Alfresco dining in London with a difference – Jimmy Garcia BBQ Club

Jimmy Garcia has done many pop ups over the past few years but Jimmy Garcia BBQ Club is the most largest and ambitious residency to date (pop up limited time 20 May and closing 31 September 2017). The BBQ Club is set on the London Southbank Centre with a split-level of the BBQ Takeaway Bar downstairs and a BBQ Club rooftop upstairs which you can experience a six course tasting menu making it the best way to enjoy alfresco dining in London.

Jimmy Garcia BBQ – takeaway

The other month I went along to Jimmy Garcia’s BBQ Club and I had the most delicious barbequed salmon along with a very lemony but ever so heavenly salad (read more on the BBQ here). On that day I then noticed the BBQ rooftop terrace which you can have a six course tasting menu. I am a big foodie and so after seeing the stairways to the rooftop terrace and reading the tasting menu I just had to come back again one day to experience it.

Jimmy Garcia BBQ – rooftop dining

Finally I have managed to get around to experience the rooftop terrace which had to be pre-booked in advance (book via here) and I was not disappointed. The BBQ Club is not like a normal restaurant as it is up to you to cook your own dishes. A chef will guide you through the tasting menu in how to grill, flip and serve each dish through your interactive six course tasting menu whilst you have a good yabber with fellow strangers (blokes, sheilas and maybe an ankle biter).

Upstairs has several large long bench type tables all in a line with each table having one of the American Big Green Egg BBQ upon each. At the end of the last table there is the ‘Honesty Bar’ in which you can buy your grog. Plus the views are spectacular of the Thames and you can watch many boats/ships sailing on by whilst eating and mingling.

So onto the tucker adventure.

Firstly I must note that all the food served is locally sourced and in season so the menu changes from time to time. If some of the food though that is served on the night does not meet your dietary requirements an alternative can be provided.

The Smokin Greens – this was asparagus with goats curd, peashoots and a lemon and chive dressing was a beauty. I have never had asparagus cooked on a barbie before and wow it was so good as not only did the asparagus remain its bright green colour with nice charcoaled lines but it was crunchy and the lemon dressing gave it a real bite. Only cook a few minutes either side to cook. Asparagus is one of my best vegetables and I was stoked.

Queenie Flower – Scallops with pickled red pepper, red onion petals and cauliflower puree I knew was going to be a bottler and it sure was. The scallops only needed to be cooked approx. 2 mins either side and then they were done they were beauts.

Pickin’ at Pam’s – a meat wrap lovers dream as this was chicken and chorizo kebabs with flatbread wrap, garlic mayo and spicy picked slaw. The kebabs needed about 8 minutes cooking time with a flip half way as chocks always need plenty of cooking time. About a minute before the end of cooking time we was told to throw our wraps on top of the kebabs then once done it was onto rolling our kebab meat into our warmed wraps along with the garnish it was sweet as.

Tuna Surprise This was a surprise dish that was added to the night. We was given a plate with some colourful sliced tomatoes on it to accommodate the tuna steaks. We was each given a piece of tuna and asked how well we would like our tuna steaks so the chef knew what amount of time to give us so we could perfect our tuna steak. I like mine practically rare so literally it was a flip and flip then ready. The tuna steaks were top quality pieces of tuna and just the right thickness plus the sweetness of the tomatoes really accommodated the tuna steaks, ripper.

Wam Bam Thank You Lamb – this was delicate pieces of Lamb on a bone with pea broad bean and pomegranate and broccoli. The lamb cutlets had been premarinated and took approx. 5 minutes to cook. Not at all a like a Dead dingo’s donger as this was a succulent piece of meat, ace! Plus again another vegetable that I have not grilled on a barbie before and I must admit I don’t usually like crunchy broccoli but I really did enjoy these pieces.

Flower to the People – this was an Elderflower pannacotta that was served in sweet open jars. I sometimes find pannacotta a bit too creamy and overpowering with vanilla flavour but this one was not like that at all as the Elderflower really did cut right through and hit the tastebuds, it was sweet as!

More S’mores – now this was the main event to any barbie and it was marshmallows on skewers to toast over grill but along with digestive chocolate biscuits making them into s’mores which I have never had or even heard of. So once my marshmallows were cooked and nearly oozing off the stick I slammed it against my digestive and squashed on another digestive right on top making it into a s’more bonzer. Overly sweet but has to be tried if you have not even though I liked it I prefer just plain barbequed marshmallows.

The only tip I would say is that if you are sitting looking at the Thames take sunglasses as the sun was shining right into my eyes however when the sunsets it is a spectacular site so I would recommend facing that way even though I felt like a vampire trying to shelter myself away from the bright sun for the first hour. However then ends out to be a vampires and wearwolfs. delight.

Time for the docket and hooroo to the BBQ Club for now. This night was most certainly a beaut and I was chockers. Give it a burl if you have not experienced the BBQ Club rooftop as yet before it’s too late.

If though BBQ’s don’t appeal to you then you might like Jimmy Garcia’s new adventure that will hopefully be coming in the Winter based in the same location on the Southbank which will be a fondues experience instead.