Page 138 - Katherine Ryan press pack 2015-20

chrome rails of Helmut Lang, Raf Simons or Manhattan Portage. (I miss

that shop like other people miss a fun, rich aunty.)

Then it was into Paul Smith (still there, still excellent) nearer the tube to

ogle at the bright tailoring (and the socks and the cufflinks and the gold

bunny statuettes), before taking the short walk to Duffer Of St George on

Shorts Gardens, mainly to pick up some Evisu selvedge denim. There was

also the Maharishi store back when those baggy trousers with embroidered

dragons on the lower leg were a thing, worn with Nike Air Terra Humara

trainers, although perhaps the less said about that whole era the better.

'I’VE NOTICED MEN BEING VOCAL IF

THEY FEEL THEIR VALUES ARE

UNDER ATTACK'

Today, however, in among the bad buskers and pastie stalls, gems are

returning. The famous Slam City Skates might have vanished from Neal’s

Yard, but now you’ll find The Barbary, a superb, rowdy establishment

serving sweet, unctuous, oily dishes from North Africa. (That is, of course, if

you can get in.) There’s also Frenchie, for a casual date night, and Cafe

Murano just up from the Lyceum that’ll do nicely for a working lunch.

There is also the grand new Sushisamba on the first floor of the central

arcade, recently anointed by GQ.

I met comedian Katherine Ryan at Cora Pearl, the new joint from the

proprietors who brought us Kitty Fisher’s in Shepherd Market. Kitty

Fisher’s has become perhaps my favourite restaurant in London and

without doubt my favourite restaurant in London named after an 18th-

century courtesan.