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The lovely-looking exposed brickwork room at Jugad
What can you tell us about Jugad?
This comes from healthy food delivery company Foodhak. Up until now, they've been delivering meal kits but now they've decided to open a restaurant right in the middle of Camden Market. Jugad the restaurant aims for the same goals as their delivery service - a diverse and balanced menu that's completely gluten and dairy-free.
There's also a prominent name behind the food here. Executive Chef Jose Fernandes spent five years heading up the kitchen at Gunpowder, and he's put together the menu at Jugad. So it's fair to say you should expect something special from the kitchen here.
Where is it?
You'll find it inside the Stables Corner area of Camden Market, about a 5-10 minute walk from Camden High Street station. It's just beside the Cheese Bar (and very close to the Amy Winehouse statue).
It's a beautiful-looking space, set within a building that's all exposed brick, and on a sunny day (like it was when we visited) the room is completely filled with light. There's also a sizable terrace outside if the weather is behaving.
There's a bar too?
There is, and you'll definitely want to make time to try one of their cocktails. Like the food, there's an impressive talent behind them. The bar manager here is Olly Lambert, previously at Soho's Soma, so his drinks are well worth seeking out.
There's also a strong non-alcoholic cocktail showing - the drinks menu actually starts with them. It includes no-alcohol versions of a margarita and an Old Fashioned as well as low-alcohol beers and plenty of sodas. We went for a mix of no alcohol and very much "all the alcohol".
On the left, it's the Samphire Vesper (Konik's Tail vodka, 5B & Co gin, dry vermouth, pickled samphire, £13) and on the right the no-alcohol Forest Scroppino (Everleaf forest, tonka and a mango sorbet in the middle, £10). Both are very impressive cocktails.
Onto the food - what can we expect?
The restaurant is primarily focused on Indian dishes with a modern twist, as well as taking some influences elsewhere (like the Scotch egg below). That's all in addition to the healthy focus that Foodhak as a whole takes. That means there's the emphasis focuses more on vegetarian dishes and less on carbs. All that said, even putting the healthy element to the side, it's a very accomplished menu and it's easy to see some influences from the chef's time at Gunpowder.
We roamed through the menu and here's a taste of what's on offer:
Vada pao (potato fritter sliders) with garlic chutney and mint sauce (£9.50)
Curried crab quail scotch eggs with tomato chutney for dipping (£8.50) - a great twist on a traditional Scotch egg
Chicken wings with sticky pomegranate sauce and wholegrain mustard (£9) - messy but obligatory
Curried paneer with saag puree and tomato (£9) - one of a series of strong vegetarian mains, this can also be made with tofu.
Dairy-free Delhi-style butter chicken with tomato and coriander (£8.50) - A fantastic dish and probably our favourite of the meal.
Tandoori broccoli with wholegrain mustard marinade and cherry tomatoes (£13.50)
Sweet potato brownie with moonji matcha ice cream (£8) - a nice twist on a traditional brownie.
What about drinks?
In addition to the cocktails we've already mentioned, there's a short and predominantly European wine list (including some English fizz) with bottles starting at a pretty reasonable £31, and there are a few skin-contact wines on the list too.
Overall
At first glance, a food delivery company known for its healthy slant launching an Indian restaurant in Camden Market doesn't seem like an obvious move. However, by bringing in the talent on the food and drink front on top of creating a genuinely interesting menu (not to mention top cocktails), Foodhak has really delivered with Jugad. It's a useful spot to pop in for lunch after browsing the market as well as being a great venue for an evening or weekend get-together with a load of friends.
More about Jugad
Where is it? Unit 92, Camden Stables Market, Chalk Farm Lane, Chalk Farm, London NW1 8AH
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @jugadbyfoodhak.
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