Tue 10 May 2016 The Culturist London’s cultural highlights this May Aside from sunshine, the month of May has greeted us with dumplings, old fashioneds, negronis, and some smooth jazz. Plus, Michelin chef Tom Sellers, acclaimed artist Yayoi Kusama and Frankenstein are all back in the limelight. As for festivals, South London is representing with a one day bash. Enjoy! EAT: Restaurant Ours The highly anticipated second restaurant from Michelin-starred Tom Sellers has opened. The menu, like Restaurant Story, will be modern European and British cuisine such as quinoa with celeriac and smoked egg emulsion, monkfish with squid ink and courgette and veal chops with black truffle. As for the setting, expect a high tempo scene – giant trees, a mezzanine lounge, central bar. Oh and a catwalk? Opens May 19, 264 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, SW3 2AS DRINK: Negroni Bar It’s undeniable negronis are still having a moment. Case in point: the world’s largest negroni bar has hit London. As expected, the pop up will have all manner of negronis with over 30 different combinations and flavours. As for us, we’ll be making the most of the menu and ordering flights aka the Negroni Selecta. Aside from the libations, there’ll be a rotation of DJs including Crazy P and PBR Streetgang. May 11- 21, Red Gallery, 1-3 Rivington Street, EC2A 3DT DRINK: The lounge Bar at Sager + Wilde Restaurant Or, if old fashioneds are more your tonic, head to Sager + Wilde Restaurant and take yourself up to their brand new Lounge Bar (on the mezzanine level), dedicated to the cocktail. With head bartender Marcis in charge, you can expect not only his signature (and UJ fave) olive oil old fashioned but a menu of creative twists on the classic…we’ve heard rumours of both a burnt coconut and maple old fashioned. Opens May 13, 250 Paradise Row, E2 9LE SEE: Liam Scarlett’s Frankenstein ballet at the Royal Opera House The ROH has been busy breathing new life into Opera (from a Virginia Woolf ballet to a one-act version of Carmen,) and now, an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by choreographer Liam Scarlett is set to take the stage, with a lead performance by the Royal ballet’s principle dancer, Federico Bonelli. This is a hot ticket, so get organised. May 17-May 27, From £49, Royal Opera House Bow Street, WC2E 9DD PARTY: GALA If you’ve yet to experience the new gen scene of South London, now’s your chance to take it all in at GALA, the one day festival in Brockwell Park set to showcase the music, parties, food and drink scene of South London. Pick and mix from food vendors such as Kricket, Rum Kitchen, and Salon (to name a few) as you get down and dirty to the sounds of Norman Jay, Crazy P, Nightmares on Wax. As for drinks, it’s all about the Aperol Spritz bar. South London REPRESENT! May 29, 11:30am – 10:30pm £25 Brockwell Park, SE24 0PA EAT: Shotgun X Dumpling Shack UJ loves dumplings, so we’re happy they’re officially back on the menu. First with Dumpling Mondays at Rawduck and now Shotgun is set for its own dumpling showdown. Come May 15, the Southern BBQ joint will be hosting a ‘People’s Brunch’ with Netil House’s Dumpling Shack. Expect a dim sum style brunch menu mashing the two culinary styles for one day only – think brisket in bao and Chinese style dirty rice and even a salted egg custard 1235 Donut. Next on the dumpling trend, The Hoxton Hotel’s soon-to-open dumpling shop, Dumpy Lynns. May 15 26 Kingly Street, W1B 5QD £40 For tickets 020 3137 7252 / info@shotgunbbq.com SEE II: Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro Yayoi Kusama is back on British soil with a new show at the Victoria Miro gallery. Spanning the gallery’s locations and waterside garden, expect nothing short of the eclectic, surrealist, abstract and, of course, dotty art she is known for. There’ll be her signature pumpkin sculptures, new paintings from the artist’s ongoing series My Eternal Soul, and several mirror rooms (created especially for the show). If it’s anything like her major retrospective at the Tate Modern in 2012, put this at the top of your culture calendar. May 25 – July 30 Free entry Victoria Miro 16 Wharf Road, N1 7RW And Victoria Miro Mayfair 14 St George Street, W1S 1FE Do: Another_Space The team behind London’s ultra luxe Third Space gym is set to open a pay-as-you-go fitness centre in Covent Garden, Another_Space. The concept: A boutique, glossy gym offering just three classes: Cycle, Yoga and HIIT, plus a food and smoothie bar by Natural Fitness Food and Detox Kitchen. But, the best bit? No membership. No joining fees. Go! Opens May 23 4-10 Tower Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9NP PARTY II: The Jazz Café After a £3 million refurb, the Jazz Café is back! Bought over by the Colombo Group (XOYO, The Nest and Blues Kitchen), the new-look space now has a 69-seat dining area on the mezzanine level, serving a varied menu that includes chicken yakitori, brisket, bone marrow burgers, and s’mores cakes. Plus, aside from jazz, the music program is strictly hip-hop on Fridays (from 11pm), and disco, soul, funk, rare groove and everything in between on Saturdays. 5 Parkway, NW1 7PG BY CS LIKE SHARE FORWARD PREVIOUS EDITION (c) 2016 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved. Reproductions of any portion of this website only with our express permission. Urban Junkies is a free weekly mailer. All listings and features are editorial: We do not receive any payment from venues, artists or promoters. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information listed but we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.