Temper City

Mexican City 2.0

Smoked beef rib

I am a massive fan of Neil Rankin, from the days when he was at Smokehouse, to Temper Soho and now Temper City. I dined at Temper City last year when it was all about the Indian style BBQ, the impactful aroma and spices of the style were somewhat unusual but personally, I always preferred Temper Soho with its Mexican style BBQ. One year on, Temper City followed the formula of what made Temper Soho so successful and completely revamped its menu. The starters are focusing in Mexican street food items such as tacos and tostadas, and mains are all about big cuts of meats and fish cooked on a BBQ. 

Crab, apple and pork skin 

Soft shell crab tacos

Raw beef and pear poke

Red prawn crumble

Beef skewers with kimchi

I opted for a selection of items from the menu, seabass ceviche was a real pleaser, the fish was light and the touch of lime juice made it a very refreshing dish. On the other hand, the tandoori seabream was the weak link, the fish was a touch overcooked and underseasoned, the small bones also made it very difficult to consume it with the given tortilla. The smoked beef rib was a lot better, the smoky and meaty aroma was just perfect, as was the rich and savory taste, the open fire and slow-cooked element really made all the difference to deliver something that was truly special. The pork rib was also sensational, cooked to perfection and had a lovely melting texture, together with the sweet and salty taste of the XO sauce, it was the best dish on the night. 

Goat carnitas

Pork rib and xo glaze

Tandoori bream

Barnsley lamb with fennel

Porterhouse on the bone

The service was a little chaotic and it seems they need more front of house staff, I noticed 1 waiter had to deal with more than 10 tables on her own so it took forever for us to order the food and paying the bill. However, the revamp of the menu was a success for me, the menu has a much wider choice with less spicy dishes, as well as more small plates so is great for small groups. The meat quality was just as good as Temper Soho, the open kitchen with giant cuts of meats hanging with chains also made Temper City somewhat fun. I really enjoyed watching the chefs prepping and cooking the meats in front of us while having all of those lovely smoky meat aroma flying around the dining room. 


Food 3.5/5


What I paid: 
£22 per head

Average cost without drinks and services:
A la carte: £35

33, The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY

http://temperrestaurant.com/temper-city