Tom H.

Review of Squat and Gobble

10 Oct 07, 18:33

Squat + gobble

I didn't go to this cafe for 4 years, based solely on the name. A mistake of grand proportions. Really great food, exceptional array of salads, with the potato being a highlight. The chicken and veg pie comes in a generous portion with a selection of the best salads of the day, highly recommended. Most mains are reasonably priced around the £5 mark, and available to take away as well. Really good place. And if it's too full, try it's smaller sibling just around the corner in Tottenham St.

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Review of Ravi Shankar

11 Oct 07, 22:43

good stuff

I try and take myself off to ravi's about once every two weeks. The menu isn't extensive, and free of standard curryhouse fare.

But this is a good thing. As a die hard carnivore, my love of shankar's dhal is perhaps confusing, until of course one tries it. Early in the week it tends to be a bit thicker and adhers to the chipartis a little easier, but i like fridays, with an excitinly flovoured thin dhal, two chapartis and the friday special of vegetable biriani.

Not the cheapest lunch spot but well worth trying on a friday, and if not, go for the Mysor Thali, an Indian set meal.

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Review of Roka

11 Oct 07, 22:50

Really truly beyond expectations

Japanese food of the highest order exists on Charlotte Street.

While seasonality is not heavily adhered to in Roka, the food is really, really bloody good.

We went after my graduation, and so I'm unable to remember all of the dishes we tried, but the maki came beautifully arranged on a long plate, and was clearly freshly prepared with bits of fish hanging from the end pieces, and delicate flower petals pressed into the rice. The Asparagras was so lovely we had to have it twice, with a sweet sauce of soy and mirin. the chicken wings were sicky and very moreish.

But desert was something else. The tonka bean ice-cream is one of the best ice-creams i've ever tasted, and a steamed custard of green tea was delicatly flavoured, and not too bitter. All in all, superb, beat a path to the door now!

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Ooze Risotto Bar

11 Oct 07, 22:56

Risotto

Now i think i make a pretty mean risotto, and i love the dish in general, but a restaurant dedicated entirly to the dish?

My scepticism was, seemingly, justified by the early reviews, but having tried the place myself its really rather good.

The lunch time express menu holds 3 risottos at a cut from a la carte price of £7.25, and the portions are generous, even if the combinations are a little standard. The main menu has a variety of risottos, grills and salads mostly under £10. My companion on one trip chose a pasta and was pleased with the dish, but envied my speck risotto.

The restaurant is open and airy, and the service seems to improve everytime i go there.

A good spot for lunch, if you have the full hour, service can be a little slow, but is always with a smile.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Charterhouse

11 Oct 07, 22:58

What great bar staff!

Really surprised by the quality of the bar staff, friendly, know there stuff, and reasonably priced drinks to boot! A great local bar, try the B55 shot.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Kurz and Lang

14 Oct 07, 19:29

Some of the finest post fabric dining

I love this place. Working in a bar just around the corner until 4 am, can leave one ravenous, especially with the family meal in the bar being served some time around 6pm the previous day. Post shift food in the area is sandwiches or the burgers of tinseltown.

For a fiver you get the choice of sausages (i like the Kaiserwurst, a blend of pork and beef with a seam of cheese melting down the middle), what are described as cubed potatoes, but are in fact chips, sauerkraut and really nice bread. Wash it all down with a diet coke from a glass bottle, and I'm in post shift heaven.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of The Pineapple

14 Oct 07, 19:36

Good little local

I too would like to consider myself a regular of the quiz night, though i never seem to do very well.

The main room of the pub is rather dominated by the bar, with a small but good selection of beers on tap, not a massive choice, but something for everyone. There's a good selection of spirits as well with each major group being represented by some nice and not too expensive choices. I've never tried the relativly new Thai menu, but the look of the food is mouth watering.

One word of warning though, if you're going for the quiz on a monday, go early. You can't hear the questions in the much larger back room, and the front fills up.

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Review of Dim T

14 Oct 07, 22:46

A bit dissapointing

This branch of the growing noodle bar chain always manages to dissapoint on every visit.

I heave tended to order from the noodle bar menu, where one selects a type of noodle, a broth, and a topping, yet they always arrive missmatched, and with missing parts.

Avoid to avoid dissapointment, i certainly won't be back.

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Review of The Flask

14 Oct 07, 23:50

Nice local boozer

The Flask has to be one of the most popular pubs in Highgate, with an extensive outdoor area with heaters in the winter, and a pleasingly cramped and cozy interior.

I noted on my last visit, last saturday that it was named eving standard pub of the year in 1974. Well the evenind standard crew really should drop by again, as it's still an excellent pub worthy of more up to date praise.

Some of the quirks of the place are found in the extensive outdoor area, which being entirly covered in tarmac, reminds one slightly of a carpark. The heaters also throw out a tremendous ammount of heat, and did in fact melt a picture frame hung outside.

The food is best described as standard, but quite good, british gastro pub fare. It's not exceptional and the quality can drop markedly when it kitchen is under pressure of a sunday lunch time.

Having said all this the flask is a nice little pub, well worth a visit.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.