Tucked off the main thoroughfare of Regent Street Saint James’s is Scully – the first solo venture of chef Ramael Scully. It’s fine dining, without the stuffiness.
A completely unique blend of flavours and cooking styles from across the world, Scully reflects its head chef’s own heritage and experiences. Born in Malyasia to a mother of Chinese and Indian descent and a Malay and Irish father, followed by growing up in Sydney, his career has covered multiple continents, with an undeniable influence on the creations served up by his team.
Something that helps to set the food apart is Scully’s experimentation with fermentation. Now considered a leading figure in fermentation within the UK, Scully has amassed a range of ingredients from homemade spices, pickles and preserves to oils, animal fats, dairy and sprouts. Many of the dishes on the menu benefit from the on-site fermentation lab that is managed below the restaurant and bring a totally unique flavour to many of the creations.
When it comes to ordering, the recommendations go as far as the suggested number of dishes – a couple of snacks to share, a starter and main each and a dessert to share. Fresh ideas are never far away as the menu is determined by what’s in season, adding a slight air of FOMO when placing an order.
We started with a couple of cocktails, a gin and elderflower fizz and a mezcalita. The mezcalita was incredibly smoky, more of an acquired taste and one I wouldn’t be rushing back for. Luckily we didn’t have long to wait for the cocktails to be complimented with some snacks – fried shimeji mushrooms served with a yeast vinaigrette, as well as a plate of ginger-sesame soy drizzled tomatoes and wasabi peas. The mushrooms felt like an elevated bar snack, in the best way possible.
For a starter, don’t look past the famous arepa. A staple of the Scully menu that will remain omnipresent. It combines flavours of the Middle East with labneh, smoked aubergine and Urfa chilli oil, with the flavours of the Peruvian arepa. Having spent many summer nights on the Turkish coast enjoying meze by the sea, the combination of ingredients certainly took me back, as I felt myself looking for the raki.
For the main plates, the ‘Forbidden’ black rice is completely unexpected as the smoked tofu, mole verde and crunchy fried rice sit perfectly together. An honourable mention also has to go to the beef cheek pastrami. Inspired by reuben sandwiches in NY, the beef is marinated for five days and slow cooked for 10 hours. Say no more, just keep it coming.
Despite feeling the effects of the generous portion sizes, don’t deny yourself a dessert. The pistachio crusted chocolate sorbet pot was an indulgent way to end the experience.
This is a wonderfully interesting menu from a restaurant boasting great ethos and a passionate and knowledgeable team. If you’re looking to try something genuinely different, worthy of a special occasion then Scully should definitely be in the conversation.
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