The Judges’ Menu 2012

People have a habit of behaving oddly around complimentary food and drink. I learnt the art of all-you-can-eat at the Harvester. I never wanted to appear greedy by going back for seconds, so I treated it as an exercise in structural engineering. One particularly good week – an early-bird special, as I remember – I piled everything up just right and came away with a construction that rose a full four inches off the bowl. Compared to the passengers on the Fantasia — a liner, cruising the Mediterranean — I was an amateur.

In the Zanzibar – the Fantasia’s all-you-can-eat buffet that was included in the price of the ticket – the plates were as big as trays. And they demanded filling. So people circled, saw what was good, and engaged. All the rules about basic food combining (like jelly and pilaff not working well together, for instance) were forgotten. After all, the jelly and the pilaff might not have been there when they came back for seconds. Once their plates were full, the passengers rushed back to their tables before their foods ran into each other. It was chaos.

The judges’ menu at this weekend’s British Street Food Awards will be more carefully administered. We (check out the judges here) will be brought tiny tasting plates of the extraordinary dishes at five-minute intervals. To do such wonderful food justice. I can’t wait. But I will make sure to skip breakfast on Sunday morning. And Monday. And Tuesday….Here we go (lifts cloche):

 

BEST BREAKFAST – served to the judges at 11.05am

Kedgeree (What the Dickens)

Huevos Rancheros (Luardos)

BEST DRINK – served to the judges at 11.05am

Masala Chai or Rosewater Lassi (Manjit’s Kitchen)

Shot Of Suffolk Crab Bisque Served With “North Sea” Sour Dough Croutons (Fish Hut)

Marble Brewery Malt Milk Shake (Ginger’s Comfort Emporium)

BEST PIE – served to the judges at 11.10am

Pork Pie (What The Dickens)

Firebread Calzone (Well Kneaded)

Smoked Mackerel Filo Pie (Wild Rover)

BEST SANDWICH – served to the judges at 11.10am

Seashore Wrap With Smoked Sewin And Fresh Crab (Café Mor)

Fish Taco (Luardos)

Pigeon And Organic Bacon Wrap (Wild Rover)

Flatbread Filled With Slow-roasted Cherry Tomato, Pickled Ewes Cheese, Basil Oil And Aioli (Katie and Kim’s Kitchen)

BEST SNACK – served to the judges at 11.15am

Beetroot, Chili And Cherry Tomato Firebread (Well Kneaded)

Bad Ass Bondas (Hungry Gecko)

Lightly Smoked Mussels Served With UK Heritage Tomato And Chorizo Sauce (The Mussel Men)

Pork Yum Bun (Yum Bun)

Lobster Roll With Hot Seaweed Butter (Café Mor)

BEST BURGER – served to the judges at 11.20am

Chicken Slider On Brioche (Street Kitchen)

Mackerel, Chorizo And Sardine Burger (Green Goat)

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Bap (Spit And Roast)

BEST MAIN DISH – served to the judges at 11.25am

Bunny Chow (Manjit’s Kitchen)

Poutine (Spit And Roast)

Scallop Cream Tea (Green Goat)

Crispy Chicken Salad (Street Kitchen)

Smoked Tofu Chili Jam Noodles (Hungry Gecko)

Lowestoft Longline-caught Cod In Ginger Beer Batter

Served With Chips And Minted Garden Peas (The Fish Hut)

BEST DESSERT – served to the judges at 11.30am, and to be followed by a wafer thin mint.

Breakfast At Ginger’s (Gingers Comfort Emporium)

Battenburg Cake (Lulabelles)

Custard Tart (Katie and Kim’s Kitchen)

Damson And Cobnut Custard Crumble (Sorbitium)