Spa Esprit group opens first overseas F&B outlet in London with Espresso canteen A Wanted Man

Singapore — A known name in both the beauty world and Singapore’s thriving dining scene, home-grown brand Spa Esprit Group has taken its brand of creative lifestyle offerings to the heart of London in Chelsea with the launch of the group’s first F&B venture overseas. Dubbed A Wanted Man, it is also Chelsea’s first espresso canteen with a brow bar and waxing salon attached.

The restaurant serves an all-day menu that features creative takes on cafe and breakfast classics with influences from across the globe, crafted by chefs trained by the legendary Michel Bras (best known for his creative approach to herbs). A Wanted Man’s menu looks to target consumers who are as concerned with nutritious fare as they are with being trendy as it offers a new take on comfort fare, blending bold flavours with a focus on “body-boosting goodness”. Think fermented lighter-than-air sourdough, home-made cold-pressed almond milk (that’s also used to make a creme brulee), steel-cut oat porridge, and organic nuts, vegetables and fruit. Asian and Singaporean influences are not forgotten as dishes on the menu, such as the Somewhere Over A Rainbow salad of sweet potatoes, fennel, red onion, beetroot, asparagus and kale, comes with satay peanut dressing; while daily specials such as soups may be in a laksa form as well. Of course, there is the cuppa. Artisan coffee is flown in from Common Man Coffee Roasters, the Singapore-based specialty coffee roasters borne out of Five Senses Coffee of Melbourne.

According to Cynthia Chua, founder of the lifestyle conglomerate, there is room left in London for more artisanal coffee shops, especially in Chelsea, which was one of the reasons she chose to open the multi-concept store — also known as the Beauty Block Chelsea — on King’s Road. “Kick-starting our first overseas F&B brand in London is exhilarating and yet very challenging,” Chua told TODAY. “It is another massive progress for the group to cross borders, especially in a competitive landscape like London. We love challenges, it is in our DNA, but this is a real big one with differences in culture, dining habits and labour law. It will be a steep learning curve, but that is the Spa Esprit Group’s spirit.”

Now, besides House at Dempsey in Singapore, this is one place where you can get brunch, a Brazilian and a latte to go. DON MENDOZa