Restaurant review: Radicals and Victuallers, Upper Street, N1

Radicals and Victuallers (Image: Archant)

When American traditions make it to these shores, we’re usually more reserved.

But Ruby Jean’s Diner, which is hosted in new Islington pub Radicals and Victuallers, has refused to pull any punches when serving up its take on American diner cuisine.

The chain’s menu is served in pubs across London and is now cropping up elsewhere in the UK, but this is its first foray into Islington.

Inside the pub is spacious and intimately lit with exposed light bulbs illuminating quirky artwork – we were sat under a picture of cows wearing cowboy boots.

You won’t find anything resembling a starter portion at Ruby Jeans so we began our assault on the menu with a shared plate of beef and pulled pork sliders, barbecue chicken wings and fries with Louisiana and Cajun mayo dips.

The mini burgers were hearty with perfectly grilled, pink tinted beef and a kick of chipotle sauce while the succulent chicken wings, recommended as one of the house specialities, are a must try.

Alongside this we tried the mac and cheese topped with zingy chorizo which, presented in a frying pan, resembled an erupting volcano of molten cheese. Rich, thick and creamy, we probably could have shared this alone as a starter.

When it came to the mains I had to attempt the giant, juicy rack of baby back ribs, slathered in a sweet, potent barbecue sauce which I will admit defeated me.

We also sampled the fiery burger with Sriracha hot sauce - a peppery spice sensation that hits the tongue and cleverly evades the rest of the mouth - and coriander slaw.

Other burger toppings available at the restaurant include fried egg with peanut butter and pickled onion monster munch and you can design your own burger with a choice of more than 20 fillings.

These wacky additions to the menu and the no-hold-barred flavours at Radicals and Victuallers set the food apart from a lot of US-themed eateries and could make the pub a great addition to Upper Street.