Hiding underneath the Westway and flanked by its soaring concrete pillars – within striking distance of Westbourne Grove and just steps from the lively energy of Portobello Road – multipurpose space Undr is going from strength to strength. When they took over the space 18 months ago, co-founders Shaun Edwards, Grant Sandy Philips and Ben Ashbourne started running community events and chef residencies. But late last year, they decided to run their own kitchen – and House of Flavaz was born.
Stepping into Undr, it’s immediately clear that the large first-floor space takes on many guises. Its softly lit bar area with low-slung leather sofas, pot plants and a smart art-deco-style cocktail bar has the ambience of an elegant members’ club. A vast, covered outdoor terrace looks over Portobello Green. At the far end of the room, close to the kitchen, a brighter dining area clad in brightly coloured ’70s floral wallpaper gives the distinct feeling of going back in time to your nan’s west London flat.
With Undr, Edwards, Philips and Ashbourne are living up to the pledge they made to their landlord, the charity Westway Trust, to serve the local community. In the school holidays they run a children’s cinema, and on Sundays, local musicians come to perform as part of the Portobello Sounds series. There are year-round yoga classes, panel talks and art exhibitions. In the daytime people bring their laptops, and in the evening they drink Caribbean-inspired cocktails and Black-owned wines, and order small plates or sharing platters from House of Flavaz – all at pocket-friendly prices.
The House of Flavaz kitchen is led by chef Andre Lucien, who learned to cook watching his grandmother make Caribbean dishes, before polishing his technique in professional kitchens, including chef Dom Taylor’s residency at The Langham.
Edwards describes the chef’s style as “authentic but elevated” and the aromatic notes of his escovitch fish (a Jamaican fried whole fish dish), with punchy spices uphold that. There is a goat curry, which the high commissioner of Jamaica claimed was the best he had ever eaten on a recent visit. Other Caribbean favourites, which Lucien’s grandma cooked for him at home, are oxtail and jerk chicken. These classics are comforting yet complex in flavour – Lucien cleverly layers in spice, balancing sweet and sour notes and adding a decent blast of chilli. “I tweak it a little bit and bring in my own flavours” he says, “but retain that authenticity.”
Lucien also has some tempting plant-based dishes – one standout is ackee and chickpea, with perfect acidity to lift the earthy legumes, a little pumpkin for sweetness, then a fierce punch of chilli. There are loaded fries heaped with jackfruit and a vegan cheese sauce, richly warming rice and peas and juicy plantain.
True to form for Undr, the fun doesn’t stop once House of Flavaz closes. The space has a 3am license on weekends, and there might just be a dance party to go to, Wray Rum Punch in hand.
House of Flavaz
Undr, 3 Thorpe Close, W10 5XL
07501839869
Hours:
Wed to Thu midday–10pm
Fri & Sat midday–9am
Sun midday–7pm
