Fans of fusion food, put down your knife and fork for a minute because we’ve found just the thing. Park’s Edge Bar & Kitchen in Herne Hill is a modern British restaurant serving seasonal British produce with a hint of West Indian influence. A relaxed, cool vibe located on the edge of Brockwell Park, the restaurant has just launched its winter menu and I was fortunate enough to be invited over to try it.
Jerk hummus with pineapple salsa and yoghurt flatbread is a must for the table, a lovely balance between sweet and savoury. If you like your dishes carrying a bit of a kick then I’d highly recommend the peppered calypso garlic shrimp with Schezwan mayo to start – they’re absolutely delicious. If you prefer something a bit richer then try the oxtail ravioli with carrot purée and butter beans – it’s sensational.
Speaking of rich dishes, keep this in mind for your mains so choose your starters carefully. Ordered to the table was the pork shoulder in stout and pecan sauce, the grilled whole mackerel with a ginger and chicken skin rice, and the Dorset lamb rump with mojo sauce, which was mine. Beautifully cooked and wonderfully presented, the dish really was a marriage of fantastic British meat and Caribbean flavour.
If you’ve got room for pudding afterwards, go for the traditional banana and rum cake with pineapple, coconut and vanilla ice cream.
Since opening a year ago, the team at Park’s Edge Bar & Kitchen have impressed diners with their attentive service, creativity and skill. The inspiration comes from co-owner, Claudia McKenzie’s upbringing, whose Jamaican parents (part of the Windrush generation) settled Claudia in secondary school just up the road from the restaurant.
As with the food, Park’s Edge sources drinks from local producers, such as Canopy Beer Co. – its beer is brewed metres from the restaurant, English Sparkling Wines from Kent and through neighbourhood businesses – Wild + Lees in Herne Hill and Indigo Wine in Brixton. There is also a selection of rums from a variety of Caribbean islands and cocktails inspired by the exotic isles.
Park’s Edge is not just a dining experience, it’s a cultural hub and event space too. Album launches and book readings regularly take place along with new spoken word and ‘meet the artist’ events.
The next event being held at Park’s Edge Bar & Kitchen will be a rum tasting on Friday 21st December at 7pm hosted by Roger Barnes, a globally renowned rum enthusiast and experienced rum judge with over 25 years in the industry. Guests can look forward to tasting and learning about rums from Worthy Park Estate in Jamaica, Rhum HSE from Martinique, English Harbour from Antigua and from Four Square Distillery in Barbados, considered the World’s Best Rum Distillery. A selection of Caribbean inspired Modern British small plates and a rum punch will also be available on the night.
This winter there will also be a ‘Meet the Artist’ masterclass with Ken McCalla and an exhibition of his work at the restaurant. Local artist Ken McCalla exhibits fine art, sculptures, paintings and original prints featuring vibrant colours and bold imagery.
To celebrate Park’s Edge reaching its one-year milestone, the restaurant is running a special celebratory lunchtime offer (Thursdays and Fridays) – 2 courses and a non-alcoholic cocktail or glass of prosecco for £19.95 or 3 courses and a non-alcoholic cocktail or glass of prosecco for £26.50.
For more information visit www.parksedgebarandkitchen.com
