Bangers and Bacon have been a resident every week at the latest series of Guerrilla Eats events. Although Gurrilla Eats is free entry and pay for food at each of the vendors, advanced tickets should be bought for a place at the Bangers and Bacon chefs table as they sell out! Luckily we had our place booked for the 6pm sitting this Saturday and we were keen to discover for ourselves why these events are selling out.
Guerrilla Eats has relocated to Sudehill just by the bus station for its latest run of events and arriving around 6pm on a sunny Saturday meant it was fairly quiet on arrival. We grabbed a drink at the well stocked bar and headed upstairs in the redundant wholesalers building which has been cleverly used to host Guerrilla Eats food events.
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| Guerrilla Eats |
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| Umbrellas and lights to decorate the redundant wholesale building |
At the top of the stairs, Bangers and Bacon occupy a large area out of the way of the music with 3 large tables, enough to seat around 30 people. At the far end is their kitchen area. Open to the viewing of the dining audience, allowing them to see how the menu is put together from start to finish.
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| Bangers and Bacon Chefs Table |
Arriving early we had free choice of seats so sat right up against the kitchen and immediately got talking to the Bangers and Bacon team.
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| Simple decorations to create a friendly, sociable setting within the first floor |
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| Open kitchen for diners to view |
The team aim to bring a different menu each week. Every week they develop 5 courses, with every course containing pork, from starter to dessert.
Having no idea of the menu before hand left me grabbing the first 1 I saw to see what pork filled creations would be in store tonight.
The menu explained the dishes perfectly while leaving your imagination open to try dream what the flavours will taste like as each course arrives.
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| Chefs Table - Week 11 Menu |
As the tables filled up and the first course was almost ready, Richard introduced himself to the diners with a warm welcome, introduced the rest of the kitchen staff/chefs and set the evening going. He explained that although the menu is as they planned, there are occasions when the menus change slightly.
First course; Pig Pickle and Pate
This first course consist of a Wellington, made with their award winning sausage meat, would be combined with bacon jam. On the side would be some bacon pate and homemade chutney.
Having watched all these being created I couldn't wait to try them!
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| Course 1 in preperation |
As the little slates of Wellington were brought to the tables they were accompanied by crackers in the centre of the table.
Richard explained to the diners that this course brought the first change to the menu. The Wellington had been replaced with more of a sausage infused swirl.
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| Wellington Swirl with bacon Pate |
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| Crackers to accompany the starter |
The first bite of cracker with the swirl and chutney brought a fantastic taste! I'm a bit of a sausage snob and like to think I recognise good sausage meat when I try it. It was immediately obvious why the sausage meat was award winning! I could have eaten an unlimited number of these swirls!
Richard later explained that they do make full sausages with this meat, and can be found under their sausage retailer name of Bobby's Bangers, so I'll have my eye out for these as soon as I can!!
The chutney accompanied the swirl and sausage meat perfectly. The bacon pate was smooth and had a perfect bacon hit!
If every course was to taste like this, we were in for a treat!!
Second course; It's Pho Simple
The second course was a traditional Pho (traditional Vietnamese noodle soup) infused with Asian flavours and filled with cured, sticky, charred pork.
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| Pho, noodle soup topped with pork cracker |
The generous pork slices within this soup were well cooked and just as described on the menu. They had a slight sticky texture to them but were well cured to give a fantastic taste. The pork flavours were transferred into the noodles and the soup meaning I enjoyed every last drop.
Each Pho portion had been topped with a very lightly fried crackling type piece. Asking Richard what exactly these were, he explained that they were a type of pork flavoured prawn cracker. I'd describe them as a cross between a prawn cracking and pork scratchings.
Third course; Oriental Spicy Swine
Chinese steamed buns, kimchee slaw and wasabi mayo.
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| Chinese steamed buns with wasabi sauce and slaw |
Perhaps the course I was most apprehensive about from the menu description, not being the biggest fan of wasabi. However combining the steamed parcel with a little of the wasabi made for a great little hit following the pasta filled pork flavours.
The side portion of fresh slaw cleansed the pallet well if the wasabi was too much.
We'd been able to watch each parcel lovingly prepared by hand as we'd sat right next to the pasta preparation area. Inside each parcel was a great little portion of seasoned minced pork.
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| Preparation of the steamed parcels |
Fourth course; "Hungary" Like a Pig
Ravioli of Paprikash, warm Italian salad, and basil emulsion
A couple of soft parcels of freshly made pasta ravioli filled with minced pork, seasoned with onions, sided with a tomato salad and drizzled with a basin sauce.
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| Pork filled, freshly made ravioli parcels with Italian Salad and Basil Emulsion |
I think the staff had underestimated the preparation time for the ravioli and so this course was perhaps a little rushed. The parcels were a little undercooked, however the minced pork inside each ravioli packet tasted great.
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| Minced pork filled Ravioli |
The combination of the tomato salad and basin sauce worked very well to create a fresh flavour with the ravioli.
This course took a while longer than all the other to be served and so I wondered if it had been a little rushed in the cooking of the ravioli. Perhaps a little more patience in the cooking and serving it a little later may have perfected it.
Fifth Course; Bloody, Bitter & Bacon
Bitter chocolate, blood, orange pot, with bacon thins
A bitter, dark chocolate orange mousse, with pigs blood. This mouse was served with a cookie which should have contained bacon pieces. Here came the second change to the menu for the evening as it would seem the bacon pieces were omitted from the side biscuit.
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| Cream topped, blood, chocolate and orange mousse accompanied by a biscuit. |
Everyone seemed a little apprehensive about this course when they were told that the chocolate mousse contained pigs blood. I dug in undeterred and instantly enjoyed the thick, rich chocolate flavour. The orange was an obvious follow on flavour while the pigs blood gave the mousse a thicker consistency. I couldn't find it at all in the taste. I think the dark chocolate and orange flavours may have overpowered any pigs blood taste, but it was obvious in the consistency. It made the mousse very thick and what I could only describe as a slight gritty texture. This doesn't give it much credit in the description, but I promise it was a delightful end to a fantastic meal!
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| Bacon infused biscuit |
The pots were only small but with the rich chocolate it was just enough. As the chocolate got overpowering, the biscuit would help to take the edge off.
Conclusion
After a long wait I was glad I'd finally been able to attend one of Bangers and Bacon's chefs tables.The Bangers and Bacon team are extremely friendly and their pork inspired menus are incredible. To make so many dishes, all containing pork, and to be able to create different dishes week after week, all of which taste so great is no easy achievement. It also intrigues me to return as each week would be different!
Due to this weeks menu I think a lot more preparation was required for some of the courses as they usually have, and so I think this created my only criticism. The fourth course of ravioli could perhaps have done with a little more prep before the event and a little more cooking at the event. But then I suppose this would take away the spectacle of creating each dish live in front of the dining audience.
Overall myself and the group I was with, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! If you like your pork tastes and you're in the search of something different then I highly recommend Bangers and Bacon. If you're into your sausages then keep your eye out for Bobby's bangers! If their sausages taste like the swirls from the first course, you'll be in for a treat with these well seasoned pork sausages!
Bangers and Bacon are also set to open a restaurant as part of "The Kitchens" in Spinningfields some time around mid June! Expect them to feature in the memoirs again when we check out the restaurants there.
In the mean time, you can book a place at the chefs tables at Guerrilla Eats here:
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangers-and-bacon-chefs-table-guerrilla-eats-week-12-tickets-16306774000?aff=eac2
@bangersandbacon
Bangers and Bacon Facebook Page
http://bangersandbacon.co.uk/
Meat Rating: 9/10
Money for meat: Paid in Full
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