Jessica Brownlie gets messy with a traditional seafood boil and cocktails at new opening Claw and Hammer
Randy’s Wing bar is one of the greatest chicken wing restaurants I have visited in London; it also happens to be where I started my food blogging journey back in 2019, with a grainy vlog and one too many cocktails. So, when I heard that they were launching Creole seafood restaurant Claw and Hammer I knew we would be in for a treat! I wasn’t wrong.
From the moment we arrived the staff were attentive and welcoming, helping us get acquainted with the cocktail menu. We opted for a Hurricane to start, obviously. Now fair warning reader, these are not your usual sugar-laden, pre-mixed cocktails found on hedonistic Bourbon Street, these were crafted, smoky and fragrant cocktails, not for the faint of heart – or weak of liver for that matter!
To start I had to go for the oyster platter. Fresh, large and delicately creamy, these oysters are most certainly worth trying. The sophisticated tart flavours of the smoked jalapeno salsa worked perfectly with the subtle brine of the oyster; the half dozen left me wanting more and eager for my main dish.
The waitress brought over our hot pots, complete with a pint of prawns. I chose the New Orleans hot pot, full of potatoes, sweetcorn, sausage, snow crab, clams and mussels, all coated in delicious spices with a side of Louisiana Bang Bang Butter for dipping. The bib and gloves provided were essential as the fun of this meal involves getting messy! There’s a primal satisfaction picking up crab legs, snapping them in two and sucking the soft crab meat from them. The sauce had such an incredible flavour to it, a spicy heat with Creole seasoning and a hint of garlic, perfect for the boil. The red potatoes held on to the flavour with every bite and it was mopped up with my side of cornbread! The sausage was delightful, it had a wonderful bite and a warm peppery flavour; cutlery be damned, I ate this with my hands!
The cold prawns were plump and juicy, with a welcome cooling effect that complimented the main dish - although I found myself dipping them in the spicy sauce, it was just so tasty, I wanted to coat everything in it.
We finished the meal with chocolate filled beignets, they were warm and melty. Although, in all honesty I didn’t even need the chocolate, the doughnut itself was sweet and light, it had the recognisable yeasty flavour that we all know and love.
An incredible time was had at Claw and Hammer, and I would put this restaurant at the very top of my list for a great night and delicious food.
Follow Jess @beautyandthefeastofficial