Red Dog South (Restaurant)

Top 10 things we learnt about Red Dog South restaurant:

1) There’s an endless fascination with Man Vs Food Challenges: who can eat the hottest food served in the largest portion possible in the quickest time. If this is your calling, then a visit to Red Dog South is a must.

2) Getting there is the easy part; it’s next to Clapham North tube station just off Clapham High Street. The trickier part is making sure you arrive with an empty stomach.

3) The décor is what you would expect from a Kansas-inspired rib shack: abundant use of wood for the flooring, panelling and furniture. There are mounted animal heads, retro sports signs and black and white framed photos of the American Deep South on the walls.

4) The clientele are mostly twenty to thirty-somethings, who clearly still have functioning digestive systems and that glint in their eyes, ready to devour their prey.

5) Don’t take your herbivorous friends along. There’s a token mac and cheese on the menu; but it’s mainly a carnivorous paradise for meat lovers.

6) No doubt the highlights are their two challenges: their 3000-plus calorific Devastator challenge, the largest burger in the UK. If you finish it within 10 minutes, you get a T-shirt and admiration from the whole restaurant.

7) The second challenge: eating six chicken wings laced with the infamous ‘Naga Viper’ Chilli, which also needs to be done in less than 10 minutes. It’s so tough, you’re given gloves and need to sign a waiver before taking part.

8) We took on a challenge of our own, tackling their appetiser and carnivore platters. Highlights were naturally the wings, which were superbly marinated and smoked. This extended to the main course. At an American restaurant, more often than not, you worry that the ribs, chicken or beef brisket will be overcooked and dry. Not here at Red Dog, the meat is as fresh and tender as the clientele.

9) Their three home-made sauces are almost as important as their meat. There’s the traditional barbeque sauce, one with added vinegar, and then a mustard sauce. They generally complement the meats well, if sometimes a little too watery.

10) Don’t go to Red Dog late at night. Taking on this calorific challenge almost demands an early seating and leaves time for you to go for a jog post meat-feast....read more