All over London wiry cranes stand as spires of construction, pin pointing an endless influx of steel and concrete, speaking volumes of the city’s building boom.
On the one hand they make perfect sense: people need offices to work, and where they work they need amenities, including food and drink. And yet, these spaces can sometimes feel forced, clinical, utilitarian even. I’m yet to be convinced they can work as organic spaces.
The venue – and it is more of a venue than a restaurant – is vast, with a layout that speaks of functionality. When you enter you are greeted by what can only be described as a beer hall. Long, high wooden tables laden with stools run in lengths all the way to the back, drawing the eye to the bar.
Hidden behind is a casual dining area that’s within earshot of the kitchen, so that you can feel closer to the real action and away from the inevitable hubbub of drink queues.
First up, we tried Del 74 and dived into a few plates of nachos. Served with beans, cheese, Pico De Gallo (a tomato salsa), and sour cream. They were – as promised – simple, but delicious and highly addictive, as nachos should be.
Giving Morty & Bobs a turn, we settled for their signature grilled cheese sandwich with mixed onions. A dark, crispy exterior contained an ooze of melted cheese, just what you want. The onions had been sweated down until buttery soft and sweet, thwarting the full-bodied Unami tang of cheese.
On an M&B high, we continued with Morty’s burger (sorry Bob): a buttermilk fried chicken burger with pickled cucumber, baconnaise, sesame brioche and house fries. Crispy chicken but still moist, lots of sauce but no soggy bun and tonnes of great flavour. I was unhappiest when there was none left.
Unfortunately, Feast doesn’t serve pudding, so we opted to finish with some calamari and saffron aioli. The golden rings were soft, still sizzling hot and of course a great pairing with the aioli. I easily could have eaten a bucket of these with a few beers and sat happy all night.
Overall the food was perfectly fine and has obviously been developed to be casual, the type of fast food you share with work colleagues and wash down with a cold beer, this is perhaps reflected by the beer hall layout and lack of a dessert menu. If this is what Feast was aiming for then it has hit it’s brief.
At its heart is Marty & Bobs and Del 74, bringing warmth with soulful food and natural character, but separating this was a colder space with not a lot going on. Where was the charm? Where was the personality?
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find either of them. With time I’m sure this will change, but I wonder how many Morty & Bob’s or Del 74’s will pass through its doors before then?
Only time will tell.