9/4/21 - updated with new pics
What: The Cheese Barge
In a nutshell: Cheese on the canal
Summing it all up: They mastered the cheese conveyor belt, a cheese bar and a cheese truck. Next up for The Cheese Bar folk is is cheese on water in the shape of The Cheese Barge. They're mooring a specially designed barge in Paddington Central and creating a very cheesy menu for it.
The low-down
From the people that brought you the wonder that is the cheese conveyor belt (read about Pick & Cheese here) comes their next cheesy endeavour. The Cheese Bar are taking to water with The Cheese Barge in Paddington.
They'll be permanently mooring their cheese-laden vessel on Grand Union Canal (where you can also find The Grand Duchess). It's a two-storey affair that's currently being built to their specific cheesy specs. The boat itself is designed by Adam Richards Architects and is inspired by the Electa bookstore in Venice. It does look rather impressive from the designs and promises a panoramic view either from downstairs or on the top open deck.
As for the food - yes, there will be quite a lot of cheese. Head chef Reagan Ellenbroek and exec chef Ross Keeling have come up with a menu that they say is "honest British dishes using small producer cheese". On that menu is:
- A snack that's fried Quicke’s Cheddar curds, curried and tossed in chilli honey.
- Windrush Goats’ Curd with lamb scrumpets and pickled walnuts
- Cropwell Bishop Stilton ‘Devils on Horseback’ - medjool dates stuffed with Stilton and wrapped in bacon (these DO sound good)
- Maida Vale, a washed rind cheese from Village Maid, served on treacle soda bread with smoked mackerel and green sauce.
- Yorkshire Curd Tart and a Malted Milk Chocolate Cremeux.
There's also their aligot (pureed potato) made with Mrs. Kirkham’s Lancashire, and a half-kilo Baron Bigod and baked to order. That sounds AMAZING.
On top of that, there will be cheese sharing plates based on a weekly list of seasonal British cheeses as well as charcuterie plates. They've created their own cured sausage for the barge which is laced with Young Buck. They'll also recommend some special food pairings with the cheese and charcuterie (similar to the plate pairings on the cheese conveyor belt).
It all sounds pretty great. to be honest, and we think they're onto another winner. We look forward to the follow-up. A cheese double-decker bus maybe?
More about The Cheese Barge
Where is it? Sheldon Square, Paddington Central, London W2 6HY
When does it open? 20 May 2021
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @thecheesebarldn.
Photo by Nic Crilly Hargrave
Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners
