What: Mambow
In a nutshell: Bowls and supperclubs in Spitalfields
Summing it all up: This Spitalfields restaurant is primarily an all-day affair inspired by the owner's upbringing in Singapore and Malaysia. There will be bowl food during the day and supperclubs themed around global cuisine in the evening.
The low-down
Chef Abby Lee worked at her family's bakeries in Singapore and Malaysia, and then cooked at Michelin-starred Pashà Ristorante in Italy. Now she's opening in Spitalfields with Mambow ("Mama's Bowls") - what she's calling a "mama's kitchen" inspired by her experience.
Mambow will be an all-day restaurant with a daytime focus on bowl food. Things kick off with breakfast (which also includes seasonal frittatas, pastries and buns) before moving onto lunch, they'll be serving up their signature bowls. Here you can pick your own base and top up with options like "five-spice crispy pork belly with Shaoxing wine and vinegar" or "fried Burmese shan tofu with garlic chips and coriander". And ready-made bowls include:
- Chick Flick with black rice, za’taar sprouts, roasted beets with orange miso, spicy green grilled chicken, salsa verde, and leftover pickles
- Beet It, with farro tabbouleh, raw and grilled fennel, charred spicy broccoli, beetroot patty, mixed tamari seeds, and creamy harissa
- Za’taar brussels salad with black olives, and curly kale with carrot top pesto & semi-dried tomatoes.
On top of that there's weekend brunch which is promising delights like:
- Nasi Lemak: Malaysian fried chicken, coconut pandan rice, fried anchovies, sambal, achar pickles and topped with a fried egg;
- Sourdough toastie packed with house kimchi, taleggio and cheddar
- A Super Green omelette with goats feta, Swiss chard, and pickled chillies
They're also big on being low waste. So you'll see yesterday's unused fruit and veg becoming soups or winter loaf cakes (like beetroot & chocolate and spiced apple with cardamom). That also spills over into the design of the restaurant; they'll be using second-hand furniture, while the counter and benches are by Goldfinch, an ethical furniture-maker.
And finally, they'll also be hosting evening supperclubs, with family-style feasts themed around different world cuisines.
More about Mambow
Where is it? 75 Commercial Street, Spitalfields, London, E1 6BD.
When does it open? 12 February 2020
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @mambow_ldn.
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