Review: Wild restaurant at King's Cross club The Cross

I say apparently, because the nineties and noughties were before my London time, so my understanding is academic. But whatever The Cross’ first incarnation was, I missed it and that’s a shame.

Not only will I probably never appreciate its cultural clout (or possible lack thereof), I would have loved to have sat down at my dinner table at Wild and say, didn’t Janet lose her virginity in the toilet here?, or something similar.

Wild's dining section comes with plush lounge seating (Image: Wild)

I had conjured up visions of seedy gay clubs with windowless rooms, or of a hard-tech rave of a place where underaged youth experimented with drugs. Or perhaps it was a glamorous glitterati-filled venue filled with beautiful people getting fabulously wasted.

Turns out, The Cross' original golden years were between 1993 and 2007, when it was a late-night haunt for Gen X hipsters and fashionistas looking for a slightly gritty all-night rave with the likes of Paul van Dyk and Judge Jules working the crowd. One of The Cross co-founders, Keith Reilly, went on to open Fabric, so there’s a certain degree of pedigree there.

The other original co-founder, Billy Reilly, helms the club's current reincarnation, reopening the six-floor venue after a 15 year hiatus as a new destination venue that befits what King’s Cross has become.  

The king prawns came in a bisque-like broth (Image: Wild)

In its current incarnation, The Cross encompasses a rooftop terrace, The Barn at lower level for drinks and DJs, a basement club running until 3am, and a mid level space called the Red Room which is described as a ‘place where friends can easily be lovers’. On The Cross’ street level, you’ll find Wild bar and restaurant.

The restaurant’s name is supposed to be a tip of the cap to the venue’s debauchery back in the day, however my train of thought was trundling down the wild like wildflowers line, probably due to the flora-decorated press material which contained words such as ‘seasonal plates’ and ‘natural wines’. Wines by the magnum and Roman-style gorging in rooms where friends become lovers is far more depraved sounding than pet nat and grazing plates.

There’s no trace of rave left in the restaurant. With its brown and powder pink-hued interior and nicely set tables, it is more a meadow full of bluebells than a line of coke on a dirty toilet cistern. However Wild does pay tribute to its clubby past with its house-y playlist, plush lounge seats, textural interiors and the large bar space that takes up more room than the actual restaurant bit does.

Seasonal dishes have been created to share (Image: Wild)

Also, the drinks are excellent. It was a hot day and a perky paloma and a crisp tequila-based drink infused with just enough chili to leave a tingle on the lips were the refreshing hits my pal and I were hankering for.

The menu is summery and light – unfussy, with the ingredients satisfyingly left to speak for themselves. Design to be shared, dishes were crowd-pleasing favourites; grilled hispi cabbage smothered in a tart, nutty pomegranate and tahini puddle, and fat king prawns sitting in a bisque-like broth brightened with chili, garlic, parsley and the tang of lime which was mopped up with a plate of crunchy-roasted Jersey Royal spuds.

The Cross has several other spaces, including a roof top terrace (Image: Wild)

The little lettuce cups holding bites of pink lobster, broad beans and asparagus were yum, but mild mouthfuls compared to the fillet of tender seabass with crisp roasted skin that came perched on a lemony muddle of fennel slivers and samphire strings, and the zesty verdant spring salad of chopped asparagus, broad bean, cucumber shavings and leaves that had a pleasing crunch.

As lovely as Wild is, I suspect doesn’t retain many similarities to its grittier, grungier former self, but then neither does King’s Cross.  And just like Kylie, Madonna and Apple know, if you want to stay relevant then reinvention is the mother of necessity.

Address: 2-4 Wharfdale Road, N19RY

Website: thecrosslondon.com