While I was waiting for Alf in Deptford, I sat in a pub opposite Maestro Bar, which is probably the only proper Cameroonian restaurant in London. I began reading reviews of the place on Google, and started to feel rather worried. Plenty of one-star ratings from peeved patrons about slow service left me feeling rather nervous about what to expect.
So, you’ll be pleased to hear they’ve improved their act – our visit to Maestro Bar was pretty good. To be fair, it was a Wednesday and there were almost no other customers. Still, the service was fine, and the meal we had was a great introduction to the cuisine of this central African country.
Alf and I had no real reference for Cameroonian food before our visit to Maestro Bar. I vaguely recall eating the country’s cuisine many years ago with a Cameroonian friend in Dakar, but my memories of that meal are almost non-existent. Wikipedia tells us the country is a crossroads of cultures, and that’s reflected in a varied cuisine which has influences from all over Africa, as well as Europe and Asia.
We began with two big bottles of Castel Beer – a crisp, cold, Cameroonian lager, and ordered a started of Nems. These are basically spring rolls (possibly a Vietnamese influence by way of Cameroon’s French former colonisers). They were extremely hot, crisp, oily and crunchy – a satisfying starter.
Next, our waitress – who may also have been doubling as the chef – brought our mains. Alf ordered a chicken stew which came with plantains, green beans and carrot. The presentation could do with a little work (see pic), which is a shame since it was really tasty. Not the most complex meal ever, but definitely filling. Alf polished it off.
I ordered Ndole, one of the country’s national dishes. It consists of chunks of beef slow cooked in a peanut sauce, served with a mound of sticky rice. Again, besides the uninspired presentation, this was a great meal. The peanut sauce was a little thin, but went well with the rice and, like Alf, I finished the lot.
This wasn’t an incredibly fancy meal, but it was tasty, fairly priced, and enjoyable. As an introduction to Cameroon’s cuisine, we couldn’t complain about Maestro Bar.
Score: 7/10
Cost: £50
Location: 45 Deptford Broadway, London SE8 4PH
The A to Z of World Food in London 
You’ve gone into some serious Deptford for this review. Ndole know how you did it. Nonetheless I say next time you should Cameroon with me and I’ll show you a proper restaurant.
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