Restaurant review: Temper City, London
Originally appeared in The City Magazine
Neil Rankin knows his meat. Starting out in fine dining under chefs such as two-michelin-starred Michael Wignall and executive chef at Chiltern Firehouse, Nuno Mendes, Rankin moved to work at Barbecoa with Jamie Oliver, where his charcoal-cooking passion began. Fast-forward through a stint as head chef at Pitt Cue, and founding Smokehouse restaurants, and the carnivorous cook launched the lauded Temper Soho, and now, Temper City.
Whereas the original Soho branch focuses on South American BBQ ingredients and flavours - think gauchos, tacos and mezcal - its younger brother in Angel Court turns east for its influences. Tandoor roast meats and homemade roti are the specialities in the sleek interiors of Temper City. Try to bag a seat at the kitchen counter: the signature Temper open kitchen in the centre of the restaurant means that flames lick away in full view of diners.
If you’re ready for a feast, go for one of the thali, a round platter full to the rafters with spiced fried potatoes, a heady ‘temper mix’ of nuts, crackers and other treats, paratha (flatbread), turmeric pickles, peshwari dust and fresh herbs. All this, however, is merely a sideshow for the main event. Choose from a list of seven curries, including crispy egg with katsu, tomato and charred aubergine, or spiced pork belly. I was recommended the dash chip shop chicken, a curry of smoked chicken and dashi sauce, a Japanese fish stock. Rich and fragrant, it was certainly a divergence from my usual chippy choice, but one I would gladly see on the blackboard of my local.
If you feel yourself filling up, do yourself a favour and save space for dessert. The very helpful (and beautifully-named) restaurant manager David Taylor suggested the chocolate and turmeric torte with pistachio ice cream. I’m not a follower of the pistachio ice cream cult, but it worked like a treat alongside the warm, dense cake and aromatic influence of the turmeric.
The menu is ambitious, and sometimes wavers on its identity: are we in a smoky, fiery, charcoal restaurant? Is it a curry house? No matter. It’s no big deal when the flavours, atmosphere and portions are this big.
