The first thing you’ll notice about Loft at U Walk is that it isn’t actually a loft at all – it’s anchored firmly on the ground floor with not a single step in sight.
Yet the surprises don’t stop there. Every dish on the carb-heavy menu, whisked past arty gold sculptures by staff clad in dark fabric capes, brings with it a new twist or turn that often borders on the bizarre.
The burrata is served warm and deep-fried in a herby crust. Vietnamese rice is served in a coconut shell (“good for a party”, the menu notes).
The truffle wedges, doused in thick lashings of cheese sauce, are finished tableside with a hearty frisson of fungus after being revealed from beneath a glass dome with a wisp of smoke.
But it seems to have found its crowd. Late into the evening, the restaurant is near-full with trendy young couples and large groups savouring the dark, moody interiors and beatsy playlist that wouldn’t be out of place at MDLBeast Soundstorm.
Looking beyond the gimmicks, the simpler dishes show some promise, with creative presentation elevating options like the beetroot salad with balsamic and candied goat cheese.
The option of zaatar salt and sumac is a welcome addition to the Loft Fries. But just as we’re beginning to relax, a whole chicken wings by on a complex piece of wheeled steam-punk style furniture with its own elevated spotlight.
So what does it all mean? We’re not really sure. For all we know, we might have been the unwilling participants in a complex piece of modern art.
But if you’re a fan of edgy dining concepts, swooshing fabric capes and darkness, Loft is worth adding to your list – not least to see if you can figure it all out.
