The Ivy Asia Chelsea

Summary

Richard Caring continues to pimp the Ivy brand to the max: since this Asian-themed sub-brand first debuted in Manchester in 2018, it has expanded with a 200-seat venue in the City’s One New Change mall (“great view of St Paul’s”) and – in August 2021 – a second branch opened in SW3 near The Ivy, Chelsea Garden; (and there’s a third coming soon on the Mayfair site that was once Princess Garden). True to Caring’s restaurant DNA, the decor in all locations is wildly maximalist, with fluorescent onyx floors, replica samurai armour and (cringey?) pagoda-style roofs over the bars. Some reporters do find the effect “very cool, in a see-and-be-seen kind of way”. To say the least, though, the Asian-theme-park styling doesn’t send the message that authenticity is on the agenda – a concern which the Chelsea branch’s risibly off-message launch video did nothing to allay (‘naive… totally inappropriate and culturally insensitive’… and that was just what they said about it themselves!). As to the sushi and wide menu of other Asian-inspired scoff: some diners find it “surprisingly good” but, all things considered, it’s kinda beside the point.