The capital’s casual dining scene never fails to excite us Londoners – and now some of its hottest proponents are impressing nationwide on primetime TV.
My Million Pound Menu returned to the BBC earlier this year, the reality show which seeks out up-and-coming food businesses and gives them the chance to secure hundreds of thousands of pounds of investment.
The first episode saw London-based street food trader BBQ Dreamz triumph in its round, beating competition from the likes of fellow Londoners The Duck Truck and Leeds-hailing Jah Jyot.
BBQ Dreamz went on to secure a £350,000 investment, and this week opens its first permanent restaurant – so who’s behind the venture and where can you try its food in London? This is everything you need to know about BBQ Dreamz.
What is BBQ Dreamz?
BBQ Dreamz is a street food operator founded by Filipino-born Lee Johnson and his partner Sinead Campbell. The concept is inspired by the Filipino recipes Johnson learnt from his grandmother while growing up, which in turn inspired a passion for the nation’s cuisine in Campbell. The pair started BBQ Dreamz in 2014, aiming to bring Filipino food to a wider audience in London, adapting classic dishes to the lunchtime tastes of Londoners.
What’s on the BBQ Dreamz menu?
BBQ Dreamz’s varied menu is a showcase of Filipino food in its many forms. As with most street food stalls, you can expect the menu to alternate a bit, but among the signature dishes are grilled satay duck hearts, sticky adobo chicken wings and lechon kawali – a dish of 24 hour cooked crispy pork belly with radish, coriander and celery. You’ll also likely find subtly spiced curries and stews – think sweet and sour chicken adobo, or grilled aubergine satay – served with jasmine rice and sprinkled with plentiful fragrant toppings, from spring onions to chillies to peanuts.
Where to find BBQ Dreamz in London
Soon after its big win on My Million Pound Menu, BBQ Dreamz ran a six-week pop-up restaurant at MeatLiquor in King's Cross, which saw see the team serve a 10-course tasting menu. BBQ Dreamz is also a regular trader at the popular KERB street food markets across London. You'll find the stall at the London Bridge site on Wednesdays, and at King’s Cross Granary Square on Fridays.
Fast forward a few months and BBQ Dreamz has now sporned its first permanent restaurant. The team have recently opened Bong Bong's Manila Kanteen in Bethnal Green, which will serve a variety of familia BBQ Dreamz dishes, alongside new additions including La Paz batchoi, also known as Filipino pho, which consists of a noodle broth with pork and liver. On Sundays, the restaurant will host a family-style sharing feast called a kamayan, which it will encourage diners to enjoy eating with their hands.
The restaurant will run a soft launch from November 7 with 50 per cent off food, before opening fully for dinner November 14, with lunch services starting from November 18.
For more information, visit bbqdreamz.co.uk
