London bites: Tempo & LASA
London dining chatter is loud: Tempo in Bethnal Green earned rave '10/10 mouth appeal' reviews, while LASA's tasting menu has elevated a former spice‑bag spot into a refined, decorative neighborhood destination. (x.com) (x.com)
Tempo was opened by founders Dan Long and chef Eric Wan beneath the railway arches at 252 Paradise Row in Bethnal Green. (tempo.restaurant) Chef Eric Wan moved from his LA LOT pop‑up into Tempo after stages and roles including Kol and Dinner by Heston, and his menu draws on Cantonese‑Vietnamese family influences. (broadsheet.com) Early national reviews have been positive: The Standard gave Tempo a four‑star review on 8 January 2026, while The Infatuation scored it 8.7 in March 2026 and highlighted its Southeast Asian plates. (standard.co.uk) Tempo markets a wine‑forward experience with a rotating natural wine list and by‑the‑glass selections that reviewers flagged alongside signature small plates such as prawn toast. (theinfatuation.com) LASA was founded by husband‑and‑wife Conor and Elizabeth Brennan after building a following with a Common Market spice‑bag stall that went viral — notably when singer Lizzo referenced the dish in 2023. (lasabelfast.com) The couple converted that street‑food success into a 10‑table restaurant on Upper Newtownards Road in Ballyhackamore offering a monthly‑changing Filipino tasting menu alongside an à la carte option. (lasabelfast.com) Local reporting and official records show LASA holds a Food Hygiene Rating of 5 after an inspection on 3 December 2025, and some reviewers noted the tasting menu was intermittently paused during visits with plans to reinstate it. (hygieneratings.uk)
