I was a little later eating than normal so had Googled a place where I could have a late lunch and set off for my first choice. When I arrived the place was locked up.
I don’t know whether this is permanent or if they had checked out their on-line hits, seen my name and locked the door until I had gone away, telling the customers inside to keep quiet for a few minutes. Whichever was the case I set off in search of a Plan B. I decided to check out Trinity Kitchen, thinking that if I couldn’t find anywhere that did a late lunch then I could get something from one of the street traders.
The first place I came to was the newly opened Absurd, which serves American food with a twist. They do a lunch deal available all the time: result. The deal is called Louisiana Sub Lunch and is a choice of four Po’ Boys, which for some reason are referred to as P.O Boys on the menu. They all include fries, which makes it very good value as they alone are normally £2.25. The weather was stiflingly hot so a pint of chilled Goose Midway beer at £4.95 was very welcome. You need a will of iron as a food reviewer as the drinks are normally served, as was the case here, before the food arrives, thus necessitating one’s staring longingly at it until an ensemble photograph of food and booze can be taken. The food is cooked to order and my will evaporated in the heat, meaning that I just had to take a sip. Paradise. It is a draft American IPA style and at 4.1% abv is not too strong for a lunch accompaniment. The citrus aftertaste was especially refreshing on such a hot day.
Absurd is one of the permanent fixtures in Trinity Kitchen so you can sit in the communal dining area with those eating from other establishments. On ordering at the hatch you are given a pager which goes off when the food is ready, at which time you collect from another hatch. It must have been Help The Aged Week as the really affable young man who took my order delivered not only the meal, but a handful of napkins as well. Above and beyond the call of duty. What I had ordered was the Honey P.O Boy which comprised coated fried chicken pieces in a sub roll with lettuce, pickles and honey and mustard dressing. As mentioned there was a side of fries which came with ketchup and mayonnaise dips.
There are several versions of the origin of the name Po’ Boy, short for Poor Boy, but the one constant is that they originated in New Orleans and were originally filled with fried shrimp and oysters caught locally, or ham. Over time, new fillings were added and nowadays anything goes. The version I had with the honey and mustard mayo, lettuce and pickles was originally known as a Dressed Po’ Boy, whereas regular ones just had the meat or fish. The chicken pieces were thick and succulent, the coating adding both crunch and flavour.
I approached the eating with some trepidation as I was wearing a pale brown linen suit which I didn’t wish to embellish with food, I needn’t have worried as someone at a later event did the job for me by spilling (fortunately white) wine over my trousers. The other ingredients worked perfectly and offered a riot of textures and flavours to the taste buds. The smooth creaminess of the dressing contrasted with the sharpness of the pickle and the freshness of the lettuce. The bread was also crusty, adding yet another dimension.
Absurd, or Absurd Bird as it is referred to on its web address, is a great addition to the Trinity Kitchen dining scene offering, along with the subs, waffles, burgers, combo trays, salads wings etc. Vegans and vegetarians are catered for with the Birdless Burger and several sides. What with the great food and exemplary service, especially if you are a po’ old boy, to give it a miss would be, well, absurd.
Mange toutes,
Stan Graham
