When I first heard about Big Night, located on Morning Lane in Hackney, I assumed it was a nod to the 1996 comedy-romance starring Stanley Tucci, where two Italian immigrant brothers host an extravagant feast at their struggling restaurant to gain exposure. And it is. But they also call themselves Big Night because they want your night there to be… well, big.
Clearly I hadn’t been paying attention as I’d booked it instead of the pub that Friday precisely to avoid a big night before my sister’s birthday the following day.
Needless to say, by my second cocktail, third shot and fifth glass of wine, the night had surpassed “small” and undeniably entered “big” territory.
According to their Instagram, they do “food on sticks, drinks in glasses”, but that’s a deliberate undersell. Their food is cooked on a charcoal grill, meaning it all has a wonderful barbecued, smoky flavour. A standout is their chicken and spring onion skewer – charred, juicy thighs squidged on a stick; so juicy in fact they practically burst in the mouth. I could have eaten 10 of them.
Another is their sardine and gherkin dish, sizzled so perfectly you simply scrape the flesh from the fish with a chopstick and gobble it down with the pickle. The sticks are also very reasonably priced, all £7-£8, meaning you can easily order lots without breaking the bank. They even have their own homemade version of MSG on the table to sprinkle with aplomb.
Speaking of pickles, they command the menu, and as someone with Slavic blood running through their veins, it couldn’t be more up my street. They make their own kimchi, which I found so delicious I ended up buying a jar to take home with me. The supermarket stuff pales in comparison to this sour, tangy concoction. (It’s £6, and if you bring the jar back you can refill it for £1.50 off next time).
There are also picklebacks, the aforementioned shots. If you’re among the unitiated, as I was (now, no longer), it’s a shot of whiskey followed immediately by a shot of pickle brine to neutralise the smart of the alcohol. There are chillibacks too for those who want more of a kick. These were fantastic. There’s a pickle martini and shots called “bloody maria” – mini bloody marys made with tequila; spicy, piquant and of course pickly.
Other dishes are bolder and not for everyone, such as their corn and prawns – blackened cobs piled with shrimp paste. I enjoyed it but it was a little pungent for my friend. Still, it’s great to see daring dishes be divisive. For more of a crowd-pleaser, the miso banana pudding is a must-order to finish off with something sweet.
Don’t hold back on their “tasty bread”, a soft, floppy, blackened flatbread that is already sort of soggy, but in the best way possible. They kindly brought us another when it became necessary as a booze-soaker.
Big Night is the brainchild of Joshua Ralphs and Jack O’Connor, formerly of Larry’s in Peckham. It’s just the two of them working there, Josh front of house and Jack in the kitchen, and the friends work in a synchronised, effortless way that exudes passion and experience, but also years of friendship – which is lovely to see.
At one point we’re the only table in there, but as people start to spill out of pubs the walk-ins arrive, ready for some more cocktails and things on sticks to satiate their Friday night hunger. They stay open late, setting them apart from most restaurants in Hackney – I feel very lucky that this is a local for me.
Big Night is a place that encourages fun, sharing and silliness. There’s a dart board where if you score a bullseye, you get your round of drinks for free. They have films on an old telly and if you guess the title on their Instagram you get a free skewer. According to their website, they want it to feel homely and communal, where “you’ll be asking your neighbour to pass the chilli oil and cheersing the whole table with a round of shots and sauerkraut”.
I’d have to say they’ve pulled it off – we stumbled out of Big Night, having completely scuppered our aims of a quiet one, vowing to come back with more friends for an even bigger night.
Big Night Bar and Restaurant, 177 Morning Ln, London, E9 6LH | really@bignight.info | bignight.info
