A taste of the countryside: The Fat Badger opens in Richmond
Sophie Farrah reviews Richmond’s latest opening
When I heard that the Gladwin Brothers were opening a restaurant in Richmond, I was thrilled. I’ve had many delicious experiences in their other London hotspots; The Shed in Notting Hill, Rabbit on the King’s Road, Nutbourne in Battersea, and most recently, Sussex in Soho.
Brothers Richard, Oliver, and Gregory Gladwin combine their three unique skills to create dining destinations that are like no other; one is a farmer, the other a chef, and the third a restauranteur, and they share a deep love for delicious food, foraging and farming, and their restaurants bring their farm-to-fork ethos to London.
The trio calls their concept ‘Local & Wild’, which refers to both a way of life, and also their commitment to seasonality, provenance, people, and sustainability.
That’s all wonderful, of course, but just wait until your try the mushroom marmite èclairs…
Ingredients are sourced directly from the Gladwin family farm in West Sussex, whilst much of the wine comes from their award-winning vineyard, Nutbourne, also in Sussex. Our evening started with a glass of sparkling NV ‘Nutty’, as it is affectionally known, and I would take it over a good Champagne any day, especially at £9.50 a glass.
We unwound in the buzzy bar area and enjoyed some beautifully presented AAA Maldon rock oysters with shallot and apple vinaigrette.We also tried not one, but two rounds of the aforementioned mushroom marmite èclairs; these deeply earthy, creamy, vinegary umami mouthfuls live up to their reputation as being one of the best bar snacks ever invented.
Speaking of bar snacks; The Fat Badger offers plenty and a visit (or two) for that menu alone would certainly be worthwhile; the bar area is welcoming, stylish, and comfortable enough to easily while away an evening, under the gorgeous globe lights.
As you can probably tell by the name, The Fat Badger oozes country pub charm and conviviality.
The main dining room is well laid out and pleasingly rustic, with oak wood floors, dark leather banquets, trailing plants, and colourful paintings. We had a carafe of Nutbourne’s crisp, dry Sussex Reserve, which tasted of the bucolic British countryside; heaving hedgerows in a glass. Needless to say, a carafe wasn’t enough. The wine list is well thought out and with plenty of choices at different price points, and the cocktails were tempting too.
In the kitchen, the mantra is ‘what grows together, goes together’, and so the creative menu merges classic dishes with modern cooking techniques and offers some genuinely interesting possibilities. There are fillets of meat and fish cooked on the grill, accompanied by fresh vegetables and foraged herbs. British sharing specials change regularly – whole steamed fish, a signature stargazy pie and prime cuts of Sussex beef, from an impressive tomahawk to a tender côte de boeuf.
To start, I had a beautiful pile of fresh Portland crab wrapped in fresh, minty cucumber and surrounded by a silky, crab-laced whey; glorious mouthfuls of the sea. I also went for a fishy main course – baked flounder, which arrived whole on a rustic platter, sprinkled with salty samphire, pickled cucumber, and swimming in a very lemony beurre blanc. The soft fish was perfectly cooked whilst the little pops of pickle and salt cut through the indulgent butter.
My plant-based date opted for salt-baked celeriac schnitzel with wild mushroom ragu and quince chutney; a peculiar concept, perhaps, but in reality, a deeply satisfying, delicious dish with lots of punchy flavours and textures that all grooved well together.
I love a side dish, and The Fat Badger offers plenty. The charred cabbage with chili, burnt leek mayo, and crispy onions was as delicious as it sounds. The crisp skinny fries were made particularly special by the (optional) addition of fresh black autumn truffle, for a very reasonable extra £2. But the shaved brussels sprout salad, with crispy, chewy pieces of strong grilled cheddar, sweet chunks of apple, and creamy walnut pieces – well, I would visit again to just eat that. On its own. With a glass or two of Nutty, perhaps…
Pudding was a triumph too – I was torn between the salted caramel chocolate torte with brandy-soaked grapes and clotted cream, and the white chocolate and damson cheesecake with clove syrup and blackberries but ended up going for the warm pear and mincemeat strudel, baked to order.
It was a comforting, crispy, fruity, spicy delight, covered in both stem ginger cream and custard. What’s not to love? I had explained my pudding dilemma to our lovely waitress, explaining that I was particularly intrigued by the brandy-soaked grapes, and she surprised us with some on the side with the strudel. It’s just that kind of (lovely) place.
We stumbled out into the night feeling like two very happy, fat badgers. Welcome to Richmond team Gladwin, I am very pleased you’re here.
