Bubbas (CLOSED)

Proudly upmarket, Bubbas has been fashioned from the Victorian Tulse Hill railway station building. Chef Anthony Cumberbatch is an accomplished practitioner with an impressive cv, finessing the cuisine with panache. What Bubbas does, and does well, is add subtlety to a cooking style that’s all about bringing the biggest flavours out of its ingredients. Jerk chicken, for example, is transformed into a breast stuffed with candied plantain; oxtail is presented as appealing boneless nests; and goat curry is paired with herb tuile parcels. An elegant loin of pork was perfectly cooked and sealed in caramelised sugar, reminiscent of a proper Caribbean brown stew; the accompanying saltfish ravioli seemed an unlikely soulmate, but worked well with trout roe vinaigrette, whose sweet/sour taste alongside the other two dishes demonstrated that this balanced blend of flavours was no fluke. A pretty but punchy sea bass fillet came with perfectly firm-fleshed okra and asparagus. Sides of coleslaw, and rice and peas, were small but definite winners, as were the lovely staff. The stark disco decor, all black furnishings and gilt mirrors, is an odd touch, but as a metaphor for the poshed-up style and prices to match, it’s spot on.