What and where? These evening soirees take place now a couple of times a month, says owner Natalie: on the first Thursday (as part of Francis Road Lates) and one further Thursday each month, the latter a supplier-led wine-and-food-pairing (dates vary, check on Instagram).
With the recent announcement of the forthcoming closure of awesome sister business Morny Bakehouse, it seems more important than ever not to take our fiercely independent local businesses for granted.
What’s the vibe? Totally chilled. On our visit in November there was a creatively Leytonian mix of personalities and ages around the table, with any initial awkwardness soon flattened by the constant drip of wine (thanks natural vino merchants New Theory, by the way).
Throughout Marmelo ledge Natalie and her team brought out plate after plate of deliciousness. And boy, were the portions generous.
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And so to business. Each wine was introduced with a few simple tasting notes and paired with a plate: therefore a pinotage pet nat accompanied a butter-soft salt cod fritter, while a delicate chilled cinsault matched smoky spiced cauliflower hummous, fresh flat bread on hand to dunk. And skin contact pinot gris – or orange wine – partnered with a whorl of labneh topped with roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranate and date molasses (pictured below). So far, so yum.
The main, blackened peri peri chicken with best-ever roasted pots dripping in gremolata, came with another cinsault, this time more full-bodied (and not chilled). And there was even a surprise (and surprisingly huge) cheese course with – yep – more wine. Luckily it was only a few steps back home.
And then? By about 10pm the evening and chatter was still in full flow, with most of the group chatting easily; in fact we would have stayed later were it not for a back-breaking working day on Friday.
Anything else we should know? The supper clubs vary in price according to the offer so check with Marmelo on their Instagram or website for the latest. Now we wonder: what will the space currently occupied by Morny be next?
Leytonstoner were guests of Marmelo.
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