The Flotsam & Jetsam next to the Dulwich Picture Gallery is known of cosy delights for guests to the gallery, with an array of cakes, sandwiches and salads on offer. However, specially in conjunction with gallery’s newest exhibition Yoshida: Three Generations of Japanese Printmaking, the eatery has put together a limited edition capsule menu that aims to connect the Yoshida dynasty of artists to visitors of the exhibition.
For early morning visitors, the F&J Dragonfruit Lychee Bircher Bowl (£10.25) features chia muesli, coconut yoghurt, almond granola and is the café’s take on the familiar breakfast bowl with a twist. It is an hearty portion that fills one up quickly, and the lychee is the highlight of the bowl, providing a refreshing kick alongside the coconut yoghurt. Whilst the connections to Japanese culture might not seem evident at first, the earthy and woody flavours of the granola seem to be the dish’s attempt to connection the woodbloock printing aspect of the exhbition. A good dish for a sensitive stomach.
The most visually impressive dish on the menu is the Slapped Cucumber Salad (£11.25, starter portion £5.95) made of sesame, garlic and ginger marinated cucumbers, pickled carrots, furikake and crispy onions. This is a dish for the foodies that post online: it has a certain wow factor when it arrives to the table, with the bright green of the cucumber contrasting against the orange of the pickled carrots.
The ginger and pickle flavours are incredibly strong in the dish, and those that love their crunch will enjoy the freshness of the vegetables alongside the sesame and crispy onions. However, it is very much a cucumber lovers’ dish (as the name suggests) and it is recommended to have this dish as a side, since for some the flavours may be overwhelming when eaten as a main dish.
Their Japanese Tonkatsu Pulled Pork Burger (£14.00) is the star of the show. Made of slow cooked tonkatsu pulled pork, daikon, Asian slaw and peanut sesame dressing in a brioche bun with vegetable crisps, this is the must-try out of the capsule menu. A mouthful of the burger unleashes an explosion of taste: the sweetly salty peanut sesame dressing contrasting with the tang of the slaw, all on top of the woody pork flavour and the softer sweetness of the brioche bun. It is a unique burger that can be enjoyed on multiple occasions and is a reason to return for a second visit.
The vegetable crisps are a charming alternative to potato chips or fries, and seems to connect the dish to the very down to earth discipline of woodblock printing. They play a simple supporting role to the main burger, and their vegetable base continues to cultivate a balance of sweet and saltiness within the dish whilst also creating the appearance of little curls of wood and leaves on the plate. This main might not scale the visual heights of its cucumber-based sibling, but its rustic appearance is pleasing to the eye before the diner can fully enjoy the variety of flavours they are set to taste.
Overall, the menu is an interesting exhibition companion that aims to capture the spirit of the woodblock printing and the Yoshida family for British audiences. It is highly recommended that visitors going to see Yoshida: Three Generations of Japanese Printmaking also stop by Flotsam & Jetsam to give this menu a taste. Try it out alongside a pot of the café’s Japanese Sencha tea and grab a lovely window seat if you can.
More information about Flotsam & Jetsam can be found here.