The World in 202 Meals

A few weeks ago I posted about the special tasting menu unveiled for two nights at Stratford’s Circus Eats in honour of the East festival. Described as a modern East End seven course meal accompanied by specially-chosen international drinks, it looked like a great event. But it also looked like it would be crazy for us to attempt going. We had two other blog meals scheduled for that week, and big ones at that: a hearty Georgian feast at Tbisili, and a yet-to-be-written-up dim sum lunch. Plus, Stratford is really far for some of us.

But curiosity, and panic at the prospect of missing out on a one-time opportunity at a restaurant that’s gotten some really nice reviews, took over. So Matt, Karol and I visited. And didn’t regret it at all.

The restaurant—set up like more of a café—is part of the Stratford Circus theatre at Theatre Square, located off a desolate stretch of road skirting some indeterminate large-scale Olympic development near the Stratford rail station. The square, I’m told, is becoming increasingly hip. (Besides the theatre, it boasts an arty cinema reminiscent of Rich Mix, but also a Pizza Express.)

Maybe it’s because I’m naturally an easily-confused person, but when I entered I had to ask someone if I was actually in the restaurant—the fact that I only saw a bar and a couple of flimsy tables and chairs, plus no restaurant staff, threw me. It turns out the dining action was up above on the mezzanine-like first floor, for this evening anyway. Thanks to some dim lighting and a pianist, the simple space, naked but for tables and some long, sheer curtains, turned out to be pretty atmospheric.

All we knew coming in was that the tasting menu had been inspired by Newham specifically (according to Wikipedia, the most diverse district in the UK). And that, according to some website hints, the dishes would probably reflect some combination of African, Caribbean, South American, European and traditional East London cuisines. We’d also read that, promisingly, chef Kevin Richardson is actively trying to promote quality food at freakishly affordable prices. (No dish on the standard menu is more than £10.)

The resulting meal was filling and delicious. And had been carefully prepared—the dishes were well-presented, loaded with traditional foods made over with bursts of modern creativity. Here’s what we ate and drank:

For Eastern Europe

Thick, mildly spicy borscht unlike the thin, vinegary kind we’re used to, adorned with cream, a slice of beetroot and, interestingly, fresh mustard shoots. It was a bit salty, but good, and went well with the accompanying vodka and apple juice.

For India

Smooth, fluffy, bright green spinach pakora with okra, a tomato-y sauce, dried tomato slices(!) and fresh baby spinach. The dish was served with a French white wine.

For Asia

Thai fish cakes and noodles in a sweet chili sauce. The fish cakes were lumpy and homemade-tasting, a revelation for me—I’d only ever had dry, rubbery, bland excuses for Thai fish cakes before, and hadn’t realised any other sort existed.

For South America

A refreshing, palate-cleansing, genuine mojito, brimming with mint leaves and crushed ice, and minus the sickly gobs of sugar that often ruin the drink.

For Africa

Spicy jollof rice, familiar from our Ghanaian expedition, with a buttery-soft fried tilapia fillet and a Nigerian beer called Star.

For England(?)

Tender, perfectly cooked lamb chops with a fruity red wine reduction and potatoes and veg, including a single white asparagus spear. Like a fancy miniature Sunday roast, the dish came with a glass of Argentinian red wine. (Delicious as the dish was, its French influences made the connection to East London seem a bit tenuous. Being a modern East End menu, though, I guess it didn’t have to be pie and mash or jellied eel representing East End English fare.)

For desert

Continuing on the English theme, some interesting British cheeses, AND two mini cakes, AND a glass of port! The cheeses, paired with apple and pear slices, were amazing, and this is coming from an incredibly picky cheese lover. One resembled double gloucester with chives, one was bright green and tasted of basil, and one was an orange blue cheese that tasted like a firmer stilton. We should have asked their names, but by now we were quite drunk, with near-bursting stomachs, and so a bit preoccupied. Cakes-wise, the passion-fruit cheesecake outshone the slightly dry Chantilly-topped brownie, but they were cakes, and we weren’t complaining.

Somehow, bizarrely, this seven course combo was priced at only £25 a head plus service, including the drinks. We’d been expecting a decent meal, but for what we paid, we got way, way more than we ever would have dared to hope for. If it’s really possible for a restaurant to feed picky diners this well and still profit from an almost non-existent bill, Circus Eats is on to something. Hopefully chef Richardson won’t wait until the next East festival to launch another multi-course tasting menu experiment.

In summary

Circus Eats
Stratford Circus, Theatre Square, Stratford, London, E15 1BX
020 8279 1022
Open daily. Breakfast 9am to 11am, ‘light bites’ 12pm to 6pm, a la carte 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 9pm.