I attempted Brooklyn Beckham’s pop-up restaurant and was shocked

Brooklyn Beckham has not too long ago turned hand to cookery and, whereas he has acquired criticism in some quarters, he is definitely impressed some to get artistic within the kitchen together with his recipe content material.

For a very long time, followers have solely been capable of see him within the kitchen as he demonstrated his chopping, grilling and sauteeing expertise – however lastly, they will now style Brooklyn’s meals.

For a restricted time solely, he has launched a pop-up restaurant in collaboration with Uber Eats, providing a collection of dishes from breakfast meals to essential meals – and some get together bites too.

But there was a catch: Uber Eats Hosts Brooklyn Beckham solely delivers inside a five-mile radius of Cambridge Heath – a stylish multicultural a part of East London close to Bethnal Green. 

Now, Google Maps says my home is inside a five-mile radius of Brooklyn’s pop-up joint, however Uber Eats insists in any other case.

So, determined to attempt his fare and see if his meals tastes pretty much as good because it appears to be like, I jumped in an Uber to Cambridge Heath station and ordered the meals on the way in which. I had to enroll to the Uber Eats subscription service Uber One so as to take action, which is £5.99 a month.

There had been solely 5 dishes on the menu, from 4 totally different international locations: hen tikka masala (£15), buffalo cauliflower (£10), pork and prawn dumplings (£10), pasta Bolognese (£15) and an English breakfast sandwich taught to Brooklyn by his grandma (£12). 

Alas, en route within the cab, the English breakfast sandwich bought out and was taken off the menu. I’m barely baffled as to who would desire a sarnie filled with eggs, sausage and bacon at 6pm, however I suppose we’re within the East End. I rapidly ordered the opposite 4 dishes at a value of £50 in complete.

However, I then had an issue: if my cab did not attain the vacation spot quick sufficient, I’d miss the supply, so I urged the bemused taxi driver to go quicker. I then texted my football-mad ex-boyfriend to let him know I used to be going to attempt Brooklyn’s delicacies. “Maybe you’ll get to meet David Beckham!” he enthused. 

I needed to disappoint him and clarify that David – and certainly Brooklyn himself – had been nonetheless throughout the pond in America, regardless of the East London pop-up launch. Unless, in fact, David is now moonlighting as an Uber Eats supply driver.

Thankfully, my cab reached the station seven minutes earlier than the meals arrived – and I bought a shock when it did. Instead of the same old bog-standard Tupperware-style takeaway tubs, Brooklyn’s meals got here in extremely fancy shiny black baggage with woven material handles, that includes a glamorous emblem with ‘Uber Eats Hosts Brooklyn Beckham’ in white writing.

I felt as if I’d been purchasing in Selfridges fairly than ordering a takeaway in a barely dodgy a part of the East End. As if to acknowledge that I used to be going up on this planet, my Uber trip again dwelling was a model new Tesla.

I rushed again to my home and texted my adoptive Grandad to return spherical, eager to get his tackle the dishes too. We opened the swish black packing containers on the eating desk and each tucked into every meal. 

They got here in inset plastic tubs – and as a climate-change pleasant bonus, I believe all of the packaging might be recycled. Grandad reckoned the luxurious packaging will need to have price three-quarters of the meal.

Here are our verdicts:

BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER 

First up, the buffalo cauliflower was fairly greasy however extraordinarily flavoursome, with an actual spicy kick. It got here with a fairly tart dairy dip in a separate little tub, and was garnished with spring onions. 

These had been little tender nuggets of cauliflower, fried in slightly an excessive amount of oil, which fell aside in your mouth. They jogged my memory of onion bhajis, although had been unexpectedly scorching – the spiciness was a bit too sturdy for my palate, and I’m Asian! 

Grandad additionally stated the dish was too spicy for him, and that the spice elevated the extra you ate. You did not get a lot to your cash – this was positively a ‘small plate’, extra of a starter. 

But it was additionally an explosion of flavour in your style buds – you definitely could not name this dish bland. Grandad needed to know the place the buffalo was – he would not like veg a lot and would have been happier if the cauliflower had been precise buffalo.

My ranking: 7/10. Grandad’s ranking: 7.5/10.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA  

The second dish was the hen tikka masala. This was additionally garnished with coriander, together with bits of bacon, on a mattress of fluffy rice. 

The sauce was candy, creamy and korma-like however a bit stodgy – positively hearty fare which might follow your ribs. 

Grandad wasn’t so eager, and did not assume the hen was particularly tender, whereas I believed the rice was slightly dry. 

We each agreed we would be completely completely satisfied if we would acquired this from an on a regular basis East London curry home, however it did not appear to warrant the worth tag of £15. 

My ranking: 7/10. Grandad’s ranking: 6.75/10.

NAAN

The hen tikka masala got here with a comfortable naan, which I attempted subsequent. It was completely serviceable if not outstanding in any manner. 

It was sprinkled with coriander and was pleasantly tender and filling, with a bit an excessive amount of of a touch of salt. It was nothing particular, but I may truthfully have hoovered up a complete plate of those – it was a correct consolation meals carb.

My ranking: 6.5/10. Grandad’s ranking: 6/10.

PORK AND PRAWN DUMPLINGS 

Next up had been the pork and prawn dumplings, a sort of ‘siu mai’ for dim sum followers. They had been garnished with coriander and sesame seeds, and got here with a sharply bitter sesame soy sauce in slightly tub. 

I did not wish to cease consuming them as they had been so tasty and succulent, whereas the sauce had a scrumptious tang. I like Chinese meals, it is my absolute favorite of each delicacies, and whereas these dumplings weren’t fairly up there with the best dim sum, they rivalled any commonplace Chinese takeaway. Grandad cherished them and described their filling as ‘fantastic’. 

My ranking: 8/10. Grandad’s ranking: 9/10.

BOLOGNESE  

Last however positively not least was the pasta Bolognese – extensive, thick ribbons of pasta with a candy slow-cooked wagyu beef ragu with tomato, carrots and spinach. 

Apparently this took 12 hours to cook dinner and you possibly can actually inform – the meat fell aside delightfully in my mouth, the carrots had been juicy and the tomato was wealthy. 

This was my favorite of the dishes, and was apparently taught to Brooklyn by his dad. It got here with a beneficiant tub of Parmesan. Grandad wasn’t so impressed by this dish, and thought there was an excessive amount of pasta and never sufficient sauce. 

My ranking: 9/10. Grandad’s ranking: 7/10.