You would think that the world has seen every combination of salad possible by now, and that nobody could ever think of another amalgamation of leaf, meat, vegetable and herb to entice you into trying a new sandwich. Hold my beer! writes Michael Holland.
At Elmore Jam, Nick Atkins and his Colombian chef Beatriz Maldonado Carreño have devised a menu that has done just that. A menu inspired by Latin American salads, hot dishes and sandwiches on Spianata, an excellent flat bread that adds to the sandwich rather than just be something to hold it all together.
Myself and The Boy were met at the door by the beautiful aroma of grilled meats, fresh coffee and charring vegetables. Venturing further inside we could see staff working quietly and efficiently. Everything looked fresh. Music played that did not trouble the ears but complemented the atmosphere it was part of creating.
The menu was reasonably small but with so many ingredients in each dish the options were multiplied. The Boy had a Charred Sweet Corn and Black Bean Salad with roasted sweet potato, toasted pumpkin seeds and Pico de Gallo – a sharp and spicy salsa. He added the optional sliced beef steak (£9.95).
I chose the Quinoa and Butternut Squash with roasted cauliflower, toasted cancha corn and a Huacatay dressing, plus the optional grilled chicken thigh(£8.85). I did warn you about the numerous ingredients… But each and every one adds to the excitement of Elmore Jam – Especially the ones you never heard of or tried before.
The textures from my salad came from the crunch of the toasted corn, the succulence of the quinoa, the soft squash and the almost melt-in-the-mouth chicken. And I’ve never seen The Boy enjoy a salad so much, which meant I never needed to ask if he liked his opener.
We had made the mistake of thinking the salad was going to be a small starter dish. It wasn’t. These could quite easily be main courses.
Nick came to the table to fill in a few details (plus, conveniently allow us time to prepare for the hot sandwich that would soon be arriving). He is a big jazz fan and the name Elmore Jam is a play on Elmore James, the legendary Blues guitarist. Nick spent a lot of years on the road with musicians and developed his love for Jazz. The first Elmore Jam was established in his Hackney home where people would come and jam while he fed the customers. This evolved into opening in King William Street, on the southern edge of the City. Alas, Covid arrived and everything was put on hold and Nick and his team are slowly getting back on track with Jazz evenings about to restart in February.
We were now ready to see to the sandwiches. But when they landed at the table we were initially surprised at the size but knew we could handle them.
I opted for the Hot Grilled Chicken with olive tapenade, charred kale and chipotle mayo, (£8.50) an array of tastes that created an assortment of sensations created from a combination that no normal person could concoct. This was designed by someone who exists on another level. There was so much going on with each bite it was difficult to isolate each flavour. There was an exciting crunch from the charred greens and crispy skin, but when something is so delicious it doesn’t matter where each tang or texture comes from, it’s just important that it comes.
The Boy had overfed on his earlier salad and was struggling with his steak sandwich, which meant he left a few strands of lettuce, some chimichurri and some rather nicely cooked peppers, but the meat didn’t touch the sides as it was eaten with gusto.(£9)
A final peppermint tea(£3) helped my lovely lunch go down and a Diet Coke(£2.20) for the teenager. Fully sated we made our way back across London Bridge while I planned my next trip to Nicks other venture, the rather sensational Tube Train Supper Club, where you enjoy a mouthwatering Latin American influenced 6-course menu in a refurbished 1960s Victoria Line carriage located in North London. I’ve told The Boy teenagers are not allowed… Check it out here: https://www.exploretock.com/supperclubtube
Elmore Jam, 24 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AT.
Check Menu and details on website: https://elmorej.am
