That Hungry Chef - Zoe's Ghana Kitchen - Smokehouse - Joe's Southern Kitchen

Today on the blog, a round up of some recent eats including a Goan supper club, a Ghanaian popup, and second sites in the suburbs for two reliable restaurants.

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First up, it's That Hungry Chef.  I've somehow managed to avoid attending any supper clubs over the last two years of Matt The Listing, perhaps due to the overwhelming number of new eateries that roar in to town on a weekly basis.  This year I will be balancing the scales.

Pratap Chahal, a.k.a That Hungry Chef, and his wife Nikhat welcomed us in to their stunning Holloway home on a sunny Thursday evening, along with 12 or so other charming randomers, for a Traditional Goan Thali.  We arrived early to take a tour of their magical garden that is used for outdoor dinners, brunches and BBQs in the summer months.  Keep an eye out for that hippo.

As Pratap calmly applied the finishing touches in his tiny kitchen, we made friends around the room, bonding over our BYOB choices whilst glancing enviously towards Pratap & Nikhat's booze chest.  A chilli sitting on each place setting threatened to become a supper club hazing dare, but thankfully the glorious home-cooked food started arriving before anyone caved.  

That Hungry Chef formally introduced himself, discussing the evening ahead and his one rule, nailed above the kitchen door - "Kiss The Chef".  He then produced the simply magnificent Sannas & pork ‘vinha d’alhos’ - Fermented rice pancakes with a mild pork vindaloo, 6,000 or so miles away from the hideous British version.  No cutlery was needed and it was gone in seconds.  More please.

Soon after, the all-in-one thali platters were laid out, and those in the know put their desserts to one side for later.  In no particular order, we all got stuck in to our little bowls of Nishtyachi Kodii (Traditional Goan fish curry), Temperado (green beans & carrots in spiced coconut milk) and Foogath (curried spring cabbage stir fry) and mopped everything up with Red Rice & Peanut Pulao and Crispy Plantain Wafers.  Delicious.

After polishing off the savoury selection, I went fishing for some Pickled Walnut and Doce (chickpea and cardamom fudge) in my delectable Sago & Coconut Pudding (similar in texture to tapioca).

Due to the thali-style presentation, dinner was over rather quicker than I had expected, but our hosts kept us all happy with some bonus Bebinca (a 16 layered pancake cake! - recipe here) and some sneaky tasters of East London Liquor Company Gin and Bunnahabhain 12.  

A few drams later, (and after some bonding with Pratap over smoked beer and obscure Eddie Izzard skits), we proposed that they open up a B&B service.  Denied.  Fingers crossed it will be an option next time. In a nice touch, we were sent home with one of That Hungry Chef's artisanal food products.  I came away with a jar of dangerously hot Mojo Risin' green relish salsa which I'm ever so slightly afraid of.

It was an unfortgettable evening of fine food and fun in great company, possibly setting the bar a little too high for my future supper club escapades.  There are no more Goan Thali evenings coming up, but you might want to grab some tickets to either the Secret Garden Barbecue or the intriguing Perfume : The Edible Scent events before they sell out.  You won't regret it.

More supper clubs worth investigating:

Uyen Luu - A Vietnamese Feast in Uyen's airy London Fields home

The Adobros - Traditional Filipino food from two brothers in New Cross

Disappearing Dining Club - All manner of dinner parties in fun locations

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From Goa to Ghana, Zoe Adjonyoh's Ghana Kitchen is half way through a two month residency at The King & Co. in Clapham Common.  In other words, you've got until 31st May to sample Zoe's signature peanut butter & mutton stew in cosy pub surroundings.

Zoe serves up her modern twist on traditional Ghanaian food in small plate form.. We went along last month for an evening of sharing plates and African beer.

Highlights included moreish Okra Tempura with shito hot pepper sauce, hearty Red Red beans with Kelewele chunky plantain chips and Jollof Chicken Skewers with jollof rice; the latter carrying quite a kick which caught me off guard more than once.  

Okra Tempura with shito hot pepper sauce

Red Red Beans with Kelewele chunky plantain chips

Jollof Chicken Skewers

Jollof Rice

The pick of the mains is indeed her homespun adaptation of West African peanut butter stew which first starred at Hackney Wick Arts Festival four years ago, launching Zoe's street food & popup career.  In an exciting development, she has just confirmed that Zoe's Ghana Kitchen will be opening a permanent restaurant later this month in a shipping container in the hotly anticipated Pop Brixton campus.  Here's what Zoe had to say:

“I'm so excited to be opening our first fixed dining space in Brixton, south of the river and close to where I grew up. We hope to become part of Brixton’s natural buzz and vibrancy, and to build upon this in coming years while spreading the love for modern Ghanaian cuisine!”

Artists representation of Pop Brixton's shipping container campus

But before that launches, you should head to Clapham for a taste; and why not do it in style on 13th May when Zoe is teaming up with A Grape Night In for "It's Ghana Be Grape" - 5 collaborative courses of wine and food.

Zoe’s current two month residency at The King & Co pub in Clapham ends on Sunday 31st May.

Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen at POP Brixton will aim to open in late May. 

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Now for a quick round up of second sites for existing eateries.  First up, Neil Rankin & Noble Inns have converted Chiswick's Hole In The Wall gastropub in to another meaty Smokehouse, following on from success with the concept in Islington.

The North London branch has an enviable beer selection that the W4 outpost doesn't quite match, but there is a marvellous whisky bar out West instead with 100+ bottles from all over the world.  Arrive early and splash out on a pre-dinner Yamazaki 18yo dram.

On the food front, Neil Rankin's influence is clear as several Korean flavours (also prominent at Bad Egg) make their way into the smoky, meaty menu.  A table of 6 is what you need if you want to order everything on the menu, and that's exactly what we did.  It was all rather wonderful, but I've highlighted a winner from each section in case you are dining solo.

Starters

Somerset goat tacos with chipotle & green salsa 6.00

Burnt leeks, Portobello, truffle oil, parmesan & Cackleberry Farm egg 6.50

Chopped brisket roll & gochujang 7.00

Deep fried rock oyster, beef dripping toast, smoked bone marrow 7.50

Fresh picked Cornish crab on sourdough toast 8.00

Foie gras, apple pie & Cackleberry Farm egg 10.00

Mains

Blackened delica pumpkin, tahini, dill & flat bread 13.50

“The Sphere”; smoked ham hock, pigs cheek & squid romesco 16.00

Coal baked salmon with a warm Thai salad 16.50

Smoked Elwy Valley lamb shoulder, polenta, raclette & sambal 16.50

Shortrib bourguignon, creamy mash, bacon & Essex Portobello mushrooms 17.50

Smoked Telfarm duck breast, kimchi & potato cake 17.50

Sides

Grilled Romaine lettuce 3.00

Caramel roast potatoes 3.00

Chilli kale 4.00

Korean pulled pork 4.00

Desserts

Double D tart 6.50

Apple crumble & bourbon prunes 6.50

Poached rhubarb, cream cheese & almond praline 6.50

Rum & raisin rice pudding, blackberry jam & almond 6.50

Burnt leeks, Portobello, truffle oil, parmesan & Cackleberry Farm egg

Deep fried rock oyster, beef dripping toast, smoked bone marrow

Chopped brisket roll & gochujang

Chopped brisket roll & gochujang

Apple crumble & bourbon prunes

Smokehouse Chiswick is ever so slightly in the middle of nowhere, so you might want to make the most of it by ticking off the Dragonfly Brewery (at The George and Dragon pub), Charlotte's W4 (for food and gin), The Italian Job (for Italian craft beer), and Outsider Tart (for American baked treats). And if you are really keen, return another time for American soul food at Blue Plate, and Wednesday night "Supper Clubs" at The Griffin from a former Waldorf Astoria chef.  Or just save up all of your pennies and go to Hedone.  Sorted.

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Joe's Southern Kitchen and Bar have opened up a second site in Kentish Town where Kentish Canteen and Shebeen used to be, complete with a Jailbird basement bar making use of old police cells, much like Knowhere Special next door.

Make no mistake, you need to come hungry and you should probably bring a bib.  24 hour sweet tea brined free range chicken with lemon dust is the order of the day, but there are plenty of other dishes to get stuck in to. Turn up with 10 or more people and you can opt for the "Feed Me" feast menu which is served family style for sharing to avoid having to make difficult choices.

24 Hour Sweet Tea Brined Free Range Chicken with Lemon Dust - Photo by Gaztronome

We had quite a feast ourselves, tucking in to enjoyable portions of Devilled Eggs, Mac'N'Cheese, Shrimp'N'Grits and Collard Greens. alongside buckets of Fried Chicken and Buckwheat Waffles with Bourbon Maple Syrup and Chicken Gravy, but two small plates stood out in particular.

Demand a pan of their Gooey Corn Spoon Bread with Clotted Cream and Red Leicester Cheese, followed swiflty by the Deep Fried Short Rib Meat Loaf with Red Onion Jam, Poached Egg and Dijonnaise. I didn't want to share the latter, at all. Both are worthy of the #foodporn hashtag.  I can also recommend the Artichoke, Spinach & Cheddar Dip which I remember devouring in their Covent Garden outpost. Larger plates of 8 Hour Slow Roast Beef Short Rib and Blackened Catfish Fillet will surely not disappoint either.

Unsurprisingly, Joe's Southern is also well set up for Breakfast and Brunch, opening from 8am-11.45am Monday-Friday with bottomless filter coffee, and 9am-4pm on Saturday & Sunday for Breakfast Muffins and Gravy'N'Biscuits.

But you must pay Joe's a visit when desserts are up for grabs, and order them all.  Southern Pecan Pie with Jim Beam Honey Cream, Peanut Butter Fudge Pie, and Iced Honeycomb & Chocolate Parfait Sandwich are all stonking, and only £4.00 each?! Get involved. 

Gooey Corn Spoon Bread with Clotted Cream and Red Leicester Cheese

Deep Fried Short Rib Meat Loaf with Red Onion Jam, Poached Egg and Dijonnaise

Mac'N'Cheese with Four Cheeses and a Biscuit Crust

Iced Honeycomb & Chocolate Parfait Sandwich

Kentish Town is on a bit of a roll at the moment with new openings aplenty, so you might want to make a day of it.  Be sure to spend a penny in Ladies & Gentlemen, a cocktail bar in a converted public toilet from William Borrell of Vestal Vodka.  You might also want to check out Patron Cave A Manger for French food & wine, Caps & Taps for craft beer to takeaway, and soon a new Camden Town Brewery pub on the site of O'Reilly's.

There are plenty of older spots worth a look too, such as Shoe Shop, Anima E Cuoré, and The Southampton Arms.  As ever, Kentish Towner is your best bet for up to date North London food & drink news.

Kilburn Ironworks - Ladies & Gentlemen - Knowhere Special - Hook Camden

I had an efficient few days gallivanting around North London back in January. Then I didn't write it up for over a month for some reason.  And here we are.

Scroll down for local brews at Kilburn Ironworks, toilet booze at Ladies & Gentlemen, cosy caves at Knowhere Special, and funky fish and chips at Hook Camden.

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Saturday 12th January - It was first announced that a Jimi Pearce & Will Partridge Wax Jambu sequel was imminent way back in late 2013, but locals had to wait another year for neighbourhood hangout Kilburn Ironworks to finally arrive.  Was it worth the wait?

Absolutely. They have transformed the awkward long and thin room into a welcoming, cosy lodge with smart lighting and an eye-catching drinks station (complete with fire extinguisher taps). There's a great spirits selection, a wide range of top beers (with London breweries featuring heavily), a quirky list of £8 shandies and cocktails, and an enticing food menu.

The standout cocktail was the Malt Merchant - Monkey Shoulder, toasted porter reduction and lemon, topped up with Anspach & Hobday Smoked Brown with a Gosling’s Black Seal Rum float. The spirits-focused Stoke Me A Clipper was also a winner - Four Roses Bourbon, Pedro Ximenez, Cocchi Americano and Marca Negra Mezcal, served straight up.  Two good reasons to sign up for their cocktail school which starts at around £20 per person for groups of 8+.

Camden & Meantime aren't the most exciting draught beer options these days, but Beavertown keeps things interesting.  There's also a strong bottle list that includes brews from Pressure Drop, Weird Beard and Hammerton.

Jason conducting with a beer

Stoke Me A Clipper - Bourbon, Sherry, Vermouth, Mezcal

Malt Merchant - Whisky, Porter Reduction, Lemon, A&H Smoked Brown, Dark Rum

The kitchen wasn't up and running when we visited but they did have the magnificent Pig & Hay scotch eggs on offer (which are still on the menu).  One of those bad boys and a Kernel IPA will only set you back £7.  A return trip is in order to try some of this lot:

- Smog Rocket Toasted Porter Welsh Rarebit - £5

- Braised Squid & Calabrian Sausage - £7.50

- Razor Clams with Chorizo, Chilli & Garlic - £8.50

- Welsh Wagyu Beef Burger - £12/17

- Flat Iron Steak - £10

Plus optional sauces including Mezcal Horseradish Cream and Islay Whisky Peppercorn!

Pig & Hay Scotch Egg

A surefire hit on Kilburn High Road - check it out.

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We swapped Kilburn for Kentish Town in search of a few more drinks, with Ladies & Gentlemen in our sights.  Being a Saturday night (note to self: stay in on weekends), it was rammed at 9pm, as was the nearby Knowhere Special (more on that later), so we killed some time in The Assembly House pub which turned out to be rather charming.  

If it's a public house you are looking for around Kentish Town, then you should definitely check out The Southampton Arms for all the ales, The Colonel Fawcett for gin and outstanding Sunday roasts, and Tapping The Admiral to meet Nelson the pub cat.  And of course there's the Camden Town Brewery Bar which always has top street food traders in the courtyard.

Anyway, I digress.  We eventually made it into Ladies & Gentlemen for a drink towards the end of the evening, and then again the following Wednesday to do it justice.  It's the latest bar to refurbish public toilets, following on from the likes of Bermondsey Arts Club and WC Clapham. William Borrell of Vestal Vodka is the brains behind this bog-boozer, and he and his team have built a lively and friendly bar in a small space that already seems to be a huge hit with the locals (dogs included!).

Arrive early if you want to grab one of the front row seats next to their 16 litre copper alembic still (out of action on our visit), though be prepared for it to get pretty crowded behind you at times. You'll find Manager Steve keeping an eye on the room whilst Fraser and Leah hold court behind the bar.

You might like to start with their opposing Ladies & Gents Old Fashioned twists, or a Rhubarb & Custard (served in a classic Bird's Custard tin), but we went mostly off-menu during both of our stays.  I'm going to drop back in for a proper look at their set cocktail list once they've had a little more time to settle down and feature some Vestal.

Leah made me two impressive Vestal Vodka-based drinks that will probably find their way on to the menu soon - a serious Martini-style Spring Demon, and an un-named Vestal Kazebe & Ilegal Mezcal duet. Fraser came up trumps with a delightful Calvados number that we labelled Hidden Depths due to its clever use of Sloe Gin and Dry Vermouth.  Both also dealt well with some of our more left-field demands - "Something loving, insightful and mentally unstable please!".

Ladies & Gentlemen is the kind of bar that you never want to leave.  Be sure to have a taste of the Vestal Vodka range whilst you are there - you will be pleasantly surprised!  If they get themselves a proper late licence, I'll be making many more trips up North.  Bring on the 24 hour tubes!

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Wednesday 7th January - After a spot of fish and chips (see below) and before a trip to the loo (see above), we had a second go at getting in to Knowhere Special.  This was following a failed attempt on a busy Saturday evening when a brusque DJ/doorman hybrid wouldn't grant us access.  Weekends are the worst.  It was much more pleasant on a Wednesday, and we had the bar to ourselves to start with.

Blink and you'll miss Knowhere Special.  That little doorway inbetween The Assembly House and the sadly now shut Kentish Canteen (soon to become Joe's Southern Kitchen) - that's what you are looking for.  Walk through the colourful corridor and down some stairs, and you will be rewarded with a stunning little bar, full of oddments and magical lighting.

The corridor! Clever mirror shot? Nope. Just Ella Paskett doing her thing.

The front room is beautifully lit, particularly the bar, but you will find it hard to resist sitting in one of their converted prison cell alcoves.  Take your pick from the Garden (complete with gnomes), Bedroom and Kitchen caves.  There is a slight sacrifice on bar atmosphere in these cosy corners, but they are great if you are in a group.

They have a long list of classic cocktails to choose from, but on your first visit you really have to dive in to their special house drinks selection.  Each creation has been paired with a snack ranging from the mysterious ("An Autumn scene gives you a view") to the self explanatory ("A handful of bitter-spiced nuts to go with that").  This unsurprisingly bumps prices up around the £11-13 mark which is fairly pricey for the area, but worth indulging in.  And that we did:

- Friars Luck - House spiced rum, benedictine, yellow chartreuse, burnt orange peel & a hint of frankincense - with toffee apples and some salt chocolate - £11

- Ramble On...  - Pink peppercorn infused vodka, Zubrowka bison grass vodka, fresh lime, apple syrup, dry vermouth and bitters - with blackberry crumble - £11

- That's A Peach... Almost - Bourbon, lemon juice, fresh barbecued spiced peach puree, marigold syrup - with spiced almond milk and cookies - £10.50

- Choc On The Bay - Brokers Gin, stirred with dry vermouth and toasted cardamom pods, finished with a bay leaf and chocolate syrup - with a zesty lemon cheesecake - £11.50

Ramble on... with blackberry crumble

Friars Luck with toffee apples and salt chocolate

That's A Peach...Almost with almond milk and cookies

All four were a great success, and I really appreciated my strong and complex Choc On The Bay with subtle hints of cardamom and chocolate coming through.  That's A Peach...Almost worked well both with and without the spiced almond milk; the clever use of a water glass allowed for a bit of taste testing before committing to mixing it all in.

We didn't order the much-talked about Park Bench cocktail which is presented in a brown paper bag, and served in a Strongbow Can, with a sausage roll on the side.  They basically reduce Strongbow to the bare minimum, and then build it back up in to their own take on cider with Apple Brandy, Poire William Eau de Vie, House Syrup & Fizz.  One to go back for.

Oh, and they sell Curly Wurly Bars (80p), Pickled Onion Space Raiders (20p), and Salt & Vinegar Squares (70p). Sold.

Not a cocktail...

...but a candle

Matt The Tip - You should probably get some food to go with all of those Kentish Town cocktails. Book in advance for the tiny but perfectly formed Anima E Cuore, or try for Shoe Shop nearer Tufnell Park.  There's always the Soho House group Holy Trinity of Pizza East, Dirty Burger and Chicken Shop if the first two don't take your fancy.  

For all things Kentish Town, you should really refer to Kentish Towner.

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Last but not last (not a typo), before all the Kentish Town cocktails (scroll up), we met up in Camden for some unconventional fish and chips at Hook Camden.

Now, stay with me here.  Barry and Simon started doing the fish and chips thing on a stall in Dublin in 2011. Then they opened up a full restaurant in Brussels called Bia Mara (Irish for seafood) where Belgian beer played an important part.  And now they have landed in London, except they can't call it Bia Mara here for whatever reason, so Hook it is. 

Camden is hopefully just the first of many (Brixton could be next) for the Hook boys.  Their new school fish and chips may upset the odd purist, but anyone who doesn't want to try Ethiopian Berbere Spiced Pollock can head elsewhere.

Still here? Good. You made the right choice.  Hook Camden is a belter.  I obviously went for the special Ethiopian Berbere Spiced Pollock with Sweet Potato Ketchup - for £12.  Sauces are a big deal there, and each fish is paired with one (which you can swap out for something else of course),.Every order also receives an epic portion of Seaweed Salted Chips.   

On top of that, we attempted to finish Classic Panko Crusted Cod, Cajun Spiced Panko Red Gurnard, and Thai Green Tempura of Seabream, all with a load more Seaweed Salted Chips and all the sauces for £10 each. I'm talking Homemade Tartar, Garlic Truffle, Lemon & Basil, Lemon Cajun, Chipotle and more.  It's all great stuff - beautifully cooked Flying Fish Seafood with a range of seasoning in either Panko (Breadcrumbs) or Tempura (Light Batter).  

The sauces do threaten to steal the show and mask the fishy flavours every now and then, so go easy. It's a marathon, not a sprint.  For a tenner all in, it doesn't really matter if you don't finish everything, though by the looks of it the Red Gurnard might be a tad pissed off.

Do not mess with the Red Gurnard

All the Seaweed Salted Chips

Cajun Spiced Panko Red Gurnard

Ethiopian Berbere Spiced Pollock with Sweet Potato Ketchup

If you don't fancy fish (what are you doing there?), then there are two panko chicken options, and a veggie-friendly main course of parmesan and mozzarella arancini (sadly not available as a side). Speaking of sides, we can vouch for the refreshing Sea Spaghetti & Samphire Citron Salad which provided much needed balance, and the classic Minty Mushy Peas (hard to resist).

The beer list may expand soon, but for now you should be able to get by with a couple of Brixton Brewery bottles or Brasserie de la Senne's Taras Boulba.

Brixton Brewery Electric I.P.A. at Hook Camden

Barry mentioned some bonkers sounding daytime disco brunch party plans but I await further details. Keep your ears to the ground.  In the meantime, get down to Hook Camden before everyone realises how fantastic it is.  You won't leave hungry.

For more ideas, check out this recent Londonist post on the Capital's finest fish and chips