Supper with The Adobros

Words by Jo Furnival

I moved to Deptford about a year and a half ago. In just over 16 months, I’ve grown to feel very attached to not only the high street and market, but the surrounding area, its history and community. One thing that’s struck me has been how supportive local writers, entrepreneurs and artists are of one another, both online (there’s a thriving #deptford network on Twitter) and offline, which I’ll explore in more detail in a blog post another time.

Today though, I’d like to tell you about some of the Deptford delights that I’ve been able to enjoy this weekend, which has been, for me, a rare and glorious couple of days of relaxation and ‘pottering’ in and around my beautiful flat.

First up, a Filipino supper courtesy of the talented chaps known as The Adobros, Mark and Mike Corbyn. Having attended a few pop-up dinners in my time (wonderful feasts with Mike&Ollie, the occasional soirée with Love a Locavore and an eventful NYE with Disappearing Dining Club), I thought I knew what to expect. Then, upon arriving at the venue near New Cross, I was asked to remove my shoes and don a pair of slippers and I realised that perhaps I was in for something a little different…

I was pleasantly surprised! Met with a table of giant pork scratchings and a vinegar dip as guests introduced themselves and chatted, it dawned on me that this feast was not going to be for the faint hearted. After a starter of one marinated pork and one barbecued chicken skewer served with a homemade Filipino green papaya pickle, I was mentally congratulating myself on having selected an outfit that featured an elasticated waistband. Then the main course arrived and — oh my! — what a sight for sore eyes, a meat lover’s dream; the brothers’ signature dish of chicken and pork adobo. The meat fell off the bone and the fat was perfectly rendered, producing flavour and succulence in spades, while the aubergine fritters, though not a fritter as I knew them, were delicious and an ideal accompaniment.

But there was more to come. A Filipino lime palate cleanser paved the way for dessert. Not content with being masters of savoury, The Adobros had sweet covered as well, with a homemade shortcrust pastry pie of young coconut that was enough to make any diner wonder what’s so special about apples.

Having been invited into Mark and Mike’s lovely home and treated to such exquisite gastronomic delicacies, and at only a donation of £25 per person, I’d recommend The Adobros to anyone keen to try a supper club. Check them out online and follow them on Twitter to be the first to find out when new dates are released.