Soho Food Feast

I'm so full I can't move. The impossible has happened. I thought I could just go on eating and eating, like a Labrador, but I honestly can't eat another thing.

This sorry state of affairs has come about as a result of spending the afternoon at Soho Food Feast. The Food Feast was set up to support Soho Parish Primary School, and was held this afternoon in the grounds of St Anne's Church on Wardour Street. The day was phenomenal. There were stalls from pretty much every great restaurant in Soho and beyond -  Blueprint Cafe, Arbutus, The Ivy Polpo and St John, to name just a few.

The venue for the foodie goodness. 

We purchased our food tokens (every small dish or bowl was £2 a pop) and plunged in. First stop was Tapas Brindisa for a plate of yummy iberico ham, and to try some salmorejo, which is a bit like gazpacho, but thicker and without red peppers or cucumber:

Salmorejo at the front of the shot, ham at the back. 

Me stuffing my face with iberico ham - first time round. 

Later on, we went back for seconds of that ham - so good!

Next door to Tapas Brindisa was Polpo and Polpetto. I've eaten in Polpo before and loved it, and the dishes they had on offer today were up to their usual high quality. Little bowls of dressed seafood with olives, and my favourite, chicken liver pate on crostini, with taleggio and asparagus, and cocktail olives and anchovies on the side:

Moving on, we found the Blueprint Cafe stall with, I think, Jeremy Lee in attendance. Have a look at the photo below and see if it is him (sorry Jeremy, if you're reading this!). They were serving up middle white pork, with beans and mint in a french style dressing. It's going to get very boring if I keep saying everything was amazing, but I'm afraid that everything WAS, and this was no exception:

Do you know this man?! 

Pork and beans - delish. 

What next? Pigs head of course. Served up by the guys who run Arbutus, Wild Honey and Le Deux Salons. Just the right amount, served hot, and unctuous and full of flavour:

Pigs Head 

Anthony Demetre cooking pigs head. 

Off next to scoff some oysters from the Wright brothers stall - natives from Kent, despite there not being a R in the month  - is that an old wives' tale? Lovely people, lovely food:

The Wright Brothers stall

Scoffing oysters

Then we discovered a queue. And quite a long queue. But we found out what it was for and joined it immediately. MeatWagon - hurrah! The chance to try the burgers that everyone's been raving about without having to go to Peckham Rye! No offence Peckham-ites, but it's quite a bit out of my way. And lo, we discovered what all the fuss was about:

The MeatWagoners get cooking

Nearly ready...

Almost done....

Happily being scoffed by my friend Louisa. 

These babies are good. Patties of meat, ever so slightly rare, in a sweetish (brioche?) bun, with pickles, cheese, mustard and ketchup. Worth the wait and very moreish.

And what of dessert? Oh yes, there was that too, these beautiful cherry chocolate cakes were from The Union. I must now confess that I took a photo because they looked so pretty, but I couldn't eat one because I was too full after all the above.

Still room for ice cream though (always room for ice cream), at the Gelupo stall:

Pistachio and Ricotta and Sour Cherry Gelato

The nice man at the Gelupo stall.

All in all, this was a fabulous afternoon for a good cause. It gave everyone the chance to try a dish or two from some of the capital's best restaurants at a great price in a friendly atmosphere,  and the sun was shining. Three cheers to the organisers and I hope all those who participated now have their feet up and are having a well earned drink - you deserve it.