From the team behind the now-closed Legs, comes Peg (see what they did there?), a casual wine bar and restaurant. Peg is very much a product of its time, which means it won’t be to everyone’s taste – this is a frenetic, no-frills experience set in a minimalist room where all of the ‘tables’ are actually just dining counters equipped with high stools. Needless to say, Peg is no reservations, and there’s not a trace of the daily changing menu to be found online.
But Peg will be thrilling for anyone who enjoys bang-up-to-date dining, to say nothing of bold flavours. In place of sushi and sashimi, the Japanese food instead majors in fermenting, pickling and grilled yakitori skewers (liver and heart, mackerel and meatball).
Stand-out dishes on our visit included a seriously good bowl of tofu topped with a spicy pork mince. The tofu is served agedashi-style in cubes which are crispy outside and have wobbly innards, similar to the texture of custard.
We also loved the eel rice cakes – four canapé-sized bites formed from cubes of sticky rice topped with a slice of sharp pickled cucumber, sparklingly fresh eel and a fleck of nori. Meanwhile, fried chicken wings were dusted with an addictive togarashi spice mix, which encouraged caveman-like consumption with messy fingers and all.
Sweet, knowledgeable staff and a wine list exceeding more than 150 bottles are further draws, as is the competitive pricing. The restaurant was packed on our midweek visit, so it’s clear that a concept like this has got legs – expect to see copycats soon.
Image credit: Charlie McKay