Atticus Publishing

The Cinnamon Club Co-founder Will Make Soul Food Restaurant Dream a Reality | Eater London

"Opening this year in The Angel Building in Islington, this all-day restaurant — named for the character in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird — positions itself as a London soul-food spot with New Orleans-inspired dishes. The proposed menu highlights eggs in purgatory, shrimp and grits, a Bayou scramble and a 'dixie cup' (apple-soaked pecan granola), alongside familiar Southern staples such as po'boys, catfish, gumbo and chicken-and-waffles. Backers have put in about £1.5m with ambitions to expand the concept across the UK if it proves successful. Supportive elements include the founder’s past initiatives to reduce ethnic-minority unemployment and a partnership with a charity to employ ex-offenders on the restaurant’s initial development, but there are notable concerns about authenticity and cultural sensitivity: the menu leans on somewhat stereotyped notions of American Southern food, there is no public information yet about whether staff have genuine Southern culinary expertise, and earlier commentary by the founder about 'elevating' traditional recipes has prompted unease. Details on design and final staffing remain unconfirmed." - James Hansen