For more than four years, chef Tom Geoffrey has been cooking Khmer cuisine under the name Barang (which loosely translates as “foreigner”) around London, running sold-out pop-ups and residencies at spots like Oranj in Shoreditch and Charlotte Street’s Carousel. But during his seven-month stint above The Globe Tavern in Borough he truly embedded himself in London’s dining scene, drawing raves for his contemporary, thrilling takes on Cambodian cooking that make use of British produce. Barang’s residency wound up at the end of June (it has been replaced by Kismet – but it’s not going anywhere.
A permanent Barang will open in Soho come autumn. But in the meantime, Geoffrey will be bringing his bold flavours to various spots around town.
From tonight, July 28, the chef will spend a few nights on the pans back at Carousel, serving a set menu of dishes like num pang (baguette) stuffed with Khmer-style char sui, chicken liver parfait, pickled mussels and fermented fennel, and a sour curry of stuffed squid with pork, prawn glass noodles, smoked Nutbourne tomato, pea aubergine, and steamed red jasmine rice.
That Carousel residency ends on August 1 – but that doesn’t mean a Barang-free August. Geoffrey will also have a residency at Mare Street Market in King’s Cross that’ll last all month. It’ll be open on Tuesday evenings for dinner, then from Wednesday to Sunday for both lunch and dinner. On the menu? Wild pepper leaves wrapped around spiced hogget and galangal pickles; diver scallops with jeow bong (chilli paste) butter and garnished with pickled apple and daikon and pig’s ear crackling; and roasted pork belly with five spice and ginger sauce. Like at the Globe, the focus will be on cooking seasonal British produce over fire.
Barang is at Carousel from July 28–August 1, and at Mare Street Market, King’s Cross, throughout August.
