Ali Baba, 32 Ivor Place, London NW1 6DA

Ali Baba, 32 Ivor Place, London NW1 6DA
www.alibabarestaurant.co.uk

28/02/2015

She said: He had watched that hairy biker exploring the cuisine of Egypt on the BBC and so we googled Egyptian restaurants in London. Surprisingly very little turned up but Ali Baba on ‘the other’ side of Gloucester Road caught our eye as somewhere we might not get food poisoning. Ali Baba is easy to miss, tucked down a side street behind the Marylebone Station it looks like a kebab shop from the outside. But when you go in you walk through to a sweet little restaurant which feels more like Mrs Baba’s living room with around 8 tables. The heating wasn’t on when we visited and I suspect in comes on when there are more than two customers (such as in the evening) but we weren’t there for the radiators. He had tried making falafel at home ‘the way we had them in Cairo’ many times but failed. We learned from the hairy biker that it’s because Egyptians make it with beans rather than chick peas. So, our first order was the falafel. We were transported immediately back to Cairo. It was light and fluffy on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside and came with a yummy tahini dip. Second round was Koshari – the only vegetarian main on offer but an Egyptian stalwart. Consisting of rice, lentils, chopped macaroni, fried crispy onions and a spicy tomato sauce, this dish will take care of your carb needs for the week. My portion could easily have fed two and I thought I was smart to say ‘spicy’ when given the option of a mild or spicy sauce which though delicious was too darn HOT for my English-corrupted palate (would opt for mild next time)! He wanted to try the Um Ali dessert which the hairy biker had talked about so despite being full we shared this strange hot dish which seemed to combine bread or pastry with cream, milk and raisins – an acquired taste but glad to have tried it (wouldn’t have it again). Ali Baba really is a delightful throwback of a place and the place to go to for authentic, delicious Egyptian food. Besides, at £6 for my main and just £4 for five juicy falafal and a basket of piping hot pitta – where else would you go?

He said: I liked everything about Ali Baba, including having to walk through the take-away at the front to get to the neon-lit dining room at the back, spotlessly clean, and the walls decorated with cryptically relevant art and the inevitable flat screen (off when we arrived).  I like that it’s the same family run operation as it was when it opened decades ago; that the front of house is still run by pop, a grizzled and wiry man whose style has not softened one iota over the years, that the kitchen is run by an invisible but no doubt portly mom, and that some younger relative is waiting the tables. It's all efficient but with no lack of charm or warmth, and the short menu clearly honed to perfection over years of repetition and refinement. Everything we had was excellent – as it should be, mom would no doubt say. Even the desert, Umm Ali, although the creamy, bready concoction is not really to my taste. But we had to try it because a TV show we watched revealed that this, Egypt’s national desert, is not named after a wise old denizen of the Nile valley, but after an Irish woman traveller called O’Malley! The falafel was delicious, as was the koshari, which is one of the most satisfying of all comfort foods. Including coffee, water and service I think we payed something like £8 each for one of the most memorable and authentic meals in a while.  Ali Baba is the real deal; may it thrive another few decades!

Portland, 113 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6QG

Portland, 113 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6QG
www.portlandrestaurant.co.uk
21/02/2015
She said: Damn, the critics were gushing about this place before it hit our radar so I was dubious as to whether the hype would match reality. It did. Portland looks unassuming from the outside, opposite a pub and alongside the strange mix of retail on this Fitzrovia side street. When we entered the warm, but cosy, galley, blonde-wood interior with its tables lined up to maximise the space and an open kitchen at the end, I was just hoping it would deliver. The lunch menu was interesting but for some reason none of the starters appealed – they really did sound creative so I’m not sure why, but I skipped straight to main with a miso barley dish. I cannot express just how magical this dish was; heaven with every spoon. I would go back tomorrow just for this wonder. I actually liked the intimacy of the space as I do like listening in to other diners’ conversations, like the middle-aged man showing off to his elderly mother at the table two inches from us. Though I doubt the table on the other side of us liked me brushing their plates with my rear when I tried to pass to visit the ladies. The only jarring gripe was the loud, never ending phone with a ring tone you would expect in a busy Pizza Hut which was a constant mood killer – that needs to go. But back to the food. I caved in to the critics who had banged on about the dark chocolate dessert; though a small portion (I could have had twice the amount) it was again like eating a very chocolatey cloud then ended heaven. So, regular heavenly visits with the food at Portland. Surely a price worth paying (and you do pay – with two courses for two people and no alcohol at £60).

He said: I knew exactly nothing about Portland before walking through the door. But walking out of it, one fine meal later, I knew for sure that we'd been to one of the finalists on our eventual ‘Best of 2015’ list. The first impression is excellent: the place is done up in a stylish but unassuming ModernScandi style, giving a clear view of the open kitchen at the back. It exudes a ‘serious about food’ vibe while avoiding the food fascist and food fadist trap – no sous vide snail porridge here. Portland is all about seasonal fare and rock solid technique. The cod I ordered was the best fish I’d had since The Corinthian (see below) probably about two years ago. A side of roast cauliflower was perfect, as was my slim but spot on wedge of sugar tart for desert. Everything unfolded totally seamlessly. I'm glad this is local; this is definitely the kind of place you want to survive, unlike a lot of trendy openings. Prices are on the steep side, and the narrow space between tables won't be to everyone’s liking, but it's forgivable, and maybe even desirable for a neighbourhood restaurant: you might just be sat next to someone you always see in the baked beans aisle  at Tesco’s. I would definitely like to go back. The kitchen is pretty small considering all the magic coming out of it, and it would be interesting to see how they manage all these closely packed tables at full swing on a Saturday night.

Michael Nadra, 42 Gloucester Avenue, London NW1 8JD

Michael Nadra, 42 Gloucester Avenue, London NW1 8JD
www.restaurant-michaelnadra.co.uk/primrose

14/02/2015

She said: We first noticed this place during a morning walk along the Regent’s Canal; though not on the water, Nadra occupies a large corner plot tucked just behind the canal in Primrose Hill. Giving up on waiting for a sunny day, we wondered in for a weekend lunch. Though there is a lovely walled terrace for when it’s warm enough, inside is a series of charming caverned rooms and we were seated in the one at the back facing an inviting fireplace. The set menu seemed good value at two courses for £21 and provided an excellent range of options. Nadra also has a dedicated Martini menu (my favoured poison) so I could not resist a lychee martini and could easily have had several. The warm bread was delicious and compulsive. For my starter I ordered the tuna tartar and salmon ceviche which was absolute perfection and my choice of main was the halibut which came with a combination of flavours that blew me away. This place is food heaven. I envied the folk of Primrose Hill for having such an amazing local. And indeed it did feel local, with couples and families having a relaxing lunch, clearly familiar with this place. But yet Nadra has a classy, contemporary and exquisite feel. The service was friendly and engaging. The puddings didn’t call to me on this occasion but with the menu changing regularly I would expect that to change next time – because there will be a next time.

He said: As She will gladly confirm, no doubt, being married to me is like Valentine’s Day every day. So as a matter of principle we avoid the commercial bandwagon of Love. The last time we did was many moons ago,  in the early days of our fairytale courtship, at a Bella Pasta, I think. But there are few things in life as good as a surprise (unless it’s sprung by your doctor) and so we took a romantic walk along the canals to Michael Nadra’s. Going at lunch, in daylight, meant that the walk was romantic rather than like a spooky episode of Prime Suspect; and also that we avoided all the cringey, goo-goo ga-ga forced romance thing. The maitre d’ told us that the previous year there had been three proposals that night, including one that sounded like a real car crash. We kicked things off with an excellent martini each – Nadra mixes excellent cocktails – and followed with a starter and main, thinking we’d catch a desert somewhere else. The food, of the pan European variety, was excellent, well-prepared and presented. My main of tagliolini was a generous portion, which was a very pleasant surprise; the way these are rationed in some places (eg Ramsey) you’d think they were the last vial of antibiotics in the First Aid tent at Glastonbury festival. The only mistake was skipping desert; these actually described really well, and would have crowned an already very good meal – who knows, the chocolate high might have even compelled her to give her Valentine a smooch on the walk back. Nadra’s is actually a nice, hidden little gem, and kind of romantic whether or not it's Valentine’s Day. I definitely recommend it, especially on a spring or summer’s evening, when you can also sit in the courtyard and knock back some very good cocktails.

Wellcome Kitchen, Wellcome Collection, Euston Road, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE

Wellcome Kitchen, Wellcome Collection, Euston Road, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE
www.benugo.com/restaurants/wellcome-kitchen

08/02/2015

She said: The cool Wellcome Collection has been undergoing a major renovation for a very long time now! But, finally they have joined the rank of museums with a ‘trendy’ waiter service restaurant. Wellcome Kitchen is located on the second floor and is a bright, modern, inviting dining room with a cool, cosy design. At the time we visited there were plans to convert the entrance to the restaurant into a café space which will create a further buzz. The menu offers around four varied choices per course so I kicked off with a hake tempura which was surprisingly good. I was really looking forward to my buckwheat cauliflower risotto so was sorely disappointed when a rather tasteless, overcooked mush arrived. It wasn’t bad enough to send back and had that air of ‘it tastes this way because it’s good for you’ but not one to ever have again. I really wanted pudding (the chocolate cake) but he was full and wanted to move on so I’ll have to come back. Yes despite the risotto mush, Wellcome Kitchen really is lovely. The setting, the menu and I suspect when they are no longer in their first week of operation, the food make for a relaxing, sociable lunch in between viewing Henry Wellcome’s medical marvels. The 50% off bill was a super surprise (soft launch) but even the full menu prices are reasonable. A good, upmarket yet affordable addition to the polluted, traffic-ridden Euston Road.

He said: Walking into Wellcome Kitchen was a bit of a madeleine moment for me: the pared down retro look and geometric parquet reminded me a lot of my old school (in a good way). I really like the way this place is decorated, including the science and medicine themed art on the walls. You definitely forget that on the other side of the windows lurks the Euston Road, one of Europe’s most hideous and polluted thoroughfares. I had a nice green broth, followed by a very prettily arranged vegetarian main. Service could probably have been a little better and swifter, given how quiet it was during our visit. But it would be churlish to moan since we went during the soft launch and got it all for half price. I have a feeling that the food is probably always going to be slightly off the mark, given the Benugo association, but it's definitely good enough, and a very nice place to meet up with people after taking-in one of Wellcome’s often very good exhibitions.