WORDS
Eleanor Pryor
The background
Park Row is a DC Comics-inspired restaurant, with the official seal of approval from Warner Bros. However, this goes far beyond your typical (and dare we say occasionally tacky!) themed enterprises. Instead, this is sophisticated and refined dining at its core, but served with a huge side dish of intrigue. While the destination includes several different restaurant and bar spaces, each with their own fantastical identity, the crown jewel is the Monarch Theatre, an intimate and immersive gastronomic experience.
The space
This massive subterranean space has taken on many guises over the years, but none as dramatic as Park Row. As soon as you’re greeted, you enter through a door hidden behind a bookcase – a nod to the Batcave – before descending down the grand and sweeping (and incredibly Instagrammable) staircase.
Here, it opens out on the airy and relaxed Iceberg Lounge, complete with a giant penguin sculpture situated over the bar. From this, there are a number of cosy spaces tucked away to the sides, such as the moody, art-filled Rogues Gallery. Like the subtle reference to Batman’s adversary, the decor throughout is more of a nod to Gotham City than trying to directly mirror the fictional universe, allowing it to retain its elegant atmosphere while still having plenty of secretive touches to please hardcore fans.
Those with a ticket to the Monarch Theatre are handed an envelope (its contents to come in useful throughout the evening) before being whisked away through a special side door. Here you are placed in something akin to a holding room – albeit with its own dedicated bar – where the charismatic host begins the journey. First stop is paying your dues to the animated clown, where in return for a special coin he determines if your soul is light or dark. Thankfully, whatever the outcome this translates to a specially tailored cocktail, with those who want non-alcoholic options also well catered for.
After the last stragglers arrive, the real fun begins. You are led into the “theatre” – almost clinical in feel, it is dominated by the large, 20-seat table. However, throughout the meal, the walls morph with floor-to-ceiling projection mapping that bring the courses to life in surprising ways, made all the more impactful thanks to the carefully crafted soundscape and outstanding performance of the hosts. And if the table itself looks a little strange at first glance you’ll soon discover why, with a number of changeable elements including a gravity-defying finale.
The menu
The 10-course tasting menu is kept under wraps before you step through the doors, although rest assured that the team, led by executive chef Karl O’Dell (formerly of the Michelin-starred Texture), can adapt this to meet any special dietary needs. The experience is split into two parts, a whirlwind tour through DC’s villains and heroes (with a few twists and turns, of course), with an interval in between to refresh and partake in any extra drinks at the private bar, above and beyond those offered with the pairings.
The culinary offerings range from incredible trompe l’oeil creations to modern, artful platings that would be at home on any Michelin-starred menu. On the former, highlights included a “poisonous” mushroom parfait rendered so realistically it almost fooled some diners, while an elegant pearl of celeriac, whisky and macadamia nut was blended into its dramatic presentation on Catwoman’s necklace.
Interactivity is at the heart of the experience, with a playfulness that both surprises and tests the limits of traditional notions of taste and smell. Out comes a mystery cocktail, served in elegant glassware with traditional garnish, but filled instead with a duck martini that becomes more familiar on the palate with every sip. Meanwhile, other dishes lean more into crowd-pleasing flavour profiles, which is a curveball in itself in this context: from perfectly cooked Black Angus steak with truffled potatoes to a decadent chocolate and salted caramel dessert.
The bill
£195 per person, including paired drinks
The verdict
The Monarch Theatre is a truly one-of-a-kind experience in the capital at the moment. DC fans will revel in the attention to detail, but the impressive theatrics and quality of food cannot fail to entertain and delight even comic naysayers.
