About Time: You Discovered the Best Dishes at Seven Dials MarketBy Angelica Malin
In need of some lunchtime inspiration? Discover the top five hero dishes at the recently opened Seven Dials Market, the first permanent market from street food experts KERB. Opening earlier this month in the heart of the West End, Seven Dials Market is the new all-day destination packed with 25 independent food and drink businesses, all with roots in the city’s streets and markets. Traders include dumpling experts Yum Bun, brand-new pasta restaurant from the Franco Manca team, Strozzapreti, and Materchef winner Tim Anderson’s fusion ramen joint Nanban. Here’s our picks for the best dishes to try at the new market:
1. For Sausage + Crispy Bao Buns: Yum Bun
Photo credit: Jake Davis
What: Exclusive to Seven Dials Market, dumpling aficionados Yum Bun have invented the Bao Wow, a long pillowy bao bun filled with bold flavours and fresh ingredients.
The Lowdown: The Chang Mai sausage variety is accompanied by pickles and tamarind ketchup, topped with crispy onions and garnished with fresh chillies. The crispy cod Bao Wow features battered cod in a soft bao bun, served with shrimp mayo, coriander slaw and finished with a squeeze of fennel lime.
2. For Four Cheese Fonduta: Strozzapreti
What: Strozzapreti is the brand-new restaurant from the team behind iconic pizza chain Franco Manca, focussing on producing fresh handmade pasta using authentic and high-quality ingredients.
The Lowdown: Not to be missed at Seven Dials Market is the indulgent four cheese fonduta, created using a blend of Gorgonzola Dolce, Parmesan, Keens Cheddar and Tomme de Savoie and served with a watercress oil, with notes of rosemary, sage and thyme.
3. For Soft Serve Ice Cream Donut: Big Shot
Photo credit: Jake Davis
What: A collaboration between donut Queen Vicky’s Donuts and coffee masters Coffee Space, Big Shot is the latest coffee shop to hit the West End.
The Lowdown: Serving up your daily caffeine hit accompanied by sugary delights courtesy of Vicky’s donut creations, the highlight dish for anyone with a serious sweet tooth are Big Shot’s soft serve filled donuts. Customers can choose between toppings of chocolate, caramel or raspberry sauce, garnished with Graham Cracker crumbs, peanuts, chocolate chips or rainbow sprints.
4. For a Truffle Burger: Truffle
Photo credit: Jake Davis
What: The signature dish from the truffle obsessed team at Truffle, The Truffle Burger is a decadent take on the classic beef burger.
The Lowdown: Featuring a beef and smoked bacon burger patty served on a soft brioche bun, The Truffle Burger is slathered with fig jam and a layer of raclette cheese, topped with truffle infused mayonnaise and crispy shallots. Meat lovers out there can double up the beef patty for a truly mouth-watering creation.
5. For Dry Lamb Curry Ramen: Nanban
What: Nanban is the fusion ramen restaurant from Masterchef winner Tim Anderson, creating innovative dishes based on Caribbean, Korean and Japanese influences.
The Lowdown: The Dry Lamb Curry Ramen is unlike any other ramen you will have encountered, an Indo-Caribbean dry lamb curry made with Korean chilli paste, Scotch bonnet-pickled bamboo shoots, Sichuan pepper, fried shallots and hispi cabbage. Anderson’s master creation is then served with thick noodles and topped with a tea-pickled egg and Pecorino cheese – a flavour fusion like no other.
