Coined from baseball, the term 'curveball' defines something unexpected or surprising; as of 4 weeks ago, it also became the name of Balham’s new cocktail, meatball and v-ball joint. So, I took a trip to the south end of town to find out whether this bar and restaurant will live up to its name and hit a home-run in the causal-dining game.
The Venue and Atmosphere
Tucked down a side street just a quick stroll from the station, Curveball may not yet be searchable on Google Maps but with its vibrant yellow front, it has certainly been flashing up on the radar of the locals who have kept the modestly sized restaurant in full swing since the opening.
Flooded with natural light from the glass-fronted entrance, the charming inside space feels airy and serene and indulges our inner Instagrammer. Apart from an exposed brick wall, the base of the room is painted a simplistic white and creates a blank canvas for the quirky décor. The rustic, wooden tables are outlined with splashes of bright colour and a mass of hanging plants and lightbulbs embellish the ceiling. The overall look justifies our current obsession with Scandinavian-design and welcomes guests to unwind in the dreamy, Pinterest-worthy space. Whilst the ground floor provides the perfect backdrop for a summery brunch, the dark and seductively decorated basement bar is tipped to be Balham’s new date-night hotspot. As they say - upstairs for thinking, downstairs for drinking.
Curveball's interiors are as cool, cute and fresh as the dishes they serve.
The Food and Drink
The menu has two main inspirations; the travels of the Curveball team and… balls. Yes, this restaurant serves up exciting flavour combinations from around the world in an array of circular shaped goodies.
Ready to get quite literally balls deep in the Curveball menu, we kicked the evening off with a range of small plates to share. The Spanish-style hot cheese croquettes are served in two flavours; Bomba (picante chorizo) and P-Bomb (crushed pea, mint and parmesan) and are a delicious steal at 5 for £10. Pitting them against each other, The P-Bomb took the croquettes crown for its vivid green shade, fluffy texture and refreshing blend of ingredients.
Unable to decide between the choice of Coal Fired Skewers, without a moment’s hesitation we ordered both. The Little Tokyo (yakitori glazed free range chicken and ginger with shaved bonito) is a fantastically presented dish; the tender chicken balls are buried under the mass of the dry smoky fish flakes and finished off with a sprinkle of ginger and spring onions to add a pop of colour and tang to each bite. The chilli kick of the rich Harissa sauce and sweet pomegranate seeds are the perfect, juxtaposing accompaniments to the juicy lamb of the Roccan Roll (lamb with Harissa yogurt and preserved lemon relish) Skewer. Arriving next was the Chick Chick Boom (free range fried chicken, Franks hot sauce and Gorgonzola). Smothered in the fiery hot sauce with a generous dollop of smooth gorgonzola to take off the heat, the crispy ball encasing easily gave way to the succulent chicken which was cooked to tender perfection.
I wouldn’t usually use up too much of your time talking about side dishes, but then again not all side salads are like those served up at Curveball. For a mere £5.50, the generously sized portion of Green Giant salad (edamame, peas, avocado, char-grilled broccoli, peanut bang-bang dressing) is a refreshing and creamy combination of the ingredients you usually have to pick through 100 lettuce leaves to find. The addition of peanuts adds an extra crunch to the dish and highlights the thought put into the taste and texture of every item on the menu.
To accompany the food plates are a range of fresh sodas and a fun cocktail list designed to suit all liquor preferences. I opted for the sweet and zesty Tanqueray gin based Southside (mint, lime, sugar) whilst my guest tried the beautifully presented Blue Moon (Tanquery Gin, Crème De Violette, lemon juice). Both are a refreshing infusion of flavours and the perfect partner for a summer's evening.
Looking for interesting morsels of flavour? You need only head to Balham.
Summary
It may be the new kid on the block, but Curveball is not waiting in line to get noticed. From the striking décor to the interesting flavour combinations, the thought and care put into every aspect of this bar and restaurant is apparent, and with a kitchen extension in the pipeline, Curveball is ready for the big leagues.
