Where We Eat: Mamapen

If you work in restaurants, you’ve got a list.  A list of places you want to eat (or drink) that only ever seems to get longer.  Every recommendation, every good-looking Instagram post gets added, and before you know it the list has grown far beyond what your wallet can realistically handle.

Mamapen, at the Sun & 13 Cantons pub in Soho, has been on a few of our lists for ages. Apparently the only Cambodian restaurant in London, it’s run by Chef Kaneda, formerly of From The Ashes, where he and Henry crossed paths.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally got myself organised enough to book a table…and it was brilliant.

Absolutely awesome, in fact, and I’ve been raving about it to anyone who will listen ever since!

The whole menu was full of big, bold, punchy flavours, with special mentions for the Caramelised braised pork belly and the Panko pork toast with fried egg…easily one of the most filthy/delicious dishes I’ve eaten in a very long time!

A few days later, in one of those pleasing little coincidences, Chef Kaneda and his partner Jo popped into Wilson’s for Sunday lunch.  It was great to be able to say thank you in person…turns out hospitality really is a very small world indeed!