The Rose and Crown, 199 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 9ES

The Rose & Crown is at the Highbury End of Church Street and is almost the last pub on the street. It looks as if the interior hasn’t changed in a hundred years – a proper old school pub. It also boasts a real fire, a rarity these days, and one table tucked away in the corner has two seats formed out of coopered barrels. It’s a pub frequented by oldies as well as trendies which give it a nice atmosphere, serves a good Sunday Roast and shows the football on big screens. All of which should keep everybody happy.

Tiblisi, 91 Holloway Road, N7 8LT

I love all things Eastern European, Balkan and ex-Soviet. Despite the increasing numbers of peoples from this part of the world arriving in London the number of restaurants serving their food isn’t increasing at all which is disappointing. With a bit of effort even stroganoff can be made sexy.

Tiblisi is a smart, slickly decorated Georgian restaurant hidden in Holloway Road which I am desperate to like, so I will start from the good points. Georgian wines can be very good, try their house white, it’s beautifully light and crisp. Observe also their heavy silver engraved cutlery. After that maybe escape without eating. It’s not that all the food is bad, it’s just a bit dull. The borscht is good as a starter, rich and full bodied like borscht should be. Their breads are heavy and cheesy. Main course wise, a series of dumplings or potato bakes are the order of the day. There’s only so much that can be done with pepper and parsley alone.

The Square Pie Co, Spitalfields Market, E1

Spitalfields Market has recently undergone a £80m renaissance. It now boasts a Nandos and a Strada, no doubt a Pizza Express and an All Bar One will appear in due course. The mighty Tesco Metro have already put their marker down. The market itself retains a measure of independence and boasts ethnic food stalls all over the place. It also contains a Square Pie Co outlet. I have been curious about the Square Pie phenomenon since this summers World Cup when they devised a variety of pie for each country taking part and kept a total of pies sold during the matches, this I thought was the plan of a genius and I paid more attention to how the pies were selling than the football. The final ended up with Japan’s Chicken Teriyaki versus England’s Steak and Kidney (England won). Amongst the more unusual offerings were Serbia’s grilled lamb and sour cream and Australia’s kangaroo pie.

At the weekends the Square Pie stand, along with all the food stands, is jam packed and seats are at a premium, but never worry your pie comes in a box (square box obviously) and with mash and gravy and a wooden fork. There are only a few varieties on sale now sadly all the World Cup pies are no more. I opted for a roast chicken version and I’m a fan, flaky pastry, good quality meat and proper old school mushy peas. I’ll be back soon to have another go, although can we have the Serbian Square pie back please?

Le Sacre Cour, 18 Therberton Street, Islington, N1 0QX

This is by far and away my favourite restaurant in Upper Street, and indeed the environs of Islington. I normally visit on a Sunday evening, I imagine getting a table on a Friday or Saturday might be a bit of mission. It’s a French brassiere with traditional chequered table cloths and theatre posters all over the walls. The food is exquisite, the cod in white whine sauce and garlic mash, red snapper and saffron, lamb in red wine are all perfect examples of some traditional French cooking. I could easily eat there every night. They specialise in moules and gourmet sausages including wild boar and pork and cider. Word of warning though, check your bill carefully because they never ever get it right.

Rendezvous, 48 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LT

It might not be the weather for eating ice-cream but who cares. Ice-cream parlours, Italian style, are thin on the ground in London, although credit is due to the Patisserie Valerie chain for their new Gelaterias in Bishopsgate and the Kings Road.

One prime example not to follow is Rendezvous in Leicester Square. Now, I do know that it really is just for the tourists but they should have some grasp of reality. Two scoops of ice-cream comes to nearly £11, served up to you by possibly the grumpiest waitress in London. Not to mention the Las Vegas meets Al Capone interior. Anyone tempted would be better off in the Haagen Daz café across the square.

Ten Square, 10 Donegall Square South, Belfast, BT1 5JD

A hotel restaurant is not normally where I’d choose for a weekend lunch, but the legendary Deane’s was closed so we ended up in Ten Square. Very nice it was too, excellent scampi served in old school newsprint (fake of course), perfectly grilled fillet steak and a range of other options including some pan-asian offerings and traditional British.

Highly recommended but bound to be standing room only in the evenings.

The Apartment, 2 Donegall Square West, Belfast, BT1 6JA

I lived in Belfast during a time when there were very few new bars and not that many places to go at night in the city centre and then The Apartment opened, full of steel, chrome and dark leather. It quickly became the blueprint for all new bars and soon the city was awash with chrome and leather replicas. I must admit I didn’t really like it, it quickly filled up with those more concerned with who was looking at them than having a good time. My first visit in 6 years proves it hasn’t really changed, not being able to decide if it’s a bar, restaurant, nightclub or coffee bar…… The food is standard gastro pub fare Northern Irish style, i.e. an abundance of champ and such like, a little over priced perhaps and not that exciting. On the plus side the staff are very nice, less pushy than they used to be. The whole operation appears to have relaxed a little, probably in the face of all the identikit competitors they unwittingly inspired.

The Europa Hotel, Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7AP

The Europa Hotel is Belfast’s oldest, grandest and most traditional hotel. Over the past 10 years Belfast itself has changed almost beyond all recognition. From a deserted, and in some parts, derelict city centre, the city has transformed itself. It’s now a lively buzzing capital with new bars and restaurants everywhere. Whilst Belfast has undergone this much needed transformation the Europa hasn’t, instead it’s stood still and let time wash over it. During Northern Ireland’s much publicised problems it earned the dubious title of Europe’s most bombed hotel; every blast brought a period of refurbishment. Since the Good Friday agreement back in the 90s the Europa has gone without is annual blast driven facelift, and it shows. Every aspect of this lovely hotel shows wear and tear; cracked tiles, stained carpets, scratched furniture and so on.

That said, the food, the drink, the staff and the service are all still impeccable. The lobby bar is still a classy relaxed drinking oasis and the piano bar lets you watch the sun go down on the city. Mr Hastings of Hastings Hotels needs to get his wallet out for a face lift and be thankful the passage of time is the only reason. Oh, and I forgot to mention the free rubber duck.

Yo Sushi

The Yo Sushi chain was a real eye opener when they first introduced their line of conveyor-belt raw fish; us natives had never seen the like. When I first arrived in London in 2001 I thought this was a sight to behold and an experience beyond compare. Now, in 2006, Yo Sushi hasn’t changed, it’s been left behind in a sea of other sushi and Japanese food emporiums. Reputedly the best sushi in London is to be found in the Japan Centre on Piccadilly, the best Sashimi in Nobu etc etc but back then we didn’t know the difference, never mind care. The Yo I fondly remember as being exciting and different hasn’t changed from then, which is exactly the problem.

I paid a visit to the one in Islington recently and a strange phenomenon has occurred. Almost everyone in there on a Saturday night was on their own and desperately reading a book. The Yo of days gone by was where groups went, “look at us, we’re so trendy” was the refrain. Now Yo has become the preserve of single people in transit, like McDonalds for those with more money.

Those wise to the Yo procedure know the drill; do not just lift any dish, specifically order what you want, ignore the conveyor belt unless you keep a close eye on the chef (easily done give the stage the poor men have to operate on) and grab instantly what leaves his hand. The Yo promise is that no fish is left on the conveyor for more than two hours, personally I think two hours is a long time in the life of raw fish and I don’t believe them anyway. That said I left with a satisfactory belly-full of raw fish and tempura no real complaints to be made now I know the drill. McRaw fish is all it is really.

The Dove, 24 - 28, Broadway Market, Hackney

The Dove on Broadway Market is a very popular hackney bar-slash-pub. Its official title is a gastropub, I believe. I personally don’t go in for this gastropub nonsense, you are either in a restaurant or a pub, stop pretending. It serves Belgian beer, even the horrible cherry stuff and has a gastronomic stylee menu of burgers - all Thai spices and salsa. Despite the fact that it is generally populated by the insufferable Hackney media types, it’s actually quite good. Chips (note the use of “chips” not French fries or wedges, these are proper chips) come in a pint glass with mayo and chilli and are excellent. Their burgers are fantastic, wild boar, pork and cider, thai lemongrass varieties as well as a more traditional straight-forward-no-messing-about beef version. And once you negotiate your way though the three hundred beers on offer to find something drinkable it’s actually a nice venue.

The Dervish, 16 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16

When I was in Istanbul I saw some whirling dervishes. Now that is an odd one. It’s kind of dancing and spinning in a big flared skirt so you look not unlike a spinning top. In Stoke Newington the Turks have taken over and a good thing too, without them the place would be dead on its feet. They run the bars, restaurants, kebab joints, grocery shops, jewellery shops, dry cleaners, barbers, hairdressers, and so on. Stoke Newington was on the verge of near wasteland isolation until the Turks and Greeks took it for their own.

Everyone who comes to visit me in London from further a field gets fed flatbread and proper Turkish Delight, humus and iskender. Not one of them leaves without loving every minute of it. The Dervish restaurant on Church is always my starting point, (unfortunately there is no whirling). I wish it could be La Sera on the High Street but not everyone likes fish. The staff in the Dervish are brilliant, no matter how many people we bring there or how late and loud we are they go out of their way to make sure we have a good time. Now I’ve been to nearly every “little turkey” restaurant in London and I genuinely think that this one is the best, their Iskender is superb, just the right balance of yogurt versus meat versus pitta. The Church Street Special is a mix of charcoal grilled meats so tender and so tasty. Skip desert and wait for your bill and the apricot surprises that come with it. In fact stay there all night.

The Spice Bazaar, Eminonu, Istanbul

The Spice Bazaar is an experience: a huge covered market space full to bursting with stalls selling almost every spice known to man since 1660, for sale by the gram, kilo or tonne. It’s a bit of a hectic placing, brimming with nervous energy, the sort of place pale faced western women like me are advised against wandering about by themselves.

Negotiations go on loudly between locals, tourists and stall holders alike. If you are inclined or practised in the art of bartering it’s probably as good as free in comparison to English prices. I, however, am a bit of a chicken. I lurk about trying to look inconspicuous and not scared witless for a while but eventually get snaffled up by a persistent stall holder into his liar.

He demands to know what I am after, confusion and panic force me to say Turkish Delight and from nowhere, as if by magic, trays upon trays of the stuff appear for tasting. I eventually settle for a rosewater flavoured bag and an orange selection (this is out of at least fifteen options, I feel I’ve done well getting it down to only two). The stall owner tells me I want some nuts, of course I do, think I and more tasting occurs until I choose some roasted chilli nuts and a bag of fresh pistachios.

On we move to the teas, I having some tea obviously, any form of protest is pointless. More trays appear and I am made to sniff a dozen varieties before I am allowed to choose apple or orange, kettles and samovars then appear and I am given a demonstration in the art of making tea. I settle on the orange one and it is cleverly vacuum packed for me and I am eventually allowed to leave. Strangely as I pass back through the bazaar, now armed with my various packages, no one comes near me.

Seven Hills, Tevkifhane Sok 8/A 34122, Sultanahment, Istanbul.

The Seven Hills Hotel and Restaurant is a bizarre one. Location wise it can’t be beat. If you time things well you get to sit with the Blue Mosque on one side and the Sofia on the other as the sun goes down over the city. It looks amazing but beware it can get surprisingly cold in the evenings, though if you don’t come prepared the owners bring you Turkish wraps to keep you warm and make you look like you’re wearing a magic carpet.


Food wise, our starter of Calamari took over an hour to arrive during which time we saw several other tables get up and leave out of frustration at not getting served. Our main course arrived in a slightly shorter forty five minutes. I had a swordfish shish which was beautiful with fresh spinach, yogurt and pitta sides.

The bill took three attempts to get right (well it still wasn’t right but I gave in after the third attempt). It would win a prize for the worst restaurant in the world if the setting wasn’t so dramatic and the food, when it turned up, was actually quite good. The problem seemed to be they lacked any kind of system, there were no table numbers, food would arrive and nobody knew where it was supposed to end up. No waiters were assigned to table groupings and it was in all a bit of a free for all. We were probably lucky to served in under three hours really. It is definitely worth going to look at the view, just don’t go if you’re in a rush or lack patience in the extreme.

Under the Galata Bridge, Istanbul

Any visitor to Istanbul needs to go “under the Galata Bridge”. I found it entirely by accident, crossing the bridge watching the sun go down over the city, wondering why there was music coming from under my feet.

Under the bridge is a 500m stretch of bars, restaurants and shish smoking joints back to back with each other that never seem to close. Quite possible to get lost down there for ever.

Sarnic, Soğukçeşme Sokaği 34122, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Sarnic is a famous restaurant in Sultanahmet, Istanbul. It sneaks into every guide book and tourist brochure. Locals in Istanbul are apparently not very fond of going out for formal sit down dinners, preferring grilled meats and street food on the go or eating at home, so Sarnic is for the celebs and the tourists. It is located in an ancient cistern near Saint Sofia and the Topkapi Palace. Cisterns like these abound in Istanbul, now restored to their former glory after years of misuse as car garages and such like. It has been fitted out crusades-style with medieval wrought iron chairs and candle holders everywhere, an open fire, lyre and lute players and lots of random weapons and suits of armour (sounds cheesy beyond belief but it actually works). The menu is traditionally Turkish, with mezze, charcoal grill and Iskender all of which were superb. The service is attentive and prompt, although I’ve no idea what it would be like when it’s really busy. In short, I loved the place and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone visiting Istanbul. I was surprised to read a few internet reviews on various websites when I got home. The reviews criticised the food. Sarnic has a traditional Turkish menu and a few more western friendly options like chicken curry and pepper steak. Now if you go all the way to Istanbul and eat chicken curry and don’t like it, then tough. It’s a Turkish restaurant, eat Turkish!

Istanbul Street Food

Enough of Dubrovnik, on to Istanbul!

Istanbul is an amazing city, quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen before; a strange mixture of east and west and ancient and new. The bazaars and markets are an eclectic mix of food and people, the mosques are breathtaking and the Turks never fail to make me laugh. Their food is a selection of delicately grilled meats, fresh vegetable, yoghurts, spices and flat breads. Street food is very important, you are never far from a cart selling nuts, corn, breads or various treats.

During the summer months the thing to have is corn, fresh corn husks must arrive in central Istanbul everyday by the thousand, are then removed from their husks and loaded up on to the carts and whisked off ready to feed the hungry masses. The corn is prepared on the carts either of two ways, by boiling or charcoal grilling. Both ways end with more than a liberal sprinkling of salt, but very nice nonetheless. In winter months the corn is replaced with roasting chestnuts.

If you don’t fancy a corn cob the next choice is a Simnet, which is a sesame seed covered bread twist, these come toasted with cream cheese, sort of a Turkish pretzel.

Other street vendors have carts loaded with nuts of all varieties. Fresh pistachios taste far better without the extra air miles. Also available is high speed apple tea. Young children and teenagers earn extra cash in the bazaars by whizzing about at high speed distributing tea to all the stall holders. If you look interested enough sometimes a glass is pushed into your hand.

A quick glance at Istanbul’s litter reveals fruit peel, nut shells, corn husks and simnet wrappers. A far cry of London’s litter demographic of McDonald’s boxes and beer tins.

Gundulić, Gundulićeva Poljana 8

Ivan Gundulić was a 17th Century poet from Dubrovnik. His work was largely themed on Slav victories over the Turks, proper blood and thunder epics apparently. In memoriam he has his own square and his own restaurant. The Dalmatian cost is heavily influenced by Italian culture and pasta dishes are on every menu. With the exception of their beautiful black risotto, the pasta isn’t up to much except at Gundulić itself. Their pasta is freshly made spaghetti and tagatelli with local seafood options and delicately executed cream, wine or tomato based sauces. Unfortunately they only do their pasta in the evening, lunch is, as always, a fish sandwich! After that head to the beach!

Kaminice, Gundulićeva Poljana 8

Kaminice is in the Gundulićeva Plaza, all the tables are outside and it’s a favourite lunch stop for locals and one of the best places to go for mussels. Giant, and I mean giant, plates of fresh mussels cost a grand total of £2 served up to you by possibly the grumpiest old woman in Dubrovnik but it’s worth it for the mussels and the black seafood risotto alone. Definitely no frills seafood.

Marco Polo, Lučarica 6, Dubrovnik

Plum Brandy, grappa and pear liquor are Croat, and indeed Balkan, specialties. They are usually found lurking in novelty bottles to be flogged to tourists all over the shop but strangely feature less heavily in the local restaurants.

The Marco Polo Restaurant is different, preferring to ply you with as much as possible free of charge. Dalmatians like to claim that Marco Polo himself was originally from the island of Korcula but at least six other cities scattered in the med and Adriatic also claim this, so it is best not taken too seriously. The restaurant itself is an alleyway again following Dubrovnik’s civic planning pattern and its menu’s emphasis is on the traditional. All the local favourites are in attendance including the local Dalmatian ham (far superior than its Italian counterpart due to the smoking process apparently) and the cheese-in-oil concoction which I’m assured is excellent but is a bit too much for me. The service was excellent and unobtrusive from the owners, a husband and wife team.

Their deserts come recommended by the various guide books, and me, and have a strangely German theme, here’s the strudel.

The Excelsior, Frana Supila 12, 2000, Dubrovnik

The Excelsior is one of the most established hotels on the Dalmatian coastline and the most expensive. It‘s a rather imposing building of concrete blockwork and smoked glass, shades of 70s old Soviet style architecture is not to everyone’s taste but it gives the Excelsior a certain gravitas. The Excelsior is to be taken seriously it says firmly.

Strangely it’s flagship restaurant, The Zagreb, doesn’t have a very good reputation so I gave it a miss. However, The terrace Bar is worth a visit, the vast expanse of open air tables, marble and strategic planting make it an ideal place to sit and watch the sun set over the old town by the waters edge.

Alcohol is surprisingly cheap given the setting and peanuts come free.

Buža, Off Od Magnrite

Buža is a hidden outdoor bar perched high on the cliff face. The folk behind the British licensing and health and safety legislation would be utterly horrified, but stuff them, it’s a fantastic place to sit.

It’s a challenge to find it, you have to venture down a dark alleyway, though a narrow medieval door way and climb down the rocks. Once you get there it is as peaceful as you like. Beware though, the rock pools below attract the mosquitoes as dusk falls, so come prepared and bring some cream although they don’t seem to be prevalent in Croatia, these ones are vicious.

Labirint, Svetog Dominika 2, Dubrovnik

If the Pučić Palace is the old money headline grabbing restaurant in Dubrovnik, then Lairint is the nouveau riche option. If benefits from a prime location just inside the old town walls by their main entrance i.e. everyone who walks into the old town walks past Lairint, there is no avoiding it (their marketing literature, flyers and such like are full of flowery descriptions of unavoidable views, unavoidable nightclub and unavoidable signature dishes etc. I think they meant un-missable and something got lost in translation). The name is appropriate, it is best described as a medieval “complex” and is arranged, rather fussily, over three levels again, as with everything in Dubrovnik, carved out of the rock face. Dining rooms, terraces and night club all lurk in the maze. Unlike the Pučić Palace, the service is not good, they tend to practise a combination of ignoring you or forgetting about you. That said, unlike some fellow tourists, we managed to get a table. As promised the view over the sea, sun setting on the town and coast line is stunning (or should that be unavoidable), just don’t look down into the boat repair yard and next door’s bins below.

Starters of local fish pate and melba toasts come complimentary which is a nice touch. Main courses are arranged in a multiple choice fashion on the menu which is a bit like being in school: choose A) for pepper sauce or B) for red wine sauce etc. Far too officious. I opted for some langoustines in champagne and to be honest the Gradska Kavana take on this version is streets ahead and about a third cheaper.

Strangely though there appears to be three grades of waiter; those in red waistcoats, those in black t-shirts and those with stripy comedy French t-shirts and head scarves in a pirate type fashion. Now what’s all that about then?

The Pučić Palace, Od Puca, Dubrovnik

The Pučić Palace is the only 5-star Hotel within the walls of the old town and has a long held reputation with celebs and diplomats alike. I can only imagine what the rooms look like at hundreds of pounds per night! It boasts a street level, silver service restaurant with a seafood based menu strangely named “Atlantic”. It also houses the Rožonda wine bar much hyped in the guide books as the place to be seen, but in reality it is actually rather small and disappointing. Wine by the glass comes beer-fashion from a tap which is unnerving. Still, it made a great venue to watch the dramatic Australia vs Croatia match because the Stradun is only yards away and on that night it was jam packed with thousands of Ozzies and Croats glued to a giant screen.

The real star in their portfolio is the terrace restaurant Define with its Turkish influenced menu and impeccable service.

The waiter was brave enough to correct my choice of wine to suit our chosen menu (he was right as it happened, woe betide him if he wasn’t) of cold mezze starters and marinated monk fish skewers. Options are limited but simply executed and their portion sizing was excellent.

It’s an ideal place to sit as dusk falls enjoying the full 3 courses and coffee. Unsurprisingly it isn’t cheap but not prohibitively expensive either at £90 for two with wine.

Gradska Kavana, Pred Dvorom, Dubrovnik

People watching is a bit of a Croat national sport. Pavement cafes abound, Café Orlando is a good place to park up on the Stradun as is Bar Hemingway. At nights the action centres round Buniceva Poljana and the Troubadur Hard Jazz Café and the numerous surrounding bars and cafes.

However, Gradska Skavana, or strangely enough, the Arsenal Tavern as it’s otherwise known, is the ultimate Űber-bar and people watching spot. If it was located in Central London on the banks of the Thames there would be no change out of twenty notes for a couple of drinks and the place would be overrun with WAGS. However, thankfully, it isn’t, it is actually located right on Dubrovnik’s harbour with a huge restaurant terrace. Seafood is the obvious menu choice. If you sit there for long enough you’ll see you dinner arrive from a boat. The langoustines are served simply steamed on a bed of salad drizzled with oil. Surprisingly, a good steak can also be had.

Inside lurks a huge cavernous bar and restuarant with a nautical theme (ever-so-slightly-cheesy), fish tanks, stage and table service so you never have to move should you be of lazy disposition. Every other night there is a local band that play Croatian folk and pop and the odd serviceable western cover (hang around long enough and it ends up a bit like a wedding reception).

To the rear of the building there is another stunningly decorated bar, patisserie and terrace. This is the ultimate posing and people watching point. Elevated above ground level we managed to observe two weddings and the opening ceremony of the World Model Ship Building Championships (don’t ask). The coffee is excellent served in bone chine, glass and steel efforts with a shot glass of water. Most continental.

A Nod to Dubrovniks Fast Food Industry

Fast food in Dubrovnik centres around the concept of a fish sandwich, which is not as odd as it sounds. The fishing industry on the Dalmatian coast is in good shape, buckets of fresh catch arrive by the hour, all day, everyday and specialist seafood restaurants out number the meat serving places by at least 5 to 1. So the local fast food option is the fish sandwich, any kind of fish works: langoustines, mullet, sardines, sea bass, you name it the Croats love their fish. Said fish gets steamed and plonked between two slices of bread. Any kind of sauce or salad is simply not an option; that would be polluting the sandwich. Their bread is not unlike Turkish flat bread only not quite so soft, it’s more robust and dense and heavily salted. There is a small fish sandwich place hidden off the Stradun on Siroka worth a visit.

Ice cream is unsurprisingly everywhere given the heat, tourists and the huge Italian influences. Sladoledarna Dubrovnik is the best place to go and for the princely sum of 50p you can have yourself a large cone of dairy ice-cream, served to you by Dubrovnik’s Mr Tourist himself. He’s a local but seems to have acquired a few phrases of Irish Gaelic and an in depth knowledge of Glasgow’s sectarian divides, and that was just us, Lord knows what he says to the French.

Lastly worth a visit is the Panini shop next door to Katy O’Conners which is the Croat version of Subway. Your panini is filled with exactly what you want then melted conveyor belt style (although without any blaring trance music in the background and no one offers you a free cookie).

Pleasantly though even a walk outside the gates of the old town into the areas “out-of-bounds” to tourists reveals that this little corner of the Adriatic may as yet be untainted by McDonalds.

There is always an Irish Pub

No matter where you go in the world there is always an Irish Pub. I’ve never got to the bottom of exactly why this is, if there is the faintest possibility of tourists there will be, without fail, an Irish Pub. Dubrovnik is no exception. On the Lapad side of the town there is Becketts Irish Bar, run by two Dubliners, complete with pictures of the man himself. Fair play to them for their spirit of adventure but the pub isn’t all that exciting.

In the old town itself there are a few more enterprising outfits, one in particular originally called “The Irish Pub” and another known as “Katy O’Conners”. Katy’s O’Conners became our favourite spot for evening World Cup matches. It’s run by a relaxed gang of Croats who remember their regulars, even though they’re only regulars for a fortnight. The bar man even appears to drink their on his night off.

It is hollowed out of the rock face like most of Croatia and has a huge plasma screen, hung on the rock face, a few tables and a small bar. Their local white wine is tolerably nice and they serve the ubiquitous Lasko Pivo, Croatia’s favourite pint (or litre rather). We had a few fun nights in there bonding with Irish, Swedes and Norwegians. Footballs a great leveller after all.

Taj Mahal, Nikole Gučetiča, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is a stunningly beautiful place with a battered and bloody recent history. Inordinate amounts of money have gone into rescuing Croatia’s oh-so-lucrative costal resorts and historic towns after they were ripped apart by Yugoslavia’s traumatic disintegration. The whole whys and wherefores of what happened are an argument for another day (or week or month if you have long enough). However, for anyone who is interested, try Misha Glenny’s “The Fall of Yugoslavia” Misha Glenny or the BBC’s brilliant “The death of Yugoslavia” The Death of Yugoslavia (BBC). As good as any place to start.


Anyway back to the food, I’ve chosen to start with the Taj Mahal which is a Bosnian Restaurant. I have absolutely no frame of reference, having never set foot in either Bosnia or a Bosnian restaurant. Neither did I go with any prior ideas or assumptions about what constitutes Bosnian cuisine. This place is fantastic, trouncing many of Dubrovnik’s headline grabbing restaurants by miles. It’s little more than an alleyway in the back streets of the old town, you have to battle your way past the Pizza and Pasta joints to find it. Be prepared for not understanding the menu, which is a mix of meat cooked on skewers and large puff pastry wraps (Cevapi) which are not unlike an Eastern European Cornish Pasty (trust me on this one). I opted for a house special which was delicately cooked lamb, so very tender, encased in a lattice of puff pastry and a light but strongly herb sauce. Delicious. Mr Gorb had a “Pfjeskavice” which is grilled steak stuffed with cheese. Side orders appeared from nowhere, the foil wrapped baked potato filled with sour cream cheese is apparently a necessity, even for breakfast, everyone gets one whether you like it or not. A variety of Russian style Shopka salads seem to be the thing to have. If I ever return to Dubrovnik this is the first place I will go. Please can we have a Bosnian Restaurant in London?

Reviews of Far Away Eateries

I've not forgotten my blog, honest! I've just returned from Istanbul and Dubrovnik. Reviews to follow.

The Coach and Horses, 178 Stoke Newington High Street, N16

I’ve never been that much of a fan of the Coach and Horses on Stoke Newington High Street. It always seemed to be a bit too brightly lit and ever-so-slightly scruffy with inflatable Guinness stools (a heinous crime). I went in there recently for a further look to find pleasingly that it has changed for the better. The harsh lighting levels have been softened in favour of Turkish style candle pots at table level, the MDF panelling on the walls has been distressed and aged deliberately to make it look, well, a bit less like MDF wall panelling really. The bar has also been smartened up and lit stylishly and the horrible inflatable Guinness stools which only belong in a holiday camp theme bar have mercifully disappeared. It’s the little things that make the different. Altogether this adds up to a nicer place to sit and have a drink, and it’s cheap too!

Stoke Newington Rumours and Gossip

Rumour has it that the people who own the Birdcage bar in Stamford Hill, The Londesborough in Stoke Newington, The Spustow in Hackney and the Talbot in De Beavior (reviews to follow) have taken over the troublesome site at the end of Stoke Newington Church Street, formerly inhabited by The Three Crowns, Bar Lorca and most recently Bagabon.

Fingers crossed!!

Karnaphuli - 20 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16

I would freely admit that I am definitely no expert on Indian food. Until I moved to London five years ago I’d never even had so much as a take-away. I’ve made an effort at broadening my horizons since then by taking a few adventures into Indian cuisine: a few trips to Tooting, down Brick Lane and so on. I’ve tested out a variety of baltis, jalfrezies, kormas, bhunas……..the list is endless, but my favourite Indian restaurant is in Stoke Newington of all places, Karnaphuli lurks at the not-so-trendy end of Church Street.

Their attitude to service is different, you are genuinely waited on hand and foot without being smothered. Their food is impeccably fresh and purports to be without genetic interference, totally free range and without any artificial flavourings or colourings. It tastes good to boot. I love their King Prawn dishes, with genuine king prawns, no tiddlers. Their Sag Aloo is delicately spiced and the naan breads are airy and evenly cooked, never burnt. At the end of your meal they bring chocolates and a strange, slightly fizzy, slightly alcoholic pineapple shot which despite many attempts I can never get a straight answer as to what exactly is in it.

The wine list is varied for an Indian Restaurant with choices from Chile, France and South Africa. I’ve also tried a few home deliveries and despite being marginally outside their delivery range my food always arrives on time and temperature with courtesy. The quality of food is the same high standards of that served to sit in dinners.

Can’t recommend it highly enough.