Recommendations for eating in Tufnell Park/Camden

[Jonesey]

Hubby and I are off to see Radio Birdman play on 25 Oct in Tufnell Park but as Birdman don't get on stage until 10.30pm, we're looking for somewhere decent to chow down before hand.

Any recommendations from fellow egulleter's? Wellove ALL types of cuisine.

Many thanks

[kitwilliams]

I lived in Dartmouth Park for a couple of months this past summer and our landlord raved about St John's (not Fergus Henderson's, of course), a gastropub not far from Archway Tube. 91 Junction Road. 020 7272 1587. We were never able to get there so can't recommend it personally.

Edited October 9, 2007 by kitwilliams (log)

[naebody]

St John's (not Fergus Henderson's, of course), a gastropub not far from Archway Tube.  91 Junction Road. 

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It's certainly worth a go, but note that the head chef, Chris Payne, recently moved to the Duke of Sussex in Chiswick.

There's not much else in the area immediately around the Dirty Water Club. It's most notable for having both of London's superior Ethiopian places, Lalibela and the Queen of Sheba.

Edited October 9, 2007 by naebody (log)

[Hallie]

I'm not sure what to advise other than to drive and eat somewhere else. As someone who lives near Tufnell Park I'm not aware of anywhere good to eat. However, if you want to drive a bit further up the hill, the Bull in Highgate is fabulous. Then there's Les Associes and Florians in Crouch End. I've not been to either place but I've heard good things. Between Camden and Tufnell Park there's Cafe Mozart in Kentish Town (which is a modest but very neighbour-ish place that does lovely home made soups and generally really nice simple Austrian style food - Snitzel, etc.). Apparently a new place has opened up on Kentish Town Road called the Grand Union (gastropub) which I've also heard good things about.

If you do find a good place in Tufnell Park please let me know!

[naebody]

the Grand Union (gastropub)

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"Gastropub" would be stretching it. Grand Union is a pub chain (unrelated to the excellent Grand Union in Westbourne Grove, confusingly) that does acceptable burgers etc, but not much more.

You're possibly best to go to Camden, then take a take a taxi or a quick tube ride. Solid choices in that area include Café Corfu (modish Greek), Cottons (atmospheric Carribean), Mango Rooms (posher Carribean) Gilgamesh (absurdly lavish E&O-style Asian) and El Parador (tapas).

[Hallie]

the Grand Union (gastropub)

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"Gastropub" would be stretching it. Grand Union is a pub chain (unrelated to the excellent Grand Union in Westbourne Grove, confusingly) that does acceptable burgers etc, but not much more.

Gilgamesh (absurdly lavish E&O-style Asian).

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Hmm. That's a shame. I thought it was related to the Grand Union in Westbourne Grove. My husband claimed to have had a good burger at the Grand Union in Kentish Town. I suppose it depends what you're after.

As for Gilgamesh, aside from the Las Vegas theme hotel style atmosphere, I was not impressed with the food. It was over-priced and uninspiring. It was also incredibly loud. I'd probably go back for a drink, but not to eat.

[Jonesey]

Many thanks for all your recommendations. I'll post a review of wherever we eat (and one of the Birdman gig, if anyone's interested )

[PoppySeedBagel]

I actually rather enjoyed Gilgamesh's food when I was there earlier this year. We had our firm's summer party there in July, and we had a fixed menu for a group of about 30.

I don't often eat anything other than British/French/Italian/occasional Indian, so if you are more used to true eastern cooking it may be unimpressive, but it was fresh, and very enjoyable for a novice like me. They also dealt very efficiently with a relatively large party - and it is a very impressive place, except perhaps when the trains squeeze by.

[Farnwide]

the Grand Union (gastropub)

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"Gastropub" would be stretching it. Grand Union is a pub chain (unrelated to the excellent Grand Union in Westbourne Grove, confusingly) that does acceptable burgers etc, but not much more.

Gilgamesh (absurdly lavish E&O-style Asian).

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Hmm. That's a shame. I thought it was related to the Grand Union in Westbourne Grove. My husband claimed to have had a good burger at the Grand Union in Kentish Town. I suppose it depends what you're after.

As for Gilgamesh, aside from the Las Vegas theme hotel style atmosphere, I was not impressed with the food. It was over-priced and uninspiring. It was also incredibly loud. I'd probably go back for a drink, but not to eat.

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Hallie, your husband hasn't lost his mind - I had a great burger there two a few weeks ago....totally unexpected. Would reccomend to all as TP is a total gastronomic wilderness.

[Tim Hayward]

Just tried out Cafe Corfu on Monday night.

We were the only people in the place at 8.30 and were not joined by anyone else the entire evening except...

1. A random drunk who came reeling in off the street demanding vinegar for his chips and a place to sit. The manager flung him out.

2. A talented and theatrical panhandler who managed to keep up the impression of being tragically both deaf and dumb - until the manager threw him out and he responded with a torrent of invective

3. A 12 yr old waitress who compensated for total and abject incompetence by being utterly sweet, viz. a) explaining that 'Greek people have a big night on Sunday. The place is full, all dancing and plate smashing, but tonight they're all in bed', and b) putting on a tape of electrically amplified bouzuki music before coming over to explain 'I put some music on because you looked a bit bored'.

But the food was superb. Big, robust flavours, spanking fresh ingredients and whoever the poor bastards in the kitchen were who'd been woken up for the only table of the night - they knew their stuff and were damn sure we knew it too.

What was really weird about the food here was that it was exactly what I wanted it to be. Un-fucked-with, explosive Mediterranean loveliness. Camden is awash with Greek places all of which have been cruising on a reputation since about 1976. Frankly, they're all tired, boring and old. Olive Oil and garlic don't make a lambchop Greek they just make an oily garlicky lambchop.

I came out of what was probably the most ill-starred night I have ever spent in a restaurant totally in love with the place and feeling like some poor tired bastard, at the fag end of rationing who'd just had his first taste of 'foreign' cooking. I wove out into the night, zigzagging between the ranting Withnaillian 'Wankers', completely understanding why Elizabeth David got the unseemly horn for Mediterranean food.

Go. You must.

[naebody]

Just tried out Cafe Corfu on Monday night.

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So, a mere 19 months after I recommended the place as possibly London's best Greek, you made the 5-minute trip from your front door to give it a go? That spirit of adventure could explain why it was empty on a Monday night.

[Tim Hayward]

Just tried out Cafe Corfu on Monday night.

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So, a mere 19 months after I recommended the place as possibly London's best Greek, you made the 5-minute trip from your front door to give it a go? That spirit of adventure could explain why it was empty on a Monday night.

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You think I'm not beating myself up over this? You think I'm not banging my head on the desk at the thought of every Sunday night I've not spent a hundred yards away congenially smashing plates with lovely old Greeks in an octopus sucking frenzy and howling at the walls "Why... WHY do I not follow Naebody's every word like Holy writ?

I have failed. I am rubbish. Mea maxima culpa.

Now, have you any other suggestions?