Marvee’s Food Shop isn’t aiming for flashy posturing. Tucked down an unassuming side street under (or, as the building it resides in calls itself, UNDR) the Westway, a lone blackboard outside what looks more like the door to a club is the restaurant’s only signage.
Dom Taylor is cooking up the sort of magic that belies the Food Shop’s humble title
As it turns out, it’s actually a door to a club too. Veer right for late night revelry, but you’d be a fool not to opt for the left hand option, where head chef Dom Taylor – formerly at the helm of The Good Front Room pop-up at The Langham – is cooking up the sort of Caribbean foodie magic that belies the Food Shop’s humble title.
You get the sense, however, that Marvee’s – named after Taylor’s mum Marveline – is purposefully going for something altogether more relaxed than the chef’s former outpost. Everything about the restaurant, from its playful branding (“We nuh hav dat!” is the cheeky slogan on their menus) to the retro brown and orange wallpaper and artwork by Yvadney Davis is designed to lovingly immerse you in Taylor’s heritage and culture. It’s like being in a cosy 1970s living room, but with the added bonus of a terrace overlooking the palm trees of Portobello Grove.
The food in this Food Shop, meanwhile, is stonking: classic ideas given elevated twists, plated in ways that strike a clever balance of smart/casual, and served at a very reasonable price point. With five ‘main character’ dishes, plus various sides, sauces, and crispy bammy waffles for wiping the plate clean (which you will want to do), the menu is succinct but mighty. The dark rum and raisin-glazed pork belly, served with a wedge of hispi and pickled raisins, has been saved from The Good Front Room’s roster for obvious reasons. Like a fall-apart rib, the rich pool of sauce it reclines in is glossy and complex, the slight bitterness offsetting the fatty meat with confidence.
Crispy banana blossom with gungo pea daal might not be a looker, but it’s the sort of vegan dish that’ll have your plant-based pals rejoicing; a gnarl of fried, jackfruit-like crisp sat in a coconutty, spiced stew. Meanwhile, the goat curry is worth making the trip for alone. Tender, boneless chunks of meat slathered in a coconut and garlic sauce that’s so unctuous and richly-flavoured, Marvee’s could - and should (please?) - sell it by the jar. It’s truly memorable.
A side of mac and cheese comes bubbling out of its pot, with a strong, crispy topping yet without the intense levels of sauce that can sometimes give the feeling of imminent gout. Cassava fries are crispy and fluffy in all the right places, while fat slugs of sweet plantain could act as either accoutrement or pudding. Do try if possible to save a sliver of room for their actual dessert though: a small tray of ‘old skool cake and custard’ that takes the jam sponge of canteens past and gives it a spruce up. Nostalgic yet way better than you remembered, it sums up the ethos of Taylor’s establishment perfectly. Marveline, you suspect, will be very proud.
The vibe: Relaxed indoor and outdoor dining, around the corner from Ladbroke Grove.
The food: A small but perfectly formed menu of elevated Caribbean fare, without any pretence.
The drink: A well-stocked cocktail list, plus wines, beers and Marvee’s own milkshakes.
Time Out tip: Terrace tables are first come first served, so get there early on busier evenings.