This week's edition of Caterer looks at the restaurateurs who are brining quality dining to London's fringes. As a man stuck very much in the suburbs of south London I can confirm the palpable excitement that surrounded the opening of a Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Beckenham.
As a resident of Beckenham I am confused. When I buy a train ticket I am told I am in zone four of London (London has six transport zones, so the further out you live the more you pay). But my postal address says Kent, historically the county in which the towns of Bromley borough resided before creation of the borough for administrative purposes in 1965. The fine dining restaurants of central London are 12 miles and a hefty taxi journey south of the river away. Grabbing a quality, quick, bite without a train journey rather limits your options.
But recently Beckenham has shifted upmarket when it comes to dining (it all began when the Hog's Head turned into a Slug and Lettuce). Despite the average price of a one bedroom flat topping £200,000, if you wanted to eat it it was a local Italian, a local pizzeria or a Pizza Express. They still exist and are unbelievably still busy. But last month my world just got a little bit more exciting. A small shop next to the abandoned police station had closed for renovation. The small sign outside made my mouth water and heart race. Opening soon, it read, Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Thank you Clapham House Group, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I rapidly counted down the days until the 5th October, dreaming of one of their towering burgers, thick fries and unbelievably garlicky mayonnaise. For my poor starved taste buds it could not come two soon.
That very weekend my wife and I headed onto the high street with a spring in our steps. Grown up food with taste had arrived. Yes, it’s only a burger, but when your options are Ask, Zizzi's or a kebab you take what you can get. We ordered quickly after taking a seat between exasperated parents and over-excited children. A month later it has become part of our weekend ritual as we eat our way through the menu. I'm sure I've put on several pounds as a result and a £25 a time for two burgers, chips and drinks I'm certainly a few pounds lighter in pocket too.
The suburbs need not be starved like this. We deserve fine eating too. Well, maybe not fine dining but certainly some good quality premium casual dining. Good on Clapham House Group, and Rosendale proprietor Mark van der Goot, who is bringing his gastro-pub concept closer to my front door. God only knows how exciting it would be if Gordon Ramsay opened a pub in Croydon....
Comments (1)
Never mind the £25-for-two casual lunch, what about the £4 caff breakfast?
Instead of Gorgeous Gordon raising the pretensions and price of the pub lunch, why can't we have Jamie raising the standard of the high-street caff? No wonder they're dying out.
Posted by Andrew Denny | November 8, 2007 1:41 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 13:41