Welcome to Cyprus

The Carob Tree is a new Mediterranean restaurant in Hampstead. It boasts original Cypriot food. Whether the food is Cypriot or Greek or Mediterranean is a contestable question but the staff certainly speaks Greek and the food (where ever it originates from) is certainly the real thing.
The portions are big and hearty and definitely value for money! We took two Greek salads but they where so big one would have been enough, a variety of mezes, lamb cutlets and a seafood selection for main. The seafood was wonderfully flavoured, fresh off the grill. It cost around a tenner and contained massive king prawns. Usually that would in itself go for at least 12 quid. The quality of the food was excellent, the lamb and the fish were cooked and flavoured just right. We stuffed ourselves and had lazy black coffees in the front yard.
It's a new place and if they manage to uphold the standards they've set I'm sure it will soon become an all time favourite.

India of the North

It is a truth universally acknowledged that finding an open restaurant in London after midnight is an arduous task. Stuck hungry in Hampstead we made our was through Dartmouth park towards a nearing kebaberie at Tufnell park tube. Hidden on a residential street amongst sleeping houses was Chameli. At first on seeing it open I thought I must have been delusional, something pushed me to go inside and ask if the kitchen was still open. Indeed it was and what a treat we got! Everything was nice - the owner, the cook , the atmosphere, the food...
We took prawn biryani and chicken korma. Flavoured just right they made us feel so full, and happy and high from all the spices. The pompadums where crispy and the dips flavoursome and of good texture. This all went down very well with a hearty bottle of red.
We were the last customers and we stayed as long as we needed, nobody rushed us or showed signs of uneasiness. Chameli is a great place to go, if you find it - 56 Chetwind road.

Ola! Mexico

London is full of everything, what it is NOT full of is Mexican cuisine. Proper hardcore Mexican. I am talking about fat, big tacos, bulging burritos and the like. Real ones, in corn flower wraps not wheat! After some searching I came up on Mestizo on Hampstead road. It's neither obtrusive, nor is it in your general restaurant area. So Mestizo we went. The bar was pretty, the walls were red, the service fast. The food ... not what I'd expected. It was sort of gourmet served Mexican. We took a taco tray for starters. The beans were served separately in a silver looking cup. Loved the beans. Next came chicken Enchiladas. I would have wanted them to have been a bit bigger, a bit messier.
All in all Mr. Average would love that place, in my opinion Mexican merits more vim.

Fifteen Delinquents

Jamie Oliver. The food "IT" guy ... goes on and opens humble Fifteen at 15 Westland Place. Fifteen is not just a posh chef's extension of his alter ego. No. Fifteen has a mission - they help rehabilitate "disadvantaged young people". It's a very nice thing to do. Five stars on Jame's moral integrity he is a successful human being.
Nonetheless - food before urchins. You've got the best organic, politically correct products, Jame's tutelage, talented young staff ... you get good results. By good I mean okay..everything is just right but not right there. Come on JAMIE OLIVER!!!! I expect fireworks in my mouth I expect to see my third eye, feel my sixth sense, cross my Rubicon. And the portions were a bit small and the tables stood a bit too close to each other.
The dessert made me happy though! I needed comfort food and that complicated chocolate brownie did the trick. Very nice.
Fifteen - it's a bit of a hit or miss case. Though pulling the Joker would make it worthwhile.

The Albion of Hope

Another successful project undertaken by the Conran group is Albion Cafe in Shoreditch. As I've mentioned before - the Conran Group design every item you will see in the restaurant themselves. Once again they've outdone themselves. The Albion Cafe looks like Petter Rabbit's kitchen. The food is in your face home grown and organic. Where you inspired by the food - there is a delicatessen store on the side that sells the natural produce. Mostly though it sells fresh bread and cakes which look very inviting. The food in the cafe is traditionally British. The English breakfast boasts perfect scrambled eggs and the devilled kidneys where in a rich, gravy sauce that made me happy. I understand where they're coming from with the whole healthy, organic thing but I was slightly disappointed with the cauliflower and cheese that I took as a side - the cauliflower was slightly too crunchy. Though the Japanese have thought us that crunchy vegetables are very good I cannot get used to the idea. Do try the sandwiches though - they're huge and big and jolly all around.
The place is trendy and full of people. The sad part is that there is not enough staff to go round and it takes ages to get your order through. However once it does go through, it's prepared and brought to you rather rapidly.

Bistro in the Park

Probably one of the most relaxing places to be in London in summertime is Bistro Laz cafe on Highgate Hill. It is literally next door to Hampstead heath. Very cosy and Mediterranean, lots of reds and things hanging on the wall, Laz offers traditional Mediterranean food. We usually take the hot mezze platter that has everything needed for a taste of Med. - grilled haloumi, fallafel, kofte, filo pastry, calamari, spicy sausages, served with warm pita, houmous and tsatsiki. The wholesome mezze makes you nostalgic for those days you spend on holiday.
It's great to go there after a strenuous excursion on the heath or a climb to parliament hill. It's open quite late so if you had a George Michael encounter* after hours you can go to Laz for a hot chocolate and succulent, fresh cheesecake.
Done by the same owner is Al Parco Pizzeria. It is linked to Laz like a semidetached house. Al Parco offers italian pizza and pasta with appropriate decoration. You can even request a menu from Laz while you're there if you feel like mixing an Italian entourage with Turkish food. Al parco is litteraly an extension of Laz, hence it doesn't merit a review of it own. However it's as pleasant as Laz and the food is of a reasonable standard..