Review: Native, London Bridge

Normally ants on your ice cream is a source of consternation. But at Native they were there on purpose and added some great zing to a really beautifully made pea pod ice cream.

Native is tucked away in an unpromising spot, almost under a railway arch on a corner at the very start of the A3, surrounded by buildings marked for destruction. They’ve kept the stripped-back post-industrial look inside, with some rather sad looking dead birch trees to represent nature amongst the concrete. Just in case that sounds negative: I really liked the space, and the staff were all friendly and helpful.

Starters were a mixed back and a little underwhelming. Kebabbed pigeon marinaded in some punchy spices was very good, but the veg salad with it had an over-strong pickling and the big round flatbread it sat on felt distinctly un-deluxe and oversized for the pigeon. I think they just got seduced into making too literal a kebab. Maureen’s crab salad was a more elegant affair, though just… nice. The Alexanders veloute was in keeping with their foraging philosophy, but Alexanders are frankly dull.

Blessed luck! Things got absolutely cracking with main courses. Maureen’s beef came from a retired dairy cow allowed to roam post-retirement for another 18 months, and the very deeply beefy flavour of the sirloin was startling. It’s a taste I associate only with really well-made

gravy, so very awesome to find it in the fibres of the medium-rare steak. The Pomme Anna with it was grand, so was the dark gravy and pickled walnuts. Also went very well with the side dish of scorched hispi we ordered. Dressed with a really salty/cheesy miso, it was truly gnarly cabbage.

My vegetarian main was a stunner too. Roast broccoli stalk. I dunno how they roasted it, but it was brilliant. So was the sticky-silky confit pullet egg on a pile of sweet caramelised onion and scattered with the broccoli flowers. A pleasant green wood sorrel sauce added creamy peppery citrusyness. Real word. Big shout-out to the weird pink pickled things in tempura batter – they were great but I couldn’t identify them and forgot to ask!

And so to puddings, as good or better than the mains. I’ve mentioned the pea pod ice cream with wood ants already. Each ant adds a pop of intense but smooth citrus to the mouthful of pure delicate summer that is this pea pod ice cream. What looks like pea shoots are actually vetch shoots, similar taste. Meanwhile I’m scoffing something almost the opposite: a devil concoction of caramelised white chocolate and bone marrow, to be scraped out of the halved length of bone. It’s rich and funky, very good. My sister’s fermented apple tart with thick hay cream is excellent and across the table apparently cauliflower cheesecake is also great.

There are inventing and playing with food in a confident and very satisfying way at Native and I hope they go from strength to strength. Three courses will be £40 or so before drinks and I loved it. I’ll probably go for the tasting menu next time. Yes, there will definitely be a next time.