Warning. This post is going to contain bacon.
A lot of bacon.
Redbank has, ahead of their traditional summer of booze events, collaborated with some of our favourite street food traders for some great pop up events, alongside their usual cafe and bar operations.
Obviously, when the opportunity to take a date along to one involving 5 courses of piggy arose, I was always going to say yes. Even in my most healthy living moments, there is always room for bacon, and when it’s from the dream duo of James (Bobby’s Bangers) and Richard (Flavours Found) with their own cured pork goodies, it doesn’t really get any better.
Dining is downstairs, essentially in the photographers studio, that forms part of Redbank’s diverse uses, on picnic style benches, fake grass and white walls adding to the feeling of being in a Teletubby hideaway.
Our first course added to the picnic feel. Individual pig shaped wooden boards, filled with little pots of chutney, bacon jam and pate, sausage on a stick, and served alongside terrine and fresh soft focaccia bread.
Rich, soft, buttery pate, sweet sharp chutney and meaty, smoky bacon jam. Stuff the bread, hand me a spoon.
Next up was a pulled ham creole chowder, served with crisp treacle bacon and buttered cornbread. This was rich and spicy, I love a good chowder and the flavours in this had been allowed to develop and build into delicious layers – from meaty ham through to the acidity of the tomato.
Onto our middle course, sausages and mash – with potato and onion croquettes, sliced Toulouse sausage and tomato and herb puree.
Given I spend so much time hiding away from carbohydrate during training, potatoes are a serious treat and these fluffy, buttery, creamy croquettes with their crisp coating really were that.
The sausages are infused with Rioja and thyme and are delicious whatever the occasion (perfect in a lentil casserole or traditional cassoulet), their meatiness, the creamy potato and fruitiness of the tomato sauce, paired together so well, my place, and that of my date, was cleared in mere moments while my taste buds did a happy dance.
Our penultimate course. Did I mention this was £20 for 5 courses, just like their Guerrilla Eats event later this month? No? Then there you go.
Anyway, this course involved more potatoes, this time dauphinoise style that were done perfectly, tender rhubarb cured pork, allotment veg and rhubarb veloute. The pork was so tender it surrendered to the knife without a whimper of resistance, the potato dauphinoise was creamy and gently firm, and the vegetable held that light sweetness only good fresh vegetables can. Though admittedly, the veloute might have looked a little slapdash, both the contrast in colour on the plate, and in flavour were welcome, tying flavours together.
Finally, dessert. No, still there was no escaping from the bacon (like I’d have wanted to). The creme bacon-lee with bacon infused cream, maple syrup and a side of crispy bacon and cream. The latter, could have done with an injection of syrup, despite looking pretty, but the brulee was gorgeous. The bacon infusion in the cream was limited in flavour, but the maple syrup flavour was present and correct and the texture and crisp top was an absolute pleasure to eat.
Once again the chaps turned street food into a 5 course dining experience, and yes, a couple of tweaks are needed, it’s still an utter bargain for £20.
I can’t wait to see what they’re going to create for their Chef’s Table.
The food enjoyed on this visit was provided for free by Redbank – all drinks were purchased at our own expense.
As ever, a meal supplied, doesn’t ensure a positive review. However, other than a couple of tweaks we felt could be made (which have been fed back to the organisers ahead of publication) we had a lovely time and enjoyed every mouthful.