TEMPER, SOHO

I don't normally go to a new restaurant three times before I review it but for one reason or another that's what happened with new meat joint Temper in Soho. No big deal, because I love it, so I'll be back many more times too! Temper is a massive and beautiful basement restaurant with booths, tables and 'at the counter' seats where you watch all the action in the kitchen in the middle of the room. And by action I mean the huge grills and barbecues where all the meat is smoked and cooked. The restaurant brings in whole carcasses, they butcher everything on site and even make their own tacos and flatbreads that all the delicious meats are served on. 

Having been three times now I think we've tried everything on the menu, which is split into tacos; chopped, smoked and grilled meat; sides/vegetables; sauces; and sprinkles. And it really is one of those restaurants where with a group of 4 or more (with appetites like me and my friends) you can work your way through the whole menu.

My personal non-meat favourites from the tacos section are the aubergine and chipotle miso, and the crab and pickled onion pork skin, both of which come as build your own tacos. 
  

From the meaty taco options the beef fat tacos are incredible - soft, rich hunks of fat on tacos with a drizzle of lime, and the aged cheeseburger tacos, which I missed the first time but made up for on the second and third visit, and will make up for on many visits to come. 

The meats come in 100g portions and include lots of cuts cooked in different ways, served on their homemade flat breads. Order one of everything, because I can't even try and tell you which is the best. The beef is 65 day aged British White from Essex; they use Middlewhite pork, Welsh lamb and goat meat from Cabrito who are known to produce the best tasting goat meat in the UK. Piles of meat appear on soft flat breads that soak up all their juices, and are topped with absoltuely delicious "sprinkles", which include pork, habanero and pickled onion, and my favourite, shrimp, peanut and lime zest. The MSG ketchup, green sauce and chipotle sour cream are unmissable. 

I feel like I'm getting repetitive, but order all the sides. Burrata with chilli is oozy, creamy wonderment. Grilled baby gem is perfect, while grilled corn, lamb fat butter, mint and yellow chilli should be on the menu wherever meat is served!

Puddings are short and sweet. I haven't tried them because a) I ate waaaay too much meat and b) as we all know I'm not a pudding person. But both the giant choc chip cookie served in its pan, and the flaky round croissant-esque, butterscotch drenched dessert look delicious and have been gobbled down by my dining companions every time we've been. Despite my disinterest in puddings, there is one on the menu that I can't resist (normally several of). Lime sorbet in mezcal topped with chilli flakes is the ultimate palate cleanser/digestif. I've managed to convince the table to order it every time then tucked into it all by myself while they're distracted by sugary treats. 

Temper is the kind of place you'll want to stay all night. The wine list is original and wide ranging - we loved the La Cetto, Petite Syrah, Mexico we had on our first visit. There's a huge mezcal menu, including flights so you can try a few different kinds. The music is loud and perfect for the buzzing and lively atmosphere. And it's affordable when you think the quality of food, surroundings and what you get. There's only really one problem with Temper - I like it so much I can't stop thinking about when I can squeeze another visit into my bonkers busy diary!