Restaurant Review: The Joint

INTRO:

London’s obsession with dirty food shows no signs of stopping. The Man vs Food generation want their protein delivered in a sweet, slow-cooked format that London seems all too ready to supply. This huge growth in BBQ joints can mean one of two things: the competition can push standards higher or it can drown us in meat mediocrity. Luckily today’s new venture fights for the former. Following the great success of their Brixton Market establishment, Warren Dean and Daniel Fiteni have ventured north of the river with their latest opening on New Cavendish Street.

CUISINE:

American style BBQ. Expect the usual suspects: BBQ ribs, hot wings, onion rings, corn on the cob and some substantial burgers. Fillings include beef brisket and the inescapable slow cooked pulled pork *cue eye roll*.

THE VIBE:

Paper plates, plastic cutlery, food served in paper parcels and squeezy sauces. It’s pretty much the closest you’ll get to a Deep South cook-out in central London. Meanwhile the giant wall murals, communal tables and drinks in jam jars inject a relaxed, buzzy Brixton vibe into the smarter streets of Marylebone.

THE FOOD:

The ribs are almost too tender, falling off the bone from a mere glance… you could eat it with a spoon and we gladly would. The Asian burger, featuring spring onion, ginger, chilli and crunchy coleslaw, lacked the eastern spice and fragrance the name seemed to promise. So stick to the beef brisket, served in a hearty potato bun under smoked aioli and a bacon relish. The Australian beef is sourced from a farm near Daniel’s hometown of Melbourne and known for its greater marbling and fat content that makes for a tender, unctuous bite. Daniel is also a trained baker so it’s no surprise the buns are more substantial than the average brioche meat-vehicles destined to fall apart at the first whiff of beef.

THE DRINKS:

There are Brixton Brewery Craft ales but cocktails are The Joint’s strong point. If sour is your pleasure, the Thyme Collins, featuring gin, lemon thyme, agave and soda, riffed nicely with the meat playground set before us.

THE DAMAGE:

At £8.50 for a burger, £4.50 for wings, and £6.50 cocktails, The Joint is extremely inexpensive for it’s postcode. Keep it thrifty and you can afford to make this a regular and quick post-work haunt.

THE CONCLUSION:For BBQ eateries, East London and street food legends are still king. But for brisket and ribs in Marylebone, you can’t do better than The Joint. It’s a great option for anyone looking to finally bury those failing New Year health kicks.

BEST FOR:

Take friends not dates. Specifically friends who won’t be grossed out by your BBQ sauce covered face of contentment.

Find them at – 19 New Cavendish Street, Marylebone, London W1G 9TZ, www.the-joint.co

www.billetto.co.uk/meat-and-greet