I’ve often wondered about the first human to realise fire’s ability to make a kebab. Was he fleeing some ancient wildfire and spotted the charred corpse of a fallen antelope and, in a moment of ageless lad banter, dared his mate to put an ear in his mouth? Maybe they then dragged it back to the cave and shared it round and nobody could believe how good barbecued meat actually tastes.

Anyway, about a million years later I went to TT Restaurant and Rooftop and pondered this again as I stuffed barbecued chicken thighs into my mouth. Here, in about as modern a barbecue joint as you can find, there's still a hint of that primal thrill – the transformative power of flame and the promise of a satisfying meal.

The restaurant, in Shoreditch, is the brainchild of ex-Oren head chef Sam Lone, where “fire-cooked seasonal produce is the focus, with smoking, pickling and baking featuring heavily across the sharing menu”, according to marketing. Sitting atop the former Victorian police station that’s been TT Liquor’s home since 2017, the rooftop space’s newly installed outdoor kitchen lets you watch your food go up in flames as it’s prepared. Which is all very influencer-friendly stuff (there was no shortage of Insta-foodies rubbing their tummies and smacking their lips for the camera on the night we visited).

But it was worth the distraction because the menu was on fire. We enjoyed delicious fired, smoked and grilled dishes, including smoked ox cheek croquettes, fire roasted golden beetroots, grilled cabbage, and barbecued chicken thighs with tirokefttari. And we mopped up the juices with a colossal hunk of house-made focaccia, rounding it all off with whipped cheesecake, burnt pineapple, and white chocolate. After dinner, if you’re that way inclined, you can head down to the cellar bar, occupying the former holding cells of the prison, for a nightcap, where the cocktail menu is based on famous hip-hop songs.

TT, 17b Kingsland Road, London E2 8AA

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