Updated 30/7 with more details and soft launch offer.
It appears that Tim Anderson's Nanban restaurant is a little further away hoped based on a recent blog post. However, there's still a great opportunity to try Nanban as he gets ready to run his first residency in Brixton.
He's taking over Market House in Brixton throughout August, offering the kind of food planned for Nanban - in his own words a "southern Japanese izakaya concept". The Nanban pop-ups have always been hugely popular, so if you haven't yet managed to grab a ticket and try Tim's food - here's your chance.
We caught up with Tim Anderson to find out more:
This is your first residency - how will things change from the pop-ups?
Yep, it is my first long-term residency. One of the reasons for doing the pop-ups in the early days of Nanban was to figure out what works and what doesn’t, what people really like and what they don’t. So the menu at the Market House will be a sort of ‘greatest hits’ based on that knowledge
What can we expect from the menu?
I'm still deciding on the specifics, but I’ll definitely be serving yaki-curry, karaage, and Kumamoto-style garlic tonkotsu ramen. In the ‘probably’ pile there is pickled shiitake onigiri, yuzu-chilli chilled ramen, and cheese-stuffed bacon-wrapped Padrón peppers on a stick.
I’m mostly sticking with southern Japanese classics, but I want to incorporate some distinct ‘Brixton’ elements into the menu as well that draw on the local Caribbean and West African food culture. This week I’m testing out brown stew chicken ramen, ackee and saltfish korokke, and Jamaican patty curry pan. We’ll see what makes the cut!
And there might be some Whippy-san (Japanese style soft-serve ice cream)?
I can’t yet confirm Whippy-san as I’m still shopping around for a reasonably priced machine. But I’m pretty dedicated to the idea. I’d say there’s a 90% chance of Whippy-san. If it’s not Whippy-san it will just be our own ice cream, but either way, the flavours will be unusual and delicious. Matcha melon, miso banana, white peach, and shichimi chilli chocolate are all on the list.
And how about drinks?
As for drinks, there will be at least one special item. This week I’m going back to visit my friends at Pressure Drop to cook up a new Nanban beer. We’re ditching the old sweet potato pale ale we did in favour of something punchier: a wheat IPA with Bavarian yeast and New World hops, plus yuzu, orange, and grapefruit juices.
Anything else you can tell us?
The menu will be all a la carte and served as it would be in an izakaya – i.e., as soon as it’s ready. But we’re also planning to host slightly more upscale events in Market House’s upstairs dining room on Sundays, serving Japanese tasting menus. These will be ticketed events, like most of the pop-ups I’ve done in the past.
Update 30/7/14 - more info about the menu has been released, including:
- Varieties of Kyushu-style ramen, plus karaage, yaki udon and some Brixton - inspired dishes like ackee & saltfish korokke and yaki – curry meat patties.
- Small dishes are priced from £1.50 up to £10 for noodles and ramen.
- Whippy – San will be available in some brand new flavours including White Peach, Matcha Melon, Banana Miso & Shichimi Chilli Chocolate.
- Drinks include Pressure Drop Nanban Kanpai, a specially brewed wheat IPA with yuzu, orange & grapefruit juices.
Nanban at Market House runs from 1-31 August at 443 Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8LN. There will be 50% off food for the opening weekend (1st August – dinner only, 2nd & 3rd August lunch & dinner. Please note that on Sunday 3rd tables must be booked in advance due to Brixton Splash, walk-in tables are available for the other times).
For more information, visit the Market House website or follow Tim Anderson on Twitter.
