'You really shouldn't judge a book by its cover'... But us foodies do. Instagram, websites, videos all encourage us to make snap decisions about food before it is come anywhere close to your face. It's inevitable, but it can also mean you miss out some real gems - Mapamundo falls into this category.
Mapamundo is a brand new business, launched in January 2021 by chef Adrian. The idea is simple - hot, freshly cooked food delivered delivered to your door. All you need to do is order by midday, and your food arrives between 6-8 that evening. The food has an international range, with a menu that changes regularly. The food can stay in your fridge for three days or in your freezer for a month.
Here's where our 'cover judging' came in. The dishes listed on the menu, while international, were things that gastropubs would serve. And at £8.50-£9.50 a main, were on the slightly pricey side. Delivery is £2 unless you spend over £50. Our order of two mains (beef stroganoff and vegan penne arrabiata) with two desserts (brownie and apple cinnamon crepes) came to £24.50 (plus delivery). Which felt a bit steep when we looked at the slightly lacklustre pictures on the website.
But this is why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover - Mapamundo is really, really good food, executed well - and totally nailed the brief of home-cooked food.
The dishes arrived warm in recyclable packaging (tick!) - and the portions that looked a bit sad on the website, were generous in reality. The beef stroganoff was cooked well, served with an ultra creamy mash, and made with good lean beef. It was a perfect consistency for a stroganoff, with the mash, beef and sauce in exactly the right ratio. There were a couple of sad bits of veg on the side, which appear to be sides for every meal, but I really enjoyed it - I felt well-nourished with that nice home comfort food feeling.
We were recommended to try the vegan penne arrabiata by Adrian. We were curious as to why we should order a dish that's so easy to cook such as a pasta arrabiata, but it was delicious. It looked appealing on arrival with pretty microherb garnish and enough cheese to just add some saltiness. The pasta was cooked perfectly (no mean feat considering how quickly pasta can go soggy especially in food delivery service), the spices were perfect; it tasted fresh and the veg was also well cooked. this dish could have been perfectly placed on a menu in a Rome trattoria.
We were both pretty full from the mains, but then the desserts came calling! If the mains are slightly overpriced, the desserts are surely underpriced - £3 for three enormous apple cinnamon crepes and caramel sauce is a bargain. My brownie with an Oreo in the middle was also enormous - it actually defeated me, half of it is still in the fridge!
The crepes were amazing - light and spiced well from the cinnamon and perfectly cooked soft apples. The apples were of good quality too and not powdery as is sometimes the case with cooked apples. The brownie was moist, rich and dense with that PERFECT crack on top.
These are really good meals, cooked incredibly well. There is no doubt of Adrian's skills. I would say the menu is a little unadventurous and things a reasonably skilled chef could make. But then again their whole offering is based on staples you'd want if you can't be bothered to cook. It's also a little on the pricey side - if the mains were say £7 rather £8.50-9.50, or perhaps a main and a dessert for £10, I'd go back regularly. I also would have liked to have seen a dedicated sides menu, rather than a stalk of broccoli and cauliflower with every meal.
But these are small quibbles. For a business that was in its second month when we ordered, this is a really solid offering. If you're having a 'mare of a day and want the comfort of home-cooked food to your door, or perhaps want to stock the freezer for a hectic month - I'd happily recommend Mapamundo.
Service:
Easy to order and we were well taken care of. The two hour delivery window is understandable given the age of the business, but it's a pain to plan your evening knowing you could be eating any time between 6 and 8.
Quality:
Great quality. All the ingredients felt super fresh and the cooking was to a very high standard
Value and price:
At £8.50 - £9.50 a main, it's a little on the pricey side. Portions are generous though.
Overall:
GOOD
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