In these times of restricted flight policies, know that you can taste the food of Cambodia much closer to home: specifically, at the recently resurrected The Prince Arthur pub in London Fields. During the pub’s year of closure, it consulted with its neighbours as to what exactly residents wanted and has relaunched with the desired focus on community gatherings and independent, yet traditional pub spirit. Fitting nicely into this ethos is the Mamapen kitchen residency, with chef Kaneda Pen bringing Khmer cuisine to the neighbourhood.
‘We spoke to a lot of different chefs about taking full responsibility of our kitchen,’ said pub landlord Jonathan Mercer, ‘but really felt an affinity with the guys at Mamapen. They share a lot of our same values about the strength of community and having a good time. It’s not traditional pub food but we all believe that sharing dishes are what a pub should be about.’
Kaneda Pen was formerly head chef at Flank and has also worked in the esteemed St John’s kitchen. From the menu you can expect:
- Cambodian skewers of beef, pork, chicken, or king mushrooms
- Sour pineapple curry with sweet pickled mango
- Tofu knots with chilli oil and peanuts
And for the traditionalists, you’ll still find Sunday roasts on the menu, as well as your favourite beers on tap, alongside hand-selected rare and unique brews.
Photos by Mike Griffiths.
More about Mamapen
Where is it? The Prince Arthur, 95 Forest Rd, London E8 3BH
When does it start? 13 March 2020
Find out more: Visit the Prince Arthur website or follow them on Instagram @mamapenldn.
Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners
