The restaurateur Amy Poon is to launch her first permanent restaurant in September, taking up residence in the new wing at Somerset House.
To date, Poon might be best known for her Bermondsey-made Chinese sauces and condiments, as well as her wind-dried meats, which are made to a recipe passed down by her grandfather.
Poon said the restaurant will reflect her heritage, serving dishes cooked in Chinese homes every day but which remain unfamiliar to many in the West.
The standout dish will be a signature claypot rice, which Poon’s father Bill cooked more than 50 years ago in Hong Kong and then at the family’s restaurants in Chinatown and Covent Garden, the latter of which went on to earn a Michelin star.
There will also be “magic soup” on the menu, which Poon said is as “fundamental to a traditional Chinese meal as Yorkshire pudding to a Sunday roast”, and classic “siu2 sik6”, or snacks and little dishes to be enjoyed in the bar area with beers and cocktails.
Many of them are to be named after the story that brought them to the menu, such as “the hill that Amy didn’t die on.”
She said: “Since my first pop-up in 2018, I’ve been searching for a space to call home. After various false starts, I could not have hoped for a more beautiful location than Somerset House.
“Five decades after my parents opened the first Poon’s Restaurant in Lisle Street, I can no longer deny the calling. This is a way of welcoming people to my table, where you come if you don’t have a nice Chinese friend who will cook for you at home.”
As for the wine list, it will focus on those made in cooler climates, championing family-owned producers and biodynamic and female winemakers.
Poon’s will have an open kitchen, will seat 60, and has been designed by designer and family friend Janet McGlennon. In addition, there will be a private dining room for 24, and a cobbled terrace opening later on.
Poon’s at Somerset House, New Wing Lancaster Place, WC2R 1LA, poonslondon.com
