London world street food festival: thank you

A half eaten Tongue ‘n Cheeks’ heartbreaker burger

Tongue n’ Cheeks’ heartbreaker burger poster

I’d just like to say a big thank you to all of the traders who helped me and gave up their time (despite big queues over the Jubilee weekend) to talk to me at the London World Street Food Festival on the Southbank. Having spent a day with Gastronomica in Borough Market, I then spent two days making and selling piadinas with them on the Southbank too. It was fun, hectic and a lot of hard work –  I now have a newfound respect for all you street food traders out there. Didn’t see How to Set Up a Streaterie? Have a peak here.

I ate  a lot that weekend, too (there is a running theme here, I think) but my stand out street food item at the World Street Food Festival was the new Heartbreaker burger made by Cristiano from Tongue n’ Cheeks. I don’t think he’ll mind if I say he’s a slightly mad northern Italian but he does makes a fine burger and I’d go back for more. This particular one was a pinky, juicy ox heart, dripping with fat and sour cream with a few sticks of crunchy, peppery water cress. I’d probably suggest he uses a thinner bun next time so you don’t lose the meat but at least this one held it all in enough for me to release a sticky finger half way through and take a picture. It was rich, perfectly tender and satisfying to eat. You can find Tongue n’ Cheeks popping up all over London but generally Cristiano is at eat.st market in Kings Boulevard, north London, and sometimes at Ridley Road Market bar in Dalston, E8.

Community Kitchen’s wrap

I had a good chat to The Community Kitchen, a husband and wife team who alongside making subtly spiced north African wraps want to open and run a kitchen space for people that can’t afford a big one of their own but have plans to run some sort of cooking business. They’ve barely begun this project in London but I love the idea and hope to update you further as the months roll on.

Apfel strudel from the Speckmobile

A final yum! goes to Marco and Franz’s Speckmobile for their apple strudel. This is the third thing I’ve had from their truck and it was enough to make me want to try the fourth and final thing: the Shnitzel semmel.

It would be too easy to list the other traders who were there who other people recommended or who I tried food from but lists are dull. Their names will pop up on LSF before long.

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Also who likes the new sellers grid format? I thought it was about time I took the list off and showed you a parade of food pictures. After all, that’s what street food is all about, eh?!

LSF