Christmas Hours At Kiln
From December 2nd we’ll be open all day Monday - Saturday 12-11 and 12-9 on Sundays.
This year we’ve decided to open on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day for your post-roast, chilli fix! The rest is as follows…
Christmas Eve 12-5
Christmas Day - Closed
Boxing Day 12-10
27th/28th/29th/30th 12-11
New Years Eve 12-9
New Years Day 12-10
January 2nd - Return to normal hours
Walk-ins available as always, come by and join us.
Tschida x Kiln
What a night!
Thank you to everyone that came down and joined us at Kiln last night. Amazing wines, delicious food, even better company. (The vinyl selection also deserves a mention thanks @ryanakfergie @oskarsini_cki @karlaknowles__ and the team)
Thanks to @christiantschida and @newcomer_wines, the wines were outstanding as always. Incredible to have the Himmel Auf Erden White 2017, T.N.T red 2017 on by the glass as well as of All The Love of The Universe and AEIOU on the bottle list. The skin contact Himmel Auf Erden II Maische 2021 was out of this world!
Shoutout to @karlaknowels__ and the kitchen team for the hard work on the menu and focus on game now that the season calls for it. Highlight dishes were Fried Game Bird with Fermented Chilli, Shan Broth of Tripe, Long Pepper Curry of Venison, Monkfish & Brown Crab Curry, Hot & Sour Smoked Kippers and Chanterelles & Prik Laap of Grouse & Mallard.
@calamansari on the 📸📸📸
We’re super excited about this one.
@christiantschida will be joining us at Kiln for the evening on Wednesday October 23rd, 6-late.
We’ll be pulling out all the stops for the full-blown Tschida experience, from his early years of experimentation to his most recent releases capturing a sense of completeness and elevated elegance. Strap in, all Icons will be in attendance - think Himmel Auf Erden through the vintages to back vintage 2013 Felsen Blaufränkisch to his new release single vineyard Chardonnay and a splash of legendary Tschida Rosé’s.
@karlaknowles__ and the team will be cooking up some dishes for the evening, keep an eye out to see what’s coming but we’ve been talking about Long Pepper Curry of Venison & Bird Prik Laap.
Thanks to @personality___crisis for the poster and for @newcomer_wines for making it happen. @littlewine.io for the 📸
Doors open at 6, see you there!
Gaeng som raang roong
A good r&d session with @hatice_b96 & @chonyutnek working on sour curries last week.
This version calls for the paste to be fried in luxuriant mouth coating pork lard before being boiled, giving a much more softer elegant taste than the typical sour curry. The layering of dried seafood, and salted fish adding more umami layers. Finished with a dash of complex fermented fresh water fish sauce.
So interesting to learn this style thank you nice again to @hanuman.aspler for the reference from the original recipe from Lady Srithammarat’s cookbook from 1932.
This will be making its way onto the menu in the coming weeks as we move further into autumn.
Lunch service at kiln. @karlaknowles__ cooking cull yaw pad ped with shiso leaves and buena mulata chillies from @flourishproduce and our cull yaw chop that we serve with a galangal relish. Also cooking the classic Tamworth belly & brown crab meat clay pots over the coals.
Open 12-3 for lunch, 5-11 for dinner, come by.
@calamansari 📹
Today we worked on the sour curry / Gaeng Som, honing in on those finer details & understanding the balancing act of sour, spicy, umami & sweet. We looked at the contrast of a fattier stock vs a cleaner lighter stock. Creating layers of sourness, the merits of Tamarind and citrus. Then at the end using the natural sweetness of herbs like Anise hyssop from @flourishproduce in lieu of palm sugar.
Everyone gets involved and conversations are always had.
We’re open 12-3 for lunch, then 5-11 for dinner. Come grab a spot on the leaner.
🎥 @calamansari
We’ve been working with our wine maker Phillippe Weis of Petit Baigneuse @ancestralwines in Perpignan where the sun is strong to grow some South East Asian varieties of chilis. The chilis are grown alongside the grape vines which is a unique sight. Growing them directly outside where the Mountainous slopes of the Pyrenees meets the vineyard, gives them an aroma that is distinct and makes their spiciness flora, fruity and green. Expect to see them in the next couple of weeks at kiln. 
Delivery from the farms for som tum season
@karlaknowles__ and @hatice_b96 made the Langoustine Som tum using the courgettes and gooseberries from @flourishproduce. Making the dish together and balancing the flavours as a team. Pla ra is the rich umami base that gives a little salty funk to the sweet langoustine and the sour gooseberries. The courgettes absorb all of those flavours and add that vegetal clean flavour and some textural difference too.
We’re looking for a Senior chef to work with @karlaknowles__ and co. If you have an interest in learning about Thai food, working direct with some of the most progressive farmers in the Uk and in an exciting environment full of opportunity then click the link in our bio and join our team.
📹 @calamansari
Briefing with the team
Chef @karlaknowles_ is using the afternoon briefings to get stuck into the details with the team. Karla cooked the Pad Ped with aged rare breed pork.
This is a jungle style pad ped with galangal, makrut lime leaves, fresh green peppercorns. The addition of Buffalo basil from @flourishproduce gives that extra layer of fragrance. A spicy, fragrant moreish one.
🎥 @calamansari
Thank you to everyone that joined us last night at Kiln with @tuttowines & @yannick.meckert
It was the perfect opportunity to test out some new dishes for the summer that matched perfectly with Yannicks wine. @meedu_saad @karlaknowles__ and the team worked on a selection of Som Tums, showcasing some of the early summer produce our suppliers have at the moment. @flourishproduce Cucumber & Tomatoes, @namayasaifarm Green Figs with Kohlrabi & Cherries, Berries with Fermented Fish & Langoustine, Courgette & @namayasaifarm Gooseberries.
In addition to these highlights we’re also the whole fried gurnard, the grilled Sirloin served with fragrant oil & slow grilled lobster with a herbal onion salad.
Some of these dishes will definitely be making an appearance on the menu soon, keep your eyes peeled.
@calamansari 📸
Kicking off summer with a special wine list takeover with @tuttowines @yannick.meckert on Monday July 1st, 6-11pm.
After garnering experience around the world, Alsatian vigneron Yannick has since returned home and announced himself as one to watch in this most exciting of regions. His thoughtful and highly original takes on Alsace’s local grape varieties offer soaring aromatics, texture and detail and make so much sense with the food at Kiln.
Space for walk ins available on the night, come by for a glass and a bite.
Artwork: @personality___crisis
Team briefing with @karlaknowles__ & Lonnie talking in’s and outs of the Jungle curry.
At this time of the year @goodearthgrowers Nettles & Hot Mint are in abundance. In lieu of holy basil we get the bitter, green, minerality we need here with this produce.
Pla ra, a fermented river fish sauce, is at the base for that umami funk and richness and smoked kippers from @finandflounderwholesale . Always looking to create layers of smokiness and umami to their mutual benefit.
Smokey, spicy & aromatic.
Come by for a bowl with an ice cold beer or a glass of wine, walk ins as always or table bookings via the link in our bio.
📹 @calamansari
KILN & MACEA
An evening with Macea at Kiln on Wednesday may 29th with a full wine list takeover.
In the 1960s @ciprianobarsanti father, Mauro, originally planted vines on the miniature terraces surrounding their family home. Now an infamous 2.5-hectare vineyard that lies in a rainforest of wildflowers and herbs, perched on the edges of a hillside.
After studying oenology Cipo returned to Macea with a vision: the vineyards, planted between 150m & 350m, rich in minerals and fast draining, had the potential to produce wines that could rival many of the references he had discovered during his studies. Cipo and his brother Antonio decided to replant the long-suffering Montepulciano, which had produced tiny yields in the cool micro-climate of the valley, replacing the vines with well-suited international varieties - Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, the labels of which now reveal the artwork of their late father.
In 2003 Macea made the conversion to biodynamics, with the realisation of the opportunity to embrace the vineyards and small cellar; the decision was made to work only with spontaneous yeasts and limit sulphur use.
At Macea they have managed to go beyond biodynamics; vines grow wild on what seems to be the steepest (and smallest) slope of vines in all of Tuscany, producing unique and profound wines.
@karlaknowles__ @meedu_saad and the team have been working on a new menu for the evening. Expect to see fried naem, tripe & asparagus som tum and aged sirloin from @philipwarrenbutchers with fish sauce and fragrant oil.
6-11pm, walking as always.
@personality___crisis
@ancestrelwines
Last week we took turbot from @kernowsashimi that was caught on Friday afternoon on the boat Tracy Clare and with us by Saturday morning.
@meedu_saad aged it for four days then broke down the whole fish, using the different cuts for a few different menu items.
We hung and slow grilled the head, marinating in fish sauce, vinegar and sugar then we served it in a leng saap, a sour spicy aromatic broth.
The crown of the turbot was marinated in a wild ginger curry and slow grilled.
We cured the roe in salt and sugar and hung it over the coals to dry it out and then served it grated over the raw turbot belly with citron.
We gave the collar a light coating in fish sauce and potato starch and deep fried it with a squeeze of lime and dried mixed citrus peel salt.
It’s always a pleasure to take these special one off pieces. We’re looking forward to doing more like this, breaking down whole or large fish and cuts of meat and using the whole animal to create a small section on the menu.
📸📹 @calamansari
CANTINA GIARDINO TAKEOVER
Thank you to Antonio & Daniela @cantinagiardino & @tuttowines for joining us at Kiln on Monday evening. It was such a pleasure to have you with us, pouring some of our favourite wines.
Some menu highlights…
Stir fried Sow with wild ginger. Sow from @balcaskie_estate that we braised in Pla Ra before slicing and stir frying with wild ginger, holy basil, green peppercorns and makrut leaf. Spicy, aromatic and umami from the pla ra.
We made a version of Gaeng Kee Lek with Beef Cheeks. We made ours with Nettle foraged in Mile End by @kim_songsoo and wild garlic to replicate those chlorophyl herbaceous flavours and thickening qualities that usually come from Cassia and yanang leaf.
Gifted from chef @chaleekader on our last chefs trip to Thailand was some prik laap spice made from fresh Makwan. We used it the duck laap, made from first smoking the duck and crisping up the skin, then in a wok with offal moistened with some of the jus made with the duck bones. Seasoned with the fresh prik laap spice, more fried dry chilli, herbs, and crispy alliums.
One of the dishes we particularly enjoyed was the Clams. The combination of a hot smoky wok, alexander leaves, celery leaf, ashitaba, wild garlic from @namayasaifarm, and sunflower shoots brought something very different to the menu. Light, herbaceous and comforting.
Thank you to everyone who came down
📹📸 @aurasubterranean
KILN, CANTINA GIARDINO & TUTTO
After visiting together in the autumn, we are very happy to welcome Antonio and Daniela of Cantina Giardino to Kiln on Monday March 18th, 5:30-11pm for a complete wine list take over.
Pioneers in Italy, for over two decades they have sought out old vineyards in Irpinia, high in the hills of Campania, championing and preserving the region’s native varieties, old vines and the old-fashioned way of tending them. They farmed organically from the outset and in the cellar work with creativity, sensitivity and patience to produce singular, vivid expressions of grape and place.
Perfumed, textured and full of energy, the wines have a real affinity with the food at Kiln and on the night we’ll be pouring wines that cover every style, from bottles big and small.
@karlaknowles__ & @lonnie_rountree have been working on some dishes with the team since their return from Thailand.
We’re excited about the Tom Klong, a Smokey fish soup similar to a Tom yum with the sourness coming from tamarind.
Poster: @personality___crisis
WOMEN IN WINE
Thank you to all of the women across our restaurants, we wouldn’t be what we are without you.
Women in Wine is a collaborative project from the women of Super 8, devised by a team of artists, sommeliers, writers, photographers and creatives to champion women and women identifying folk in hospitality and their multifaceted skillsets.
To celebrate international women’s day we will showcase female winemakers that we are excited about across all Super 8 restaurants for the month of March. The wine lists have been curated by the women of Super 8 championing wine made by female wine makers. Wine making and hospitality industry alike have been historically male dominated, we are taking this moment to change the narrative and to give women in our industry the centre stage. We acknowledge the intersectionality of women’s issues and believe that we must support and uplift not just our own industry but a larger community.
This March an optional £1 donation is added to the bill which will go to @solacewomensaid, a London based charity supporting females & female identifying people struggling with issues related to domestic violence and sexual, psychological, financial trauma and control.
By donating £1 to Solace you will be supporting and empowering women across London to lead a life without fear.
Special thanks to:
Artwork by @roserhenderson (Artist & Brat Sommelier)
Photography by @calamansari (Artist & Kiln/Smoking Goat Head of Creative)
We hope to see many of you throughout March.
Mok pla isan
A dish we learnt with @noah_rachapong at @zaoisan in Ubon Ratchathani with wild herbs from the market.
The wild rice paddy herb was unlike any farmed rice paddy herb- it has a slight cumin and very floral lemony aroma. Along with a wild herb called pak dang com dang som, which is a herb that gives both bitter and sour flavours. A simple paste of fresh and dried chilis, galangal, lemongrass, shallots and garlic with some soaked sticky rice to bring it together is the base to the herbs that get bruised in the mortar and pestle to release their essential oils seasoned with plara (fermented river fish).
At Kiln - chef @karlaknowles__ has added some sea purslane, coriander root, and a bit of dill steamed with Whiting to recreate this I-saan dish. All wrapped in a banana leaf, the steam grilling technique is able to bring all the bright green herbal flavours to the forefront with the delicate flesh of the Whiting.
📸 @calamansari
Last night we welcomed @torrespecis @modalwines to join us at Kiln for the evening.
Here’s a little snippet of how the night went. Viki, it was an absolute pleasure, please, don’t be a stranger ✨
Well done and thank you to @karlaknowles__, @lonnie_rountree and the team for pulling together some new dishes for the occasion. Thank you to all of our guests that joined us.
@personality___crisis thank on the poster
@aurasubterranean on the 📸📹
Very excited to share that Victoria Torres Pecis will be joining us at Kiln, taking over the wine list next Monday 26th Feb. The kitchen will be making some additions to the menu from their time spent in Thailand, to complement Viki’s wines. Walk-ins as always, 5-11pm!
Victoria is not your average winemaker, she is the first woman to take over her family bodega (founded in 1885).
Unlike many other winemakers Viki didn’t study enology or spend any time working for or with any other winemakers, her winemaking practice is based purely on instinct and intuition.
Soil health and regeneration as well as minimal intervention are at the forefront of her winemaking, meaning that her wines reflect the terroir of La Palma. Volcanic soils, salty winds from the sea, different altitudes and her skill and passion make for some delicious bottles.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Thank you for the artwork @personality___crisis
And thank you to @modalwines for the images and making this possible.
It was just a really lovely Tuesday.
More often than not the team are running at 100mph, sometimes it’s nice to slow down and remember that we enjoy each other’s company and have a good laugh.
A brief snapshot of a lunch service with the team. Senior Sous chef @lonnie_rountree has been cooking Three Pepper Curry of Pork Jowl, Dry Red Curry of Sardines & Jungle Curry of Smoked Kippers.
Super 8 is 10
We’re pausing for a moment to celebrate the first 10 years of Super 8. We first opened Smoking Goat in the old TPA bar in November 2014 Denmark street, a barbecue restaurant with no extraction and kitchen lacking a roof. The unfolding journey to opening Mountain across town last year has been wonderful to be a part of.
Along the way, the inspiration remains simple and same: the magic of really good ingredients in a place with special atmosphere. This pathway has led us to some fantastic moments… wine harvests with Philippe @la_petitebaigneuse and Olivier @domaine_vinci, cooking Tamworth in the fields at Gothelney Farm @gothelneyfarmer, cooking with Wanida’s @fah_skybang family in Ubon Ratchatani, special nights with Chefs @num_samuay and @chaleekader on the taos at Kiln, making up jungle curries at Sean’s farm in Cornwall @goodearthgrowers , numerous wonderful evenings cooking around the fire at @crocadon.farm, @elkano_jatetxea cooking turbots at @bratrestaurant to name a few.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey so far, thanks to those who ate and drank with us, the people who grow the produce, make the wine, play the records and design the artwork. Mostly, thank you to each and every person who make up our teams which are the soul and energy of our restaurants.
We will be closed across all sites tomorrow January 15th to celebrate with our staff.
Here’s to the next ten years of Super 8,
Ben, Brian & Tomos
@benjaminmcmahon 📸
Wednesday lunch service at Kiln yesterday was lively and the team are getting into the festive spirit.
We’re very grateful to work with such amazing, skilled individuals, each one bringing something unique to our service and what we do here. Massive thank you to everyone in the team for making coming to work everyday something to look forward to. Thank you to all of our guests, we look forward to seeing you over the festive period and happy holidays from us all at Kiln.
Just a little reminder we’re open all day (12-11) Monday-Saturday / (12-10) Sunday until December 23rd.
12-17 December 24th
Closed Christmas Day & Boxing Day
All day service up to the New Year’s Eve
Closed January 1st
Back to our regular hours from January 2nd
KILN X SCHÖDL
We’re very excited to share that Schödl will be doing a full wine list takeover with us at Kiln on Tuesday November 14th!
The Schödl vineyard is a real family operation run by siblings Mathias, Viktoria and Leonhard.
Before they took over the winery from their parents, it was used only to make wine for their family and the local community.
Their vineyards are in and around Loidesthal, Austria. Mathias focuses on the biodiversity in the vineyards; wild herbs, grasses and chamomile grow between the vines to provide living space for beneficial insects such as butterflies, lady birds, and earthworms. It is fertilised only with natural compost.
Honest craftsmanship and minimal intervention are central to the family’s winemaking philosophy.
Sous chef @lonnie_rountree & the team will be serving Blood Sausages, Hake Hor Mok, @kernowsashimi Ike Jime Bass with Yuzu & Calamansi & Stir Fried Venison Livers and many more from 5pm all the way through to 11pm.
Counter space for walk-ins as always, come and join us!
@personality___crisis on the artwork 🙏🏽
The festive season is approaching and the dining room bookings are open. The counter will be reserved for walk-ins as always.
December 4th-23rd: 12pm - 11pm
December 24th: 12pm - 5pm
December 25th & 26th: Closed
December 27th-30th: 12 - 11pm
New Years Eve: 12pm - 9pm
New Years Day: Closed
January 2nd: Return to normal business hours
One of the best nights ever, @chaleekader took over kiln serving a laap koi menu with @tuttowines pouring some really special bits. Always an honour to have Chalee in the kitchen, such a hugely knowledgeable and natural talent cook who has long been a huge inspiration to us. Thank you to everyone who came down, queued up, ate and then danced with us.
@calamansari photos
KADER & KILN LAAP KOI + TUTTO
We’re very excited to share the news that our good friend, trailblazer Chef @chaleekader of Bangkok hotspots @wana.yook & @100mahaseth, will be taking over Kiln on Wednesday October 25th. We’ll be stripping the counter of its stools and turning it kiln into a laap koi joint alongside the OG natural wine fire starters @tuttowines pouring a selection of their favourite magnums.
Dishes to expect:
Laap Kwai Dip, a northern thai laap of raw wild venison chopped with dry spices, fried garlic and herbs.
Laap Ped, a laap of wild mallard, it’s fried offal and fresh herbs.
D’tom Hed, a broth of ya-nang leaves and wild mushrooms, seasoned with a fermented fish innards sauce and lemon basil.
Sai Oua, an aromatic northern sausage with turmeric, lemongrass and galangal.
Jungkoh, an Isaan jungle stir fry of brisket, sweet basil, makrut lime leaves and wild ginger.
Moo Tod, fried pork with turmeric and crispy fried shallots.
No bookings, head down on the night a grab a spot in the queue.
6-Late
@personality___crisis on the artwork and @benjaminmcmahon for the 📸
Game Season At Kiln
Laap Dip of Wild Deer
This is our favourite moment in the seasons; late blackberries, sour plums and aubergines are still abundant from august, but some of the more complex tasting produce around the UK starts to find it’s way to the kitchen. So, as we always do, a menu refresh to reflect the micro season that we call Game Season, although much of what it brings isn’t ‘game’.
Today Meedu took a deer, part of a wild system on Dartmoor from @wildhartvenison who are able to provide the whole animal, with its offal and blood. Fantastic for making laap. Today an Issan raw laap dip, chopped with its blood for an irony fluffy texture. This time of year provides some extraordinary bitter herbs in the UK, served here with yellow bergamot flower from @namayasaifarm we served it with shiso from @flourishproduce
Whilst it’s traditional to use buffalo and its bitter bile to season bring out the sweetness of its meat, here we make a bitter melon water in lieu of bile to similar effect. Meedu also made a Saa of the same venison, sliced rather than chopped with roasted rice and chillies. Our project to intersect the recipes we love from Thailand with the wonderful produce at our fingertips teaches us more about both year on year.
On the menu for mid September
📸 @calamansari
Sour Soup of Pork Shank
Junior Sous Chef @calblagg has been working on a a version of a D’tom Saap, made here with 5 week aged @gothelneyfarmer Tamworth shanks. A sour, spicy combination, here we use roasted dry karen chilles and toasted rice powder for added aromatic layers. This is for mostly a simple combination of lemongrass, galangal, Corriander and pak chi with a balancing act of fresh lime and fish sauce. The marrow from the aged shank thickens the broth as you work through it. We’re drinking Coyade from @domaine_vinci 😮💨
@calamansari
@karlaknowles__
@meedu_saad
Beattie & Roberts x Super 8 x Fond Cyprès
This Sunday July 30th we are thrilled to be launching the latest Super 8 wines - Asteroid Blanc and Asteroid Rouge, made in collaboration with Domaine Fond Cyprès in Corbières.
Fond Cyprès was created in the early 2000s by husband and wife team, Rodolphe and Laetitia. Their beautiful domaine in northern Corbières has been certified organic since 2006, with their focus on crafting elegant and vibrant wines which show off the unique terroir of this wonderful area. The wines have long been favourites of ours, frequently on by the glass at Kiln and Smoking Goat, so it’s a pleasure to now introduce two special cuvées created especially for our restaurants.
Back in March, a few members of the Super 8 team went to visit Rodolphe & Laetitia at the domaine in Corbières to taste the 2022 vintage. We walked the gorgeous vines just as buds were beginning to form, visited the cellar to taste from tank and barrel, and listened to Rodolphe talk about the joys and challenges of the past couple of vintages. Next followed the enjoyable task of finalising our blends, where we assembled wines from different vessels to create our cuvées, a white and a red both called ‘Asteroid’.
The wines have now landed! Asteroid Blanc is a Grenache Blanc with bright minerality and lean fruit character resulting in a crisp, refreshing sip. Asteroid Rouge is a red-fruited juicy blend of red and white grapes with a lightness that begs to be chilled and drunk immediately.
These wines are the perfect summertime glass and will only be available at @kilnsoho, @smokinggoatbar & @brat_climpsonsarch. Come taste the release and meet the winemakers with us from 12PM - 10PM at Climpson’s Arch!
Thanks to @personality___crisis for the artwork
Laap mee of Pollock
Junior sous chef @gonzlive been working on a northern Laap Mee of Pollock based on a recipe from @hanuman.aspler for our summer menu.
Quickly becoming a favourite. Aromatic, umami with some bitter notes but retaining light freshness.
It starts with a Northern laap spice, Naam Prik Laap. We char fresh Lemongrass, Ginger, Galangal, Chillies, Garlic and Shallots before adding fermented shrimp paste, Makhwaen a type of prickly ash, known for its mouth numbing qualities and a mix of 14 other spices including coriander seed, star anise, cumin, long pepper to name a few, which we spent a considerable amount of time both sourcing and researching for this dish. Once stir fried, in a dry wok, until the natural oils are relaesed we allow to cool, then pound to a paste in the pok pok. Once ready it’s set above the coals to continue drying out completely until brittle enough to be pounded into the powder.
We use this this laap spice to season the fish during and after cooking which we feel adds a difference in its flavour profile, seasoning with the spice mix whilst stir frying highlights bitter qualities, adding the spices post cooking helps extract the brighter notes and complexity.
Were very lucky to pair Beautiful Pollock from @kernowsashimi in this dish with spring onions and coriander roots, that are hand minced with a cleaver preparing the fish this way allows the flavours to combine in an interesting way. We make a stock with the discarded bones. Then the breath of the wok brings it all together.
One of the key aspects of the dish are it’s fried elements, in this case Thai Garlic, Shallots, Galangal and Ginger, occupy 50% of the dish, which according to hanuman is necessary for this to be considered a true laap mee. We’re debating wether to fry the skin of the fish for another layer of texture. Feels like a no brainer.. We serve it with a variety of cucumbers and fresh herbs which are at there peak from our suppliers @flourishproduce @goodearthgrowers @namayasaifarm
Keep an eye out for it.
BUBBLES & SKINS
Excited to share that @laforastera2022 will be joining us with @ancestrelwines on Wednesday July 12th, 5-11pm, for a night of Bubbles and Skin Contact wine.
The La Forastera (the foreigner) was born in 2018. Matthias van der Sluis, a Dutch architect decided to take the leap and begin to nurse back to health 3.4 hectares of small, old vineyards owned by his family-in-law, situated in the hills of Font-Rubi, an hour away from Barcelona.
These vineyards are located in the Vinyes de les Serres Velles zone, which translates to vineyards of the old mountains, where they grow grape varieties Parellada, Macabeo and Sumoll. This year they’ve expanded, planting 0.6 hectares of of Monastrell and 0.4 hectares of Xarel.lo.
Delicious natural, unfiltered wines, using indigenous yeasts, no added sulphur or additives. The idea behind this approach is that the vineyards provide healthy grapes, and with minimal intervention, they create beautiful wine with skin maceration.
Thanks @aubert_gee @ancestrelwines for organising and @personality___crisis for the artwork.
Counter available for walk-ins all night, come down and join us 🙌🏽
Thank you to everyone, friends, family & guests, who came down on Tuesday night to celebrate the career of an incredible man Paul @bellytimberboy
We know it’s cheesy but at @super8restaurants we do consider our teams as part of a family and it’s always sad when the time comes for people to move on and enter the next chapter of their life.
Paul, we look up to you, admire you and you will always hold a place in our hearts. You better not be a stranger!
Thanks to all of the hard work that went into this, @personality___crisis for the artwork, @michaelahum & Fanny’s amazing wine selection, @karlaknowles__ @meedu_saad @gonzlive @ludo_radley & the rest of the kitchen team for the tasty new dishes. @calamansari on the sake & photos, the front of house team for navigating what we were told was ‘the best nightclub/restaurant’ that many of you have been to in a long time. @karlaknowles__ @calamansari for the personal stash of records they were spinning all night, to all of Paul’s friends who made it down! And Brian for your beautiful speech!
What a night 🙏🏼
Paul’s Last Night!
Not your typical event night at Kiln but this one’s a bit more personal for us…
You wouldn’t have seen his face that often, if at all. He’s not pokking poks on the cook line or setting the fires in the morning, welcoming you all to lunch but @bellytimberboy for the last 7 years has pretty much been the unsung hero of Kiln.
Paul, Kiln wouldn’t have been able to reach the heights that we have if we didn’t have you, you’re a legend to us and many many others… Now go enjoy being funemployed!
Join us on Tuesday, July 4th, 5-11pm to Celebrate Paul and the 50 years he’s spent in the kitchen!
We’ll be serving a few different raw fish dishes based around @kernowsashimi’s daily list of Ike Jime fish and a selection of sake from @tengusake available by the glass. We’ve also got a few special magnums out for the evening.
@personality___crisis on the poster
Langoustine, Gooseberry & Fermented fish Salad.
This som tam is based on some of the versions we have eaten while driving through Northeastern Thailand.
At its core the balance of sour, salty, spicy and sweet. We use pla ra, a fish sauce more widely used in issan and celebrated for its intense umami and pungent flavour, tempered with blackcurrant leaves, lemongrass and palm sugar to help round off its intensity.
We are using a Lebanese variety of courgette from @flourishproduce in place of the usual green papaya and though very different in flavour it’s texture is dense and serves well to pick up the flavour of the head meat from the lightly pounded langoustine from @kelticseafare
To add an element of sourness we are using gooseberries which help to balance the sweet and salty nature of the dish, these while in season work well and the team will be looking for alternatives as the season comes to an end.
@meedu_saad
Scenes from a Tuesday Lunch service with the team 
Three Pepper Curry of Pork Jowl
Sous chef @lonnie_rountree has been developing this dish since her return from her visit with @hanuman.aspler in Chang Mai.
This one is all about showcasing the incredible pork that we have access to thanks to @gothelneyfarmer and all of his hard work and attention to detail in farming. We’re using the jowl & ribs. The jowl offers those sweet, fatty, chewy flavours and textures, taking the edge off of the three layers of pepper throughout the curry. (The best bits are those little crispy morsels of pork that that get blessed by the wok).
For the paste the black pepper and long pepper are the deeper spice, along with the long red chillis. Green peppercorns add a bright citrusy spice and young galangal brings those sweet aromatic flavours to the forefront.
The spice hits and it hits hard but those bits of salty pork offer a sweet relief.
@calamansari 📸
Spring at Kiln: Chak Sohm Sour Curry of Grey Mullet
This is all about layering sour and saltiness for a curry which is satisfyingly complex.
We begin with the stock made with the salted and fresh bones of fish, traditionally salted king mackerel and in our case pollock or ling from @kernowsashimi that we have salted in house then picked to form the base of the curry paste. The bones simmering with tamarind to develop our first base layer of sourness.
The next layer is found in the paste made with the salted fish, long dried red chillies, lemongrass and galangal, the zest of chakora lime is deployed. As explained by @hanuman.aspler these aromatics and layerings of ingredients where used to temper the pungency of river fish.
The curry either made with water or coconut cream at its base, we opted for using pork fat sweetened with palm sugar from our Tamworth pigs @gothelneyfarmer which we felt help retain the subtle sour notes and add a layer of richness you gain from coconut cream.
We fry the paste in pork fat and slowly add the soured stock while steaming grey mullet over lemongrass and lime leaves, we then add vegetables such as asparagus, New Zealand spinach and dandelion just to warm through.
Before assembling the dish like a good story we season beginning middle and end and our last sour element is the juice and zest of the Satkora lime we have used in place of makrut.
The aromatic clean flavour of the steamed fatty fish along side the spicy and sour fragrancy of the curry with vegetal salinity in our choice of vegetables makes for a dish we are all very excited to share.
@meedu_saad
@calamansari 📸
Last week @meedu_saad and @karlaknowles__ headed to Rome cook at @marzapaneroma, here’s what happened…
We where delighted to be invited by our good friends at Marzapane showcasing kiln in a 10 course tasting menu with dishes from past and present as well as recipes we are developing from our latest research and development trip to both central, Isaan and Northern Thailand. Part of a restaurant series of collaborations at marzapane spanning eight months we where both excited and humbled to be able to cook and explore Rome and how best to incorporate the incredible ingredients in season at the time we where there. We landed and quickly visited @ammano_tragliatella a farm and shop specialising in cured meats and cheeses where we ate fresh mozzarella and charcuterie made with the famous Nero casertano pigs. A liver salami we tasted later became a key element in our dish with braised tripe, fermented soy bean and sun dried tomatoes. We stoped by the beach in search of sea fennel and ate violet prawns with really good olive oil another two ingredients that we felt would work well. It was a pleasure spending time with ownerr @mariosansone00 , head chef @antonioaltamura88 and @ayzaxel who took us around the city and markets informing us on traditional ingredients and cooking styles of the region.
1) Miang of raw red mullet, loquat & a caramel made from its bones
2) Chicken liver, aged soy, cumin & fennel pollen
3) Aromatic salad of slow smoked chicken with puntarelle & lemongrass
4) Nero Casertano pork offal prik laap with makrut leaf
5) Raw sheep, chilli & Mac quan with fried artichoke
6) Sea snails and violet prawns in salted coconut cream with citrus.
7) Red curry of scallop, Broad beans and Sicilian prawn.
8) Braised tripe with chilli, fermented soy bean & liver sausage
9) Wild ginger & beef cheek curry ,pickled young vines with romanesco.
10) woodland strawberries, the first peas, elderflower & pandan custard.
We had the pleasure of meeting Roberto Liberati @robelibe2 helping us to source some amazing offal, Beef and blood sausage a specialist butcher that dined with us on the counter.
Thanks to everyone who came by
Spring at Kiln: Dry Curry Of Chicken Livers
Just to power up with new dishes. We are going South for inspiration and in our recent trip to Thailand our first meal being Thai muslim restaurant with a great story where the restaurant was closing but the staff wanted to continue so asked permission from the owners to continue on the street right next to the original store.
Anyway, there the Biriyani was the main but lots of curries with dry spices like cumin and coriander seeds as top notes. This chicken liver dish is a dry curry without any coconut milk but the creaminess coming from the livers. Not as fiery as one anticipates as many dishes from the South are, but with the dry spices creating a balance. Headchef @Meedu_saad intends on getting more Islamic influenced Thai dishes on to explore the idea of borders and borderland cuisine of Thailand that many of Kiln’s dishes are made up of. Adding to the general deliciousness of Thailand we are so enthusiastic about. Also, connecting on more personal level as a child of the Islamic diaspora.
@meedu_saad
@kim_songsoo
@calamansari
Thank you @chaleekader for showing us your Biriyani spot 🫶🏽
& @federico_orsi_vignetos.vito for sharing his fermented vine leaves that we served with the curry
Side note - If you’re passionate about Thai food, have experience in the kitchen and would like to come and work and learn with us please email careers@super8.rest referencing Kiln
Early Spring at Kiln: Raw Gurnard, Pomelo & Wild Herbs
As the flowers bloom to signal the start of spring, we’re working through a new set of dishes for springtime. Although this time of year appears abundant, this beginning of the season leads us more toward foraging and eating flowers and small leaves from fields than ripe vegetables or even fruits.
This dish contains herbs like Hyssop, Yarrow feathers and fronds, Gorse flowers, sunflower shoots. This is what we register broadly as bitterness. Pomelo from @todoli also plays a part in bitterness, adding another complex layer, each small segment that bursts gives fragrance and tanginess. These are the types of things one wants to be eating to stay strong and ward off the cold. In thai cooking bitterness is a key flavor and something @num_samuay says is part of the expression of umami and also a blood cleansing property. Eat bitter so the summer is sweeter.
It’s the time to listen carefully by tasting. Tasting as listening, the various greens and their different green flavonoids offers to us nutrients only this time has to offer. All of which helps us boost our immunity in turn. So that we gather strength to gear up for change together.
Gurnards appearance are just as striking as their flavour. They are often at the bottom of the sea bed, ‘walking’ along in search of their prey, crustaceans are their snack of choice. This is reflected in their flavour, sweet, delicate with residue earthy undertones. A gentle bitter sweet combination where the way the fish is cut makes it satisfying to eat.
@meedu_saad
@kim_songsoo
@calamansari
Next Tuesday, 18th of April we will welcome one of our favourite winemakers, Federico Orsi, to Kiln. Fede’s farm is in a beautiful part of the Colli Bolognesi, just outside Bologna. He farms biodynamically and diversity is embraced fully; alongside his work in the vines he grows vegetables for a handful of the region’s best restaurants and keeps a small group of the local Mora Romagnola pigs, from which he makes the most delicious Mortadella we’ve tasted.
His wines, made from forgotten local varieties such as Pignoletto, are pure, soulful expressions of the hills he calls home. On the night, Fede will be behind the bar pouring them from bottles big and small, sharing the story behind each.
We’ll be kicking off at 5pm with some bookable tables in the basement via the link in our bio and counter space reserved for walk-ins on the night as always.
We’ll also be serving a few of our new spring dishes such as a southern Thai curry of chicken livers & hearts, Raw Gurnard with a fragrant dressing of green chilli, makrut leaf, young shoots and seasonal flowering herbs. Vietnamese Brawn, @todolicitrusfundacio citrus served alongside whole grilled fish and Tamworth rib chops from @gothelneyfarmer.
Keep an eye out for new dish sneak previews and make sure to get down early on the night to avoid disappointment!
@personality___crisis on the artwork! 🫶🏽
Friday evening we are excited to be welcoming winemaker Philippe Wies of La Petite Baigneuse vineyard in Maury, South of France. Our team have spent time with Philippe at his winery the past few summers, bottling, labelling and most recently for harvesting in September.
We have some exciting bottles for the night from Philippes cellar including unreleased vintages of Maury bottled from the barrels for us and a few Jeroboams of a cuvee for super 8 made by the harvest team.
Big thanks to @ancestrelwines @aubert_gee for making this come together.
Theres a few bookable tables left downstairs, get in touch with the team via bookings@kilnsoho.com
Majority walk in space on the bar and counter as usual.
Artwork by the brilliant @personality___crisis featuring photos from @benjaminmcmahon
This weekend, @meedu_saad, head chef of Kiln, will be taking over the restaurant @earlyjuneparis, continuing his journey from @pfranco_e5 & @180.corner restaurant last year, with his modern take on dishes from Egypt and the Arabic diasporas of North London where he grew up.
Meedu says.. ‘Paris shares many similarities with London, it’s a melting pot of different cultures and has such a strong North African presence. I visited Paris a lot as a youth, it was always comforting to hear my fathers, mother tongue in the distance of the markets. This short residency will offer me the opportunity to cook some familiar dishes to many people in France but with a flavour profile centred around the flavours I grew up with.’
We’ll be cooking Red Mullet with kidney fat & sumac. Ox cheek, black lime & birds tongue pasta. Fried brioche with grape molasses & sesame paste.
From 6pm-11pm tonight - Sunday
If any of you are local to Paris, we hope to see you there.
Vietnamese Brawn
This week in the test kitchen…
Senior CDP @jonathan_federiciii has been working on a dish based the Northern Vietnamese Giò Thủ, a fragrant brawn good for lunchtimes.
We’re using whole Tamworth pig heads; ears, tongue, cheeks & snout. After we break down the head we make a fragrant broth of Lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaf, negi, ginger and soy sauce. We then simmer the head meat, releasing all of the gelatin. The headmeat is sliced thinly and fried gently with garlic, shallots & peppercorns before adding fermented mushrooms for extra sour complexity. Then it’s a waiting game while it sets.
This slightly crunchy, gelatinous character can be a little challenging for the uninitiated, but dressed with ginger chilli dressing and with heaps of green herbs it rewardingly elegant use of the less glamourous cuts of @gothelneyfarmer pigs.
Photos from our girl @calamansari
We’re excited to be celebrating WOMEN IN WINE again this year at Kiln, with a strong list of female winemakers, selected by the women in our team.
Thank you to all of the women of @super8restaurants that make our company what it is, it wouldn’t be the same without all of you. 🫶🏽
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY
Here’s some of the winemakers we’ll be featuring throughout the rest of the month:
Soley female:
Julie Balagny
Fanny Sabre
Ktima Ligas
Anais Fanti
Els Jelipins
La Niverdiere
Gazetta
Victoria Torres
Foradori
Female collaborations:
Gut Oggau
Podere Pradarolo
Slobodne
Cantina Giardino
La Calmette
Mariette & Alberic Sapristis
Les Sablonettes
Entre Vinyes
Azul y Garanza
Tauss
Thank you @jessebsworth for the artwork
Stir Fried Monkfish Tail with Chilli & Lime Leaf
@meedu_saad and the team have been working on some new dishes since their return from Thailand.
This dish is inspired by a Giant Prawn Khua Kling that Meedu and the team ate at @samrubsamrubthai
We’re using Monkfish tails from @kernowsashimi, their meatiness lends well to withstanding an extremely hot wok and it’s not to disimilar to the giant prawns texture.
We stir fry the monkfish first with pork fat rendered form the pigs we use to excentuate the natural sweetness of the fish. The aromatic paste filled with fresh chillies and makrut leaf is added, allowing the fish to really absorb flavour. aromatics such as green peppercorns, lemongrass and lime leaves lead the way.
Fragrant, spicy and moreish.
Photos from @calamansari
Clear Soup of Aged Beef Neck & Winter Tomatoes
Senior Sous Chef @karlaknowles__ has been working on a version of Soup Nua - the first meal the team ate with @chaleekader upon their recent arrival in Bangkok.
The Aged beef neck is braised and lightly spiced with cinnamon and pepper. The broth is clear with fresh uplifting aromats at the forefront, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaf and winter tomatoes to give umami and body.
The dish was a table staple, a cleansing soup served alongside rich and spicy dishes to refresh your palate.
Pics from @calamansari
A brief edit of some of the eating highlights from the kiln and @smokinggoatbar team trip to Thailand in the last few days.
1&2 @wana.yook is @chaleekader latest creation, a meal based around khao Gaeng the famous rice and curry shop meal. The rice is the focus with some fantastic sourcing highlighting the breadth of styles of rice grown across the different terroirs and cultures around Thailand. This was a beautiful meal of familiar curry recipes punctuated by some astonishingly good ingredients… the coveted tai pao clams with great depth of flavour and texture / a stir fry of huge chunks of stir fried mud crab claw … so rare that tasting menus are able to feature this kind of mad level ingredients anywhere we’ve eaten in the world. The chef teams were really hyped after this one, if you’re going to Bangkok you have to go.
3. Old faithful… Kaeng Pa Sri Yan, a central Thai jungle restaurant. We’ve always loved their jungle curry with smoked cat fish this time joined by a Kaeng tai pla (famously spicy fermented fish innards curry) with the same Smokey fatty cat fish.
4. Another new one @haawmbkk researches and cooks old style thai recipes and serves them family style in his home. Brilliantly novel and historical at the same time.
5. A breakfast of Thai Muslim cooking - splendid biriyanis, stir fried lambs brain, massaman curries and more.
Commis chef @some_kinda_chef has recently moved onto the woks and he’s working here on our variation of the Southern Thai classic Khua Kling.
A dry wok roasted stir fry with lots of peppercorns, very spicy prik kee noo chillies and fragrant lemongrass and makrut lime leaves. We often use @thecornwallproject cull yaw being careful to keep the hot and dry despite the ample gorgeous fat matt’s cull yaw is blessed with. Here @some_kinda_chef is using @gothelneyfarmer pigs, so more similar to the archetypal Thai recipe. Fred’s pigs enjoy a hugely varied and largely grazed diet gives fantastic complexity of flesh flavour.
Much of these wok recipes are about creating distinct layers of hot aroma and salty spicy flavours. Working with this kind of pork and cull yaw adds this third layer of depth and we think deliciousness.
Pics from @calamansari
Thank you to everyone who made it down on Tuesday despite the weather and travel being against us. We had such a great day with all of you and it’s safe to say @vino.thropocene enjoyed his birthday thoroughly.
Thanks to @aubert_gee & @ancestrelwines for arranging.
Expect to see more of these wine focused nights next year. Until then we’re open all day until then 23rd & 24th for lunch, for your spice & wine needs.
Here’s a few pics from the night @calamansari
💥💥13/12💥💥
We’ve been keeping this up our sleeves for a while but we couldn’t be happier to share the news that @ancestrelwines are bringing the goods for Xmas this year!
An early present for us all; François Écot @vino.thropocene is coming to Kiln (& it’s his birthday!!!). One of the original rule breakers when it comes to playing fast and loose with the conventions of French winemaking. In the early 90’s François found himself in New York, following a love for Jazz, to discover the land of the musical giants which had influenced him since childhood. It was there that François made his decision to make his love for wine a career and it was then that he co-founded the vanguard import business (Jenny + François Selections) that would discover first French – and then European and US – natural wine for New York. He then headed back to France to continue his journey in wine making.
François will be taking over the wine list all day and will be joining us on the floor in the evening with our guy @aubert_gee. We’ll be serving some natty wines & lots of smiles. @karlaknowles__ and the team will be putting some special dishes on the menu.
Walk-ins available as usual and a couple of bookable tables left! We hope to see you there.
Thanks to @aubert_gee and @ancestrelwines for making this happen and thank you to @personality___crisis for the poster, nailed it 👌🏽
Stir Fried Spider Crab Claws with Holy Basil, Chilli Jam & Mexican Limes from @todolicitrusfundacio
@karlaknowles__ Loosely based this on the Bangkok street food dish Hoi Lai Pad Nam Prik Pao, instead of clams were using the kind of cold water seafood that is great at this time of the year; Spider crab claws.
The elements to this dish remain simple yet delicious, great quality seafood, a healthy amount of garlic, roasted chilli jam, holy basil, a few minutes of your time and a generous squeeze of lime at the end.
Keep an eye on our stories to see when it’s next on the menu, then get yourselves down here asap because it doesn’t hang around for long.
Pics @calamansari
Sunday Vibes & Sunday Wines
The list is looking pretty strong today, we’ve got some Magnums, bottles and by the glass. Plenty of walk-in space, come and join us for a glass!
COUNOISE
Les Frères Souliers
Very rare indigenous grape that has been revived by Les Freres Soulier to create a wine with striking sex appeal. Minerality with a smokey undercurrent of toasted almonds.
ALTOGRADO
Nino Barraco
Unique oxidative spin on Catarratto, recalling fino sherry & the traditional wines of the Jura.
SERRAGGHIA
Gabrio Bini
Catarratto, Pignoletto
Strawberry & Raspberry yogurt with warming spices, from an icon of natural wine.
TEMPS DE CHIEN
Romuald Valot
Not your average Gamay - Moody, earthy & savoury with brambles & burnt rubber.
OLLA BLANC
Matassa
Macabu, Muscat
Apricot & White Pepper, softened by ageing in clay amphorae.
Adam is holding onto his favourite, the Magnum of Counoise… He’s willing to share though 👌🏽
Pics: @calamansari
With Christmas & New Years quickly approaching we thought it would probably be a good idea to let you all know when we’re open so you can all get your fix before and after turkey day.
We’d like to thank every single one of you that has continued to support us over the years, Kiln wouldn’t be the same without you. We hope to see as many of you as possible before we sign out for a couple of days. Come by, have a glass of wine and some snacks on the leaner and join us in the festivities.
Bookings available and walk-in as always!
12th - 23rd December
12-23 Monday - Saturday
Sundays will remain the same 12-21
24th December 12-17
25th & 26th December Closed
27th, 28th, 29th & 30th 12-23
31st December 12-23
1st January Closed
After all of the celebrations we’ll be back to the usual hours:
12-15 17-23 Monday - Thursday
12-23 Friday & Saturday
12-21 on Sunday’s
Pics from @calamansari
On Tuesday @newcomer_wines joined us for the evening pouring some incredible bottles from @les_freres_soulier @tomlubbe & #trossen. The menu for the evening was a mixture of ideas and recipes from the broader kitchen team CDPS to sous chefs. Here are some of the dishes and photos from the night.
Senior Sous Chef @karlaknowles__ worked on a variation of a Yam Jin Gai, a recipe full of warming fry spice but using Pheasant rather than the traditional yard chicken.
Senior CDP @jonathan_federiciii served fried fermented mushrooms alongside a relish made from sloe berries from @namayasaifarm, one for the menu in the near future.
@meedu_saad’s Sour curry of Salted Grey Mullet, the geaang chak Somn, we were recently working on with the wonderful citrus in season at the moment.
@karlaknowles__ & @calblagg made two Miangs one with smoked sprats, tamarind & Finger Limes from @todolicitrusfundacio. The next with raw deer and quince from namayasai.
Sous chef @lonnie_rountree’s Ha Mok Pla a mixture of our sweet & aromatic red curry paste, eggs & hake, steamed over the fire.
Photos: @calamansari
We’re really excited to share that we’ll be welcoming @newcomer_wines & winemakers @tomlubbe, @trossen & @les_freres_soulier to Kiln on the evening of November 1st, to pour a selection of their incredible wines.
All three of these winemakers are favourites of our team at Kiln, all farming naturally or biodynamically.
Trossen farms Riesling over 2 hectares in some of the mosels steepest vineyards and have been doing so for 40 years!
Matassa farm 20 hectares of multiple grape varieties, at multiple altitudes in Rousillon with many of their vines aged 60+ years old.
Les Frères Soulier farm 10 hectares, spread across many small plots in northern Rhône. They grow mostly Grenache & Syrah as well as some very old forgotten varieties to match their terroir.
@newcomer_wines will be hosting The New Old World, European Wine Fair at @180.studios on the 31st & 1st, when they’ve finished up they’ll be making their way over to Kiln to join our team on the floor. The winemakers will be with us from 6pm but we’ll be open as usual from 5pm for you early birds.
Vinyls will be spinning all night, there will be bookable tables downstairs and space for walk-ins as usual. We look forward to seeing you there!
Our Artwork by the man, myth & legend : @personality___crisis
A Shan Claypot of Pigs Head and Steamed Blood Cake.
A recipe based on the umami interplay of toasted fermented soy bean cake and tomato, @meedu_saad working with our in house head butcher @mathewthebutcher using all the good bits of @gothelneyfarmer Tamworth pigs. The head is rolled and set, then cooked slowly it’s gelatinous, chewy character takes the place of noodles. We take tomatoes from @goodearthgrowers and @flourishproduce when in season and preserve them in fish sauce for the rest of the year. As it sits in the clay pot the steamed blood cake starts to break down adding creamy body as you make your way through it.
Photos: @calamansari
Notes from a good r&d session with @meedu_saad, @benjamin__chapman & @calamansari working on sour curry recipes. We’re grateful to be able to use the fantastic @hanuman.aspler recipes for Gaaeng Nohp Pha Gaao and Gaaeng Chak Sohm as our bases. Our aim to ready dishes that will work as we come into winter season, peak moment for citrus and cold water shellfish.
The Nohp Pha Gaao is elegant and floral, using scallops, pork belly, dried smoked mackerel, tomatoes, cucumbers & marigold from @goodearthgrowers @flourishproduce and finished with aromatic bergamot.
The Chak Sohm a fascinating recipe, it’s simultaneously rich and with three layers of salty sour. We used salted hake and salted mackerel, shatkora lime and makrut lime leaf, served with grey mullet that’s been steamed with aromats. Looking forward to bringing this recipe to the forthcoming season of brilliant citrus @todolicitrusfundacio later this year.
We’re hoping to see it’s first appearance on the menu at the latter end of this week, keep your eyes peeled.
Photos by @calamansari
We're fortunate to have built long-standing relationships with growers such as Sean from
@goodearthgrowers, this year we decided to concentrate on
chillies at Narkus, his farm in Cornwall.
We taste and use each variety as befits it's character, for example these long green knobbly ones are intensely peppery so @karlaknowles_ charred them in the woks with some garlic & shallots, aubergines on the coals and made the paste that
goes into jaew dtom of grey mullet & wild mushroom. The pepper heat and greenness benefitting this style of rustic curry soup.
The smaller mouse shit chillies are hot, bright and & fruit forward. @meedu_saad dry stir fries them with peppercorns, lemongrass cull yaw and sweetbreads in a variation on khua kling.
These red Birdseye like chillies are used across a number of
dishes. They suit our pounded relishes well, here pork jowl is
served with a nam prik that heavy on chilli & garlic, it's a favourite amongst our team. Also a great chilli to serve with the Laap Sausage and alongside the herbs like the hot mint that we
also get from Sean.
Thank you for the chillies.
Swipe to the end video to see the vast quantity of chillies being grown!
Photos: @calamansari
Since we opened the restaurant in 2016 weve been very fortunate to work with @kernowsashimi who often supply ikejime prepared wild bass and bream. A Japanese practice which means the fish is killed instantly rather than suffocated, preventing toxins from the spinal column entering the flesh and preserving the exceptional flavour. A wild bass handled this way is an astonishingly beautiful thing and gets the whole kitchen team excited when they come in.
Served raw here with chive oil, galangal, fennel, shallots, kumquats, roasted rice powder, chilli & lime (this version of the dish is on the menu today, ask our senior sous @karlaknowles__ about it).
When Bream are available we stuff them with lemongrass, encased in a salt crust and grill slowly to extract all the good flavour from the bones and skin into the flesh. Then is served with a very spicy dipping sauce heavy on garlic and fresh birds eye chillies.
Photos: @calamansari
This is one of the new dishes that our Senior Sous Chef @karlaknowles__ has recently put on the menu.
Nahm Prik Gapi is a pounded relish of shrimp paste and chillies.
With this particular dish Karla has been frying the leftover smoked kipper bones, from the fish that goes into our jungle curry, and pounding them into the gapi to give some Smokey flavour but mostly for texture which really changes the dish. Along with this we are using green tomatoes from @goodearthgrowers & @flourishproduce, putting the pulp into the gapi mix and using the tomato ‘shells’ to dip into the gapi with beautiful herbs and vegetables. This dish will remain on the menu but will look different each time you see it because we use whatever is seasonal and available to us from our amazing suppliers. We’ve recently had an great mix of cucumbers, nasturtiums & buena mulata peppers from @flourishproduce, bok choy & japanese pears from @namayasaifarm, peppers & more varieties of cucumbers from @goodearthgrowers which all accompany the relish.
Photos: @calamansari
Our good friend @personality___crisis whipped up something pretty special for @meedu_saad & @lukepyper’s Upside Down Rice this week at @180.corner
Here’s some of the elements of dishes being prepped as we speak at @180.studios
Goats horn peppers, Buena Mulata peppers, Padrón & Kohlrabi from @flourishproduce
Smoked saffron oil going into the upside down rice
Chicken Gravy and other sauces bubbling away
Meedus Fermented Chilli paste &
Fermented Chilli sauce
Braised Ox Tail
And last but definitely not least the Herring Garum
We very excited to see the dishes in full form tomorrow, see you all there!
Our Notes on Chef Num & Chalee’s flowering Coriander Salad last week.
There’s been a lot of flowering on the farms. The lack of rain causes stress on the plants and makes them bolt and flower. A bit of nature's trick in gift giving making you aware through beauty. We align ourselves, somewhat, with what is going on in the fields. There were a lot of flowers. Noted also in passing by chef Num, and it’s because it is very dry and we’ve had a very hot summer and not nearly any rain. There were quite a few flowers on the menu, and we even made a salad out of coriander flowers-in bounty. The coriander in all its stages in one nonchalant salad with the 12-year Jersey rib. Perhaps unnoticed when served with a great piece of meat naturally. Chef Num and Chef Chalee were excited about the coriander, even in Thailand industrial agriculture dominates and the ability to use the coriander in all stages of bounty is rare. Both Crocadan farm and Good Earth Growers gave us coriander of different stages. The Green seeds, “younger leaves”, “older leaves”, flowers, and the tender bolts all tossed with a bit of fish sauce and palm sugar create a melody and can experience the coriander in its full form. Whilst tasting the different parts of the coriander it was noticeably sweeter, the plant’s energy building up into sugars to make a seed. The seeds’ hum citrus notes along with the overwhelming herbal scent of fresh green coriander. Altogether strong, like no other coriander, the once quiet coriander for some of us, when heard had a lot to say.
Flowers are a sign of resilience, though we ask for rain we can still surrender to the generosity of nature. The dry summer means lots of flowers visiting on the dishes at kiln this season. It may be trending, but it’s just nature telling us how it is.
SOLD OUT!!!
UPSIDE DOWN RICE
A series of dinners by @meedu_saad & @lukepyper at @180.corner
Meedu Saad and Luke Pyper will takeover the restaurant space at 180 Corner for four nights beginning 3rd of August. The pop up will showcase Chef Meedu’s ingredient led, homely style of cooking from the mouth of the wood oven at 180 corner. Luke will be pouring rare and old vintage wines by their favourite winemakers as well as one off bottles from La Grapperie, Frederic Cossard and Christian Tschida.
Part of a series of evenings at 180 Corner restaurant, made up of a kaleidoscopic guest-chef takeovers presenting one off menus for a limited time.
Bookings are live!
We hope to see you there!
Photos from form the incredible @benjaminmcmahon
Here’s some of the behind the scenes sourcing and cooking ideas that went into last weeks meal.
Upon landing in the UK Chefs Num & Chalee went straight to Cornwall to meet our suppliers and hand pick the produce going into the dishes they cooked.
For instance, these Nasturtium capers from @crocadonfarm and @goodearthgrowers
Raw, they have a peppery and a slight astringency, once brined in fish sauce with aromats such as lime leaf and fresh chilli this became a key component of the dish giving salinity, fragrance, and texture.
These Nasturtium Pods were a part of the Raw chalk stream Trout dish that the chefs made that also had Dittander leaves running through it and its flowers to garnish also from the farms.
Nasturtium pods don’t necessarily have a season. They grow in ‘in-between spaces’- a great fillers in between crops or growing on top of big composts. Their multicolour flowers add beauty to the fields and gardens alike. In some ways they are the barometers of a farms microclimate each flower maturing to a seed pod with its own time scale according to where it is grown. The more niche the space Nasturtium occupies on a farm the more flowers it produces and thus more seed pods. We are lucky to have gotten there just in time for a patch of Nasturtium seed pods yet to mature and harden its shell for the next year but tender like capers. It’s worth mentioning like the chilli we use everyday at the restaurant the Nasturtium reigns from Central America much like all the great things we eat today.
It’s an ingredient that we haven’t used until Chef Num & Chef Chalee visited, we hope to use it more to create the small burst of nose watering sting and a bit of tender bitterness to our dishes.
Photography: @calamansari
Its exceptional to be able to use the plant in every stage. Its a privilege to surrender into the generosity of the plant and the grower. Such as the Nasturtium seed pods when caught at the right time so tender they pop with a crunchy peppery flavor. Chef Num and Chef Chalee want to pickle them in fish sauce and then we shall see.
Also the “common” coriander in all their growing stages. Conventional farming does not offer the plant in all its glory and flavor. Coriander leaves, serrated leaves when ready to flower, the flowers and young seed pods all in a salad chef Chalee will prepare to make is moments pop served alongside some beef.
They were inspired by what was growing wild and planted. In awe of the farming practice the results are density in both flavor and passion.
Such as the Dittander, grown wild and sometimes planted to help with Dock control. Their extensive root system and tap roots can out do what Docks are also good at. Maybe its their extensive roots that make them so intense in pepperiness and spiciness more so than their counterparts wasabi. Will be going in the Koi Plaa maybe grilled then chopped or pounded in. Along with some of the Dittander flowers.
Straight from Heathrow Chef @num_samuay and chef @chaleekader drove down to see some of the farmers we work closer with. Both of the chef’s knowledge in cooking and flavors really resonated as they walked in the fields with Dan Cox. Both talking intensely about dishes punctuated by “wow!” Both their knowledge in cooking and ingredients and especially in Thai cooking they were parsing the flavors like old recipes: spicy -> astringent -> herbal ->bitter.
They built each dish as they walked through the field trying every herb and flower. Incorporating what was available and being inspired what this land has to offer. Wishing to have a in on their impassioned conversation the plants understood Thai as they found their use in dishes.
@samuayandsons x @100mahaseth x @tuttowines
Ecstatic to tell you that Chef @num_samuay of trailblazing Isaan restaurant Samuay & Sons is returning to cook at Kiln, this time bringing with him OG of the creative food scene in Bangkok @chaleekader of @100mahaseth
Two of our biggest inspirations in cooking and a big part of the vanguard of a new generation of exciting Thai chefs together for a 2 day takeover.
Num’s restaurant @samuayandsons is in Udon Thani in the Isaan region of Thailand. They have a focus on Isaan ecology and an ethos of ‘cooking from the countryside’, Num has dedicated his career to championing hyper-seasonal produce, foraging for half-forgotten forest plants and herbs, and working closely with the communities and innovating local food wisdom.
At 100 Mahaseth, Chalee serves a kind of nose-to-tail Isaan cooking, which is known for its bold flavours and uncompromising creativity. Chalee’s approach is both faithful and specific to the broad cooking landscape of Isaan whilst being led by sourcing of great ingredients.
We’re delighted to have @tuttowines pick out bottles for the evenings from their roster which includes luminaries such as Gabrio Bini, Catherine Dumora, Le Coste and Sistema Vinari. The wines they select always feel meaningful to us and with strong sense of place.
We last did this in 2019 and that was a seminal experience for our team to cook with chef Num. We still regularly refer to the lessons, language and ideas he gave us on adjusting isaan recipes around the ingredients we have here with zero compromise. He has had a huge influence on our cooking and aided our growing projects in Cornwall with @goodearthgrowers by sourcing seeds which aren’t available here at all.
Artwork by our friend @personality___crisis
19th & 20 July from 6pm
Bookings go live 10am on 12th July
bookings@kilnsoho.com
Kiln
58 Brewer St
Soho
London
We are very happy to be announcing we will be welcoming Laetitia & Rodolphe from @fond_cypres to take over our wine list @kilnsoho for the evening of Monday the 4th of July, they will be on the floor, side by side with our team pouring for one night.
Organically Farming 15 hectares between the family house and ancient forest Letitia and Rodolph produce wine as true to the terroir as can be.
Each parcel almost commanding its own micro climate, atop land that literally changes beneath your feet, from the soft sandy soil at one end that allow roots of old vines to tunnel deep helping develop complex minerality to the vines sitting side by side with the ancient forest filled with towering cypres trees, wild herbs and juniper in this incredibly bio diverse vineyard.
This is evident in the wine, from precise and energetic rosè we drank with smoked and pickled fish under the fig tree’s that grace the land close to the house, through parcels of old vine Grenache, Rancio and oxidative gems from barrel projects while eating oysters in the cellar, having had the pleasure of recently experiencing this first hand we really wanted to share how truly special Fond Cypres is.
Our Head Chef @meedu_saad will be adding some dishes that highlight the time spent on the vineyard.
We have a few bookable tables in the dining room downstairs, get in touch with the team bookings@kilnsoho.com. Walk-ins available for the counter as usual. Kicking off from 5pm. Special thanks to @beattieandroberts for connecting the dots and making this happen. Artwork by the amazing @personality___crisis
Thank you to @nationalrestaurantawards
“I am sincerely grateful for all of the hard work our teams do and what our industry has had to endure over the last few years makes all of you nothing short of incredible.” - @meedu_saad, our truly amazing head chef
Thank you for including us & congratulations to all of our friends alongside us.
Photo: @calamansari
Our junior sous chef @lonnie_rountree recently stayed with @fah_skybang family in Wanon Niwat, 90 mins northeast of Udon Thani. Wanida’s Auntie Nang and Auntie Si have long been hugely generous with the Kiln team in their hospitality and cooking knowledge, thank you!
There’s always some new layer of development recipe. Adjustment of simple, good, fresh local ingredients grown adjacently which blows our minds. This time Isaan laap of chicken in a fried form, which Lonnie has since been working on and will be on the menu from tomorrow.
Roughly chopped liver, heart and skin and fresh mince with garlic is lightly fried then dressed with pak chi farang, shallots, toasted rice powder and a good dry chilli powder, fish sauce and a little lime. Sounds simple, but as ever simple is hard and requires the elements to be flavourful and nimble in seasoning.
These are the kind of dishes that really resonate with us. Adjacent to good ingredients- the guiding principle in recipes- a huge influence on how we cook at the kiln and the sourcing and growing projects we see as the soul of the place.
Photos by @calamansari
Salt baked wild sea bream on the grill in the morning and in the afternoon @larchetipowines and @schoedl.family came by to pour a few glasses of their new releases. 
Wonderfull late spring wild flavours from @namayasaifarm. A delivery of nettles, kabu, wild garlic, lemon balm and bracken shoots. Ale hood has a taste between mint and anise with beautiful violet flowers. We are using it with, hake, toasted rice powder and lemongrass to form a koi or Loas fish laap. One of the lighter seasoning dishes on the menu, uplifting spring goodness. 
Great to have @amosbaneresvinyero & @ancestrelwines join us for briefing this morning.
We tasted Laap muang moo, a northern Thai style spiced dry laap, thickened with pigs blood and finished with fried skin. Spices include dried Karen chillies, white pepper, mace, long pepper, Thai cardamom and Szechuan pepper. All made with @gothelneyfarmer Tamworth pork.
Stir fried broad beans, three cornered garlic and mylor shrimp. Based on the southern Thai classic combination of stink beans and shrimp, this version is about light, sweet shrimp and garlic flowers against bitter green taste of the young beans and a little char from the woks. 
By popular demand we now have a limited run of @katiefishlock designed t shirts, made by @service.works for the @super8restaurants Women In Wine campaign.
The campaign highlighted the work of leading female wine makers in support of international womens week 2022. We have limited run 100 print in S/M/L, first come first serve. Minimum price per tee is £24 but any donations above that are welcome as all profits will be going to the charity Women for Women - a charity that supports and invests in women that have survived war and conflict.
Pick up available at any of the sites
Contact: Calamansari.jpg@gmail.com for all enquiries
Aged chops from @thecornwallproject with a relish of green peppercorn and charred chives plus @kim_songsoo fermented chillis and bitter leaf salad with grilled soy been cake.
Then some bonus shots of favourite bottles we’ve been pouring this week.
@kim_songsoo who runs sourcing + r&d @super8restaurants came by this morning with a number of lacto fermentation of mustard greens for us to try in our stir fried chicken offal dish.
These mustard greens she has worked on from seed sourcing to growing with @goodearthgrowers and before using our lab space at climpsons arch to experiment with fermentations.
On the menu today
Jungle curry with kippers and nettles from @namayasaifarm
Gaeng tai pla (very spicy fish innard curry) with starry night pumpkin from @flourishproduce
Whole slow grilled flounder from @finandflounder
Clay pot of Shan style pork trotter and shank from @gothelneyfarmer aged Tamworth pork
On the menu today, a Koi of hake which is a Laotian variation on laap using sliced rather than minced fish. We love these recipes which are lightly seasoned and place more emphasis on aromatic character. Galangal, lemongrass and makrut lime leaves alongside wild chervil from @namayasaifarm and over wintered Japanese onion from @flourishproduce 
Smoking the Denver muscle from @philipwarrenbutchers aged beef over oak, today served as snack with a very spicy dipping sauce. And we’re tasting more bottles from female winemakers for @super8restaurants Women In Wine this week. 
Women in Wine
Delighted to have a wine list this week which focusses on the work of a number of female wine makers. This is part of a @super8restaurants initiative led by the women in our team celebrating international womens day.
Thanks to @katiefishlock for the artwork. We’re gonna be printing some T-shirts for those who want one.
The winemakers :
Daniela De Gruttola from Cantina Giardino,
Ivonne Hegoburu from Domaine De Souch
Simona from Podere Orto
Fanny Sabre
Céline and Isabelle from Domaine JosmeyerMeyer,
María Barrena from Azul y Garanza
Martine Budé from Clos la Niverdière,
Stéphanie Roussel from Chateau Lassolle
Nadia Verrua from Cascina Tavijin
Margarita & Francesca from Fontarenza
Trish Nelson from Gazzetta
Julia Naar from Les Valseuses
Núria Parellada from Clos Lentiscus
Nice selection of negi onions, Alexander, wild garlic, wild carrots and nettles from @namayasaifarm this morning. Nama Yasai have been growing Japanese and English fruits and vegetables in Sussex for the last 17 years. Their slow growing varieties and agroforestry zero chemical input methods give produce which is remarkably densely flavourful (almost ‘wild’ tasting) and nutritious. I remember first eating their produce @koyalondon long before knowing anything about sourcing good produce in the UK and being struck by the quality of flavour. For many in our cooking community that NamaYasai salad is the first step through the wardrobe into the world of sourcing in a meaningful and connected way in UK. 
Many of you will know the monkfish liver curry we often serve. The recipe is a variation on gaeng tai pla, a legendary southern Thai curry of fermented fish innards. We use monkfish livers in lieu of tai pla. An edit made in-line with the broader ethos of our restaurant - to work with both the Thai recipes we’re enchanted by and the wonderful produce we gather from the farmers, fishermen, growers we know in the UK. The result is a rich, umami curry bolstered by the fatty fish liver which tempers some of saltiness and spice inherent in the recipe.
Every now and then we serve something more similar to OG version : very spicy, salty, intensely umami. The broth is cooked then allowed to simmer with citrus for a little structuring bitterness. Today we use smoked sprats for that essential smoke x umami combination that underpins the dish and the gorgeous pumpkins from @flourishproduce are sweet relief.
Roasting fish over charcoal is an everyday pleasure for us. Today we’re looking at two styles which emphasise fragrant, aromatic qualities.
Firstly herring, stuffed with a curry paste featuring white pepper, star anise and clove. @goodearthgrowers grow cardamon for us in Cornwall, so we use the whole plant. Here we use the cardamon stalk to skewer the fish and wrap in the fresh leaves. The leaves gather a little tea like bitterness when grilled and set off the sweet fatty flesh of herring particularly well.
Then whole wild bream, roasted in salt with lemongrass and citrus leaves. Simple but you really get the most from a fish cooked this way.
Congratulations to friends and neighbours @ikoyi_london and @thecloveclub on gaining 2 Michelin stars last night! Kiln team also delighted to receive a Michelin Bib Gourmand for this year. Thanks to all the farmers, producers and regular guests that help make this building a continual source of joy and inspiration for us. 
A dish to pair with a sake for the JFOODO sake campaign this week. This is a simple clam and citrus salad. Using the last of our blood mandarins from @todolicitrusfundacio (thanks to @toklas_london ), clams from @finandflounderwholesale, salted kumquats, and sweet starry night squash from @flourishproduce . The sake is Hyakuiyuro Yamahai Ginjo and they go well together. 
Our dry red curry of fried herring in 4 acts. Chef @matthowker stirfrys a mix of chillies and small bitter aubergines, the edible pith of @todolicitrusfundacio citron, turnip tops, lemongrass and shallots. The combination with fried butterflies herring is something spicy, a little sweet and fragrant. 
A brief run through of some of the interesting seafood we’re using today. Flavourful squat lobsters and monkfish liver selected with both deliciousness and sustainability in mind. Bountiful menu for lunch today, with citron som tum, jungle curry, whole red mullet and the crab and kumquat miang. 
Miang of white crab and pickled kumquat on the menu later today. At the same time in another dimension the @super8restaurants sourcing team are tasting 100’s of variety of citrus (including these kumquats) at the beautiful @todolicitrusfundacio with @toklas_london team 
Today at kiln we have a nam dtok of the Denver cut of aged @philipwarrenbutchers beef. Plenty of bitter herbs, aromatic roasted rice and seasoned towards the isaan style of spicy, salty, sour ahead of sweet.
There’s whole red mullet for the grill and a pet net from folias de baconin in Portugal.
In celebration of lunar new year this week we have a focus on biodynamic wine producers across the @super8restaurants family. Thanks to @personality___crisis for the lunar new year artwork. 
On the menu tonight : stir fried spider crab with nam prik pao and holy basil. Earlier today we tasted Hungarian rose alongside the chanthaburi jungle curry and fried aged duck legs 
Delighted to say that our head chef @meedu_saad is starting a chefs residency at the legendary @pfranco_e5 this week.
Meedu will be cooking a weekly changing menu of dishes which gather ideas from childhood memories of bakeries in Cairo, seafood from the Red Sea and Tottenhams Turkish grills. Ideas include a Cull Yaw Baklava, slow braised black beans with squid and a beef marrow ‘risotto’ of birds tongue pasta.
Meedu starts this Thursday 27th until March 27th and it’s walk in only. See you all there. Thank you to @teganhendelstudio for immortalising Meedu’s name in artwork!
Thanks to the endeavours of @toklas_london we took a delivery of fantastic variety of citrus from The Todoli Citrus Foundation, @todolicitrusfundacio this morning.
Exceptional in range and quality of flavour we tasted Citron Pane, a number of pomelos, Amoa mandarin (blood mandarin), Giant Kumquat, Borneo Lime, Marrakesh Lemon, Chinotto and plenty more.
These will be on the menu this week as work out dishes. Early highlights are the Citron where the pith is edible and crunchy resembling a texture like green papaya will be used as a som tum.
@matthowker made a relish from his Indonesian heritage of aromatic limes and chillie called a sambal luat.
@insta_alb has ordered @kernowsashimi ike jime fish to make raw laabs, miangs, sashimi.
Todoli Citrus Foundation is a fifth generation citrus farm run by Vicente Todoli, better known as the ex-director of Tate Modern and current artistic director of the Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan.
Vicente took over the family farm in 2009, and with the advice and encouragement of his friend Ferran Adria from El Bulli, has built the farm into a place to preserve rare and endangered species of citrus. The farm is relatively small at 40,000 square metres, but now hosts over 400 varieties, including citrons, pommelos, oranges, clementines, mandarins, lemons, grapefruit, limes, kumquats, papedas and Asian varieties like yuzu and sudachi.
@toklas_london is now importing Todoli citrus to the UK. The fruit is for sale @toklas_bakery (so you can go by and pick some up to eat at home) and they will feature in the restaurant, bar and bakery.
This afternoon at Kiln
Chef @meedu_saad is using squat lobsters lightly steamed and cured lobsters to replace the langoustines in our citrus salad. These are both sustainable and delicious. The dressing is made with green mandarin juice and bergamot.
A selection of the radishes from @goodearth we serve with the pounded pollock relish
We’ve opened some Julie Balagny Minouche 2020: gamay from two parcels, steep
Sloped vineyards over 8 hectares in Beaujolais. All hand worked & organic farming. We paired with the sour pork red curry for tasting.
This morning at Kiln
Sous Chef @insta_alb is very excited about an ike jime wild bass from @kernowsashimi . A wonderful thing, glossy, bright eyed and tense. We’ll slice the fillet and serve raw, then will fry the skin for laap then take the fatty belly and grill separately over the coals.
Next chef @matthowker talks the team through the aromatic benefits of grilling bream in a salt crust and Jude is pouring Vulcano Chiaro from Sicily for tasting.
The menu today is stacked… sour pork red curry, pon pla, a koi salad of pollock, stir fried chicken with preserves daikon…
First record on the deck recounts the Black Fire Records story from 1975 - 1993. ‘Black Fire is a collective of precision-discipline creativity of epic cosmos powers : a love supreme’