| . |
p31
 With not a halogen downlighter or blonde wood floorboard
in sight, the Sariyer Balik seafood restaurant, on Green Lanes, offers a welcome retro
respite from some of the more aggressively stylish makeovers on Church Street - and, more
to the point, some of the best fish dishes in this part of London. All in a tiny room
(more seating downstairs), festooned with fishing nets, sea-shells and what could have
been fish heads, but were probably something altogether more decorative. But we weren't
there for the décor.
The place isn't exactly North London's best kept secret - oh, that it were - but it offers
seriously good value for money, with an interesting range of hot and cold meze and a
reassuringly short menu of impeccably fresh main fish dishes. Because the Husband was
dithering about how hungry he was, and whether he preferred squid marinaded in vodka and
milk, coated with flour and deep fried, battered prawns with spring onion, garlic and
chilli or mussels in a beer marinade (all £5 each) for starters, I ruled time out and we
went straight for the main course. Given the size of the portions, this was probably a
wise move: Husband's red mullet, char-grilled, was everything a good fresh red mullet
should be, served with swirls of lemon, tomato and onion alongside more fresh salad
vegetables than Husband has eaten in the past decade. Needless to say, he conceded defeat,
but his vitamin C deficiency has probably been wiped out in the course of a single evening
and he should see the winter out.
Ignoring panfried anchovies, char-grilled bream, halibut, mackerel, salmon, tuna,
swordfish and 'true bass', I chose a fish I'd never heard of before - grilled mock sea
bass (ice fish to the Canadians, apparently). With pale, fairly meaty tuna-type flesh, it
was delicious and very, very filling - so much so that I, too, was unable to eat up all my
greens. Too full for pudding, we rounded off the evening with Turkish coffee, accompanied
(because they're nice people in the Sariyer Balik) with a little plate of tiny Turkish
sweeties. Memorably described (by an otherwise unknown hack) as 'a Bosphorus-side sea-fest
on the Green Lanes riviera' (!), Sariyer Balik is highly recommended.
Wine list short but serviceable; Efes beer.
Sariyer Balik Seafood Restaurant, 56 Green Lanes, N16; tel 020 7275 7681
|
. |
 LONDESBOROUGH
The Londesborough, which re-opened in June after a very extensive
refit, has proved a major success. The new-look bar is a winner - large and spacious, and
very relaxing. It is a marked change to the past. The pub had been allowed to decline, and
one of the problems was that this very large establishment seemed so dark and gloomy. Not
any more.
Hugh and Caroline, who also operate the Birdcage on Stamford Hill, have amongst many
improvements refitted an atrium - absent for over fifty years - creating an inviting large
rear area of the bar filled with early evening light. And the rear private garden is a
gem. The windows have been opened up, and the walls stripped back to the brickwork
 Plenty of comfortable seating, a good mix of wines, spirits and
beers, DJs every night, playing a very relaxed range of music which doesn't overwhelm
conversation, plus a simple but excellent food menu have quickly put the Londesborough on
the 'A List' of Stoke Newington watering and feeding holes for the well-heeled.
Monday to Friday the bar offers a range of large platters (£9.50). They include four
different styles - a Tapas, Antipasto, Veg Mezze and a meat plate - and each is a
substantial meal for one or a light supper for two. At the weekends from 12-5pm they
provide a great selection of barbecued dishes, and in the evenings return to their platter
menu.
With friends a few weekends ago I tried the char-grilled spatchcock chicken with salad and
fries. Wonderful. The others went for mouth-watering 100% ground beefburgers (£8.95),
made to the Londesborough's own special recipe. Another dish that caught my eye as it was
being prepared at the outdoor kitchen was a fantastic Caesar Salad with chicken, certainly
one for my next trip. And a splendid dish for vegetarians is a char-grilled vegetable
bruschetta with rocket salad. There is plenty more on the menu, and I understand that a
selection of puds is due in the near future.
The Londesborough, 36 Barbauld Road, N16, 020 7254 5865 |
