Chef-owner James Henry admits he didn’t have a big budget to make his dream of a Parisian restaurant come true, so the project involved rolling up his sleeves and doing much of the renovation work himself, along with his business partners. The premises James chose was an old Irish pub, so job number one was taking out all the old dark wood panelling and other faux-Irish tat. Luckily for the team, once the destruction was complete, there wasn’t much need for a big construction phase, as the beautiful old building that had been lying there beneath the surface all along suited their purposes down to the ground.
Bones makes a feature of the pre-existing architectural elements that were revealed, such as stone walls and old tiling, and gives the restaurant an earthy, back-to-basics vibe. James moved to France from Australia three years ago for a bit of an adventure, but what started out as a working holiday turned into something more permanent. After stints in a couple of kitchens in the capital, and running one, he decided it was time for his own place. Bones, he says, reflects where he is in his own life; it’s an informal and affordable place, with an accessible menu and the bar located in the dining room creating a convivial hubbub.
