BY KELLY BESWICK
The prospect of traipsing half way across town on a wet and windy Wednesday evening was not a particularly appealing one, especially as our eventual destination was a once godforsaken stretch of York Way, equidistance from Kentish Town and Caledonian Road tube stations. However, I am very pleased to report that our journey was more than worthwhile, with the intriguingly named Half Cut Market proving a buzzing, fun-filled place that truly justifies venturing out of East London for. An independent bottle shop, deli and wine bar that also happens to offer up some of the most incredible and innovative food we’ve tasted in a long, long time, its laid-back and informal vibe belies the seriousness of the cookery on offer here. Indeed, superlatives fail me, the dishes we sampled were really that darn good.
It therefore comes as no surprise to discover that Half Cut was founded three years ago by four friends, with an amazing pedigree in the food and drink business – we’re talking Noble Rot, The Marksman and 40ft Brewery to name just a few of their past endeavours. More recently they have been joined in the kitchen by Aiden Richardson, formerly of the Michelin-starred Brat, and clearly a man at the pinnacle of his cheffing game.
Our server on the night of our visit was George, a wonderfully Tiggerish young chap, whose enthusiasm for Aiden’s cooking certainly helped whet our appetites, as did a cheeky rum punch as we perused the weekly-changing small plate menu. With George’s steering we opted for bread and smoked butter and mussels escabeche with fennel. To enthuse about bread and butter might seem a little extra, but the sourdough was exceptional and once slathered in the smoky butter was perfect for mopping up the sweet and tangy sauce in which the plump mussels bathed, and which, incidentally, may just become my new desert island dish.
Next up was grilled potato flatbread with smoked eel mousse and chives, which was a super pimped up version of pitta bread and taramasalata, and one that we devoured with indecent haste. At this juncture and on our insistence, we let George select a bottle of red from the heaving shelf beside us. His choice was a Beaujolais, a wonderfully rich and fruity number that went perfectly with the quail and cabbage dishes we ordered next. Of course these weren’t any ordinary quail and cabbage dishes, with the small bird expertly deboned and fried, before being artfully dressed in a green goddess and hot sauce – a prettier and tastier dish you’ll be hard pushed to find and one that lingers in the memory even now. The brassica, meanwhile was of the pointed variety, expertly charred and covered in an indulgent Comté custard, with crispy breadcrumbs from the house sourdough for added texture. I’m not sure this could really count as one of our five a day, but I’m certainly not complaining. To finish off we shared figs with mascarpone and Pedro Ximénez, which came in the form of jellied cubes. It was another stunning looker of a dish, and which again lived up to its appearance taste-wise.
With an effusive farewell from George, we stumbled out into the cold night air, and while not quite half cut from the alcohol, we were certainly intoxicated by our amazing dining experience, making the journey home pass in a pleasurable daze.
halfcut.world
396 York Way, London N7 9LW
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