Two Lights opens on the 3rd of October, brought to us by the deft bunch behind the Michelin-starred Clove Club and the oh-so-refined Luca. At the helm is American chef Chase Lovecky. The restaurant takes its name from his hometown, which also happens to be a national park in the US state of Maine. Advertised as an American bistro in Shoreditch, the menu draws inspiration from New England cuisine. But we can just as easily think of it as a charming wine bar with painted brick walls and an open kitchen. A reclaimed pizza oven, left behind by the previous owners, is put to good use throughout the menu – a move we’ve seen before at Clipstone from the Portland crew, and why not? The restaurant announced its closure in November 2020, so this post is for reference purposes only.
Cod croquettes £5.50 are like the happiest nod to a deeply flavoured fish pie, rolled into a ball and wrapped in a golden panko jacket. They get extra attitude from a generous dollop of tartare sauce, lifted with plenty of dill and chopped pickles – the key to its flavour.
The modestly named crab with elderflower £7 turns out to be those famous confit potatoes. Here, a centimetre-thick plank of thinly sliced potato is pressed together, then fried in beef fat to a golden crisp. It’s topped with sweet white crab meat, a mayonnaise infused with the rich brown meat, and a final sprinkle of pickled elderflower.
A whole globe artichoke £11.50 gets some time in the pizza oven until the leaf tips blacken, before being transferred to an iron skillet and basted in bubbling, nutty butter. By the time it reaches the table, we peel away the fleshy petals, dunking them into a whipped, yeasty miso until we reach the tender heart. Proof, if ever it was needed, that vegetables can take centre stage too.
Seed-crusted potato rolls £2.50 are all fluff and lightness – the opposite of the taut, lacy elasticity you find in sourdough. They arrive piping hot, begging for a lavish smear of creamy, salted butter.
From the mains came pork belly, still shimmering and moist from its own fat, with more flesh than fat, just the way I like it. Lubrication arrived in the form of a herbaceous green sauce with ’nduja-braised chicory, while crunch came from pearly white slivers of radish and roasted almonds. This chef clearly knows how to get to my heart.
The chicken schnitty – or schnitzel (£10.50) – is a battle-ready chicken thigh, armoured in a coating that delivers a double crunch worth remembering. From what I gather, they pipe on Kewpie mayo and dust it with seaweed powder for an umami hit. Fresh crunch comes via white and Misato Rose daikon. But the whole thing arrived with a lorry-load of salt, enough to make your cardiologist wince. We managed a quarter before giving up.
Here’s a peep at the desserts – we skip it this time to save space for a trip to Perilla – watch out for that review!
Fast forward two months and I’m back…
Dry white wine is my main command in the summer when dining out and I always get a couple to try beforehand.
Of course we had to get the crab and beef fat chips again £3.75.
A new yet worthy addition was the crispy prawn sandwich with yuzu mayo and Thai basil £6.50. Two squares of crustless, generic white bread hold a filling of crunchy, panko-coated chopped prawns, bursting with their own sweet juices. Did it taste good? God, yes.
The unmissable potato rolls with salted butter £2.50
Next came the palourdes with wild fennel, preserved lemon and chilli £12. These carpet shell clams deliver a sweet, briny hit of the sea. We found ourselves sucking them straight from their shells and dredging the potato rolls through the salty, vividly green sauce.
Spice-crusted lamb ribs £12 arrived with a dollop of lactic goat’s curd and a herbaceous raisin-and-caper sauce. Ingredients that feel that they were made for each other.
Then came the roasted Aylesbury duck £45 from the “large plates.” It was accompanied by shaved white asparagus, more asparagus in emulsion, pink grapefruit segments, a grapefruit gel, and black sesame. To tie it all together, duck jus was poured liberally table-side. The duck itself – blushed pink, bursting with depth of flavour, and with just the right tension in the bite was cast-iron delectable.
And then there was the tarte Tatin it came with – a dark roasted onion creation, brimming with sticky, unctuous caramel tones. It was a profound finale to the mains and disappeared quicker than I could blink.
Onto the desserts
First came the cracking vanilla custard tart with a rich bourbon caramel £8, needless to say it disappeared quickly.
The star for me was the oozing molten chocolate cake with Guinness ice cream £7, it was one of my abiding memories of the meal.
A more subtle pleasure, but no less flourishing, arrived in the form of the poached apricot £8, drizzled with honey, sprinkled with milk and fennel pollen, and finished with the satisfying crunch of honeycomb.
Verdict
When did I go? Apr 2019 + June 2019
The damage: £70 per head with wine
The good: From the deletable cod croquettes and confit potatoes to the show-stopping Aylesbury duck and dark, sticky tarte Tatin, Two Lights proves that every dish is a carefully considered celebration of flavour and texture. Artichokes shine alongside indulgent meats, shellfish pops with briny freshness, and even simple potato rolls are elevated to moments of delight. With inventive sauces, bold seasoning, and a keen sense of balance, this American-inspired Shoreditch bistro delivers a dining experience that is at once comforting, adventurous, and utterly memorable.
The bad: It’s now closed down.
Rating: 4/5
Would I go again? Of course if it was still operating.
Address: 28-30 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8AA
Web: https://twolights.restaurant
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