Picnic in the Park pop-up: Braai/Bush Trek BBQ

Last Friday night, I ate Prawn Mozambique for the very first time in my life. I discovered Smoortjie too – and Espetada Trinchado, and Milho Frito, and Hominy Corn; y’know, the kind of dishes that set your tastebuds wild with excitement, push your spellcheck to the point of combustion, and – usually – you have to make a long, expensive, arduous trip across and around the globe for?

Ah, but I didn’t have to travel any further than the corner of Lark Place and Upper Bristol Road (almost adjacent to the massive Victoria Park play area) to indulge in this unique-to-Bath experience.

Picnic in the Park has earned its rightful status as one of the best little cafes in the whole of Bath, serving boisterous (or light) breakfasts and languid (or grab’n’go) lunches, with excellent coffee and cake, cake, cake flaunted at every stop along the way, and super-friendly service guaranteed throughout; honestly, it’s just lovely… and so is PitP’s ‘best kept secret in Bath’ foodie-haven alter-ego. Say wha-a-aaaat? Well, read on…

PitP’s daytime service usually ends at 2pm. But on Friday evenings, the sausage rolls are put out to pasture, the candles are lit, the fairy lights are set to twinkle, the fabulous Camerton Wines list (a very special speciality side hustle for PitP owners Julie and Andy) comes into its own… and myriad superchefs including, this summer season, local legends Chai Walla (Friday 23 May), vegan Caribbean delights courtesy of Janifa’s Kitchen (Friday 13 June) and MasterChef Professionals 2023 finalist Kasae Fraser and her partner Vincent Gatay (Our Table, Friday 2 May and Friday 4 July) pop up to work their magic in this tiny, magical space. 

Last time we popped-up at a PitP pop-up, we went on a Korean adventure courtesy of Leona’s Bespoke Catering – a highly recommended experience on all levels. This time around, we revisited for an up-close-and-personal encounter with chef Anton, a PitP pop-up regular specialising – and I mean, really specialising – in Braai/Bush Trek BBQ South African/Mediterranean fusion feasts, the live action-drama of Anton’s astounding menu supplemented by chef himself slaving away on a live-action barbecue that (safely!) sparked and flamed on the pavement outside the cafe bringing extra-added drama to proceedings.

Fasten your seatbelts, foodies! We’re in for an exciting ride – but you’re not going to want those seatbelts fastened too tightly, as we’re set to ride through an abundantly generous feast indeed. 

Just after take-off (well, a gin and tonic), Prawn Mozambique: massive, juicy tiger prawns liberally doused in a spicy/smoky/sweet peri peri shower, with layers of confit garlic and citrus all dancing along to the south-east African disco beat. And then… huuuge Durban samosas – rich in oozy, generous tamarind-infused cheese – swiftly followed, before oxtail cooked so slowly that the soft, soft meat couldn’t be bothered going through the fuss of being cut with a knife and only barely mustered up the energy to cling to a fork; if you ever wondered what the term ‘velvety texture’ translates to, in food terms, this dish offered the textbook definition.

A pile of fluffy, nutty, subtly complex hominy corn accompanied our oxtail centrepiece, while corn in a different guise – crisp, sweetly savoury Milho Frito – fought for domination over the silky-rich, depth charge umami blast of the Espetada Trinchado sauce that came with skewers of deeply caramelised ribeye steak – who won this particular food fight? We the diners did.

Sausages arrived along the way too: spicy Ouma’s Boerewors, a jewel in the South African sausage-crown for very good reason, supplied in this instance by Bath’s own jewel in the butcher’s crown Larkhall Butchers (and, just to add to the properly local theme of this very special evening, there was an actual Larkhall butcher assisting Anton in what can only have been a very busy little kitchen while we lounged around stuffing our faces). And oh my word, the Cape Malay Pickled Fish! Mild curry spices, sharp pickling liquor and super-soft fish flesh bought together in teasy, skittish, vibrant harmony.

Just when we were starting to wonder if we’d eaten too much to manage even getting up from the table, along came the decadent, Peppermint Crisp Tart: decadently treatsome caramel and peppermint chocolate on a decadently treatsome Biscoff base that we vowed to box up and take home for breakfast but pretty much downed in one on the spot (oh come on, don’t tell me that you wouldn’t have done the very same).

Oh Anton, I’m in chef lurve! Oh Picnic in the Park: you’re doing amazing things, in your amazing little space. Thank you!

Anton’s Braai/Bush Trek BBQ will be popping up again at Picnic in the Park on Friday 6 June and Friday 25 July; please don’t miss out. And while you’re making that all-important reservation, do yourself a favour and book every other available Friday evening PitP pop-up sitting too; I guarantee you won’t regret it.