(+ One Sunday Roast)
KAIETEUR KITCHEN
After a taking a pause during that-year-we’d-all like-to-forget-about, our countdown of the best places to eat in Greater Kennington (+ one Sunday Roast) has returned! Our profoundly subjective algorithm balances taste and food quality with value for money. Entrants can be either lunch or dinner establishments, and must have both dine in and eat at home options. And of course, all must be in Kennington, Vauxhall, Oval, Elephant or Walworth. The number 10 spot has been grabbed by Elephant and Castle staple Kaieteur Kitchen which we visited only a few weeks ago. Our review is below
As our exercise calendar is looking almost as barren as the wine aisle of Boris’s local ‘Tesco Metro’, we decided to rededicate ourselves to more achievable tasks, namely eating out. A great place to start is the critically acclaimed Guyanese Caribbean restaurant Kaieteur Kitchen. Formerly a long standing food stall outside Elephant shopping centre, it now proudly has its own spiffy premises for both eat in and take away in Castle Square, across the street from Elephant and Castle overground. It’s a bit tucked away on the first floor, but well worth the effort.
Upon arrival at Kaiteur everyone is offered either ginger beer or mango juice, served by the very friendly staff and the grand dame of the kitchen, Faye Gomes. The menu at Kaieuter changes weekly, and sometimes daily, and on this trip your scribe had the beef stew served with okra. The okra was a rice based dish mixed with chili and garlic. The beef had been very slowly cooked and could not wait another second to fall off the bone, made earthier with sinew and connective tissue. Served with carrots, scotch bonnet chili and what appeared to be cassava sauce.
If you aren’t familiar with the unique cuisine from Guyana, it is essentially food with its foundation in Africa. However, with the movement of labour around the world, the food was heavily influenced by Chinese, Indian and Portugese fare making it quite unique to its Caribbean neighbours. Ka is good, home-made Guyanese fare served with friendly warmth. And with a background of late 80’s slow jams to accompany your salted cod stew, you’ll be glad you broke that resolution only 18 days after you started it, just like we did…. But will it make our much heralded and upcoming top 10???
