Latest reviews in Hornsey, London, United Kingdom

Silk Maker - miss by chen

chen — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:37:28 +0000

Review by chen

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8348 7865

Tags: chinese, home delivery

very freshness, thanksvery freshness, thanks

Banners - Banners is Love by thamshere

thamshere — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:09:19 +0000

Review by thamshere

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8348 2930

Website: http://www.bannersrestaurant.co.uk

Tags: crowded, family & home feel, international

I used to love Banners on the Hill but had not made it to the original before. I was a little disappointed in the breakfast but came away with a good feeling about the place. It's basically the same as Banners on the Hill was. Same sort of Americana drifter decor, same layout. A couple of unusual beers. Lots of shiny things and odds and ends.

Breakfast was a bit of a failure though. Just not what I remember from Banners on the Hill. No waffles, no pancakes. No crispy bacon. They had the yogushakes which were much as I remember (good, though not the joy I had seen through my rose-tinted glasses).

The full-english my friend ordered (2pm is far too late in the day for a fry-up in my opinion) was an improvement on the average greasy-spoon but certainly not the fry-up-mecca I had been hoping for. The sausages were looking slightly overcooked and possibly a little on the cheap side. Average bangers. Bacon. No hash browns. No black pudding. Lots of beans. The big field mushroom was still there which was heartening.

My food more than made up for that disappointment though. It was bloody good, I'll say that. Huge, too. I went for salt-fish and... um, something I can't remember the name of. I had no idea what it was at the time. Looked a bit like scrambled egg-yolk but tasted rather different (of what I cannot say) and the texture was melt-in-the-mouth. It was all mixed up with rice in a caribbean kedgeree-like dish that made me wonder why I'd ever bothered with smoked fish - it's got to salted all the way. Really very, very tasty.

So, all in all I'd say that Banners is still fantastic. They might not be getting the breakfasts quite on the nail, but the atmosphere is wonderful and the rest of the food is great. They still give you jelly-belly beans with the bill too :)

Book ahead!I used to love Banners on the Hill but had not made it to the original before. I was a little disappointed in the breakfast but came away with a good feeling about the place. It's basically the same as Banners on the Hill was. Same sort of Americana drifter decor, same layout. A couple of unusual beers. Lots of shiny things and odds and ends.

Breakfast was a bit of a failure though. Just not what I remember from Banners on the Hill. No waffles, no pancakes. No crispy bacon. They had the yogushakes which were much as I remember (good, though not the joy I had seen through my rose-tinted glasses).

The full-english my friend ordered (2pm is far too late in the day for a fry-up in my opinion) was an improvement on the average greasy-spoon but certainly not the fry-up-mecca I had been hoping for. The sausages were looking slightly overcooked and possibly a little on the cheap side. Average bangers. Bacon. No hash browns. No black pudding. Lots of beans. The big field mushroom was still there which was heartening.

My food more than made up for that disappointment though. It was bloody good, I'll say that. Huge, too. I went for salt-fish and... um, something I can't remember the name of. I had no idea what it was at the time. Looked a bit like scrambled egg-yolk but tasted rather different (of what I cannot say) and the texture was melt-in-the-mouth. It was all mixed up with rice in a caribbean kedgeree-like dish that made me wonder why I'd ever bothered with smoked fish - it's got to salted all the way. Really very, very tasty.

So, all in all I'd say that Banners is still fantastic. They might not be getting the breakfasts quite on the nail, but the atmosphere is wonderful and the rest of the food is great. They still give you jelly-belly beans with the bill too :)

Book ahead!

Tomo - Superb by danose

danose — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:52:31 +0000

Review by danose

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8348 0099

Website: www.tomopizzeria.com

Tags: italian, good value, family & home feel

really top restaurant - we've eaten there at least 10 times and its always been top notch and for a very reasonable price. lovely service too. all good!really top restaurant - we've eaten there at least 10 times and its always been top notch and for a very reasonable price. lovely service too. all good!

Khoai - Dumbed down by hollowlegs

hollowlegs — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:55:50 +0000

Review by hollowlegs

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 8341 2120

Tags: vietnamese

We came here for a quick meal before heading out to town. We started off with some spring rolls, which were pleasant enough. The Nuoc Cham wasn't nearly spicy enough but I seem to find that at most Vietnamese places I go to.

For mains we had stir-fried beef in chilli and lemongrass (chilli? What chilli?) and we also had minced prawns wrapped around sugar cane, with some stir-fried veg and steamed rice.

That, along with 2 beers and service came to Â£37.

The food was quite disappointing. The minced prawns and sugar cane was certainly delicious, but the rest of it seemed like it was dumbed down for the western palate.

Service was quite slow too - the restaurant was fully packed out on a Saturday night, but the only time we got any attentive service was when they came to take our money.
We came here for a quick meal before heading out to town. We started off with some spring rolls, which were pleasant enough. The Nuoc Cham wasn't nearly spicy enough but I seem to find that at most Vietnamese places I go to.

For mains we had stir-fried beef in chilli and lemongrass (chilli? What chilli?) and we also had minced prawns wrapped around sugar cane, with some stir-fried veg and steamed rice.

That, along with 2 beers and service came to Â£37.

The food was quite disappointing. The minced prawns and sugar cane was certainly delicious, but the rest of it seemed like it was dumbed down for the western palate.

Service was quite slow too - the restaurant was fully packed out on a Saturday night, but the only time we got any attentive service was when they came to take our money.

Food Hall - A Taste of India by stantoncarlisle

stantoncarlisle — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:22:33 +0000

Review by stantoncarlisle

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8889 2264

Tags: fresh vegetables, fresh fruit

If you need some ingredients to cook Indian food or just want a new shopping experience, this is the place for you. Outside is busting with a slew of great vegetables and fresh herbs. Inside they have an Aladdin's cave of goodies - almost every kind of spice, chutney, pickle, lentil, sauce and condiment you will ever need to cook the perfect Indian. Not to mention shelves of Indian beauty products, creams and toothpastes ... an incredible place ... with a family feel. Everything Indian condensed into a large two room supermarket.

If you need some ingredients to cook Indian food or just want a new shopping experience, this is the place for you. Outside is busting with a slew of great vegetables and fresh herbs. Inside they have an Aladdin's cave of goodies - almost every kind of spice, chutney, pickle, lentil, sauce and condiment you will ever need to cook the perfect Indian. Not to mention shelves of Indian beauty products, creams and toothpastes ... an incredible place ... with a family feel. Everything Indian condensed into a large two room supermarket.

Honeycomb - Top Coffee by johnny2323

johnny2323 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:17:51 +0000

Review by johnny2323

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8342 8940

Tags: quick bite, good brew, cosy

Crouch End has a Starbucks and A Costa but the best coffee and best atmosphere - not to mention the best smells - are to be found at Honeycomb. They do lovely cakes here - the danish pastries and pain au chocalat are amazing and if you have a little one with you they do miniature 50p versions. The sandwiches are good here and what I especially like is the brown, granary style baquette - you don't see them too many places. But mainly I go here cos it's just a really pleasant, unfussy, good value place to go - and you can nearly always get a table. I love it.Crouch End has a Starbucks and A Costa but the best coffee and best atmosphere - not to mention the best smells - are to be found at Honeycomb. They do lovely cakes here - the danish pastries and pain au chocalat are amazing and if you have a little one with you they do miniature 50p versions. The sandwiches are good here and what I especially like is the brown, granary style baquette - you don't see them too many places. But mainly I go here cos it's just a really pleasant, unfussy, good value place to go - and you can nearly always get a table. I love it.

Pizza Bella - Brilliant for kids by johnny2323

johnny2323 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:11:54 +0000

Review by johnny2323

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8342 8541

Tags: italian, good value, family & home feel

I've been going to Pizza Bella for about 20 years. First with friends and now with my kids. It may not be the best or trendiest pizza restaurant around but for my money it is certainly the friendliest. The waiters here are fantastic - especially with children. Once when I went there they overheard me and my wife wishing our daughter a happy birthday and at the end of the meal (without us requesting it) brought us a huge ice cream desert full of sparklers. It's thoughtfulness like that that keeps us coming back.
They do great beer here - Moretti I think it's called - and some interesting pizzas.
I'd come here even if I lived the other side of London. Fortunately it's just down the street.I've been going to Pizza Bella for about 20 years. First with friends and now with my kids. It may not be the best or trendiest pizza restaurant around but for my money it is certainly the friendliest. The waiters here are fantastic - especially with children. Once when I went there they overheard me and my wife wishing our daughter a happy birthday and at the end of the meal (without us requesting it) brought us a huge ice cream desert full of sparklers. It's thoughtfulness like that that keeps us coming back.
They do great beer here - Moretti I think it's called - and some interesting pizzas.
I'd come here even if I lived the other side of London. Fortunately it's just down the street.

Le Bistro - a hidden gem by jackmale86

jackmale86 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:20:31 +0000

Review by jackmale86

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8340 2116

Tags: french, good value, romantic

I had never heard of this place on the forums and review sites i visit. Its near a friends house and he dragged me there one night. I' so glad he did, i had a fantastic evening! You have quite a wide choice of food, not so much for the vegetarians among us, but still plenty of choice. The dishes we had were really well cooked and presented beautifully too - something i didn't expect. The service was also spot on - not too in your face and not totally absent either! Price wise its a fantastically cheap place to eat at, so you find yourself eating too much! I will definately go again!I had never heard of this place on the forums and review sites i visit. Its near a friends house and he dragged me there one night. I' so glad he did, i had a fantastic evening! You have quite a wide choice of food, not so much for the vegetarians among us, but still plenty of choice. The dishes we had were really well cooked and presented beautifully too - something i didn't expect. The service was also spot on - not too in your face and not totally absent either! Price wise its a fantastically cheap place to eat at, so you find yourself eating too much! I will definately go again!

All Bar One - Nice bar by kad

kad — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:44:38 +0000

Review by kad

Rating: 5.00

Tags: friendly, cool & smart, trendy

Put simply, great place to come at lunch time or after work. Always a good atmosphere, food is reasonably priced and are drinks. Staff friendly and I like the decor - ball stools at small tables, but there are sofas too for those who just want to chill out.Put simply, great place to come at lunch time or after work. Always a good atmosphere, food is reasonably priced and are drinks. Staff friendly and I like the decor - ball stools at small tables, but there are sofas too for those who just want to chill out.

The Great Northern Railway Tavern - thai pub! by kathlane

kathlane — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:23:46 +0000

Review by kathlane

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8340 4724

Tags: food, pool tables, thai

the great northern railway Tavern is a very quaint smalold traditional english pub, it looks lovely from the outside with large old fashioned windows and smooth stone walls. This is an old beer and ale bar and they serve every of beer kind imagineable. Its nice inside with old wooden floors, high wooded bar stools (all of which wobble a bit) and lots of wooden tables. It isnâ¬"t a plush bar or that comfy but it really is as it would have been years ago which is what makes it so charming. There are goremet beers (bottled) from all around the world and people come here for oriential food too which makes it a strange but really good mix. There isnâ¬"t another pub like this in london, thai food in a pub, classic, its one of my favourites.the great northern railway Tavern is a very quaint smalold traditional english pub, it looks lovely from the outside with large old fashioned windows and smooth stone walls. This is an old beer and ale bar and they serve every of beer kind imagineable. Its nice inside with old wooden floors, high wooded bar stools (all of which wobble a bit) and lots of wooden tables. It isnâ¬"t a plush bar or that comfy but it really is as it would have been years ago which is what makes it so charming. There are goremet beers (bottled) from all around the world and people come here for oriential food too which makes it a strange but really good mix. There isnâ¬"t another pub like this in london, thai food in a pub, classic, its one of my favourites.

Lupa - an optimistic review by abcjess

abcjess — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:07:57 +0000

Review by abcjess

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 8348 8888

Website: http://www.lupa.co.uk

Tags: mediterranean, seating area

I ordered from a friends house on crouch hill and received an acceptable service. They already had our address stored in their contact directory making our telephone call short, sweet and prompt. We were then told it would take 1 hour to arrive but my friend had said that theyâ¬"ve taken to saying theyâ¬"ll take longer than they will. Food arrived about 30 minutes later, hot.

The pizza does have a very chewy and thick crust but its edible. The clumps of caramelised onions can become quite sickening so be sure you spread them around before taking a bite of anything which includes them.

My only peeve was that the pizza was not pre-cut. Now leaving it completely whole would have been fine but they decided to make little marks in the thick crust and another small indentation further inside to which you must tear out your slices â¬ a bit like perforated paper. And the perforations were oddly spaced resulting in uneven slices.

But this is real pizza, very authentic and extremely enjoyable with interesting toppings and rustic dough. I recommend the garlic bread with mozzarella and caramelised onions or anything with Italian sausage!
I ordered from a friends house on crouch hill and received an acceptable service. They already had our address stored in their contact directory making our telephone call short, sweet and prompt. We were then told it would take 1 hour to arrive but my friend had said that theyâ¬"ve taken to saying theyâ¬"ll take longer than they will. Food arrived about 30 minutes later, hot.

The pizza does have a very chewy and thick crust but its edible. The clumps of caramelised onions can become quite sickening so be sure you spread them around before taking a bite of anything which includes them.

My only peeve was that the pizza was not pre-cut. Now leaving it completely whole would have been fine but they decided to make little marks in the thick crust and another small indentation further inside to which you must tear out your slices â¬ a bit like perforated paper. And the perforations were oddly spaced resulting in uneven slices.

But this is real pizza, very authentic and extremely enjoyable with interesting toppings and rustic dough. I recommend the garlic bread with mozzarella and caramelised onions or anything with Italian sausage!

Budgens Stores - Friendly staff by blackstar

blackstar — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:31:14 +0000

Review by blackstar

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8340 9636

Website: http://www.budgens.co.uk

Tags: delicatessen, newspapers / magazines, helpful staff

I like this store. The layout is clear and staff are really friendly, especially those who work with the hot food. Check out the lunchtime special - wedges, chinese thighs (chicken) & a drink for Â£2!! Used to have that for lunch most days!

Wide range of newsparers (inc. ethnic minority ones) and groceries available. A good supermarket.I like this store. The layout is clear and staff are really friendly, especially those who work with the hot food. Check out the lunchtime special - wedges, chinese thighs (chicken) & a drink for Â£2!! Used to have that for lunch most days!

Wide range of newsparers (inc. ethnic minority ones) and groceries available. A good supermarket.

Playaway London - Great place for the kids by JKL

JKL — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 14:10:22 +0000

Review by JKL

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8348 7333

Tags: friendly staff, coffee, comfy sofas

Playaway London is a little outside the busy village of Crouch End and is well worth a visit if you are in North London with children. They offer a great range of healthy food including Bagels, Pasta Dishes and Jacket Potatoes, and a very good coffee from Drury. The place is very relaxed with 70's and 80's memorabilia adorning the walls, harking back to the childhood of the parents that are visiting with their children. The kids don't miss out either with a touch screen play computer, seperate area for toddlers and a fantastic playframe at the back of the building for the older kids and adventurous adults to run riot on.

Great fun and a big thumbs up.Playaway London is a little outside the busy village of Crouch End and is well worth a visit if you are in North London with children. They offer a great range of healthy food including Bagels, Pasta Dishes and Jacket Potatoes, and a very good coffee from Drury. The place is very relaxed with 70's and 80's memorabilia adorning the walls, harking back to the childhood of the parents that are visiting with their children. The kids don't miss out either with a touch screen play computer, seperate area for toddlers and a fantastic playframe at the back of the building for the older kids and adventurous adults to run riot on.

Great fun and a big thumbs up.

Cafe 23 - Generally good food, nice staff by kad

kad — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:24:02 +0000

Review by kad

Rating: 3.00

Tags: cosy, proper food, quick bite

I've eaten at the cafe several times and have always enjoyed my food (chips, jacket potatoes, salad, pies etc). You can also order your food in advance and then pick it up to takeaway; however one of my colleagues did this and found a small bug in her salad! She took it back and they did apologise and gave a full refund.

I'm not sure what happened there, but as I say I've never had any problems, the staff are nice and the place looks clean.I've eaten at the cafe several times and have always enjoyed my food (chips, jacket potatoes, salad, pies etc). You can also order your food in advance and then pick it up to takeaway; however one of my colleagues did this and found a small bug in her salad! She took it back and they did apologise and gave a full refund.

I'm not sure what happened there, but as I say I've never had any problems, the staff are nice and the place looks clean.

Coffee Cake - Unforgettable experience of a real tasty cake and by hafid

hafid — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:43:58 +0000

Review by hafid

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8342 8989

Tags: cultured, lively, top food

When if I was doing my exam revision in Crouch End library, I needed a visit to a coffee shop to get myself a cup of coffee and a piece of cake to wake me up and load my batteries for the rest of the day. It did not take much time or long way of walk as I had thought before, two minutes walk from the clock tower I have found my self in a place full of varieties of food, cakes , coffees, teas as well as my favourite cake which is mille feille ,all served in an artistic way. Simply, to me it was not a shop or a coffee place it was like a petit museum where you find the art of North African, Meditteranean and British pastries brought to you in a place called COFFE CAKE. Therefore, I thank all coffee cake family for the good reception, their sense of humour and their sharing of lovely moments, BEN, RACHEL, ELIAS , FIFI, I am definitely planning to visit the place again and recommend it to everyone to visit and enjoy unforgettable moments in a friendly coffee shop, in a lovely area called CROUCH END
Mr Hafid Mezenner
When if I was doing my exam revision in Crouch End library, I needed a visit to a coffee shop to get myself a cup of coffee and a piece of cake to wake me up and load my batteries for the rest of the day. It did not take much time or long way of walk as I had thought before, two minutes walk from the clock tower I have found my self in a place full of varieties of food, cakes , coffees, teas as well as my favourite cake which is mille feille ,all served in an artistic way. Simply, to me it was not a shop or a coffee place it was like a petit museum where you find the art of North African, Meditteranean and British pastries brought to you in a place called COFFE CAKE. Therefore, I thank all coffee cake family for the good reception, their sense of humour and their sharing of lovely moments, BEN, RACHEL, ELIAS , FIFI, I am definitely planning to visit the place again and recommend it to everyone to visit and enjoy unforgettable moments in a friendly coffee shop, in a lovely area called CROUCH END
Mr Hafid Mezenner

The Tiffin Tin - Excellent Takeaway by andymyers

andymyers — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:49:50 +0000

Review by andymyers

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8347 7700

Tags: indian, home delivery

I highly recommend this Indian takeaway. It's not greasy and oily like many others and the ingredients taste fresh and full of flavour. It's a bit more expensive but well worth it. I highly recommend this Indian takeaway. It's not greasy and oily like many others and the ingredients taste fresh and full of flavour. It's a bit more expensive but well worth it.

La Bota - Not terrible, but not great either. by Sami

Sami — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:45:50 +0000

Review by Sami

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 8340 3082

Tags: takeaway, cheap eat, spanish

I am increasingly becoming frustrated by the sheer lack of places to eat when on a budget. As I am a student on a tight budget, I need to choose where I eat, and how often I eat out, very carefully.

Last week I came here with a friend of mine on a Saturday evening; she was staying for the week-end and I didn't feel like cooking, so we decided to venture out for dinner, but close to home.

We settled on La Bota as it was close by and had received decent reviews on another restaurant review site (obviously, nowhere near as good as TP). It wasn't too busy for a Saturday night and we were greeted and seated right away. Initially we were excited as the food on the other tables looked really quite appetizing, so we ordered a handful of tapas dishes and a bottle of the house Rioja.

The food was fine. Edible. Average. But mediocre. Maybe I am being harsh, but it seems that in London it is very difficult to be very, very pleased with a meal on the cheaper side.

A run down of the dishes: the chorizo in red wine was pretty damn good, but it is near-impossible to screw up. Marinated artichoke hearts - the ones that I buy from Tesco, stored in oil, are better. I think they had either opened up a can, drained them out poorly, and liberally sprinkled them with olive oil - or else pulled them out of a jar and added water to the plate. Either way, it was rather bizarre to be presented with a plate of cut-up artichoke hearts, lying, rather sadly, in a pool of water. The mussels, on the other hand, were nice. They were fresh and plump, but I think that they had been steamed in some sort of chicken broth - strange, but the achieved effect was tasty. The pimiento relleno was tasty, but it had been sprinkled with that horrible canned cheese... you know the stuff that comes in a shaker and costs perhaps 50p at the grocery store? No thank you. The patatas bravas were good, but again, they are hard to ruin. And the bread was tiger bread - courtesy of the local Sainsburys or the like. While I like tiger bread and will buy it for my own consumption at home, I think it would have been nicer if the restaurant had gone to an effort to source a decent local bakery. Good bread almost sets the tone for a meal and is a mainstay...

So frustration it is. We left full, and the bill was not expensive - but I just don't like my personal inability to find a restaurant where I leave exceptionally pleased, taking into consideration both the final price and the quality of the food, on a budget. I am increasingly becoming frustrated by the sheer lack of places to eat when on a budget. As I am a student on a tight budget, I need to choose where I eat, and how often I eat out, very carefully.

Last week I came here with a friend of mine on a Saturday evening; she was staying for the week-end and I didn't feel like cooking, so we decided to venture out for dinner, but close to home.

We settled on La Bota as it was close by and had received decent reviews on another restaurant review site (obviously, nowhere near as good as TP). It wasn't too busy for a Saturday night and we were greeted and seated right away. Initially we were excited as the food on the other tables looked really quite appetizing, so we ordered a handful of tapas dishes and a bottle of the house Rioja.

The food was fine. Edible. Average. But mediocre. Maybe I am being harsh, but it seems that in London it is very difficult to be very, very pleased with a meal on the cheaper side.

A run down of the dishes: the chorizo in red wine was pretty damn good, but it is near-impossible to screw up. Marinated artichoke hearts - the ones that I buy from Tesco, stored in oil, are better. I think they had either opened up a can, drained them out poorly, and liberally sprinkled them with olive oil - or else pulled them out of a jar and added water to the plate. Either way, it was rather bizarre to be presented with a plate of cut-up artichoke hearts, lying, rather sadly, in a pool of water. The mussels, on the other hand, were nice. They were fresh and plump, but I think that they had been steamed in some sort of chicken broth - strange, but the achieved effect was tasty. The pimiento relleno was tasty, but it had been sprinkled with that horrible canned cheese... you know the stuff that comes in a shaker and costs perhaps 50p at the grocery store? No thank you. The patatas bravas were good, but again, they are hard to ruin. And the bread was tiger bread - courtesy of the local Sainsburys or the like. While I like tiger bread and will buy it for my own consumption at home, I think it would have been nicer if the restaurant had gone to an effort to source a decent local bakery. Good bread almost sets the tone for a meal and is a mainstay...

So frustration it is. We left full, and the bill was not expensive - but I just don't like my personal inability to find a restaurant where I leave exceptionally pleased, taking into consideration both the final price and the quality of the food, on a budget.

Hot Pepper Jelly - Yummy!! by number1

number1 — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:45:29 +0000

Review by number1

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8340 4318

Tags: cosy, good brew, quiet & relaxed

Excellent food, great service, chilled out atmosphere what more could you want!?

The menu is really exciting. I had a smokey BLT which was made with chili mayo - delicious! I have never seen sandwiches so well presented. I will def be going back!Excellent food, great service, chilled out atmosphere what more could you want!?

The menu is really exciting. I had a smokey BLT which was made with chili mayo - delicious! I have never seen sandwiches so well presented. I will def be going back!

Mauro's - Best Pizzas in North London by Mattweir

Mattweir — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:05:17 +0000

Review by Mattweir

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8341 6257

Tags: italian, friendly staff, good value

If you want an authentic Italian thin crust Pizza, this is your place. Looks like a run of the mill place from outside but my Italian in laws will not go for Pizzas anywhere else in North London. If you ask the Pizzaiolo to make the crust as thin as possible you will get a proper Napolitan base. This is not nearly as easy to do, or find, in London. Enjoy!!If you want an authentic Italian thin crust Pizza, this is your place. Looks like a run of the mill place from outside but my Italian in laws will not go for Pizzas anywhere else in North London. If you ask the Pizzaiolo to make the crust as thin as possible you will get a proper Napolitan base. This is not nearly as easy to do, or find, in London. Enjoy!!

Pick More Daisies - So incredibly unimpressed. by Sami

Sami — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:28:40 +0000

Review by Sami

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 8340 2288

Tags: american, breakfast, great food

I was initially very excited to come here as I had read a number of good things about the restaurant and had passed it a few times while running errands in Crouch End, always remarking to myself to make a point to eat there and check it out personally.

I made my first visit this past Sunday and have been so eager to post a review of the miserable experience that I had - and my eagerness has only been heightened due to not having Internet access for the past couple of days; all I have thought about in relation to the net was the horrendous review I would write, once I could get back online.

Well, now I am here and although my rage has abated slightly, I am still more than annoyed with my visit and shall proceed to lay it all out in the hopes that senior staff from the restaurant will get the verbal kick in the teeth they deserve.

Realizing that in London it is very difficult to get a table at anywhere halfway decent on the week-ends, I made a call before our visit to enquire whether we might be able to make a reservation eventhough I was calling an hour and a half before we intended on eating. I was barked at that they did not take reservations on the day of and had the phone hung up on me.

Well, strike one - but it wasn't going to stop me from eating there. As we arrived, we lined up outside for over 15 minutes - even though there were 3 free tables within earshot and what appeared to be a number of people vacating the back seating area of the restaurant.

We were finally seated, but it took 10 minutes for them to bring our drinks out, screwing up the order a couple of times on the way. It took another 10 minutes for them to return to take our order, even though we had attempted to flag them down numerous times, only for them to return ANOTHER 10 minutes later to inform us that they could not prepare two dishes ordered as their crockery for making poached eggs was broken. I'm sorry - but if you can't make poached eggs without a good old-fashioned pot, some white vinegar, and boiling water, you shouldn't be in the kitchen, PERIOD.

A good 45 minutes later we were served - and while the food was relatively tasty, the portions were of a very reasonable size, and the bill came with a kitschy and sweet touch of Skittles, it wasn't at all worth the wait or the constant stream of nonsense coming from the kitchen and ill-trained, half-asleep waitstaff.

Rant over. Thanks for reading - and you've probably figured out that the last thing I'm going to do is recommend this pathetic excuse of a restaurant to you. I was initially very excited to come here as I had read a number of good things about the restaurant and had passed it a few times while running errands in Crouch End, always remarking to myself to make a point to eat there and check it out personally.

I made my first visit this past Sunday and have been so eager to post a review of the miserable experience that I had - and my eagerness has only been heightened due to not having Internet access for the past couple of days; all I have thought about in relation to the net was the horrendous review I would write, once I could get back online.

Well, now I am here and although my rage has abated slightly, I am still more than annoyed with my visit and shall proceed to lay it all out in the hopes that senior staff from the restaurant will get the verbal kick in the teeth they deserve.

Realizing that in London it is very difficult to get a table at anywhere halfway decent on the week-ends, I made a call before our visit to enquire whether we might be able to make a reservation eventhough I was calling an hour and a half before we intended on eating. I was barked at that they did not take reservations on the day of and had the phone hung up on me.

Well, strike one - but it wasn't going to stop me from eating there. As we arrived, we lined up outside for over 15 minutes - even though there were 3 free tables within earshot and what appeared to be a number of people vacating the back seating area of the restaurant.

We were finally seated, but it took 10 minutes for them to bring our drinks out, screwing up the order a couple of times on the way. It took another 10 minutes for them to return to take our order, even though we had attempted to flag them down numerous times, only for them to return ANOTHER 10 minutes later to inform us that they could not prepare two dishes ordered as their crockery for making poached eggs was broken. I'm sorry - but if you can't make poached eggs without a good old-fashioned pot, some white vinegar, and boiling water, you shouldn't be in the kitchen, PERIOD.

A good 45 minutes later we were served - and while the food was relatively tasty, the portions were of a very reasonable size, and the bill came with a kitschy and sweet touch of Skittles, it wasn't at all worth the wait or the constant stream of nonsense coming from the kitchen and ill-trained, half-asleep waitstaff.

Rant over. Thanks for reading - and you've probably figured out that the last thing I'm going to do is recommend this pathetic excuse of a restaurant to you.