The American Invasion
Our food columnist Rosie Birkett on why culinary Americana is taking over London
A L O T O N
H E R P L A T E
SITTING AT THE
heaving, neon-lit bar at the newly-opened Pork
Slope in Brooklyn recently, Tom Byng and I contemplated just
how well the menu of blue-collar American junk food has slotted
in to the London food scene. Byng, the founder of the UK's
Byron hamburger chain, was on one of his regular Stateside
visits, something that's been integral to the success of his own
American-inspired venture, and I – a US food enthusiast and street
food stallholder (@londonfrenchdip) – was along for the ride.
Anyone who's paid attention to the hottest new openings
in London will know that he's just one of many of the capital's
restaurateurs taking cues from across the pond. American food
is having a huge moment, and it's gone way beyond the burger-
and-BBQ trend pioneered by the likes of Byron, MeatLiquor
and Pitt Cue. What became apparent, as we perused the sticky,
laminated menu, was quite how much seriously esoteric,
seriously high-quality items of American fast food you can now
get hold of in the UK capital.
We ordered tater tots – a sort of dirty-but-delicious deep-
fried dish of potato-cake croquettes – one of the sides available
at Bubbledogs in Soho, the new, much-talked about gourmet
hotdog and champagne restaurant from top chef James
Knappett. We also devoured some spicy-sweet, piquant chicken
wings, which were almost identical to the ones at MeatLiquor;
and a Chicago Dog (laden with fried onions and sinus-clearing
mustard) just like the one at Mishkins in Covent Garden. Fried
chicken – that American staple we've only just started taking
seriously – was on the menu too. You can get this done to
perfection at two new London openings: Jackson Boxer's Rita's
in Dalston, and William Leigh's Wishbone in Brixton.
The Po Boy (a spicy
fried shrimp sandwich
on a French baguette) at
Pork Slope had nothing
on the one I tried in
New Orleans earlier in
the year, but I'm holding out for the Southern soul food at Blue
Plate, the latest from the cooks behind Chiswick's Outsider Tart
bakery and deli, due to open this month. Chef and co-owner
David Muniz hails from the south and is planning a menu of
hearty dishes like southwest brisket hash with poached eggs and
Alabama biscuit muffins with Sorghum (a sweet cereal) butter.
Won’t be cancelling that gym membership quite yet, then...
We ordered tater
tots – dirty-but-
delicious deep-fried
potato croquettes
1 0 9
V I E W P O I N T S
