Monocle Weekend
Edition: Sunday

This Sunday’s story selection sees us visit a modern apartment-cum-events space in Berlin, sample an Argentinian sirloin in London and toast to the Niçois neighbourhood stalwart dishing up humble regional specialities. Plus: the concept store on the Indonesian island of Flores championing local artisanship and a Cretan breakfast with a Greek MP turned restaurateur. Here to start the day on the right foot, Tyler Brûlé salutes service with style.

What counts as an institution? (asks Alexis Self) In the cut-throat world of Central London hospitality, making it to five years of age is a considerable achievement – reaching double digits is almost a sign of immortality. Zoilo, a Patagonian steakhouse nestled on Duke Street just south of Manchester Square, celebrates its 12th birthday next week, a milestone it has accomplished by doing the simple things well. The brainchild of Argentinian chef Diego Jacquet – alumnus of El Bulli and Aquavit – the focus is on quality over quantity, at least when it comes to the food; the wine list is a different matter but more on that later. Inspiration and flavour emanates from the asado – the traditional Argentinian method of grilling meat and fish over charcoal. There are five cuts of beef on offer: ribeye, sirloin, rump, Chateaubriand and a 34-day-aged T-bone. There is also octopus and sea bass – but that’s probably not why you’re here. Or at least, it’s not why we were.

On a late October evening, with a hint of a chill in the air, two steaks, a bowl of thick-cut chips and a green salad are exactly what the doctor ordered. The ribeye comes with Zoilo’s homemade chimichurri, the sirloin with a deeply soothing shallot, sweetbread and tarragon jus – both demand mopping up, either with the chips or a selection of the restaurant’s homemade breads, we opted for both. Now to the wine. Though it might seem hyperbolic, I would hazard to suggest that Zoilo possesses the most extensive Argentinian wine list of any restaurant in Europe, certainly in the northern half of the continent. Head sommelier Marko presides over more than 120 labels ranging from Calchaquí Valley riesling to Patagonian pinot noir. But this is steak night, so we go for a 2019 malbec from Marcelo Pelleriti, its fine tannins rounding out the meat’s charred notes of charcoal. For dessert, a plum tart is washed down with a sweet semillon from Mendoza – liquid gold that is impossible not to raise in a toast to another 12. Years that is… zoilo.co.uk

Greek MP-turned-restaurateur Nikos Nyfoudis established Tiffany’s x 1905 in Thessaloniki in May following the success of his London restaurant, 1905 (writes Claudia Jacob). Using sun-soaked ingredients from the island of Crete and offering a wine list from all over Europe, Tiffany’s x 1905 is a smart urban bistro that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Here, Nyfoudis talks to us about where to find speciality coffee in Greece’s second city, his favourite publication for oenophiles and the funk song on his Sunday playlist.

Where will we find you this weekend?
I’m usually in London but I’ll be in Thessaloniki, serving people and opening bottles at Tiffany’s x 1905. I’ll start the day cycling along the seafront and then enjoy an espresso at Valenio before service. The team makes the best coffee in Thessaloniki.

Ideal start to a Sunday? Gentle or a jolt?
Gentle. I like to begin by reading a newspaper outside my 1905 restaurant in London, listening to birdsong in this central but quiet corner of Bloomsbury.

What’s for breakfast?
I make scrambled eggs with cherry tomatoes from Greece and garnish with goat’s cheese and Greek herbs. Or I’ll have brunch out at Balthazar in Covent Garden.

Walk the dog or downward dog?
Walk the dog when I visit my parents’ house. When I was younger, we often took in stray dogs.

Lunch in or out?
When you’re in the hospitality industry, lunch is an unknown word.

Sunday culture must?
When in London the Tate Modern or the British Museum. The marble there is a reminder that there’s always a connection with Greece if you know where to look. When in Thessaloniki, I search out Byzantine monuments all over the city.

News or no news?
I read Kathimerini to get a clear idea of what is happening around the world and Carpe Vinum for wine inspiration.

What’s on the menu?
Rotisserie beef with steamed greens. Plus, plenty of rock salt and Cretan olive oil. All important decisions are made over a good meal.

A Sunday soundtrack?
Anisopedi Disco by Pan Pan and Kalliopi Mitropoulou.

This week, Swiss chef and Monocle’s recipe writer Ralph Schelling rustles up a zingy dish inspired by the Thai beef salad Yum Nua. “Fresh lime leaves are often only available in large quantities but they’re worth tracking down as they taste much better than the dried varieties,” says Schelling. “Freeze any leftover leaves for next time.”

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

½ lime
2 kaffir lime leaves
¼ bunch coriander with roots
½ clove of garlic
½ red peperoncino
1 tsp cane sugar
200 g beef shank
A pinch of coarse salt and pepper
2 tbsps peanut oil
1 Thai leek
1-2 kohlrabi, peeled
2 tbsps fish sauce
¼ bunch of peppermint

Method:

1
Grate and squeeze the lime. Finely chop the lime leaves. Separate the coriander roots and grind with the garlic, chopped lime leaves, peperoncino and cane sugar to make a paste.

2
Preheat the oven to 130C.

3
Season the meat and sear in half. Oil both sections. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes.

4
Finely chop the leek and kohlrabi. Mix the paste with the fish sauce, remaining oil, lime juice and zest to make a sauce.

5
Remove the meat from the oven, slice thinly and mix with the vegetables, sauce, chopped coriander and a few mint leaves.

ralphschelling.com

In 1957 the Hansaviertel, a quiet neighbourhood between Tiergarten and the river Spree, drew more than one million people to gawk at how good living in West Berlin could be. The occasion was a building exhibition, Interbau, where more than 50 leading architects, including Alvar Aalto and Oscar Niemeyer, had designed modern, near-nature homes that were in sharp contrast to the cramped Plattenbau constructs of communist East Berlin. Today one of Hansaviertel’s most beloved buildings, the Eternithaus, has been returned to its original purpose as a space for living well. And this time around, it’s available for public use.

Fulds was founded by Sarah-Joan Fuld, who runs a design agency, and her brother David, who lives and works in the Eternithaus and heads up a personnel company. The slender building has a glass-walled ground floor, topped by seven two-level maisonettes. After a two-year project to renovate and furnish the spaces, the ground-floor Glass Block Room and two maisonettes are now available to hire for meetings, dinners, exhibitions and parties.

David came across the Eternithaus in 2007. He slowly returned the heritage-listed building to its former, airy character. “We want to bring in life here,” says David. First came a six-month effort to bring the apartments – many of which hadn’t been renovated in 40 years – up to scratch. Respectful of the original design, the pair laid new floors, updated a new bathroom and kitchen, and painted the walls. Sarah-Joan handled the interiors.

The furniture is almost all mid-century, acquired from dealers including Schalling in Sweden and Morentz in the Netherlands, alongside Berber rugs sourced from Thomas Wild in Berlin. Despite the substantial investment of time and effort, the siblings are not too precious about the space and hope to host lively dinners and raucous parties. “You can always paint the walls,” says David with a glint in his eye.
fulds.berlin

For more on our selection of urban boltholes and well-designed residences, pick up a copy ofMonocle’s latest issue, which is available on newsstands now.

A short flight east of Bali, the island of Flores is largely untouched by mass tourism, offering a glimpse into a less glitzy – but equally nourishing – island way of life (writes Rossella Frigerio). In the fishing village of Labuan Bajo, a spate of smartly designed, newly opened cafés, hotels and restaurants have been slowly helping to convert this laid-back island into a destination of its own.

One such place is Le Bajo, a recently opened restaurant-cum-concept shop by Indonesian entrepreneur Jason Gunawan, the co-founder of Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak. The shelves are lined with a range of “Made in Indonesia” brands that reflect the country’s rich approach to artisanship, including fragrances by Our Projects, botanical skincare by Fields of Yarrow and ceramics by Arta Derau.

The boutique’s name pays homage to the distinct identity of this colour-drenched isle and is nestled in a quiet cove, giving travellers a reason to linger.
le-bajo.com

Over the next few weeks, Monocle’s editors and correspondents will take a seat at restaurants and cafés that cherish their household recipes. This week we visit a humble establishment in Nice for a warming bowl of ratatouille.

The pint-sized, 24-seat La Merenda has been keeping the Niçois fed on classic Provençal fare since 1966 (writes Annick Weber). Even a change in owner almost 30 years ago did nothing to alter its humble spirit. To this day, credit cards are not accepted and there’s no phone to call for reservations. “We kept the restaurant exactly as it was,” says chef-owner Dominique Le Stanc, who gave up his two Michelin stars at Nice’s Le Negresco to go back to the basics. “I wasn’t even 30 and I had already worked in the best kitchens of France; I realised that what I really wanted was to cook again, rather than manage a big team, so when the opportunity presented itself, I decided to take over this Niçois institution. It’s where I always enjoyed eating on my days off.”

The menu features the type of simple recipes that many restaurants in the city no longer serve, including andouillette sausage and stuffed sardines. But be sure to order a side of Le Stanc’s flavourful ratatouille and – to round off your meal – don’t miss the tourte aux blettes, a traditional pie made with chard and pine nuts. lamerenda.net

For more neighbourhood recommendations from those in the know,subscribetoday. Our latest edition, thedesign special, takes you on a whistlestop tour of the highlights in the world of furniture, lighting and interiors. Make sure to pick up a copy to peruse over coffee. Have a super Sunday.