Lagom

Lagom - Review - Hackney - London - The Infatuation

"The smashburger bun at Lagom is so buttery you have to wipe your hands after every single bite. It’s partly why it’s so tasty but it means you can’t take photographic evidence for your ‘Beautiful Burgers Spotted In The Wild’ group chat unless you want to make a sticky mess. You won’t want to anyway. This industrial, dimly lit barbecue restaurant inside Hackney Church Brew Co. in Hackney is part beer hall, part shrine to things cooked over fire, so doing anything other than swilling pints and eating heartily seems disrespectful. Big, boisterous groups pile into the pew-like sharing benches and treat every night like Friday. Blistered pork bites are thrown back like popcorn, napkins become a precious commodity, and attention is torn between a disaster date story and the lacy crust of the must-order smashburger smeared with sharp vinegar slaw. Expect big flavours, big end-of-the-week energy, and even bigger chicken wings. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Pause Unmute Food Rundown Smash Burger. Slaw. Mustard Mayo. American Cheese. The buttery, sweet, squidgy buns at Lagom make other burger buns look dry and a bit sad. The fillings are simple but everything has its place, particularly the crunchy, refreshing slaw that balances all that drippy beef juice. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Grilled Pork Belly. Jerk BBQ. We like a passive aggressive full stop in a menu title, and we like a slab of pork belly slapped on a plate. The fat glistens and has caught in all the right places, and the smoky BBQ rub is deliciously bitter, without being overpowering. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Grilled Squash. Ranch. Green Sauce. Ricotta Salata. Wild Sage. It’s possible to go a bit chest-thumpy at Lagom and double down on beers and meats, ignoring the vegetable dishes. That would be a huge mistake. This squash is tender, like our heads after a night at the brewery’s pub quiz, and the ranch has a funky, almost blue cheese-like taste. Marinated Heritage Tomatoes. Ricotta Salata. Juicy, fresh tomatoes are a very good idea alongside so much meat. This is the perfect dish to keep dipping back into after bites of fat-forward burger and pork. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Crispy Potatoes. Garlic Mayo. When Lagom says ‘crispy’, they mean it. These are some of the best potatoes in London. Unbelievably crunchy but still light and fluffy inside. The garlic mayo is on the punchy side, which we love. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna" - Sinéad Cranna