On my wanderings around Crystal Palace, not miles away from my house, I spotted a while ago Four Hundred Rabbits, a sourdough pizza place. Last week, I had the opportunity to taste their pizza.
The art of sourdough preparation requires patience, but the results are so worth it. It involves a long preparation time, and the process of kneading the dough, resting, and rising results in the protein gluten being broken down into amino acids. This translates to a smoother digestion process.
Easier digestion is made even more possible by the bacteria-yeast combo working to predigest the starches in the grains. The pre-digestion by sourdough equals less absorption for you.
It indeed is an ancient art that is crafted in harmony with nature. The real reason I love sourdough is the taste! Tangy and very distinctive, it undoubtedly leaves me wanting another bite.
What is on the menu at Four Hundred Rabbits?
They have some delicious sourdough! They cater to almost all dietary requirements.
From the snacks and salads menu, I had the pickled cucumber – they were nicely refreshing and added some irresistible crunch to the proceedings.
The Moons Green pork and chilli beer sticks, hand-made sausages made from free-range pork and unique mix of spices made this snack very flavoursome.
The aperitifs were washed down with Four Hundred Rabbit’s infamous £4 Negroni, the cheapest in the capital!
They also have sourdough garlic bread and anchovy, garlic and rosemary bread, but I was really looking forward to trying their pizza. The two salads looked delicious too, but I went for the pizzas big time!
San Marzano, Fior di latte mozzarella, basil and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, a classic that didn’t disappoint. The San Marzano tomato is sweet and as always a great combination to sourdough due to low acidity.
I was feeling adventurous that day. Rhubarb on a pizza? Why not? I tried the Chipotle rolled goat’s cheese, rhubarb, piquillo peppers, mozzarella, tomato, and basil. The pizza was topped with a compote/cream of rhubarb, capped off with a smoky chipotle and sharp goat’s cheese. These are most unlikely pairings, but it worked.
Four Hundred Rabbits x Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen collaboration pizza. At Four Hundred Rabbits, they are keen on collaborations with other chefs.
I was curious about this pizza. It had Jollof 9 spiced ground lamb, tomato, spicy peanut sauce, cassava, and spring onion.
I love cassava in all forms, so I was looking forward to this sourdough pizza! The Jollof ground lamb was slightly spicy and delicious, but to my surprise, it wasn’t pieces but coarse cassava flour dusted on top of the pizza; that was unusual.
I also had the chipotle (love chillis!) and sour cream dip, which was smoky, spicy, and sour – great accompaniment to the crusts. Gelupo ice cream was my dessert of choice, which is always a winner with me!
Four Hundred Rabbits is a lovely south London local sourdough pizza place. I like the rustic decor and informal setting. Their passion for their business is apparent.
They have an open kitchen wood-fired oven that cooks the pies at around 400° C. Their toppings with San Marzano DOP tomatoes, fresh Fior Di Latte mozzarella, fresh seasonal local British ingredients, and some very creative recipes are irresistible – a must try!
They have restaurants in Nunhead and Crystal Palace, London.
Four Hundred Rabbits Nunhead:
143 Evelina Road, London, SE15 3HB
Open Tuesday – Sunday from 12 pm (last orders 9:30 pm).
Closed Mondays
T: 020 7732 4115
[email protected]
Four Hundred Rabbits Crystal Palace:
30 – 32 Westow Street, London, SE19 3AH
Open daily from 12 pm (last orders 9:30pm)
Sunday – Thursday, and 10 pm Friday – Saturday
T: 020 8771 6249
[email protected]
Four Hundred Rabbits
Website: http://www.400rabbits.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @4hundredrabbits
Instagram: @4hundredrabbits
Facebook: /4hundredrabbits
Disclosure: I was a guest at Four Hundred Rabbits for review purposes.
Cassava flour on pizza? That sounds odd… I must admit, and be critical, the pizzas don’t look too ‘authentic’ as in Neapolitan.. but definitely interesting. beautiful photos