The Food Diaries

Sunday lunch @ the Duke of Cambridge (and other hidden pubs of Islington)

Friends moving into my old neighbourhood, gave me an opportunity to share a bit of my local knowledge of the backwaters of Islington. 

First up, lunch at the Duke of Cambridge (A) - the first organic gastropub to have landed in London - back in ‘99. Then a quick pitstop (for a swift half) at the Crown (B), a lovely pub in the Barnsbury Conservation Area,  complete with traditional etched glass and mahogany panelling, and a stack of boardgames in the corner (oh, and a lovely kitchen too). Then past the Albion (C) (newly refurbished, winner of the Observer Best Sunday Lunch 2009 and with the best beer garden outside of Chiswick). No time to stop at the Cuckoo (D) this time, but swiftly on back across Upper St to 25 Canonbury Lane for cocktails.

Albion Caff - Shoreditch, London

Brunch, coffee, lunch, late lunch, early dinner, etc. - there is always a time and a place (and something fab to order to match) at the Albion. I love to hate Terence Conran but he has a really annoyingly nice place in the ground floor space attached to the Boundary Hotel. Super British menu (cauliflower cheese, sausage and mash, fish and chips, rhubarb crumble). Fresh baked goods come out of the oven every hour (and no surcharge for a basket of bread for the table - a rare thing in London), the puffiest pies (chicken, savoury pumpkin), and ok - the best kedgeree I’ve ever had (and easily better than mine).

Oh, and the desserts are not bad at all either.

You can also sign up for a stangely useful twitter feed - let’s you know what has just come out of the oven. Particularly convenient if you live/work in the neighbourhood.

My order:

- Red and golden beet salad with goat’s cheese curd

- Kedgeree

- I couldn’t find room for our table’s shared plate of Sticky toffee pudding - but it looked divine

Paid a visit to the Boundary Restaurant in Shoreditch. I’ve been to the Boundary many times before, but only to the fab Boundary Rooftop when summer occasionally makes an appearance in London (though they do cater to all weather with outdoor fireplace, Swedish style blankets, straw cowboy hats and even the optimistic sunscreen) and the ground floor Albion (a very British caff which serves really delicious and inexpensive grub such as Welsh rarebit, savoury pies, rhubarb crumble, etc.). Oh, and there is a 21 room hotel too!

On the menu for the night:

- 3 each of French and English Rock oysters (salty but nice)

- Steak tartare (pictured), served with a green salad and french fries

- Tarte Tatin (slightly disappointing as the apples should have been super-caramelised and sticky but the pastry was perfect).

Had some lovely company for dinner with a combo of Irish, Australian, and English - and for once the acoustics in this cavernous basement restaurant were decent (since my voice wasn’t hoarse but the end of the evening).