life. You will be welcomed by the Ziferblat community and able to work with them to help create, supply and develop this project. Everything is free inside except the time you spend there; and by paying for the time you’ll be making a donation towards the further development of this social experiment.”

[1] Ref. http://www.psfk.com/2014/01/pay-per-minute-cafe-london.html#!r32Bp

[2] Ref. http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jan/08/pay-per-minute-cafe-ziferblat-london-russia

[Ref.] Ziferblat info booklet : http://ziferblat.net/files/Ziferblat-Secret-Knowledge.pdf

the colortastic Cafein bistro

Creating an interior that brightly stands out, polish designers Anna Kobylka of kolorama in collaboration with Olga Sietnicka of bloogarden have completed “Cafein bistro”. The colorful eatery is located in Szczecin, Poland and responds to the client’s wishes of making somewhere instantly recognizable and easy-to-spot by its potential customers. Playfully contrasting fluoro elements against more subtle shades, the soft pastel tones of blue, yellow and orange provide a neutral background against the bursts of highlighted materials. These vivid colors are applied onto retro armchairs and stools, while the custom-made ribbon like staircase features as a key moment. [1]

Typically, Poland does not have a vast history of colour usage in interior design; it is common to see simple use of colour and neutral colour schemes. The designers shared the view there has been an overuse of "tasteful shades of recession taupe" in Polish design. The aim of Cafein Bistro was therefore to change that. The shape of space gave the designers an instant idea of where to place the bar and how to divide the space into different zones. Then came the idea of using ribbon-like stripes. The soft pastel tones of blue, yellow and orange ribbon-like stripes transform into more vibrant colours on the floor or on the box upholstery. During the project Kobylka and Sietnicka discovered that the client collected old furniture. Retro armchairs and stools were updated by upholstery in vivid colours. The powerful tropical colours gave definition to the bar and staircase. The custom-made ribbon-like staircase takes the role of the colour highlight in a subtle shade interior. Each step was made separately. To give more dramatic sort of cascade effect the railing on each step has different thickness. To avoid slippery steps in the wintertime, a rubber pattern was created using the Cafein logo. [2]

[1] Ref. http://www.designboom.com/architecture/kolorama-bloogarden-colorfully-highlight-cafein-bistro-interior-12-03-2013/

[2] Ref. http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/interiors/index.php?fuseaction=project.projectview&ctid=26&prid=23742

Coutume café in Paris

A Franco-Australian duo is behind Coutume café in Paris, which swells with both neighborhood regulars and out-of-towners the second the doors open. Coutume is an award-winning French specialty coffee roasters and café. In their own words : “Our goal is to revitalise and enrich the French coffee culture by providing a wide offering of seasonal award-grade coffees, the introduction of new extraction methods and a strong educational campaign to spread our passion. We roast and brew the finest seasonal Arabica coffees on-site in our Paris boutique and employ an ethical philosophy towards their sourcing.” A Paris-based studio CUT architectures completed the Café Coutume. They set in this decor a laboratory of coffee using square white tiles, grid lighting, stainless steel, industrial plastic curtains, laboratory glassware.

Siphon is one of their many claims to fame. Coutume café is something of a coffee-geek’s paradise, with single-origin beans roasted to perfection on the premises, and your choice of any brewing method. The breakfast formule, with three mini-viennoiseries, hot beverage of your choice, and a glass of freshly-squeezed juice, is a decent buy, especially for this neighborhood. You can also find their house-roasted coffee in many restaurants across the city. Read a review here.

[Ref.] http://blog.magnusomme.com/coutume-cafe-paris/

[Ref.] http://plusmood.com/2011/06/cafe-coutume-cut-architectures/

the Gingerline : nomadic restaurant & art space

Gingerline is a clandestine dining adventure operating in secret and changing locations along the East London Overground (Note : The “Gingerline” refers to the East London Overground between Crystal Palace and Highbury & Islington). Gingerline is powered by founders Suz Mountfort and Kerry Adamson, two adventure-loving food fanatics who adore art, performance and design, diced with daring. Back in 2010 they decided to fuse it all together, rope in some friends, and perform a “for the love” experiment to be shared with London’s bravest diners.

After cartwheeling and cavorting along the line, popping up in seven different locations, Gingerline HQ was launched as the boldest dining experiment. Running for 8 sold out months and feeding 10,000 hungry guests, Gingerline swore them all to secrecy and then went underground… Now Gingerline are back for more mind-blowing adventures! A brand new project, location and a parallel reality in which only the brave will dine… Please welcome : The Hideout. A top-secret, exclusive happening at a mystery location somewhere along the East London line: time to relinquish control, and let the revels commence! Go here to find out more (and book your place). One of the directors of Gingerline, dealing with overseeing and producing all of its creative elements was Syd Hausmann, who designs, crafts and illustrates things for paper and pixels. See her work here.

the Chicken Shop of London

The Chicken Shop over High Gate rd. in London, serves up free-range birds from Banham’s Farm in Norfolk, which are marinated overnight, steamed and then cooked over charcoal on their custom rotisserie ; and that’s basically it. A plain entrance, small façade, but with a large warm interior space (though subterranean), the restaurant follows a simple concept. The chicken is their specialty. Choose from whole, half or a quarter. Pick a sauce (hot or smokey ; their own) and accompany your chicken with 4 side dishes, wash it down with an assortment of beverages, and end your meal with a choice of 3 puddings. And again … that’s it. Simple, straightforward and a winning recipe. Read some reviews here and here.

what happens when

What happens when is a temporary restaurant installation that transforms every 30 days. It will live for 9 months in a reclaimed space in New York City and will change focus every month in order to explore what a dining experience can be and how one can play with the traditional expectations of dining out. The project is a creative collaboration between chef John Fraser, brand/graphic designer Emilie Baltz and Metrics principal Elle Kunnos de Voss. Check out some info on the cooperation on Kickstarter here.

Taken from their design concept description : “Working on a shoestring budget we wanted to create a space that had an immediate impact, communicated the concept of change and was feasible within the limited time frame we were given. Our overall concept for the space is a 'work in progress' transparency into the design process as the architectural drawings are mapped out onto the dining room surfaces in 1:1, with each movement change red lined to manifest the process and record the transformations. We started off with the premise that we were in fact designing 9 different restaurants and that each of these restaurants would have it’s own integrity and experience. For each new 30 day movement theme we will design; a new lighting scheme and fixtures, unique spatial elements to create variations of visual compositions like perspective, scale and form and a new color scheme. To keep the space flexible for the changing light and spatial installations we have designed a grid of hooks for the ceiling.” For more info on each monthly installation, go here. For backstage info and photos of how the projects were carried out, go here. What Happens When is located at 25 Cleveland Place, between Spring and Kenmare Streets (212-925-8310 or whathappenswhennyc.com)