Morito restaurant, Hackney

Anyone who's into Mediterranean and north African cuisine will have visited at least one of Clerkenwell's finest pair of restaurants, the tapas-style Morito and its more grown-up big brother Moro. Now, Sam and Samantha Clark's brainchild is opening its first branch in Hackney, and we couldn't be more excited.

It's intended to be a new experience, albeit with links and connections to its older siblings. Opening from breakfast through to dinner, it's a casual and relaxed experience at all times of day. The small plates menu remains intact, however, and typical dishes might include lamb chops with cumin and paprika, brill & cod fritura and the appearance of one of the much-loved Morito signature dishes, crispy aubergine with whipped feta and date molasses.

Head chef is Marianna Love, the current head chef at Moro, and we're delighted to hear that the venue is promising an open kitchen with horseshoe marble bar for casual counter-top eating. One thing that Morito's never had is a huge amount of space; hopefully this will now have changed, making for a more relaxing experience.

The Clarks lived off Columbia Road for many years, and have said how much they're looking forward to opening their latest neighbourhood restaurant. We can guarantee that they'll be getting visitors from considerably further afield than just Hackney.

Morito Hackney, 195 Hackney Road, London E2 8JL. Click here to go to Morito's website.