At first glance Circus seems like any other fashionable new London restaurant. Beautiful guests? Tick. Even more beautiful waiters? Tick. And there's the prerequisite designer interior (Tom Dixon in this case), too.
But then, just as I am about to tuck happily into my empanadas, the lights go down. No, it's not a case of teething troubles; within seconds a leotard-clad body skims over our heads. I would have exclaimed surprise to my friends except the music was cranked up so high they wouldn't have heard me. Raised eyebrows all round then.
Forget your usual expectations of a meal out: Circus is a performance space that happens to serve food (albeit very good food, of the southern comfort variety). There's also a resident DJ, and a serious cocktail list. But most impressive of all are the impromptu five-minute acts — aerialists glide across the room on hoops, contortionists escape from tiny transparent Perspex boxes, and burlesque dancers dance — performed on the shared 'show table'. It's not for the uptight (I have to admit a furtive rummage in my bag for some Dettol wipes after a close encounter with the bare-footed aerobat) although it should be noted there are plenty of other tables where you can observe the action from a safe distance.
This isn't the place for a romantic a deux but it's perfect for a buzzy night out. The whole vibe is show-offy and in your face: Dixon's shiny red, black and white décor has a decadent 80s feel to it &mdsah; a blink-and-you'll-miss-it entrance, imposing high-backed chairs, harlequin-patterned walls, oversized mirrored balls hanging in clusters across the ceiling and industrial bathrooms with — brace yourself — shared hand-washing area. But despite the fact you half expect Boy George and Duran Duran to wander by in full New Romantic get-up, it works, and overall the feel is contemporary.
And the food? If I'm honest the plates seem to arrive and go without you really noticing; eating is definitely secondary to the Circus experience. Nonethless the Pan American menu offers a sophisticated (and generous - servings are massive) take on soul food. I recommend the corn bread, which comes with marinated tomatoes, butter beans, feta and basil (seriously tasty) and the crispy fried baby squid with a sticky coconut glaze. The sticky pork belly with noodle salad is also excellent. But perhaps most memorable were the cocktails — all twists on classics such as Bellinis or Bloody Marys — which come in a punchbowl. Delicious. And lethal.
Circus, 27-29 Endell Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9BA (+44(0)20 7420 9300; circus-london.co.uk)
