Juma Kitchen brings its Iraqi-inspired menu to The King & Co pub in Clapham for a month long residency this October.
Juma Kitchen head chef and founder Philip Juma draws on his English-Irish-Iraqi background to create a range of flavoursome dishes that’s as much a homage to his heritage as it is a tasty attempt to draw in new fans to the oft overlooked and misunderstood cuisine of Iraqi.
During a recent tasting of Juma’s King & Co offerings, Juma’s creations certainly won me over. I especially loved his Iraqi cauliflower biryani (roasted cauliflower and saffron rice with dried limes, golden sultanas, purple potatoes and soft egg yok, £6.50) and his saffron chicken (boneless crispy chicken thighs served with diced potato and rice in a saffron sauce with crispy onions and red amarynth, £13). A small plate of bamia (slow cooked okra with fresh coriander, onions and garlic served in a tomato sauce with lemon juice, £5.50) did the trick as well. For dessert, a cup of rich knafa (baked cream and soft cheese topped with shredded filo pastry and served with orange blossom water syrup, rose petals and pistachios, £5.50) was a moreish way to end a meal and seemed to have been designed specifically for my taste buds.
If you’re looking for a fresh take on Middle Eastern cuisine that’s as delicious as it is accessible, keep Juma Kitchen in mind. And for an ever interesting mix of food with quality beer and booze in a fine South London pub, The King & Co is as good as it gets.
