This quirky basement restaurant on Mayfair’s Albemarle Street is prolific Russian restauraneur, Arkady Novikov’s second restaurant in the vicinity. Serving up specialist fish, meat and game dishes with an international flavour, the restaurant has undergone an extensive interior fit-out overseen by Arcacia Consulting and the Moscow-based NB Studio.
It is no coincidence that Arkady Novikov selected Mayfair as the destination for Rextail, as it was here that he opened his very first overseas venture, Novikov Restaurant &”Bar, in 2011.
Although keen to echo the characteristic interior design and feel of his other restaurants, Arkady wanted Rextail to carve its own distinct identity within the local area.
In contrast to many Mayfair-based venues, Rextail thus exudes a rather less serious air, its interior steeped in a fascinating melange of materials, furnishings and Bohemian-style accessories.
Although the restaurant itself is rather narrow – perhaps inspiring the ‘tail’ in its name – the open, slab ceiling, striped with three vibrantly-coloured pipes, nevertheless creates a sense of height and spaciousness.
The large bar, in addition to two built-in wine displays at either side of the restaurant, offer key focal points, while the open kitchen adds a welcoming sense of bustle without being overly intrusive.
The exposed brick of the walls sets off the reclaimed parquet flooring, metal work and natural stone used throughout the interior to create a truly individual overall aesthetic.
Green leather seating, dotted with large plush cushions, lines the wall, while the deep red arm chairs along the centre of the restaurant add a vibrant burst of colour.
The selection of finishing touches accessories is equally eclectic. Animal heads are scattered around the walls, echoing the menu’s emphasis upon meat and game dishes, while the restaurant’s wooden tables are edged with embossed copper tables.
Multiple shelves, stocked with a seemingly haphazard selection of plants, figurines and assorted ornaments, complete the unassuming yet artfully-constructed aesthetic Arkady was so passionate about creating.
