From Sunday 13 January, street food stalwarts BBQ Dreamz will be bringing their Filipino cooking to MEATLiquor Kings Cross with a six-week residency.
Fresh from their success on BBC’s series My Million Pound Menu, which saw them partner with hospitality entrepreneur and Draft House founder Charlie McVeigh, founders Lee Johnson and Sinead Campbell will be launching a Sunday pop-up featuring a tasting menu comprised of signature BBQ Dreamz dishes featured on the show.
After cutting their teeth at street food hot spots KERB and StreetFeast since October 2014, as well as leading music festivals across the country, Johnson and Campbell will be kicking off the new year with a ten-course tasting menu using ingredients and flavours inspired by Johnson’s Filipino heritage and the best of British produce. Born and raised on a working farm in County Galway, Campbell understands the importance of provenance and flavour, which together are central to the menu at BBQ Dreamz.
The menu kicks off with some BBQ Dreamz favourites; Grilled satay duck heart skewers, in homage to Lee’s auntie who runs a skewer stall back in their home village. Also taking its place on the menu will be the Filpino staple Lechon Kawali, pork belly that is sous vide for 36 hours before being chopped up in to crispy nuggets and served with cane vinegar dipping sauce as well as the sweet and sour Papaya noodle salad made using vermicelli rice noodles.
Alongside food, diners can sip on a calamansi lime spiked Bloody Mary, the citrus fruit native to the Philippines, as well as other drinks from MEATLiquor’s stocked bar.
Johnson said, “From humble beginnings as a street food stall, we’ve been lucky to work at some of our favourite markets and leading festivals across the UK. We’re now ready to bring our food to MEATLiquor and give our diners the true Filipino treatment and Irish hospitality that inspired us from the start.”
Campbell added, “Many people don’t know that Filpino cuisine is a melting pot of cultures from across the world, especially from neighbours Japan and Malaysia, bringing together a variety of flavours and smells that makes it truly unique.”
investor Charlie McVeigh said, “I knew as soon as I tasted Lee and Sinead’s cooking that BBQ Dreamz could cut it in London’s diverse food scene, their Lechon Kawali was a taste revelation. I’m excited to see them turn heads and teach Londoners more about Filipino cooking.'