Glance at it from the top deck of the 55 bus, and Miga looks like it’s been beamed in from another dimension. A stark white box that sits on the cobblestone corner where Cambridge Heath Road morphs into Mare Street, it might be Mayfair gallery or an artisan Fitzrovia denim store. Happily, it’s something far more approachable – a fizzingly warm and welcoming Korean restaurant that over the past six months has become one of east London’s most nattered-about places to eat.
The story of Miga is almost as captivating as the food. Pitched somewhere between Succession and The Bear but with more likeable people involved, Miga is a family brand bought bang up to date by the youngest generation. Much like nearby Mangal 2 – which saw the original owner’s two sons give the traditional Turkish grill a hypebeast makeover – the first iteration of Miga opened in New Malden two decades ago. The latest version’s location was decided upon by two Insta-savvy twenty-something brothers, who convinced their uber talented chef father that east London could do with a break from incessant small plates and pickle platters, and instead be given a dose of dad’s New Malden magic. Very wise.
Hackney’s reigning small plates restos, are you rattled yet?
Branded as a ‘modern take on Korean cuisine’, Miga skips basic bibimbap and workaday bulgogi in favour of burly, full-bodied plates of exceptional, nuanced cookery. Sure, there’s kimchi and other tweaked classics such as jabchae noodles, but this lowkey spot is all about exhilarating dishes that smash your tastebuds with integrity and sass.
We begin with yughwe, a ballsy beef tartare accessorised with skinny batons of Asian pear and a gleaming egg yolk. We stir it all into submission and discover a dish so incandescently sweet that it’s less like shovelling raw meat into your mouth, and more like sipping a fruity cocktail. Maeun saeu is simple but just as enticing; three pastel pink prawns, plonked on a perfect puddle of gochujang sauce. Heartier still is the bindaeddug, a flawless mung bean pancake packed with tart kimchi, that’s soft and squashy in the middle but crisp and firm on the outside. The slightly singed corners are the best bit; super crunchy but never chewy.
But the mains are where Miga really proves its mettle and truly takes on the hipster bistros of east London. Soy braised shortribs, or galbijjim, are more tender than a Boy Genius ballad, and the surrounding pear, carrot and shitake mushroom aren’t just on the plate for decoration, but for soaking up the meaty juice like sponges. Proof that Miga can do pretty as well as potent are the samgyubsal slices of pan-fried pork belly delivered in a glowing apple-and-mustard sauce that you could see from space – or at the very least from Ombra across the road – and again, the accompanying veg, large slices of king oyster mushrooms and courgette, prove as emboldening as the flesh.
Hackney’s reigning small plates restos, are you rattled yet?
The vibe Small, family-run restaurant ready to take on the big boys and girls.
The food ‘Modern’ Korean food with big flavours and super friendly service.
The drink Korean beer, soju cocktails and a decent wine selection.
Time Out tip Currently, Miga is so popular you might struggle to book an evening table. No matter, they’re open for lunch too, where walk-ins aren’t out of the question.