Grain Store, Granary Square, 1-3 Stable Street, N1C 4AB

Grain Store, Granary Square, 1-3 Stable Street, N1C 4AB

26/07/2013

www.grainstore.com

She said: The ongoing transformation of the King’s Cross area is resulting in the creation of a contemporary-industrial, food and arts hub within the former warehouses and canal-side derelict buildings…Granary Square is now a great open square with balletic fountains, the University of the Arts and a number of urban chic restaurants of which Grain Store is one. The outdoor terrace was very appealing overlooking the life of the square but we decided to eat inside and enjoy the open kitchen and modern yet rustic- interior. Despite walking into an almost empty restaurant we were informed we could only have a seat at the bar; when I scoffed we were offered two seats next to each other at a long, empty communal table. As we hadn’t reserved we accepted so I was miffed when on leaving only a handful of tables were actually being used (what’s that about)? Moving on however, the food was fantastic. I had a beetroot, pickled onion and labneh starter which was light but full of flavour and I ‘tried’ some of his courgette, chick pea and prawn falafel which was extremely moreish. For mains I has the starter special of truffle risotto which was absolutely delicious and very rich so the starter portion worked perfectly as a main. The dessert menu options were equally creative but I was craving chocolate (which was absent) so we settled our bill - £45 including one beer and one juice - and went on our merry, happy way. Will definitely be back ( if seated properly).

He said: it’s pretty amazing what’s going on in Kings Cross. In the blink of an eye all the ‘character’ (ie zombie junkies, limping prostitutes, vomiting suburban clubbers, sketchy baldies clutching brown paper bags, etc.) have all been swept away and replaced with the kind of breezy, fun, and optimistic town planning that is so nice it’s almost Canadian. I know we Londoners have grown only to like things that are a struggle and/or almost good, but go check out this Brave New Corner of our old city; so different that it’s almost its own little mini state, like Christiana, in Copenhagen, minus the drugs. We hit Grain Store after sweating-up an appetite roller-skating to the oldies at the pop-up roller disco nearby(!). Grain Store, like the New Kings Cross, is bright, breezy, urbane and international – I mean, look at what I had to eat: falafels made of broad beans, courgette and prawns, followed by vegetarian merguez in a bun. Wow. This is seriously mixed-up, jabberwocky, post-modern stuff. The falafel was awesome, though the prawn was a little lost and perhaps unnecessary. The veggie merguez was a let down: the ‘sausage’ was too dry and not spicy enough, the bun also too dry, and the relish too sweet. I must have had a duff one, because there’s no way Chef would munch this and keep it on the menu.  I grew up in an area with lots of Moroccans, and gobbled a lot of these in my pre-veggie days. Merguez is like my Madeleine.  It’s unique and one of those foods that definitely deserves UNESCO protection, or whatever. Perhaps a good veggie one is an aberration, like a London where everything works. But I applaud Grain Store for the attempt, and I will try this again.