Ninja air fryers are very much a familiar sight within people’s kitchens but not so much within London’s dining scene. Yet, that has all changed with the unveiling of a unique pop-up restaurant on Southbank, serving a three-course meal cooked entirely in the brand-new Ninja Double Stack XL Air Fryer.
Like most of the UK, I’m an air fryer lover, so I needed little convincing to check out this immersive dining experience. After entering through the side of a giant replica of the new Ninja model, I was greeted by French TV presenter and maître d’, Fred Sirieix, who handed me a cocktail topped with an orange garnish (that was, of course, air fried and dehydrated in the new appliance).
The cocktail was paired with canapés including mini loaded potato skins with chorizo and sour cream, and Mexican roast salmon resting on a crispy hash brown which, frankly, put all of my own air frying attempts to shame.
Bookshelves at the end of the room were then pushed apart to reveal a dining room where we were to eat our main course. Stepping through felt like the journey into Narnia but this only added to the experience. All the decor was thoughtfully designed to show guests how you can maximise small spaces in honour of Ninja’s new appliance.
The Double Stack XL Air Fryer features two drawers stacked vertically instead of side-by-side like most other air fryers. It’s a clever space-saving hack that will allow those with little counter space to join the air fryer craze.
But enough about the design, let's get down to what really matters — the food. We were treated to a live cooking demonstration of our main course: Chilli Rayu Marinated Crispy Chicken with tenderstem broccoli and soba noodles, dressed in a tahini satay sauce and accompanied by Tofu and Cabbage Gyoza, with a black vinegar and white miso dressing.
Staying with the double-stacked theme, the food came presented in a dual-layered bento box, too. Each component was packed with typical Japanese flavour and the air fryer had maintained the soft texture of the noodles but given a few of them beautifully crisp edges without drying them out.
After enjoying my bento box, I was then moved on to a different room — again, one that was revealed from behind a sliding mirror. Another live demonstration began, this time showing off dessert: a double stacked ‘brookie’ (a layer of cookie topped with a layer of brownie), with sweet seedy brittle and crème fraiche that was simply delicious.
The Double Stacked Restaurant is only open today, Thursday 23rd May, on London’s Southbank at the Riverside Grass, SE1 9PH, but I certainly hope it returns — and if not, at least we can try to replicate the delicious food we tried in the brand new air fryer.
The event, for which all 120 tickets have been sold, proved just how versatile an air fryer can truly be. It’s safe to say that we all need to up our air fryer skills because there’s a whole load of culinary delights beyond crisping up chicken or chips.
Feeling inspired? Check out our triple-tested air fryer recipes here and shop the GHI's tried and tested air fryer's below.
Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer MAX
Score: 95/100
Our joint winning Ninja’s two drawers have a combined 9.5L capacity and delivered perfectly cooked chicken Kyivs in just 25 minutes on test. There are six cooking modes, as well as a handy sync programme that ensures both drawers finish cooking at the same time.
Score: 95/100
Smaller, but no less mighty is Breville’s steam fryer. In under an hour, it steamed and cooked an entire chicken that was deliciously tasty. Our chips were evenly golden and crispy too – a sign of a good air fryer.
Score: 95/100
Well risen cupcakes, golden chicken, and well cooked chips are easy to whip up with Haier’s model. Testers also liked the feature that reminds you to shake your food mid-cooking, ensuring perfectly consistent results.
Score: 86/100
If you’re looking to dip your toe into the world of air-frying, this is a great budget buy. It’s easy to use with clear controls, and its cooking performance was difficult to fault in testing. At only 4.5L, it’s fairly small but still offers plenty of cooking space for one or two people.
