Emma Bartholomew pays a visit to Jaguar Shoes Collective’s latest venture RedYellowBlue at the former 2012 East Village
It’s worth going to RedYellowBlue to see its stunning illustrated wallpaper alone.
Lucille Clerc’s intricate design somehow comes alive at night through a light projection. I’ve no idea how the “immersive projection-mapped interactive digital display” works. But luminous blues, pinks and khakis of the painted plants and patterns moving behind the bar are a feast for the eyes.
I wouldn’t expect anything less from the artists at Jaguar Shoes Collective, who are behind the venture at East Village where the athletes were housed in the 2012 Olympics.
RedYellowBlue is just a five minute walk from Westfield, and I’m sure within a few years the area will be buzzing. But when my children and I arrived on a Thursday night, we had the run of the place. The kids headed straight for the ping pong table the manager had picked up on a Gumtree type site – “best £20 she’s ever spent”, she boasted.
I had a chance to study the décor in more detail while we waited for our burgers.
The cheese plants and succulents dotted around the room are the same varieties depicted in the wall drawings – in an art imitates life kind of thing.
It’s light and airy with glass walls looking out onto a pedestrian square and small park area.
There are concrete pillars and retro Swedish style sofas, fairy lights and candles, and the hanging neon square lights are echoed in the menu I realised when our “neon slaw” was served. In hues of bright pink, orange and green, this is no ordinary fast food.
A sweet and creamy “immune boosting” variant is made from beetroot; spinach based super-slaw is high in anti-oxidants and carrot and ginger promises to be “energy boosting” (£3 each).
Hotdogs made from handmade sausages and handmade burgers are provided by ‘Wild Dog’ and are really tasty, varying from £7 to £9. And massive plates of fries are plenty enough for two to share we realised, after ordering a plate each.
I always find it a good sign if there’s an interesting soft drinks selection and here you’ll find the Hackney-based Square Root brand with flavours like rhubarb, ginger beer and shandy and home made lemonades.
Jaguar Shoes picked up on Shoreditch before it became the nightlife behemoth it is today, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they’re onto something with East Village too.
RedYellowBlue, East Village, E15 2ER, 020 3845 2272.
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