New Asian fusion joint Freak Scene is an instant and unignorable assault on the senses. Scenes from madcap game show Takeshi’s Castle loop madly on television screens, unidentifiable and delicious-looking titbits are flipped on griddles and sake splashes into shot glasses as the bright-eyed, energetic staff whoop and yell.
They’ve made the most of the frugal Frith Street space by laying it out in the style of a modern New York café – a long, narrow counter, with the kitchen and bar on one side and the customers crammed up together on the other.
It’s nice because it forces you to talk to strangers, a unique experience in anti-social London. We were seated after a bit of a wait, which was rescued by the instant appearance of mouthwateringly fresh and aggressively strong “Thai Morning Jacket” cocktails (Beefeater gin, Kaffir lime leaf, lemonade). We got chatting to the snappily dressed, plummy voiced and very drunk Claudia, who manages the gardens of a country house in Hertfordshire. Peonies are all the rage next season, apparently.
On Claudia’s recommendation, we plumped for the black cod tacos (“heavenly!”), as well as chilli crab and avocado wonton, Singapore-style fried chicken lettuce cups, the house fries and the honey-Hoisin grilled pork belly.
It arrives tapas-style, a series of small dishes, spun down the counter with effortless confidence by the cheerful, ostentatious chefs. All of it is exceptional. The chicken and pork belly are particularly memorable – indulgent, cooked to perfection, buttery flakiness combined with the expertly balanced zest of various spices and seasonings.
They recommend five or six dishes between two, with each dish sizzling in at around £10, so it’s not cheap. But god, it’s worth it. The food is unique and beautiful, but unpretentious, and feels like it’s been slapped together, certainly not with carelessness but with impulsive creativity. Making meticulousness seem spontaneous is an art form that Freak Scene has perfected down to the last sprig of coriander.
This is not the place to bring your mum, but certainly somewhere to impress a discerning date, or an arrogant New York frenemy. When all’s said and done, Freak Scene is the perfect edition the London restaurant scene – original, charming and slightly nuts. And that’s all we want from a night out (or from a man, in fact).
Freak Scene is at 54 Frith Street, W1D 4SL. Follow them on Instagram @freaksceneldn
