Mambow’s brief stay in Peckham was a highly successful one - Abby Lee and team took the restaurant from a beloved pop-up with a cult following to one of London’s very best. With a considerable reputation in tow, Mambow has upper sticks and joined the cool East London crew, taking up residence on Clapton High Road.
It’s a cosier space than Peckham, and feels a little more makeshift with little counter dining spots set up against the front window and by the open kitchen. That kitchen is the heart of this elongated space - the team whizz around on either side of the pass shuttling dishes out to hungry diners, and the whole space has a real buzz about it. The combination of pokey counters and the rapid arrival of small plates makes finding space tricky, but when the food is this good, dishes don’t last very long anyway.
Some all-star dishes have survived the move - the zingy pickles, for one, as well as Abby’s crispy, meaty Lor Bak (five spice pork, prawn and bean curd bites). Do not come to Mambow without ordering at least one plate of these.
It feels difficult to go wrong with anything on Mambow’s compact menus. Clams arrive with a hit of buttery white pepper sauce, and we dig around the bowl to triple check that there are none still hiding in their shells. A thick-cut stone bass steak is beautifully cooked, in a rich sauce that delivers just the right level of spice. There’s immense joy in the ritual of interspersing Mambow’s richer, spicier dishes with a bite of pickle in between. You’ll always find a single dessert on the menu as well, which we recommend saving room for if you like the sound of a pineapple treacle tart. Mambow has also added a few excellent cocktail options to the already very crushable wine list.
If we’re honest, we slightly preferred the Peckham location, but Mambow’s small plates and big flavours continue to go from strength to strength, and the sky is the limit for this talented team.