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Wine on Men's Journal
This Pop-Up Grower Champagne Bar Is Perfect For Your Summer Drinking In London
By Caitlin White,
19 days ago
Courtesy of 45 Park Lane
Whether you’re a seasoned veteran who already knows their way around a bottle of blanc de blancs and a flute of sparkling pink Billecart, or a newcomer who wants to learn more about the world of champagne, right now there’s an unmissable London pop-up that’s perfect for bubbly drinkers. Dubbed Bubbledogs , this unique collaboration between one of London’s best high-end hotels, the 45 Park Lane in Mayfair, and founders of the two-Michelin-starred-restaurant Kitchen Table , Sandia Chang and James Knappett , offers a menu of Grower Champagnes that are paired with gourmet hot dogs.
Yes, you read that right—champagne and hot dogs. What could be better, especially when it’s hot and you’re traveling abroad in a walking city like London? This isn’t just any champagne list, either. Made up solely of Grower Champagnes—curated by Chang, an award-winning sommelier whose online store, Bubbleshop , also offers many of these rare bottles—the list was designed to highlight this wine category in a way that felt approachable for all levels of drinkers. Previously debuted as a separate concept within Kitchen Table that closed back in 2020, Chang and Knapett have resurrected it for the summer by partnering with 45 Park’s Executive Chef Elliott Grover.
Courtesy of 45 Park Lane
“ I’ve always been a huge advocate of Grower Champagnes ,” Chang says. “ The initial idea for opening Bubbledogs was to create a Champagne bar that was unpretentious and extremely accessible with only a Grower Champagne list. For the pop-up, I wanted to make sure that the ethos and the passion to provide accessibility to these amazing small producers is represented. Grower producers focus a lot more on terroir while big houses focus on the consistency of their house style .”
The big houses, or “Grand Marques,” are the huge Champagne producers who buy the majority of their grapes from different farmers and blend it to make their wines. Grower Champagnes, on the other hand, are vintages made by the actual farmers themselves and as Chang notes, ” there is a lot more control and love that goes into producing say 40,000 bottles a year compared to someone like Moet Chandon who produces 24 million bottles a year. I feel there is more love, passion, and care from someone who is there and sees the process from the beginning till the end .”
But these smaller wines don’t get the distribution and marketing that larger brands do, so the chance to find a host of them all in one place is a boon. Some examples on her list include an offering that's “fruit-forward but fresh and light, such as the Jean-Marc Seleque Solessence Rosé ,” or a 2002 Champagne from producer Francoise Bedel called "Comme Autrefois.” 2002 was a legendary year for champagne, and Bedel was something of a legend herself for being a pioneer in the biodynamic winemaking space.
Available on the terrace for both lunch and dinner at CUT Out, the al fresco menu will be running for the next two months, and along with the unique wine list, features the culinary creativity of the Michelin-awarded chefs who are involved. As you might imagine, the hot dog options that Grover and Knapett have dreamed up are actually quite elaborate. To pair with the Jean-Marc Seleque Solessence Rosé, Chang recommends a chili dog that plays up American flavors.
“ The hot dog called ‘Sloppy Joe’ is a play on that and a classic chili dog, where we take the beef chili, top that on the hot dog, and garnish with melted cheese and chopped onions ,” she says. “ However, Elliott from CUT has taken it to the next level using Wagyu beef trim to make the beef chili. It is absolutely divine .”
Courtesy of 45 Park Lane
In keeping with the All-American theme, another option is named after one of the most infamous days in US history—the day the colonies declared independence from Britain. Though she lives and works in the UK, Chang was born in California and points to this dog as one that makes her nostalgic for her childhood. “ One of my all-time favorite hot dogs is the Fourth of July ,” Chang says. “ The inspiration was taken from traditional Fourth of July celebrations where we always had backyard BBQs with ribs slathered with sweet and smoky barbecue sauce, lots of grilled pork belly, hot dogs, and refreshing coleslaw. The combination of all these tastes brings me home .”
Along with the dogs—which are made with ingredients from the Franconian Sausage Company and served in freshly baked rolls from CUT’s in-house pastry kitchen—the food menu includes other summer snack foods like tater tots with spicy togarashi, the classic CUT mac and cheese, and buffalo chicken wings. There’s even a chocolate hot dog on cinnamon brioche, if you’re in the mood for sweet over savory to pair with your bubbles. Other hot dog options include the Native Dog, a crispy native lobster tempura with Marie rose sauce and beluga caviar, or the Kagoshima, which pairs an A5 Wagyu striploin with Japanese mayo and shaved summer truffle.
The pop-up runs until September 29, so keep it on your radar if you’re in London this summer with a craving for some bubbly and salty snacks. More information here .
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