Until very recently I’ve lived in Clapham. It’s the only place in London I’ve lived in fact, and I love it. I like to think that I explored its blossoming food and drinks scene relatively thoroughly in my 3 years, but there was always one striking omission: The King & Co. This pub, notable for it’s gigantic beer selection and spree of residencies by street food/ pop up chefs, was right around the corner from my old house (literally right around; about 2 minutes walk). I missed a whole host of awesome vendors, including Donastia Social Club and The Cheese Truck, and theres no excuse for it. Not one.
So, when Fowl Mouths brought their Japanese comfort food to the King and Co pass I figured ‘enough’s enough’ and stormed down to try it out.
A few notes on the pub itself before I let loose on the food. It’s a comfortable, moderately sized boozer. It has an L shaped bar, a vast selection of ales on cask and bottle, and a sort of wood clad, young clapham crowd vibe. I keep going on about the beers but it really is a draw. When we were there they were having a tap takeover by Stillwater brewers and this sort of thing is common there. A must for hops lovers.
Now…back to the food. Melissa, the lady behind Fowl Mouth, started the brand after discovering the ‘soulful’ side of Japanese food by her sister’s kara-age chicken. She began cooking it herself and following an eating trip around Japan she launched a London supper club in South London cooking up her signatures.
Rather than dissecting her menu at King & Co myself, I asked Melissa to send out her favourites. Here’s how I got on…
First up were her Teriyaki Chilli Wings, sprinkled with sesame and glistening in an unctuous, thick glaze. My preference with chicken wings is for them to be crispy and sauced separately, but that’s just me and I’m a terrible purist. These made strides in convincing me otherwise. The sauce was very deep and rich, which I liked, and the chicken beneath was juicy. In short, these were some cracking wings and I’d guzzle them up again in a heartbeat.
The next starter was a Hirata bun (sort of like a bao – photo at top) stuffed with 8 hour braised beef short rib and an asian slaw. This too was excellent. The bun was soft and squishy (eloquent I know) and stuffed full to bursting with this strong flavoured beef, moist and melting in that way beef only can when crammed into something with heat on low, slow.
Mains followed, with less of a WOW than the starters but with a nonetheless pleasing arrival. Perhaps an OI OI. A ponzu steak marinated with citrus soy was lovely with tender, well cooked (medium rare) beef. The real surprise here was the rice and at this point comes another personal confession…I don’t like rice. That’s a slight exageration; I don’t mindddddd it but it’s never something I’d order or cook. This rice was lovely and actually TASTED of something, and that was before the beef juice and soy soaked into it. I was quite surprised.
The other main was kara-age chicken and this was fine. Not better than the steak or the starters but fine, and with a great wasabi slaw on the side.
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Dessert brought a strange little chocolate ball coated in sesame and floating in cream. This exploded into a liquid chocolate centre when prodded.
Who knew such a gem was lurking around my former corner!? Actually that’s a lie – I knew it was going to be good and I was a lazy, stupid idiot not to go before. I liked both King & Co for its comfort and beer focus, and Fowl Mouth foods for her Japanese comfort food. My favourites were her small plates – the Hirata bun and wings – and it’s these that I’d happily set up camp and munch down over a few Friday night ales. I’ll be back at the next residency!Fowl Mouth Food will be at the King & Co until the end of March 2016.
Further residencies to be announced.
