Soon we are to say so long to Shrimpy’s, the pop-up diner in King’s Cross which has occupied the filling station for the last 18 months. When the site is redeveloped later this year, the dinky diner will shut up shop which is a shame considering the delectable design and cheerful food.
For the first 6 months of its existence, Londoners went crazy for crab burgers at Shrimpy’s and the queues were unbearable and reservations impossible. A year on and the place is far from full, a much quieter and calmer venue for weekend brunch. The food, some say, is not as good, but I enjoyed my meal here, a stylish mix of Californian and Mexican dishes.
The soft shell crab burger was famous instantly, it even had its own twitter following, but with rumours that it had dropped in quality I decided to sample some of the other dishes available. From the brunch menu, I can recommend the Chilaquiles with chorizo. Although this was presented messily, a pile on a plate, it really was tasty, a spicier and more sophisticated version of nachos. The cheeseburger in a bonnet was good too, quite petite in size but perfectly cooked with a very soft sweet freshly baked brioche bun and a layering of delicious components on the flavoursome beef patty. We couldn’t resist something sweet to share, Ricotta hot cakes with pecan crunch butter seemed like the obvious choice. Perhaps the star of the meal, the pancakes were thick and airy dusted in icing powder with a dollop of caramelised nutty butter melting temptingly on top.
It was the design and décor of Shrimpy’s that I fell in love with. The exterior has a modern silver sharpness, but with a retro charm that is irresistible to passers-by. It is a mysterious and magical old garage that seems deserted from the street, but explore a little and you find a little entrance. Inside the walls have whimsical coloured illustrations by Donald Urquhart and Jonathan Trayte.
More information here: shrimpys.co.uk