A truly great gastro

This review was first published in September 2002

A dinner date with a chef who hates critics and assails you with Gordon Ramsay-style aggro over every course must be about as bad as it gets for a restaurant reviewer. 'What makes you so qualified to comment on food?' my dining partner roared. 'Well, nothing,' I squeaked. So the big surprise was that I thoroughly enjoyed Gastro Gastro and had a roundly satisfying meal, even though my chef friend would bellow at me, 'What's wrong with this dish?' and I would cheep, 'Well, I quite liked it.' Chef would then reply scathingly, 'Wrong answer. You aren't very good at your job, are you?'

My starter - crispy chilli stuffed with salted cod and scallions - was a combination of bright flavours, deepfried in a light batter. It could have done with being crisper and having less potato in the salt-cod stuffing, but it was better than yet another plate of gravadlax or caesar salad. This was what I really appreciated about Gastro Gastro. Clearly, it boasted a natural, unpretentious chef who was enjoying himself in his kitchen. Frankly, it showed. Even in the less successful dishes, you could see, smell and taste the love and soul.

But back to my humiliator. My chef friend's starter, crispy-fried squid and pickled cucumber in a wasabi dressing, was perfect. The squid was juicy and that hot, clean wasabi blew through the crunchy batter. I'd go back for that alone. Chef agreed. My main was a jerk chicken brochette with rice and peas and pimento sauce, with a nice bit of soft plantain across the top. It was a slightly ponced-up version of sunny, comfort food - perfect. It turns out that the chef/owner, Maurice Charles, is from Dominica, so he should be able to do a decent bit of jerking around.

Chef then had wild mushroom and spinach gnocchi romaine with a tomato and sage dressing. The gnocchi was made from polenta (the Roman way) and cut into discs. It tasted good and came with a hearty pile of rocket and parmesan. Chef waded in with technical advice but she didn't scare me any more and I ignored her. I forced down a mascarpone, raspberry and chocolate mousse, though I was as full as a goose in Toulouse. It was a heavy, heavenly mess, topped off with a boozy diplomat sauce. It was the sort of pudding your mother makes and calls Mum's Special Mousse or Mum's Wicked Pots.

Maurice Charles joined us, and said he felt a bit embarrassed by the pudding, and that he keeps telling the man in the kitchen who makes them to do them differently. Talking through a mouthful of biscuit and mascarpone, I managed to say, 'Boh Noh. Ir Ruverly.'

The room is a rainbow of bright colours to match the breezy, all-day menu (peppered with spelling mistakes) drawing influences from Britain, the West Indies and Italy. There's a kids' menu and a choice of three types of coffee bean. The staff were clearly friends or family and were all distinctly lovely. Perfect!

Gastro Gastro
78 Blackheath Road, SE10