Non-SG restaurants

missfrancesca

So, this is somewhat off topic and I hope it's allowed, but I see most of you like the same restaurants around here that I do, so I was interested in hearing about any other recommendations you might have for the times when we all have to venture away from Stroud Green and the surrounding areas.

My suggestions are:

Shanghai on Kingsland High Street (Dalston end). All their food is delicious and they have dim sum happy 'hour' from 3pm - 5pm each day where dishes are 1.90 each.

Benito's Hat on Goodge Street. They do the best burritos I have eaten in London by miles and they are only a fiver each.

matt

I work really close to Shanghai and me and a few office-mates go for Dim Sum at 3pm every Friday as party of our lazy (busy) afternoon. It's great, but I was disappointed that they increased their take away lunch prices recently. So much so that I have not bought once since AND I twittered about it! So there - take that Shanghai! Really good food though. As mentioned elsewhere I love Olives (Indian) off Goodge/Mortimer Street and Taste of Nawab (Muswell Hill, Colney Hatch Lane) and there are many more non-Indian places I'll leave for another time

wisteria53

Chilango (was previously called "Mucho Mas") on Upper Street near the Angel N1 Centre for Mexican style burritos. Heaven. Vrisaki in an obscure street (Myddleton Road) near Bounds Green for kebabs. Huong Viet on Englefield Road near Dalston for Vietnamese.

matt

I've heard about Huong Viet, but am yet to go there. Next time, as they say

James

When I used to live in Ealing my favourite restaurant was Gino's. A bit of weird place - dated decor, slightly odd service - but amazing food.

unaesthetic

tokyo diner in chinatown is brilliant. reasonably priced, fresh and filling food.

tbilisi on holloway road is also a fave; georgian food is ace - who knew there were that many uses for pomegranates?

mildreds in soho is excellent for hearty veggie food.

and best of all - marine ices in chalk farm. i think it widdles all over the sgr pizza options, and i can't go near the place without having a coppa rita.

matt

[Tokyo Diner](http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1751r7g/tokyo-diner) is indeed excellent, for me it's the closest to a proper Japanese I've found. Decor is pretty dated, but it's all about the food for me. [Minqala](http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1q22189/minqala), near Marble Arch, for great Iraqi food. If you like Turkish/Georgian food then you'll love Iraqi.

injoke

i was a bit disappointed by huong viet, it's got this fantastic reputation from a timeout feature i assume. song que same price and much better IMO.

matt

i've been to song que and i think it's great

Liz

Morgan M on Liverpool Road (close, but def not SG). It's definitely more of a treat destination but amazing quality.

matt

Definitely. Thought the maitre d' were pretty distressed when I turned up in jeans.

underscore_cue

has anyone been to fig in barnsbury? Similar one-off treat but its really good.

James

I've not gone yet but 500 was listed in timeout's top 50 restaurants and is again close while not being in FP. <http://www.500restaurant.co.uk>; Anyone been?

James

The timeout review... 500 After stints at some of London’s most famous Italian restaurants between them – Antonio Carluccio’s Neal Street, Gennaro Contaldo’s Passione and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen – Mario Magli and Giorgio Pili’s modest neighbourhood eatery is up there with the rest of them. Even the bread is own-made, and you won’t find lighter gnocci elsewhere; here, it’s served with excellent Italian sausage in a fennel seed and tomato sauce. Other dishes, such as red snapper ragu with pappardelle, are a refreshing change from the usual carbonaras, bolognese and marinaras. When to go For incredibly good Italian that veers from the obvious. What to have Start with the plump Puglia green olives and any of the pastas. 500, 782 Holloway Rd, N19 3JH (7272 3406/www.500restaurant.co.uk). Archway tube or Upper Holloway rail.

Agaton Sax

No one's mentioned Garufa, on Highbury Hill: excellent, family-run Argentinian steak restaurant. Market, on Camden's Park Road, is very good, too, for well-presented bistro-style stuff.

Ali

Do you think Morgan M sources from the Freightliners city Farm next door.

Really worth visiting by the way .

http

matt

Garufa sounds great. 500, I couldn't believe I'd never seen this place. Until I realised it has replaced the cafe/restaurant (average at best) that was next to the Sitara curry house (which itself is pretty good). Whioch means it muist be quite young? A year and a half? I really need to revisit that part of Holloway Road one night for dinner.

slats

Went to Garufa for the first time on wednesday, very nice, though stake was slightly over done - i'd advise ask to be cooked less than what you actually want ie. medium-rare for medium etc

David

Nearly went to Garufa at the weekend but failed to convince my Dad. Other reviews I read also said to order slightly under how you want your steak. They also look like they do a serious breakfast. I may go this weekend, without my pie-only-eating Dad.

Colette

@ James, yep, I've been to 500. It was ok, nothing better than that - certainly not good enough to justify the fact that you need to call at least a week in advance if you want a table on a Friday or Saturday night. I had rabbit, which was far too salty. My mum went separately from me and felt the same, so I don't think we caught them on a bad night. I mean, it's not bad.... but it's far from great.

tosscat

Bocca di Lupo in Soho is lovely. Bob Bob Ricard is also fun.

tosscat

That's a shame - 500 was on my list.

kelsie

hiya. we have discovered a newly opened place in crouch end recently
check out our blog posting
http://www.travelswithmyfork.blogspot.com/

tosscat

[yawn](http://www.travelswithmyfork.blogspot.com/)

becky

I agree with Colette about 500 on Holloway Road. I went there Friday night - was able to book a table the same day. The venue is really nice, but the food is rather variable. I had a prawn starter with tomatoes and basil that could have been nice, but the prawn had clearly been frozen and so were tough and tasteless - amongst the worst I've ever had. My main course was fine - tagliatelle alle vongole - but its not hard to get that right. Didn't think the prosecco was particularly good either...

matt

We're on a bit of a Prosecco tip at the moment - with Aperol to make a Venetian Spritz. We got some reasonable Prosecco in Jack's but got some amazing stuff in Oddbins on Crouch Hill. Any other good local sources?

underscore_cue

the Jamaican food from the mobile guy who parks in chapel market is really good. Its better than the stuff from Hummingbird or Island grill..

While we're on the subject have found a really good nigerian food stall, its outside in dalston square where that pedestrianised section with the jazz club is. Theres two, the one furthest from the club is the one someone recommended and the only one I tried. It was really tasty filling stuff and cheap

dion

500 on Holloway Road just got postively reviewed in the Metro this morning.

andy

We had a superb meal at Artigiano in Belsize Park last week. Top notch neighbourhood Italian restaurant with great service and food and wine. Apparently the Gallaghers had been in there earlier in the evening and Almunia is a regular, but don't let that put you off. <http://www.london-eating.co.uk/2318.htm>;

anna

Not too far away- just been to the Peking palace in Holloway Road (near archway tube) and have to tell everyone about it. If you like vegan and vegetarian food it is excellent.Run by a Buddhist Chinese family, it bears a resemblance to Chinese food as we know it but far far more delicious, and for meat eating friends - lots of pretend meat!. No MSG, tempura batter as light as air, and veggies cooked to perfection.
This should be it...http://www.thepekingpalace.com/

bennyfromtheblok

I'll not post this on the Pizza wars page, but just say that I ate at Pizza East in the Tea Building at the top of Bethnal Green Road last night and thought they pizzas were really quite good. The base was very thin and crispy and they had some very original toppings such as creamy veal meatballs. All pizzas are over a tenner so it's not an everyday thing, but you pay the bit more for the atmosphere that was very good...even on a Tuesday.