NibblingLDN

It was a sunny afternoon and myself and the one and only infamous @gketkar hopped on a bus and travelled all the way to Aldgate; one of London’s weird and wonderful hotspots. It was the absolute perfect day to try Wild Turkey X Hotbox’s summer collaboration menu. We were so thrilled to do so because who can say no to good meat and booze – better yet, why would you?

We jumped off the bus and walked down some windy roads and little alleyways ’til we got to Hotbox. The entire place was quirky, warm and rustic, which we were 100% vibing with. We were immediately handed an old fashioned each and we enjoyed these with giggles. Once everyone was all happy and settled, Hotbox’s Executive Chef Lewis Spencer and Wild Turkey’s Brand Ambassador Sam Kershaw came to chat to us about the blood, sweat and tears that went into this exciting and well-suited collaboration between 2 key players in London’s food scene. They also explained their thought process behind the Kentucky-styled summer menu, where Wild Turkey bourbon has been incorporated throughout in all food and drinks.

With the Real Kentucky Barbecue menu, you have choice of 2 starters and believe me it’s a tough choice. Lucky for us we had the opportunity to try both of them and they were both so heavenly delicious – good luck making that decision. The slow smoked brisket bun was sticky, messy and incredibly tender. On the other hand, the Kentucky Burgoo crock pot stew was so warm and hearty; I really want to crawl up in bed with a big bowl of the stuff and just Netflix all day right now (help). The cocktail that comes with both starters is the ‘Ten Cent Pistol’, made up of Wild Turkey Rye, banana, honey , lemon and tea smoke and boy was it dangerously delicious! You know those restaurants that play games with your heart and hand you bite-sized starters? Hotbox is NOT that kind of place and instead serve REAL and YUM food. Hover over the photos for a description!

Slow smoked brisket slider bun with sweet and tangy Wild Turkey 101 barbecue sauce & pickles

Kentucky Burgoo crock pot stew with seasonal cress & peas

We were now ready for the mains and believe me they were also ridiculously good. The cocktails were once again amazing, the meats tender (so much so that they just fell off the bone) and the sauces stiiiicky, sweet and spicy. Even the sweet corn was juicy and doubtlessly luscious. Don’t believe me? Check out these mouthwatering pix:

18-hour oak smoked pulled pork, sweet and smoky with barbecue dripping sauce & corn bread salad

Roast corn on the cob with Wild Turkey Rye butter (came with the Vegetarian stew)

If you thought the meal can’t get any better than this you’ve clearly forgotten about dessert. The dessert is chargrilled pineapple with Wild Turkey 101 glaze and corn flake ice cream; a fresh, zesty and lighter dessert to end a big and glorious meal. This was paired with the final cocktail of the night: the ‘Fifth Element’. This was made up of Wild Turkey 101, Oloroso sherry, sweet vermouth honey, apple, sherry vinegar and candied apple (snuck in the picture below).

Overall, the meal was phenomenal and an amazing treat. We got to meet some lovely people, learn about the history behind Wild Turkey and Hotbox and enjoy some exquisite food. You can treat yourself to 2 courses for £25 or 3 for £30 (includes draanks and food) – which is a rather good steal in London if you ask me!

COCKTAILS OF THE NIGHT

Ten Cent Pistol: Wild Turkey Rye, banana, honey, lemon and tea smoke

Ball & Boil: Wild Turkey Rye, apricot, lemon, sugar, bitters and fruited IPA (left). White Heat: Wild Turkey 101, white chocolate, white pepper, sugar, bitters and lemon oils (right)

S.B.

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