Last Updated on March 1, 2026
Has Scott Hallsworth’s newest offering really grown up?
4.0 out of 5.0 starsFreak Momma is a contemporary and informal location offering a range of Japanese-Western fusion dishes. The food is perfect both for an evening out and as snacks at the bar. There is a well-thought-out and thematically appropriate drinks menu ranging from the classics to Japanese twists on old favourites.
Nobu alum Scott Hallsworth has renewed his location in Parsons Green, bringing his own unique brand of neon grunge to the leafy West London district. Freak Momma, which opened in November, is an evolution of his Freak Scene concept, which has floated around London in locations and pop-ups and has now settled down and ‘grown up’ as a ‘super diner’.
All the classic set pieces are there, CRT TVs, neon signs and a pleasing scent of pickled ginger in the air. By 8 pm, the place was buzzing with young professionals and locals who had clearly embraced the project.
We opted for the ‘Feast’ set menu and some drinks. The Parsons Green Passion Teaser and the Sake Caipirinha, which was syrupy sweet and smooth with lychee.
Our first course was Hallsworth classic, Salmon Sashimi tacos, newly generous with mayo but creamy and crisp. Another opener was scorched edamame, an aromatic and large helping, one of our favourites of the night, it was reminiscent of Padrón peppers. This really works and blows the pots of edamame you’ll get at any takeaway sushi place out of the water. The recipe is available in Hallsworth’s cookbook, and as long as you have a fire extinguisher on hand, just in case, I recommend it thoroughly.
Next was a baby spinach salad, which was salty and crunchy with umami from dried miso. The mountain of grated cheese on top added to the miso’s anchovy notes to suggest a Caesar salad by way of Tokyo.
After that, we had yuzu pepper squid. Hot and bouncing, this was served in a plastic basket much like the type you’ll find across diners in the US, complete with a checkered paper napkin. This came with fiery pickled chillies and a cooling jalapeno dip.
Hispi cabbage also arrived, with a proper crunch and swimming in an eye-widening liquor; it was easy to tear away the leaves and let them soak up its tart sauce.
Our next round of drinks was a Nihon Negroni made with Okinawa gin and a Cherry Iced Tea: almost Maraschino made liquid, ruby red, and delicious.
For his most substantial dish in the ‘feast’ menu, Hallsworth has strayed from his standard Japanese fare with a duck red curry, which was tender and lightly spiced; the aroma of lemongrass suggested more Southeast Asia in this dish and didn’t necessarily scream diner at all. However, its accompaniment, deep-fried bao buns served with brilliantly balanced pickled cucumber, brought back the crunch and gherkin-ey goodness of diner food.
One of our desserts was a passion fruit pavlova: A tower of meringue with a custardy yuzu moat, fluffy and zingy. Almost suggesting an Ile Flotante in its construction, the sweetness of the meringue was underpinned by the power of the yuzu in the custard. Our other dessert was a PB&J Diner Sundae. This added cheesecake, fruit jelly (the American type) and a salty base that had a flavour closest to crunchy nut cereal.
Apparently, ‘Freak Momma is where Freak Scene grows up’, but the sense I get is that Hallsworth will keep providing his customers with a menu that isn’t quite ready to settle down and get boring. Instead, Freak Momma’s arrested development can only result in the continued reinvention of an offer that has been exploited for over a decade now.
Freak Momma Parsons Green
28 Parsons Green Lane,
London
SW6 4HS
Website: freakmommarestaurants.com
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