Said to have begun in China around 7000 BCE, fermentation is one of the oldest food preparation techniques. It involves the adding of bacteria or yeast to spur a breakdown of organic substances into smaller ones. Meanwhile, pickling – which entails preserving foods often in salty brines or vinegars – has roots that go back to 2030s BCE India. At this time, cucumbers were pickled to keep them tasty and edible during long journeys. Fermented and pickled foods were a necessity: a way to add flavour, and keep food nutritious for longer.
More restaurants across London have been experimenting with fermented and pickled goods over the past few years, (ever since they became trendy around the end of 2018). According to a 2020 report from food processing company ADM, 2021 is set to be the year that a general consumer interest in gut health takes centre stage due to Covid-19, which has encouraged some consumers to favour foods that support their immune system. But out of the relatively small selection of spots that specialise in serving them, most can’t be considered budget-friendly.
If you’re looking for a restaurant that’s following the gut health trend but which is also cheap-as-chips, Dalston’s Little Duck the Picklery won’t be the place. While the rustic wooden interior and unassuming glassware certainly give the place an easy-going character and relaxing atmosphere, one big plate and one small plate from their weekly changing menu cost a pretty penny at £29 per person; not so soothing on the bank account.
The lowdown
When it comes to drinks, the low-cost choice is also minimal. A juniper, kombucha (a fermented tea), gin and pine cocktail sounds mind-blowing, but it just tasted a bit like a watered-down ginger kombucha with extra ice. Refreshing, but nothing remarkable, and a bit overpriced for the size at £8. Their natural wine selection was also tempting, but unfortunately not at all low-cost, with the cheapest white being a bottle of the organic £36.50 Domaine des Cognettes – Gros Plant 2019.
If fermented foods and pickles are what you’re after specifically, steering away from the bigger plates is a better and slightly cheaper approach. Ordering two small plates comes to £25 per person, and they are extremely filling despite their name on the menu (of the small plates tried, two were vegetarian, one fish, the other meat).
The vegetarian dishes were by far the most delicious, especially for lovers of quality olive oil. The braised courgettes and freekeh (a North African cereal), paired with olives, feta and dill make for a refreshing flavour. If you aren’t one already, the dish will almost certainly convert you into a cold salad lover. Everything is cooked and seasoned to perfection. The roasted Sicilian marinda tomatoes, Calabrian tropea onions, butter beans and wild oregano feel like velvet going down your throat. Puréed butter beans that taste as good as a creamy mashed potato, caramelised onions that melt in the mouth and sweet soft tomatoes coated in that glorious olive oil – these dishes are both worth a return to the restaurant in themselves. Multiple times.
The best bang for your buck is the £9 bread, butter, pickles and ferments plate – a sharing plate for two (which could happily serve one for a filling lunch). The dish features three enormous slabs of fancy sourdough, as well as a delectable homemade salty butter which is so creamy that it’s practically clotted cream. They are also accompanied by three tiny plates of pickles and ferments that are packed with an array of flavours: an Indian spiced carrot-based kraut with ginger, nigella seed and salt; pickled beetroots; and cauliflower with their signature pickled limes, Indian spices, mustard seed oil, cider vinegar, salt and sugar.
If you’re looking for a mouth-watering introduction to ferments and pickles that you may not have come across in your everyday home-cooking, Little Duck is a must-visit. The charm and great flavour does come at a price though, meaning it’s unaffordable as a regular pit stop. But that’s gentrification for you. A spot to book for payday perhaps?
Little Duck the Picklery is open Thursday to Sunday for lunch (12:00-16:00) and Tuesday to Sunday for dinner (18:00-22:00). You can find it at 68 Dalston Lane (a short walk from Dalston Junction Overground.)