Jordon Ezra King Shares His Favourite Restaurants, Menswear Brands & More
Let’s get straight to it, Jordon. Favourite restaurants in London?
How many do you want? For Italian food, there's only one: Dalla in Hackney. I also love Kiln in Soho, where you can get a seat at the bar and watch the chefs work with fire. I like Plaza Khao Gaeng on Tottenham Court Road, and Mangal 1 where I’ve been going for a long time. The Turkish food is very comforting.
Best burger spot?
You can't go wrong with Honest Burger. Burger chains come and go – with big fat ones that are rare in the middle, and thin smashed ones that everyone's doing now – but if you’re after a classic burger and chips, Honest Burger's always there. Reliable and affordable.
Hidden gem everyone should know?
Colombo Kitchen in Putney, which is sort of a hidden gem because no one really goes to Putney. It does the best Sri Lankan food.
Are you a pub person?
Yeah, but I’m not too fussed on where I go. A good one must have good ambience and a vibe. Anywhere I can get a cold beer usually does the job.
Where would you take someone on a date?
You want somewhere with a sexy vibe, so low lighting – no fluorescent tube lights. Dalla would be a good choice because it has small tables, candles and nice décor.
What’s your comfort dish at home?
Pasta with tomato sauce. I keep it pretty simple with garlic, olive oil, a pinch of chili, basil and good quality tomatoes. I love Mancini Pastificio pasta, and my favourite shape is spaghetti. Simple.
Where do you buy your food from?
Gallo Nero is a great Italian deli in Newington Green. Otherwise, I tend to buy most things online from places like Natoora, which has a great selection of fresh produce. I like to stock up on wine too. I like burgundy and beaujolais, so a nice pinot noir or something fruity that’s quite light.
Any favourite cookbooks?
I love old cookbooks. Elizabeth David, Jane Grigson and Claudia Roden are some of my favourite writers. They’ve done so much for British home cooking and introduced people to different cuisines. For more modern writers, I really like Rachel Roddy for Italian food and Fuchsia Dunlop for Chinese cuisine – she makes it so approachable. My friend Ixta Belfrage is also a brilliant cook. Her book Mezcla was amazing, and I’m excited for her next one, which dives deep into Brazilian food.
What’s your coffee order?
A cappuccino in the morning, then a black coffee in the afternoon.
Go-to cocktail?
I love a classic negroni, equal parts gin, Campari and vermouth. But I do like to play around with those ratios a little bit. Here at The Standard we’ve made one with lemon and black pepper, which is delicious.
We’ve seen you’re good at it, so any tips for taking food pictures?
Natural light is key. I have an iPhone 14 which does the job. And don’t force it too much. You want a plate of food to have some movement in it. You don't want it to be stiff and all manicured together.
@PlazaKhaoGaeng
Do you have any favourite hotels?
I do love The Standard because there’s a real vibe, with lots of spaces you want to hang out in. The ambience is good, the decor's good, the lighting's good, the food's good and the drinks are good. Elsewhere, I’m more of an Airbnb person. I like staying with people from the place that I'm in.
Where do you go for a culture fix in London?
We're very spoiled in this city – there are so many good places to listen to live music or see an exhibition. I recently went to the National Portrait Gallery to see the exhibition about The Face magazine. It was amazing to see its iconic photos and portraits of people like Grace Jones and Kate Moss. For music, I like KOKO and Jazz Cafe.
What was the last gig you went to?
Jorja Smith recently did the most amazing acoustic set. There were only about 30 people in the room, and it was amazing.
Onto menswear now. Favourite brands?
I really like Percival, A.P.C. and Acne Studios. I’m also big into Italian menswear. I like Stone Island, mainly archival pieces from the 80s and 90s. Great fabrics and cuts, and very innovative. Otherwise Uniqlo does great basics. For footwear, I like Duke + Dexter.
Do you have an off-duty uniform?
Jeans and a t-shirt. Usually full-cut jeans, with lots of room.
Are you a sneakerhead?
I used to be when I was younger. I still like them and wear them, but not as much as I used to. These days, I wear smarter shoes. I like brands like Timberland, Fracap and Paraboot. As for trainers, I still have a few Air Max 95s, TNs, that sort of thing. I was always more into Nike than Adidas, but I don’t hunt for trainers like I used to – no more trawling through resale platforms.
Talk to us about tailoring then…
I'm really into 90s unstructured suits from Armani. The ones with soft shoulders and wide-leg trousers. I’ve also got some vintage suits, and I’d love to own a bespoke suit from Richard Anderson, a tailor on Savile Row. I read his book when I was a teenager, and for a while I thought I wanted to be a tailor because of it.
Have you got a dream watch?
There’s a brand that doesn’t exist anymore called Universal Genève that made a watch called the Polerouter. There’s a particular model with a black face and a gold band around the outside, which I think is beautiful – definitely a watch I’d love to own. I also like the old 90s IWC designs, especially the ones by Gerald Genta with the steel case and visible screws. I’m not really a Rolex guy. They're fine, but everyone has one. It’s more interesting to dig a little deeper and find something unique.
Last one, Jordon. Do you have a signature fragrance?
For my 18th birthday I got Terre d’Hermès, and I’ve pretty much worn it ever since. There are a few others I like. There's a beautiful Italian fragrance brand called Santa Maria Novella – its men's scents are great. I’m also a fan of old-school English fragrance houses like Floris and the ones you find around St James’s. I have a variety of scents – lighter, citrusy ones for summer and deeper, woodier ones like amber and oud for winter. I sometimes buy oud on Edgware Road which is authentic and lasts ages.
You can try Jordon’s dishes at Isla until Sunday 29th June. Visit StandardHotels.com
Follow @JordonEzraKing
@PlazaKhaoGaeng
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