2 years ago
You probably know The Lab in Tooting Market for their dramatic cocktails. We tried out their new food menu and it’s well worth an order too.
The Lab is known, quite rightly, for their intriguing cocktails. They’re interactive and have a science theme to them; we are talking syringes, vials and maybe a bit of dry ice for some drama. Underneath all of that it’s not just smoke and mirrors. Anyone who’s been lucky enough to go down will know that the cocktails are genuinely really good. So good, in fact, that their food selection often gets overlooked… until now. We heard that they’d just revamped their menu and couldn’t wait to try it out to see if it stands up to the drinks selection.
Before we get to the order, we want to give you an insider tip: sit outside so you can watch the market transform from day to night. It’s such good people watching and fun to see the market put on her evening attire as you’re sipping on a cocktail. A great first date place spot if you are looking to spark conversation.
To drink we went for the Dr Stone; tequila, campari, lime juice, passion fruit puree and homemade vanilla syrup could have made it a little sweet- but the addition of the homemade chilli tincture bought a bit of heat. Perfect for the tequila lovers who like a drink with a bit of a kick. We also tried the Love Sex Robot. That one was hard not to order just down to the name but beyond that, this is any sweet tooth’s dream. The mix of aperol, chambord, lemon, homemade watermelon, strawberry and basil puree was topped with a splash of Prosecco and came with (get this) a side of candy floss. Inventive, tasty drinks served in the classic Lab way? No complaints here.
To go with these drinks was the brand new menu. We pretty much tried the majority of it and you really can’t go wrong with any choice from this delicious list. The popcorn squid was perfectly crunchy and came with a poppy red-eye mayo that really makes you sit up. The cauliflower tacos were a huge hit. The Lab made a dish that has been done, and done again, feel fresh and exciting- maybe it was the szechuan kick. If you want something with a bit more bite then the Philly steak sandwich was oozing with flavour and, well… just oozing. Cheese, sweetly caramelised onions and juicy steak is, apparently, the thing to soak up the cocktails.
The sharing platter of wings is exactly what to get when you’re in a big group and everyone is after something to nibble on. It was a sizeable portion and came loaded with different flavours of chicken wings, cauliflower ‘wings’, fries, tater tots and dips galore. We’d happily have taken a shot of that cashew cream in one of their cocktails.
If you’ve not clocked it yet, let us clarify. We are huge fans of The Lab. The service is consistently amazing, it’s clear that the staff are so passionate about what they do which makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. Yep, The Lab is a science experiment we can get on board with.
