If there’re two things I adore in life (cheese excepted) they’re offal and burgers. Liver, when cooked properly (aka NOT well done or chalky), melting in the mouth upon the gentlest chew, is one of life’s most beautiful things. So is the ooze of a butter sautéed sweetbread. Lesser known cuts like cheeks, tail, shin, when slow cooked can result in stews of the richest, most unctuous proportions. I love it when people take these underused ingredients, transform them into delicious things and honour them like they deserve. As for burgers…well, just…burgers (*smiles creepily*).
So when I heard that street food masters Tongue ‘n’ Cheek had taken up food residency in The Joker of Penton Street, Angel, and were serving up burgers made from a patty of ox heart and super dry aged beef, suffice to say I was up for trying them out.
So when I heard that street food masters Tongue ‘n’ Cheek had taken up food residency in The Joker of Penton Street, Angel, and were serving up burgers made from a patty of ox heart and super dry aged beef, suffice to say I was up for trying them out.
The menu was the kind of blend of trailer grub and farmers market that I like. By that I mean, strong ingredients with an emphasis on quality and provenance, cooked up in ways to make the heart burst. For example, the Piccante; a burger spread with spicy nduja (a sort of chilli laden spreadable chorizo), smoked provolone and kewpie mayonnaise (the Japanese equivalent to Hellmann’s and made with rice vinegar). The flavour Tongue ‘n’ Cheek manage to pack into this meaty mouthful will truly take you aback. First of all, the burger itself: intensely meaty and firm. The heart gives it a beefier flavour than your average one, far deeper in iron, and when blended with the dry aged steak makes for an incredibly lean burger. Don’t be put off if you don’t like offal- the heart contributes to rather than dominates the flavour of the patty and if you didn’t know it was in there, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell. To try this in its purest form, you can opt for the plain original Heartbreaker burger. In the case of the Piccante, after the burger the salty flavour of cured pork comes in and eye wateringly spicy nduja, and is then washed away with the juice of the burger, creamy mayonnaise and sour pickled red onions. Oh yes.
Sides are decent too. The customary rosemary fries that we’ve come to expect with London’s gourmet burgers (see Honest Burger and Patty and Bun), and a slaw which I ate all of – which is probably praise in itself.
I like the set-up of the residency too. Open plan kitchen joined onto the drinks bar, looking out over a super chilled British pub. Tongue ‘n’ Cheek normally cooks up at KERB, one of London’s premium street food markets, and it’s nice to now be able to enjoy their food out of the wind, sitting down at a table with a pint. The crowd seemed nice and it’s certainly a great area for heading out afterwards. Full approval there, boys.
Tongue ‘n’ Cheek are also doing an Italian Sunday Roast thing which sounds a bit different but I haven’t tried it and, to be honest, I’m always going to be more fussed about burgers. So, next time you’re hankering for a hamburger, ogling for some offal or meandering for some meat, head up to Angel and get yourself stuck into some Tongue ‘n’ Cheek. But don’t wait too long – they won’t be in residency forever.
Rating: 7/10
Tongue ‘n’ Cheek, The Joker of Penton Street, 58 Penton Street, Angel, N1 9PZ
http://www.tonguencheek.info/
Sides are decent too. The customary rosemary fries that we’ve come to expect with London’s gourmet burgers (see Honest Burger and Patty and Bun), and a slaw which I ate all of – which is probably praise in itself.
I like the set-up of the residency too. Open plan kitchen joined onto the drinks bar, looking out over a super chilled British pub. Tongue ‘n’ Cheek normally cooks up at KERB, one of London’s premium street food markets, and it’s nice to now be able to enjoy their food out of the wind, sitting down at a table with a pint. The crowd seemed nice and it’s certainly a great area for heading out afterwards. Full approval there, boys.
Tongue ‘n’ Cheek are also doing an Italian Sunday Roast thing which sounds a bit different but I haven’t tried it and, to be honest, I’m always going to be more fussed about burgers. So, next time you’re hankering for a hamburger, ogling for some offal or meandering for some meat, head up to Angel and get yourself stuck into some Tongue ‘n’ Cheek. But don’t wait too long – they won’t be in residency forever.
Rating: 7/10
Tongue ‘n’ Cheek, The Joker of Penton Street, 58 Penton Street, Angel, N1 9PZ
http://www.tonguencheek.info/
