Sometimes the magic of marketing involves nothing more than having… well, balls!
In a cosy corner of Soho, tucked away at the top end of Greek Street, sits London’s latest new must-try restaurant. The proprietors are in no doubt that they have something uniquely new and tasty to add to the capital’s culinary scene, it was just a question as to whether they believed in it enough to sell it to the rest of us with balls on. If I tell you that the name of this eatery is ‘Balls and Company‘, I think you’ve probably got your answer. Giggle if you must but this establishment is no joke. They sell exactly what they say above the door because they have reinvented the meatball in a bid to change the image of this savoury treat.
Like burgers and sausages, people are always a little concerned as to what goes into making them so yummy. At ‘Balls and Company’, the emphasis is on quality. Their all meaty Balls are nobody’s junk food and are served with a selection of sides plus your choice of sauces. There’s nothing pretentious about their fare but as soon as you tuck in you realise actually these are not just ‘rolled up mince balls’. Each and every one is a little bit different.
Every flavour is on offer from salmon and dill to quinoa and beetroot and each is presented immaculately and topped with homemade classics like pesto and romesco. Not only do they tantalise the tastebuds, the dishes are pleasing on the eye bursting with colour and oozing invitations to Instagram. The ‘balls’ in the presentation and branding of their produce comes – not surprisingly – from down under. Opened and established by Australian-born Bonny Porter, ‘Balls and Company’ offers an intimate and welcoming feel garnished by the aromas that drift into the small seating area from the open kitchen.
We kicked things off with ‘Chevre Balls’, goats cheese rolled in numerous flavours perfectly complimenting a tangy cheese and served with cracker bread. With this came complimentary parsnip chips, crispy from inside to out and incredibly moreish. Onto mains… we opted for the chicken meatballs topped with romesco, as well as the salmon topped with pesto. For company, we simply couldn’t make our minds up from the wide selection, so went for everything (almost!). Sweet potato gratin, polenta chips, roast vegetable wrapped in ricotta and pea puree left almost no room for cutlery on the table but as with appetites suitably primed by the variety of tastes, we quickly cleared a number of plates devouring the delicious dishes presented to us. Despite a feeling that we may have over-ordered, we finished off the lot making every last morsel of the gratins cheese disappear from the dish using nothing other than the crispy ends of leftover polenta chips.Dessert was off the cards… er, until we saw the menu. Then it became all about the salted caramel cheesecake doughnuts. Piled high, and drizzled in warm salted caramel sauce, we soon started to fight over our decision to share despite our stomach lining’s screams. Now we were truly stuffed.
It was genuinely one of the best meals we’ve enjoyed out in a long time, proving that sometimes the simple childhood classics can inspire imaginative, upmarket dining… if you just have the ‘balls’ to run with them.
Where did we dine?
58 Greek St, London W1D 3DY
What we recommend?
EVERYTHING.
If we had to choose one of the many dishes devoured?
… it’s gotta be the doughtnuts
And to sip…
We stuck to the soft ones but their wine and cocktail menu was tempting beyond belief…
Niggles?
Slightly cramped, but we kind of like the cosy feel!
TTH Top Tip
Check out the basement bar for wine, craft beers and cocktails.
TTH x
