Decatur, the Louisiana specialties pop-up kitchen at Pamela will begin its permanent residency in the Haggerston bar from the 1st of April 2016. In the permanent partnership Tom Browne will continue to run the kitchen, serving up the lesser known dishes of the Southern states of America.
Pamela, a bar by Deano Jo and Martin Thomas of the REAL GOLD collective, opened on Kingsland Road in 2015 following a summer pop- up at the site. An ode to to the great Pamela’s (Anderson, Grier, Duncan), the bar is a continuation of Deano and Martin’s mission to create fun, informal community spaces, as Deano describes it: ‘a cocktail bar for people who don’t like cocktail bars’.
Pamela uses its own house-infused spirits throughout their drinks list, which is rife with Pam based puns. The Des Barres combines Jalepeno infused Eristoff with Kiwi Juice and Coconut Ice Cubes, whilst the Ol Grier mixes Passionfruit laced Bacardi with Cointreau and Prosecco. Aside from the various Pamela portraits on the walls, the room is minimally styled with pared-down décor and low hanging lamps; a statement copper bar top provides a stark contrast to the mushroom tones of the banquettes and tables.
The union between Pamela and Decatur began when Tom and Deano met in the unlikely setting of the London Hardcore Punk scene and became friends. A long term obsession with American culture led Tom to explore the Southern states of the U.S. and it was whilst sleeping on a friend’s floor on a trip to Louisiana that he stumbled upon Decatur street. The food he experienced on that trip became the inspiration behind his eponymous eatery, and on his return to London he began trading under the name at KERB market and later at Druid St. Whilst there are hundered’s of ‘Decatur’s’ in America, to Tom the name summed up what he felt was the regional spirit of the Decatur he had discovered in the French Quarter of New Orleans. In November 2015 the first Decatur pop-up at Pamela began – since then the menu has been developed into; Bar Snacks, Small Plates, Large Plates and Oysters.
A signature dish of Decatur, Essex Wild oysters come New Orleans Style; chargrilled with Garlic Pecorino Butter, or ‘Raw on the Half Shell’ with cucumber and jalapeno vinaigrette. Snacks comprise of Devilled Eggs and Puffed Pig Skin Cracklin’. Small plates, designed to begin the meal include Charred Okra with Ricotta and Red Pepper Jelly and Kentucky Style Beer Cheese, served with Ritz Crackers and Sourdough.
Large Plates, for sharing or as a main, include another of Decatur’s signatures in the form of Gumbo with Rabbit, smoked sausage and okra, and Crawfish Etouffee. Decatur also serve a weekend brunch of Southern Style comfort dishes on Sundays; Bananas flambéed in Rum Caramel on French Toast sits alongside Buttermilk Beignets and Fried Chicken with White Gravy and Biscuits.
‘Cooking and highlighting the amazing and more hard to find food of the American South is what we are trying to do- we use the best British ingredients we can find. Myself, Martin and Deano have had a lot of fun with the pop-up and I’m looking forward to establishing Decatur as a permanent feature here’ ‘I always try and focus on what feels good to me and my team, and working with Tom felt like a good thing. We’re all really excited about serving up Toms Southern hospitality and our drinks here in East London, which is where we always work best ’ adds Deano.