Visitors to Brent Cross just got a rather sleek new street food hall serving up delicious dishes. The District is located on the ground floor of the shopping center near M&S – and who knew that the old Mothercare store where I bought my first pram would scrub up so nicely?
At Thursday’s launch party, there were still two vendors yet to open. I’m excited to try Sides, the fried chicken concept from YouTube collective The Sidemen. Three Uncles serves Cantonese cuisine including roasted meats which you can watch being sliced. And Smoky Boys is set to serve up epic burgers, dogs, and fries when it arrives.
But for now, there is plenty of choice for snacks and meals as you take the weight off your feet after a spot of retail therapy. First up, they’ve created a nice entrance with a neon sign and dark wood booths to park in while you eat.
The 130 seats feel more intimate and less cavernous than most food halls, but the drill is similar. Order from the booth, take a buzzer, and wait to collect your dish. The Uzbek dumplings were a revelation. First up was the Thai bar Yaay Yaay – serving up Kaprow, Panang red curry, Pad Thai, and drunken noodles.
We tried the Massaman fried chicken – crispy slices of meat served on rice with a deep, delicious curry sauce. It was so good I’ll definitely be back to try those drunken noodles. Smatcha is a colorful tea booth, serving up oatmilk-based matcha drinks with flavors from blueberry and mango to pistachio and vanilla.
There are also lighter, fruitier Yuzu-based drinks with fizzy water, and add-ons like bee pollen. The fun part is seeing them layer up your drink and pour the vivid green tea on top. Three Uncles is a Cantonese outlet where you can watch them slice up roasted meats – served on top of rice or noodles with a drizzle of lovely juices.
They let us try their three bestsellers, a gorgeous roast duck, a char-sui pork, and a crispy pork belly. It was tough to choose our favorite, but the belly with crisped crackling was a lovely surprise, and the barbecue notes of the char sui were spot on. We were intrigued to try the Uzbek beef dumplings from Oshpaz and they were a flavor explosion. A wonderfully spicy kofta style filling in a soft, Asian casing with pickled carrot and sour cream dip. It was a revelation.
Finally, the comfort food of Pasta Remoli serves up fresh pasta with all the favorite sauces. The bolognese tasted nicely homemade – but don’t miss the Roman-style pizzas with lots of fresh tomato sauce and gooey mozzarella on a base that’s soft at the center and crusty at the edge. As a Brent Cross regular, it’s great to see them extend their food offer with such high-quality vendors. Now watch out for the Sides!
