On a dark and windy night, with Storm Nino doing its worst, my journey to SlowBurn took two hours instead of one. A train had fallen on the tracks at Tottenham Hale, bringing services to a standstill, and as I stood at Stratford wondering whether to abandon ship before things got any worse, I had a moment of doubt. But I’d been looking forward to SlowBurn for ages, not least because I was meeting dear friends, so I thought, no, I’m getting there somehow. And get there I did, arriving at Blackhorse Road feeling rather like Sir Edmund Hillary after conquering Everest. Small victories.
A five-minute walk later, I found myself outside the factory, where the warm, glowing light of SlowBurn was waiting to welcome me in. It’s an entirely unconventional entrance to a restaurant, which I loved. There’s something wonderfully quirky and exciting about stepping through the doors without quite knowing what awaits you.
And what a vibe. The place was buzzing, full of chatter, happy diners and equally happy staff keeping everything moving. This is no ordinary restaurant setting. The denim factory is very much part of the experience, with sewing machines, washing machines, clothing patterns and all the paraphernalia of a working atelier surrounding you. By day, Blackhorse Lane Ateliers is busy creating beautifully crafted jeans; by night, from Friday to Sunday, the culinary magic happens.
SlowBurn is the creation of Bulgarian-born chef and owner Chavdar Todorov, who opened the restaurant in November 2020, right in the middle of lockdown. What began as a humble takeaway operation, run by a team of just two has grown into a much-loved neighbourhood restaurant with a team of fifteen.
We were seated at one of the workstations, with plenty of room for the feast ahead. A glass of fizz was in order, to celebrate friendship, our successful journey and the fact that we’d all made it in one piece. Then it was time to get stuck in.
We began with a selection of small plates to share, and choosing favourites was almost impossible. Black bean gyoza tacos with tomatillo and coriander salsa were delicious, while the ox cheek and oxtail potato rösti with 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano was a real standout. Cauliflower fritters with smoked garlic aioli disappeared at speed, as did the Badger Flame tomatoes and Chioggia beetroot with Beckham Blue cheese and burnt spring onion. Lightly cured trout with Serrano chilli and blue moon radish brought a fresh, zingy note to the table.
What makes SlowBurn particularly interesting is its commitment to putting vegetables centre stage. This isn’t a token nod to plant-based dining, but a genuinely thoughtful approach to seasonal ingredients, with dishes that are every bit as exciting as their meat and fish counterparts.
The next round was a glorious celebration of vegetables. Black fig, courgettes and Dazel Ash goat’s cheese with walnut dressing; Foskett Farm carrots with feta, pistachios, carrot-top salsa and lemon honey; and purple sprouting broccoli with broccoli mustard and SlowBurn’s peanut chilli crisp. Each dish had its own personality, and all were utterly delicious.
There was also a rather wonderful pasta dish of Pitchfork cheddar, celeriac and brown butter agnolotti with red onion, lemongrass caramel and mint. A combination that might sound unexpected, but worked beautifully.
For those wanting something a little more substantial, we opted for the whole Cornish sole with zhoug butter and pink-cooked bavette steak with white onion and gravy. Both were excellent, bringing a satisfying balance to the vegetable-led feast.
There are just two sides on the menu: roast baby potatoes with house rub and smoked garlic mayo. Naturally, it would have been rude not to try both.
We rounded things off with the highly recommended apple cake and blue cheese ice cream, a combination that proved every bit as divine as promised. It may sound as though we went a little overboard, but believe me, every dish was addictive. We pretty much devoured the lot. By the time we left, the storm and our rather epic journey had been completely forgotten. SlowBurn had more than made up for it.
SLOWBURN
Blackhorse Lane Ateliers, Blackhorse Lane, London E17
Dinner Friday–Sunday; lunch Saturday and Sunday
slowburn.london
Check the website for bookings and current menus.
FOLLOW BEAST MAG @beastmag_london