Raphael’s by CREM Kitchen

It gives me great pleasure to bring to you a fabulous addition to not only Havering but the Essex food scene itself. This also has the potential to be one of the best in the county. I’m referring to Raphael’s by CREM Kitchen which is located in Raphael’s Park , Romford. The restaurant is now owned by talented chef Megha Arora who is also the creator of Pink Foodie.

It was during the COVID lockdown that we first had the pleasure of meeting Megha when we ordered her fabulous rice bowls and dumplings. We also had discussions about the local area as she was looking for a place to open her own restaurant. So therefore we were delighted when we heard the news that she was taking over the restaurant in Raphael’s Park.

The restaurant has changed food styles a couple of times with the latest being turkish / charcoal. But now after a couple of months while she was sorting out her team in the kitchen and front of house the menu is evolving into the style that she is targeting that will be Modern British.

So now on to our visit on sunday which started with a nice welcome on arrival before being given the choice to either sit inside or outside on the terrace. Both give you a great view across the lake. We decided to stay inside and once settled over came Megha to personally welcome us to her restaurant. After a little chat she gave us a quick run through of the menu and her recommendations. Plus also discussing her plans for the future. We then enjoyed a drink while we decided what to eat.

The menu is designed into five sections Nibbles , Starters , Mains , Desserts and a small Kids menu. This gives you the option to either pop in for a drink and nibbles , coffee and dessert , a quick lunch or as we did a by enjoying a feast.

STARTERS – We began with a fabulous array of small sharing plates from the starters section that included Chicken Bao Buns , Charcoal Korean Wings , Crispy Fish Tacos , Lamb and Leek Dumplings and Hispi Cabbage. But we weren’t finished there as we were brought a complimentary Indian Chickpea Chaat Salad. Everything was full of flavour , perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious.

MAINS – We then moved on to the main courses where we chose the Beef Bone Marrow Burger with chilli jam , cornish cheddar , crispy onion ring and skin on chips as well as the Pork Belly with a fennel and black garlic sauce accompanied with a fennel , apple and cabbage salad. Alongside these came some complimentary potatoes in a chimichurri sauce.

DESSERTS – Now it was time to finish with desserts. Here we had the Ginger Ice Cream with Doughnut’s as well as a Salted Caramel and Chocolate Cheesecake with a coconut chocolate chip ice cream. These were both an absolute delight and a great end to our lunch.

We finished with a coffee to bring to end a fantastic afternoon. The food was delicious and matched by friendly service. I can only see this restaurant with the vision of Megha going from strength to strength. I will also look forward to even more exciting dishes to come from the style of food that she wants to bring to the restaurant. So yes I would highly recommend a visit whether it’s for a drink , coffee , a snack or a nice lunch. I will definitely be returning as often as possible.

Thank You Megha and your team for a fantastic lunch and look forward to seeing you all again soon.