Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack to open new restaurant in Covent Garden

London’s Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack are set to open a new 300-cover restaurant in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden in February 2014.

Using inspiration from its King’s Road sibling, the Chelsea based institution are aiming to bring the much loved ‘crabshack’ to a more urban West End setting by offering the most authentic, American fresh-smoked Bar.B.Q, seafood, cocktail and drinks in the UK.

Big Easy founder Paul Corrett, said: “As London’s love of Bar.B.Q, lobsters and steaks continues, I am absolutely thrilled to offer the evolution of the Big Easy to Covent Garden. No-one in London is cooking with wood and charcoal in such an unprecedented way.

“Fresh Bar.B.Q straight from the smoker is the holy grail for Bar.B.Q aficionados and we are aiming to provide local residents, workers and visitors alike, with the most comprehensive genuine, quality US style Bar.B.Q and seafood dining experience in the UK.”

In the kitchen of the new restaurant will be executive chef Kenny Callaghan. Kenny’s reputation in the Bar.B.Q world precedes him but he is best known as the former chef partner of legendary New York restaurant ‘Blue Smoke’.

Taking the role of pit master will be Pete Daversa, former pit master at Hill Country Barbeque -Market in New York and also an ex-worker at Blue Smoke.

The new site is located in a former electrical power station built in 1883 and owned by the Gatti brothers. The interior will retain the building’s original heritage by keeping features such as copper conduits, brickwork and steel and concrete girders, complimented by industrial lighting while adding some Big Easy touches like neon lobsters, Americana and nautical themed decoration on the three floored, 10,000 sq ft establishment.

A central feature will be found on the ground floor with a theatre style kitchen, including a 2.5 metre Argentinean-style parilla charcoal grill as well as a two-metre rotisserie spit for whole hog roasts and a 2.5 metre wood burning oven.

As well as the finest cuts of Bar.B.Q meat, a large lobster tank has been constructed on the premises to house almost 2,000 live lobsters, there will be a nine-metre long bar and Big Easy will continue to boast live music seven nights a week.