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Kudu Collective has taken over an old Truman’s pub on Nunhead Lane for its fourth site in Peckham, and the new joint brings the heat. Here, the emphasis is on braai, a South African way of grilling that uses only wood and charcoal. Co-founders Amy Corbin and her chef-partner Patrick Williams cook seasonal British ingredients over fire.
Some dishes were absolute bangers and some were forgettable. Highlights included the fresh, fat and juicy Irish oysters, served with an umami-packed tomato dashi and trout roe; juicy yet crisp pork chop with monkey gland sauce – a thirteen-ingredient thick, sweet, tangy and smoky barbecue-like sauce that Kudu Grill needs to bottle and sell immediately (don’t worry, no monkeys were harmed in making this); and beef-fat crispy fingerlings that resembled salty, fatty shards of amber glass with fluffy, creamy potato at their centre. Bliss.
Unfortunately, as I said, it wasn’t all good. Fried pig’s tails with honey mustard had the potential to be a playful, mini-rib-like snack, but were far too sweet and lacking in mustard. The grilled prawns with peri-peri butter needed more heat (for reference, my spicy food tolerance maxes out at sriracha); and the acacia-honey-glazed poussin was a bit underwhelming and went too heavy on the fennel – but the wood-fire char comes through beautifully, adding a subtle smokiness.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy myself or the food: I think with time, as the kitchen gets more into its groove, this place could really knock it out of the park. Plus, the portions are incredibly generous, so much so that I’d recommend going with a big group so you can share dishes and cover more ground.
I got too excited with starters and mains, leaving no room for dessert, but I’ve got my eye on the melktert (a milky Afrikaner tart) choux bun with jasmine ice cream and the fragola grape sorbet with olive oil and almond for next time.
Service was warm and attentive without being too over-the-top. And the interiors could be straight out of 1970s detective movie: forest-green tiled walls, venetian blinds, ceiling fans and exposed brick. Who doesn’t love a good whodunnit?
The vibe A handsome dining room.
The food Open-fire braai cooking.
The drink A full South African wine list with some smoky cocktails borrowed from sister bar down the road.
Time Out tip Ask to sit at the bar for dinner. You’ll get to watch chefs in the half-open kitchen play with fire.