Americana London

Tara Minton writes: I’m sitting in a buzzing, Southern American style diner sipping a delicious Chilli Guavarita. It’s 7:20pm and a saxophonist bustles in, scooching past diners to the back of the room where his colleagues – a pianist and double bassist are already sound checking. The open kitchen is full of life, serving up delicious plates of gumbo, corn bread and southern style chicken to a diverse mix of tourists, pre-theatre diners, families and the more discerning jazz enthusiasts who have caught wind of the hottest new dinner jazz hideout in town – Americana on Haymarket. Who knew that just a short, downhill stroll from Picadilly Circus with its flashing billboards and double-decker buses was a portal to another world? Stepping inside the door, one is met immediately with the fragrant smell of soul food, a warm, southern hospitality welcome and the sweet sound of the deep south – jazz.

7:30pm on the dot, the lights are dimmed, and the band begins. The bass was walking, but the musicians were flying, serving up bebop lines as tasty as the 12-hour Texas Red Brisket Chilli and Southern Dirty Rice. The trio of seasoned London players (Greg Davis – saxophone, Paul Eldridge – piano, Rob Rickenberg – double bass) presented a first set of failsafe crowd pleasers: The Shadow of Your Smile, All of Me, Georgia, Bye Bye Blackbird and a slinky rendition of a tune I haven’t hear in years – The Pink Panther! There was no clapping for solos, but certainly a warm and enthusiastic rippling of applause after each number. As a jobbing London jazz musician myself, I’ve played my fair share of soul-destroying background gigs in some high-class establishments where the staff are giving side eye and huffing over requests for a simple glass of water… let me assure you, this is not it! Olga, our maître d’, knew all three musicians by name and was spilling over with warmth and genuine appreciation for the band. (Rob and I have played together for years, so in a quiet moment I was able to cheekily verify that the musicians were treated with the respect that they deserved. Big thumbs up from the inside!)

The wait staff were refreshingly down-to-earth and friendly and took food allergies very seriously – most reassuring for this coeliac. My Wild Mushroom and Chestnut Soup starter was delicious, but things kicked up a notch with the Bootlegger’s Moonshine Chicken with whiskey cream sauce and skin-on fries (cooked in their own oil and 100% gluten free! Fellow coeliacs will know what a treat this is.) My date barely said a word as he devoured his Slow Spit Roasted Chicken and Smoked Pork Sausage Gumbo Pot with Corn Bread, which I’m reading as a hearty sign of approval. The dessert menu looked devilishly good, though I must admit that on this occasion, we were defeated. A reason to return for sure!

After dinner, if you’re looking to retreat from the hubbub of the restaurant, follow your feet past the band to the secret back bar with a carefully crafted drinks menu reflecting the cocktail scene of the deep south, but with a West End twist. Signature cocktails include a proper Smoked Old Fashioned, Texas Lemonade and the pink Chilli Guavarita that blew me away. Continue upstairs to the mezzanine gallery, which is available for private hire and can accommodate up to 40 people comfortably. A lush and beautifully secluded space for a sit-down dinner or cocktail event with canapes.

We love London, but sometimes we all need a little escape (without the headache of planning an actual trip abroad!) Americana is just the ticket, with cocktails ranging from £12 – £18, starters from £10 – £20, mains from £15 – £30 and a mean-looking flamed steaks and burger menu. The food is excellent, the staff are friendly, and the band is hot. Jazz lovers, get yourselves along – perhaps we can even teach the tourists how to clap at the end of a solo!

Americana London is at 11 Haymarket, London SW1Y4BP

ALL DAY DINING UNTIL 1AM MONDAY TO SATURDAY AND 8PM ON SUNDAY