Hammer & Claw Feast dances to Dalston

Feeling hungry? Then head down to Farr’s School of Dancing in Dalston.

No, we haven’t got our wires crossed: Farr’s is an upmarket pub in Dalston which takes its name from the dance school which previously occupied the premises where the pub is now. At the moment, Farr’s is a pub with a bijou pub menu of dainty delights, but special events see the pub put on more of a show.

Heavily driven by locally brewed and sourced beverages, Farr’s is slowly building up its culinary offerings. The kitchen is led by Head Chef Shaun Hurrell, who started his career in the USA and has since worked with Marcus Wareing and Fergus Henderson, among others.  Shaun and his team serve delicious wholesome food with both British and US influences. Everything is made in-house from bread and stocks to charcuterie, pickles and mustards. The menu has a strong sharing ethos and offers smaller and larger dishes to encourage people to get stuck in and share a meal with friends.

Spread across Friday and Saturday nights, Farr’s offers an eclectic program of DJs playing vintage and nu disco, funk, soul, 60’s vinyl, jazz and rock and roll. Every last Sunday of the month Farr’s hosts Rags To Riches, a monthly swing dancing event led by professional swing extraordinaires Uptown Swing.

Back to the Hammer and Claw Feast: an authentic Maryland crab feast, which H&C is holding to mark the late May bank holiday. Taking inspiration from the stateside home of the crab, the Antic Collective bar and restaurant, will be transformed into a Maryland crab shack on Saturday 24th May at 15.00 for one day only.  Guests will be encouraged to crack, smash and generally get as messy as they can handle.

Hammer & Claw will see guests indulge in crabs coated in Farr’s own Old Bay seasoning, a spicy rub that originates in the East Coast state and is a necessary contribution to any authentic crab feast.

Just as they would over the pond, Farr’s will throw the crabs with abandon across long tables lined with paper, designed to handle the salty, spicy mess.  Each guest will be presented with a hammer to aid in their crab conquest.  Bibs will also be provided for those looking to dress as genuine Marylanders would.

The theme of the day is hands-on eating, so the event will also offer guests the chance to indulge in “Chicharrón” Pork Skins with Chipotle Dip, before moving on to the spicy crab feast, served with Buttered Corn on the Cob and Potatoes.  It will finish with a stateside summer dessert delicacy in the form of Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches, piled high in the middle of the table for diners to grab and lick as they see fit.

No crab feast is complete without plenty of drink, so Farr’s will also be offering Crab Claw Punch cocktails on arrival, and plenty of beer on the tables to cool down the burn of the Old Bay. With music pumping out and plenty of napkins on standby, Hammer & Claw could be the perfect way to spend the Bank Holiday.  Dressing down is not only encouraged, it is, most definitely, advised.

•To book tickets for Hammer & Claw, the Crab Feast, go to https://www.eatmyworld.com/listings/event/?EventId=1377
•Tickets cost £30, which includes one welcome cocktail, starter, crab main with sides, dessert, two beers, music.
•Farr’s is at 17-19 Dalston Lane, E8 3DF, tel. 020-7923 4553, www.farrsschoolofdancing.com.
•Check the website for opening times of the bar and kitchen, as well as forthcoming events.