Licky Chop

OH MY GOD! Licky Chop is f**king amazing.
Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING we tried was delicious.
The jerk chicken was fantastic and came with delicious slaw and a dip.
The Iberian pork was cooked to perfection with tasty potatoes and another dip.
The onglet with chimichurra was a melt in the mouth taste sensation.
The asparagus with herb mayo was out of this world — the mayo was so good we fought over who was going to lick the bowl.
Add to this a rather well stocked bar in the Climpson arch and take away the unfortunate British weather and you have a perfect night.
It only the best BBQ food I’ve ever frickin’ tasted.
(Note: Licky Chop is cash only, the Climpson bar takes cards though so bring at least enough for the food, come early and eat you way through the menu).

London didn’t give me the sun and warmth I wanted, but it was June, so I was determined to have a meal outdoors. After hearing that the guys behind Lucky Chip had opened an outdoor BBQ joint near London Fields, I hopped on the overground in search of that summer feeling.
Your nose will clue you into the location of Licky Chop when you’re getting close. You know how cartoon characters are picked off their feet and pulled through their air by little wavy lines scent lines when they smell something great? That was me when I caught a whiff of the two wood-​burning BBQs.
I visited on a Friday, so drinks were the first order of business. A fully stocked bar has been set up in front of the giant Climpson & Sons coffee roasting operation. I started with their Russian Spring cocktail because Belenkaya vodka, blackberry, mint and tonic sounds like something that should be in my hand on the off-​chance that the sun decided to make an appearance. When the chalkboard menu was complete, we ordered starters of leeks + lardo (£8) as well as scallops with chorizo and onions (£4 each). The braised leeks had been roasted until sweet and served room (patio) temperature with thin slices of lardo and crunchy pieces of bread. The scallop was gorgeous, but I found them to be overpowered by the chorizo, so I ate the components separately and loved every bite.
The second course started with another cocktail and this time I went for The Climpson. I had a feeling it would be more of a dessert drink than a start to a Friday evening, and I was right, but I couldn’t resist something made with homemade Climpson’s mezcal coffee liqueur. The mezcal was shaken with cardamom-​infused Belenkaya vodka to produce a deep, frothy drink. We thought about going for broke and ordering the t-​bone for dinner, but the smallest was 800 grams so I opted for the ribeye and my husband went for the onglet chimichurri. The ribeye was cooked a little more than what I’d consider rare, which is how I ordered it, but it was tender and delicious, especially with a dab of the horseradish cream that was served on the side. The leaves that came with my steak had a deep, interesting flavor that smacked of freshness. The onglet was a perfect rare, almost bleu, and the meat was nice, but I’m not a fan of parsley, so I wasn’t tempted to steal more than one bite. My husband, however, loves chimichurri and devoured it.
If I had brought a thicker coat, I could have stayed at Licky Chop all evening. The space is relaxed and friendly and attracts everyone from hipsters and families to young couples and the after work crowd.
Be aware that the bar, which has beer and wine in addition to cocktails, takes credit cards, but you can only pay for food with cash. The BBQ is lit:
Thursday 5.30−10pm
Friday 5.30−11pm
Saturday 12.30−11pm
Sunday 12.30−10pm