We arrived on one of those days where London had actually managed to exceed 30 degrees and Fire and Feathers was struggling with the heat inside, much like everywhere else in London. Thankfully they had some seats right by the entrance, with the doors completely stripped back. A refreshing cocktail arrived, and by god was it good. An ‘Albufeira’ as it’s known, was a cold glass filled with peach vodka, peach schnapps, kiwi liqueur, orange juice, and a further helping of fresh kiwi. It’s one of those drinks that really doesn’t taste like alcohol, yet leaves you crawling around on the floor a few more later.
Garlic prawns followed, and they were magical. A ramekin filled with what can only be referred to as ‘ amazing prawns’ were cooked to sheer perfection. Slightly charred ends, caramelised bodies and so much slow cooked garlic and hot mouthwatering infused oil. When i imagine a prawn this is exactly how it should be. It was so soft as well that the heads and tails literally fell off when i picked one up. An excuse to come back here alone with these and a glass of Portuguese rose i remember thinking.
Then again out come another stunning dish, and we started to get really excited about this new Fulham restaurant. Slices of perfectly cooked chorizo had a lovely crunch but once you bite through it the softness and heavenly texture leaves you lurking over at your dining partner, just to let them know that you ordered them, and they’re not for sharing. A little more garlic, hot paprika infused oil and a side of bread for soaking it all up. At £5.95 i was close to ordering another bowl.
But then things suddenly changed. Starters left us on such a high that main course never managed to reach those same standards. Steak bavette is essentially a plate of meat (aka minute steak), most popularly eaten in France. It’s one of those meats that if sourced, and cooked well it can be unbelievably satisfying and cost you next to nothing. We asked for our bavette to be cooked medium-rare, and it was. One bite and our expectations were lost. It wasn’t tender or very soft but instead very cold in the middle and tough. I didn’t quite get the butter on the steak either, perhaps a nice chimichurri sauce, garlic topping or type of gravy i fell in love with in Madeira on their popular ‘picado’ dish.
Chips proved to be nothing spectacular, but they didn’t need to be. They were well cooked, seasoned perfectly and at least helped fill us up because the next dish we were about to eat needed a magnify glass. That said a couple more cocktails brought us back to reality. Fire and Feathers really do know how to blend here with nothing out of balance or leaving you coughing from the burn of pure alcohol down the throat.
Now the description for this next dish reads, Piri Piri chicken, with the option to go half or whole. Having already divulged in the menu so far i opted for a half with the standard lemon and garlic piri piri dressing. That and a side of African rice. When it came out to the table i thought they’d accidentally given me someone else’s starter. They hadn’t. This chicken, was a poussin – the butchery term for ‘young’. Why would you even consider offering a half portion, there isn’t any meat on it at the best of times. The chicken (poussin) was dry, but the skin was perfectly crisp and I wasn’t sure in the end if i was eating plain chicken (poussin) or a marinated one because the sauce was undetectable. I couldn’t taste any lemon, or any garlic. African rice was really very nice but the shock size of my poussin left me flabbergasted. To put in to perspective there was the equivalent to three small wings you might get from a 99p deal at the hot counter in Sainsbury’s.
My idea of going back to Fire and Feathers is still one i can imagine. Not for the steak, or the chicken but for a cocktail and those starters. The only problem is i can’t ever imagine myself wanting just a snack and no dinner so finding a time to really head back may be more of a distant dream than I’d like it to be. As soon as Fire and Feathers get the full size chickens out, and provide succulent meat with a marinade that coats the mouth – I may in fact have to give a second visit a miss. If you do mange to make it to Fulham’s newest restaurant then please, order a whole chicken (poussin) and bring the Nandos lemon and herb sauce with you.
6/10
