Not content with his offering of Italian flavours from Bocca Di Lupo in London’s Soho, restaurateur Jacob Kenedy added Plaquemine Lock to his repertoire in 2017 – an English pub with some of the best Deep South cooking in London. Keeping locals happy, head chef Tom Clements creates a Louisiana welcome with Cajun cracklins, sugar beignet bacon sandwiches and smoked duck jambalaya with live jazz and classic cocktails to wash it all down. plaqlock.com
Cocchi Americano
Pronounced ‘Coke-ey’, this quinine-flavoured Italian aperitif wine adds a bitter edge to classic cocktails but is also excellent on its own, over ice with a slice of orange.
Andouille
Though this sausage originates in France, andouille is often a hero ingredient in Cajun dishes, lending a smoky kick to dishes like jambalaya and gumbo.
Hot sauce
This is a big deal in the American South. Louisiana hot sauce is especially prized – chances are you have a bottle of Tabasco or Frank’s RedHot in your cupboard (or in your bag, if you’re as dedicated as Beyoncé).
Plaquemine Lock recipes
Blackened chicken, beans and rice
This Louisiana-inspired recipe sees chicken thigh coated in a punchy spice blend of paprika, cayenne and pepper before being blackened in a pan and served with beans and rice.
Shrimp maque choux
This recipe gets its kick from a homemade Creole spice mix, made with paprika, cayenne, garlic, ginger, thyme and oregano.
Beignets
These puffy, deep-fried pastry treats (which are not dissimilar to doughnuts) are perfect for an after-dinner bite.
