Pro vs punter Stork

Critic Eileen Twum and O reader Alex Willcocks give their verdicts on this modern Pan-African restaurant in London’s Mayfair

- Critic Eileen Twum and O reader Alex Willcocks

Our pro says

Stork is an elegant space with a slightly moody, artistic vibe. The feeling we get on arrival is the definite (and welcome) danger of an impromptu party occurring. With this in mind, and seeing as we are in Mayfair, we kick off with a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne as we order from the menu.

First to arrive are the beef kyinkyinga skewers: small kebabs made of spiced, marinated chunks of beef, onion and pepper. It’s a good execution of a street food classic but we feel it lacks the chilli and ginger punch usually associated with this dish. Our other starter is the ras el hanout goat beignet – the meat, slow cooked until meltingly tender, is then deep-fried in a crisp batter and served with harissa mayonnaise – which is simply divine. Our main of red red, a tomato-based black-eyed bean stew, is served inside a baked plantain as a playful twist on a classic Ghanaian dish. The soft, salty and sweet combination of flavours is close to the homemade version you find in Ghanaian kitchens. We choose another redefined Ghanaian classic, chicken and nkatenkwan, so I can relive my childhood memories of eating this peanut soup made with chicken and wonderful bits of okra running through it. The sides – cassava chips and a humble version of jollof rice – are a welcome treat, and the rice is nice yet neutral enough to avoid reigniting the #jollofwars discourse that occasionally flares up online.