Bunnychow in Soho

Well into their second year in their Soho premises, Bunnychow has established itself as more than a passing street food trend. The idea of a self-contained meal – from the Cornish pasty to the Sri Lankan Mas Paan – is not necessarily new, but Bunnychow manages to present a take on the concept that feels fresh, modern and fun. The core of this is the “bunny” itself, a hollowed-out loaf of bread crammed full of a spiced filling.

A fresh juice flavoured with cinnamon and ginger was excellent, with just the right amount of spice to be sharp and refreshing rather than hot and intrusive, providing a good foil to the bunnies that shortly followed.

The Chakalaka Chicken Bunny in a charcoal brioche, although light, was not overly flavourful, but was packed full of spiced chicken marinated with ginger and garlic in a peri-peri sauce, which compensated well. Despite the generous portion size, it avoided becoming monotonous thanks to the freshness provided by a coriander salad.  The Pulled Pork Bunny, a wholemeal bun stuffed with pulled pork and pomegranate molasses, was also very good. Whilst the wholemeal bun was undoubtedly heavier than the charcoal, it had a great deal more flavour and provided interest rather than merely acting as a container for the filling.

A side dish of Bobotie Meatballs, dense and packed with a strong clove flavour, were delicious and the Pork Ribs in a barbecue sauce were equally impressive, the treacle flavour in the marinade permeating the tender meat wonderfully. I was slightly underwhelmed by the Spicy Chicken Wings though, which lacked the flavour punch that the other sides delivered and didn’t fall away from the bone quite as much as I would have liked.

Despite undeniably filling mains and sides, I did opt for Bunnychow’s dessert option: a hollowed out brioche roll stuffed with a rich warm dark chocolate sauce and topped with a nut and raisin mix. Feeling the need to stay on-message, the dessert feels slightly repetitive, given it too relies on a bread roll as a container, but the brioche was light and buttery and the filling rich and moreish without being dense.

The fact that the food is being served from a permanent residence rather than a street food stall has pleasingly not changed Bunnychow, and it stays true to its original product and remains a tasty, well-made and affordable addition to the Soho food scene.

Jack Lury
Photos: Daniel Donovan

Bunnychow is at 74 Wardour Street, London, W1F 0TE and doesn’t take reservations, for more information visit here.