Weekly Review: Kudu
A Peckham classic reborn and even better in Marylebone.
Kudu started as a neighbourhood South African joint in Peckham, just about walking distance from my house. Over the years, it became a community cornerstone. The owners and most of the staff lived nearby. They opened a second place, then a third. Kudu Grill was in Nunhead, in an old pub. The Braai was righteous. The wine was great. It was outstanding.
When owners Amy and Patrick announced last year that they were closing down the Peckham locations and moving to a new, single spot in Marylebone, I was disappointed. But intellectually, I understood. A nicer space in a higher-traffic, more upscale corner of town would likely mean greater success.
I just wasn't prepared for how much.
The new Kudu is stunning. A gorgeous, bright space befitting Mayfair and Marylebone. There are South African accents in the decor and the staff. And there’s a giant, open fire in the centre of the restaurant, perfect for that righteous Braai.
Having given Kudu a few months to find its feet in its new location, I met a particularly hedonistic friend on a Friday afternoon, and we went deep on the menu, and the wine list, only to emerge a few hours later much better for our experience.
On arrival, still feeling slightly delicate from the previous night’s dinner and a few minutes ahead of my guest, I started with a Diet Coke and a bowl of house-made biltong. These soon had me in better spirits, and the biltong was a stand out. I don’t think Kudu sells it for take-away, but if they did, I would happily buy in a big supply.
Our first starter was “Harissa Chopped Beef,” the Kudu take on beef tartare. It was strongly spiced and included delicious, crunchy friend onions. The beef was top quality and the balance of the flavours was excellent. Unconventional? Yes. But it didn’t last long on the table.
Our other starter was “Scorched Mackerel, kohlrabi, apple, seaweed relish.” I’m not usually a fan of mackerel, but this dish was brilliantly conceived. The apple and kohlrabi balanced the oiliness of the fish, and the sauce added a further hit of acidity and welcome note of spice.
For mains, we had to have the pork chop with “monkey gland sauce,” a holdover from the original Peckham menu, but an innovation well worth revisiting. Happily, it was still outstanding, and I’m sure would be a revelation to the poor souls of Marylebone, deprived for so long of such an excellent sauce.
Our other main was a Lamb Barnsley chop. Again, outstanding. And fantastic “beef fat crispy fingerling potatoes.” It was lunch, with the volume turned all the way up.
Dessert brought more pleasant surprises. The signature Kudu ‘Kit Kat’ was a sweet bowl of yumminess. No embarrassment about being full of chocolate and caramel. It acknowledged none of the fashionable shame in actually liking something sweet at the end of the meal.
On the other hand, Blue Cheese Canelé was more Marylebone. Sleek and sophisticated, with a balanced flavour profile dramatically improved by salty blue cheese ice cream. This is the dessert for people who didn’t have two bowls of biltong, two slabs of meat, and a fantastic bottle of South African red.
The cooking at Kudu has always been clever. Though branded as ‘braai,’ it’s a lot more creative and subtle than the label suggests. In my recent Michelin predictions, I suggested Kudu might attract a star. It didn't this time around, but it still might. It’s that good.
Service throughout the afternoon was friendly and professional. Though I missed some of the Peckham grit, it was right for the new neighbourhood, and we really enjoyed the experience.
But there is a lot more to Kudu than lunch. After we finished, I took a wrong turn and found myself upstairs in their now-opened “Smokey Kudu” cocktail bar, which looked every bit as fantastic as the dining room. If I were closer to Marylebone, I would hang out there as often as possible.
All in all, Kudu is ideal for a professional lunch, dinner, or drinks. The easy-going vibe would make it a great place to meet someone you don’t know very well. And the dishes are served so that you have your own starter and main or share if you’re feeling friendly.
The summer before I went to university, the soon-to-be-famous Dave Matthews Band, who formed nearby, played a club in my town every Wednesday night. One of my friends loved them, and for a whole summer, he dragged a few of us there almost every week. There were nights in a late July when it was just us and the band. But the club served us beer, and the music was outstanding, so we indulged my friend and went along.
A couple of years later, their Under the Table and Dreaming album came out, featuring now-iconic Ants Marching, and they made the big time. They would never return to the Flood Zone. But even after they got big, I always felt a bit of distant ownership of Dave and his band. A subtle, hometown pride in their achievements. (For the record, Dave has no idea who I am, and I obviously had nothing whatsoever to do with his success.)
I feel a little like that about Kudu. It was born of my community in Southeast London. We helped make it, and we are really proud of what it has become. Now we have loaned it to the rest of London for a while. You’re welcome. Please treat it well, and don’t mess it up.
Quick hit: A smart, creative take on South African braai in a gorgeous, comfortable space.
Details: Booking advised. Marylebone. ££££.
Restaurant website. More on Instagram and from Michelin.
Find it on Google Maps. 7 Moxon St, W1U 4EP.
Thanks for reading this week’s review. What’s a place where you got in before the crowds? Tell me in the Comments. And please subscribe if you haven’t already.
Reading this made me feel so hungry