| S K E T C H |
Sketch, Mayfair, London
The dream of launching a centre, a “lieu” or destination place, for food, art and music has been realised by Mourad “Momo” Mazouz and his team of chefs and designers over two expansive floors of a converted 18th century building in Conduit Street, Mayfair, London.
Sketch is a “complex and unique site” conceived by French master chef Pierre Gagnaire and restaurateur Mazouz, and has attracted really great media reaction (and Eni’s attention) for its amazing food, drinks and entertainment styles since it opened in December 2002. The food is imaginative, bold, ground–breaking and delicious. And I can definitely vouch for that!
To me, it is probably one of the most amazing restaurant venues I have ever been to… internally and externally. And not just only for drinks – the music, aura, people, drinks and even its centralised location all add to why I have been to Sketch more times than I can count.
Eating here just once has been enough to be able to explain to you the degree of how the artistic background of the creators of this venue have been translated even into the food that is made, and the kind of service that you would get. Being just off Oxford street it is a great place to catch up with friends before diverging elsewhere – (usual destination afterwards: Tape London) but it is super central and very easy to find.
Usually they work on a reservation basis (it is very difficult to eat there without one, especially on the weekends), but there is the initial lounge/bar when you first enter that you can go to without a reservation as long as you are just going for drinks. I have never had to book a reservation just for drinks, but for food it is a must.
There are many different rooms which have different general uses:
“Clean artwork is good artwork.” – Sketch.
| The Gallery |
Open for afternoon tea and dinner this room follows the huge success of artist Martin Creed’s restaurant commission at sketch in 2012. 239 new works line the restaurant’s walls, forming the largest group of original drawings David Shrigley has ever exhibited.
It has a soothing, monochromatic, strikingly comprehensive interior. The classic, almost bourgeois design invites a deliberately playful contrast with the witty, outré art works; all is most certainly not what it seems. While matching sketch’s delight in the avant-garde, this harmonious disorder breaks with the Gallery’s usual eclecticism.
This leads onto the famous | Bathroom |
As you pass through the gallery, you are welcomed to the well-loved and famous bathroom (or should I say alien-looking ports-pods – like something straight out of The Arrival ) of Sketch. To the left of the stairs are the male, and to the right are the female and in the middle is a dome-shaped cave that has a small ( but surprisingly big once you enter ) DJ booth. We definitely had our fun in here!
“Sorry, could you take a picture of us please!” – Eni, always.
| The Lecture Room |
When you go up the stairs from the entrance, you enter into the Lecture Room (and Library). These are one of Sketch’s two Michelin starred gastronomic restaurants (designed by Gahban O’Keeffe). It is super spacious and has a relaxing atmosphere, somewhere to chill for a brief meal off of their tasting menu!
| The Parlour |
The Parlour is a day to day lounge that is occasionally closed as they tend to change the layout often. I have had a bite in this room three times and every single time there was something new to observe. It is a very “extra” room if I must say so myself – with Louis XV seating and its super eccentric layout. They serve breakfast, afternoon tea and drinks in the evening – including the comfort food that everyone loves. However the last drink before home (unless to go to The Glade below) will end at 9pm if you are not a member.
| The Glade |
My Absolute. Favourite. Seriously, the best interiors I have seen in London (so far). It’s like art work from God integrated into the walls that are dimmed down with amazingly spot-lit lights and fluttering reflective mirrors. Pure Bliss.
“The magic surrounding this woodland bar, provides an ideal setting for afternoon tea, comfort food and evening cocktails.”
I will give it to the Glade’s artists (Carolyn Quartermaine and Didier Mahieu) for being able to create such a fair-tale forest-like room. And you might think – who cares? It’s just about having a drink or eating and having a good time. But this is what makes Sketch…well, Sketch. They take it to another level – and it makes you feel like you could never replicate their atmosphere and experience no matter where else in the world you may go. And I am still yet to relive this – perhaps again with one to love. There is definitely a romantic element to this room.
| The East Bar |
The East bar is located under The Bathroom (inside a hidden egg-like structure) and as you can see from the rather ominous images above it is kept out of sight and there is not much picture taking allowed in there. You can usually rent out this space to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail, if you also have dinner reservations. On the weekends when I have been they will have a DJ perform in the centre while you can dance and/or lounge around and wait for a seat to be freed for dinner. However it does get really loud so it would not be my first place to have a conversation in Sketch.
***So basically a bunch of artistically decorated spaces with posh people inside, amazing food, drinks, music.
Come along and enjoy these luxury interiors and its amazing toilet experience (lol) that you won’t forget – and you’ll no longer say #SketchMadeMeDoIt because you’ll want to come back. Even if your wallet regrets it the next day. You still will.
Address: Sketch, 9 conduit street, London W1S 2XG
Contact: +44 (0) 20 7659 4500
Price Range: £££££
| F O L L O W | T H E M |
| I N S T A G R A M | | F A C E B O O K | | T W I T T E R |
See Things Through My Eyes
Eni Maj 
Amazing place. You’ll show me the way 😉
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