In the eight years that Kudu operated in Peckham, the restaurant developed a much-loved cult following, serving up cool cocktails and braai-based meats in an edgy part of town. Bigger ambitions (and presumably the lure of more money) saw Kudu relocate across the Thames to Marylebone. The trick has worked insofar as the venue was packed, but to this reviewer it felt like just another trendy restaurant, lacking a distinct identity.
Gourmand Gunno’s guest for the occasion was a Peckham local who was able to provide useful colour and context as well as acting as a helpful guide through the menu. For those unfamiliar, a kudu is a large, spiral-horned antelope from Africa. Its meat does not grace the menu, although a few sets of antlers decorate the venue. However, this about the only aesthetic evidence to suggest an African angle. Like many other nearby restaurants, there’s an open kitchen, banquette seating, lots of mirrors and a palate of pastel colours. You want mid-20s London dining zeitgeist? Look no further.
The culinary angle is “modern European cooking with a South African twist.” There’s a lot of grilling of meat, protein is broadly lauded over carbs and almost everything can and should be shared. Our server stuck dutifully to the script of what we ought to eat and seemed flummoxed whenever we raised a seemingly off-piste request. Choosing, however, was easy, albeit helped by local knowledge from my dining comrade.
Any meal at Kudu needs to begin with carbs, even if diners may repent later. The Kudu bread is fluffy, sumptuous and decadent. It tastes even better when dipped into bacon-cured house butter. It’s not for the faint-hearted or artery-concerned, but it tasted damn good. There’s also a shrimp butter (and a pickled shallot option for vegetarians) available for future visits. Next up, the harissa chopped beef tartare was, apparently, an absolute must. Your reviewer would be hard-pressed to disagree. It was pungent with a spicy tingle and the crisped shallots on top added wonderful contrast and texture. We proceeded to share two meaty mains – poussin and pork chop. Both were amply flavoured even if the meat was not cooked to ideal perfection, too chewy in places.
Oenophiles will be delighted by Kudu. South Arica has one of the world's most exciting – and undervalued – wine cultures at present. The list provides a range of compelling options across all price points. We enjoyed an Oldenburg white blend and could happily have consumed a second bottle. Pricing across both food and wine is fair, especially in a Marylebone context. Kudu then was great, but it certainly wasn’t excellent. Whether it will stand out and endure in a very crowded local market remains to be seen.