Cajun Catfish burger/ sandwich – £6

I was going to have boring lunch today. Something standard. But then I realised it was a Thursday. Kerb is at the Gherkin on a Thursday. I did a little food #tbt, looking back on my photos from Kerb at the Gherkin a few weeks ago…and that was it. My boring plan was ruined. I knew I had to go again at lunch and from browsing the vendors available (the line up changes every week) I knew who I’d be heading to. But I didn’t expect to pick the dish I picked…

So, the selection of vendors this time around is (as usual) great… from fried chicken to paella to curry to brownies…You’re never short of options at a Kerb market. But for me I knew I had to try Miss P’s Barbecue.

Strolling to their set up I noticed immediately that the beef brisket had run out. Doh! I love me a cow. The other options were pulled pork or cajun catfish. I’m assuming it was a destiny of sorts that my lord of default meat option wasn’t available, because today it pushed me to the catfish option. An unusual sight for street food and definitely not something I’d seen sandwiched in a brioche bun before. It lured me in.

Handing over my six quid I watched the cooking happen (another thing i love about street food is you usually get to see the magic in front of your very eyes). The team cook a whole filet of catfish and season it a little before whamming it on the flat grill but most of the seasoning was during cooking.

I was offered Cajun mayonnaise with this, so gladly accepted, then was asked if I wanted anything additional.  I declined and the  chap serving agreed. You definitely don’t need anything extra for this one. it has everything you need.

Once I got the burger I was able to pick and nibble at chunks of the fish before picking it up as a burger /sandwich and there was still plenty to fill the bun. Plus I wasn’t sure how to manage it straight from the get go! Quantity wise this is great especially as it is an entire fish filet, when really some companies may use half as it’s more bun sized. No complaints here, this was amazing.

The beautifully soft catfish had some spice, as you’d assume from the Cajun name, but not too much. There was a creamy red cabbage slaw which very nicely balanced the spice and didn’t make eating the burger hard work – sometimes I find coleslaw is a bit of an effort. The fish was so light and well cooked that it fell apart if you gave it a little nudge and flavour wise it was sweet, matching perfectly with the brioche bun. Brilliant.

This was a messy little bugger but oh my god it was “like sooooooooooo worth it!”. I found myself picking every morsel out of the box after because I really didn’t want it to end.

This comment sounds like I am massively lowering the quality of this dish, but it was kind of like a very much improved street filet of fish but freshly cooked and seasoned to order.  Aside from my McDonalds shame, I don’t really have fish burgers (my instinct usually tells me to go land meat or go home) but this one has me dreaming to come back so soon. I need to hunt them down in the next month and introduce friends to this miracle.

As some extra info they are currently resident at the Acorn 20 pub in Kingston until December and they do pop back to Kerb at the Gherkin regularly on Thursdays. I am secretly hoping (just between us) that they have a more central London residency….just for selfish reasons. Delicious selfish reasons.

Thank you Miss P’s. You are my new catfish bae.

Forked by Stefpuff

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