Korean brunch, not two words that I have written together before but never the less… somewhat alluring!
Shep’s is a new cocktail bar and small plates restaurant on Kinglands Road with the perfect balance of Dalston hipster and Korean-in-laws.
Seeing as I am on the road to motherhood I decided the temptation of cocktails was too much and opted to head over and try their new brunch menu instead, but don’t worry the cocktails are still available with brunch 😉
With this in mind I started with a Virgin bloody mary, and James with a blood orange, kir royal special with sake in there too. Mine was made with a touch of soy and the salty spice mix around the edge was delicious!
The menu is short but perfectly formed, including a vegan option. We opted for the pork jowl hash and chicken congee (rice porridge) with as side of ‘bangan’ essentially if you like kimchee this is the good stuff fermented and served as a plate of nibbles.
Of course we couldn’t start without an oyster, one grilled and one raw, a fresh and delicious taste from the sea with a zing of spice.
Above you can see the chicken congee, a warming bowl of perfectly formed chicken goodness, like chicken soup for the soul, but with so many added extras; crispy fried onions, chicken skin, spring onions and of course a beautifully poached egg.
We tuck into all the fermented sides which are whatever they have on the go, kimchee cabbage, beetroot and beansprouts. In the background is the pork jowl hash with spicy beans. A winning breakfast combo modernised and adapted to bring out the best of umami rich pork, well seasoned and fried with potatoes, a few veggies and and egg on top.
Overall an awesome brunch, bringing together a whirlwind of flavours I wouldn’t expect to find in a brunch but I loved every single dish.
