Au Cheval London Will be Called Electric Diner, Opening in November in Notting Hill with Soho House Founder

Hot on the news that Brendan Sodikoff is opening Kotsu Ramen underneath Gilt Bar this January, he'll first open that previously reported second outpost of Au Cheval in London in November, but it has a different name.

Sodikoff is opening the Electric Diner adjacent to the historic Electric Cinema at 191 Portobello Road in London's Notting Hill neighborhood in November. Sodikoff is teaming with Soho House founder Nick Jones, who owns Electric Cinema, Electric Brasserie and Electric House, a private club like Soho House. The properties were all damaged in a fire in June and temporarily closed, making way for the new project.

Sodikoff told Eater that he loves London and that this project came out of multiple meetings with Jones about collaborating on something together. "We have a mutual appreciation for each other's projects," he said. "It was just a good fit and good timing."

A note on the Electric Cinema website reads that, "The damage caused to the Electric Cinema, House and Brasserie by the fire in June has given us an opportunity to build something new. Out of the ashes, the Electric will reopen in late November 2012 with a host of new developments." And it looks like that includes a newly named version of Au Cheval. Good timing indeed (unless of course you were temporarily out of a job).

If you've noticed a lot of English accents at Au Cheval lately, that's because the Electric Diner management team is currently in Chicago running the diner here, Sodikoff said. They'll head back to London in October with a firm grasp of how to operate the restaurant. Let's hope they get that griddled burger down, um. pat.
· Brendan Sodikoff Opening Intimate Kotsu Ramen Below Gilt Bar in January [~EChi~]
· Brendan Sodikoff Expanding Au Cheval to London [~EChi~]
· Electric Cinema [website]

Brendan Sodikoff will open Electric Diner in London this fall. [Photo: Mawi]