KENNEDY'S OF GOSWELL ROAD: WHEN IS A BARGAIN LUNCH NOT A BARGAIN LUNCH?

I have two readers of the blog, Krista and Peter to thank for pointing me in the direction of Kennedy’s of Goswell Road which stands where Mezzo and formerly The Goswell Road Fish Bar used to be. The latter, on many occasions, was very good. The former on one trying was bad enough for me never to return until today when I popped into the latest incarnation to take advantage of its lunchtime offer of a meal and a drink for £5

So here is how I imagine the bargain lunch should work under normal circumstances.

Restaurant needs to attract more customers at lunchtime. Restaurant offers limited menu of more simple dishes at a good price where it can still make money and the customer can be prompted to visit them instead of buying a sandwich.

The understanding should be that, while you are experiencing a limited offer and perhaps, but not always smaller portions, you should also be experiencing the same quality of ingredients and cooking as you would expect of an evening meal.

Unfortunately, as with today’s lunch the reality is often very different with both restaurant owner and punter seemingly under the impression that, just because a meal is cheap it can be of inferior quality and execution. The lunchtime fish & chips at Kennedy’s are both.

Mind you, it seems to be working as there was barely a space to be had in the restaurant, a long line at the take-away and apart from a handful of people who selected pies, the majority seemed, like me, plump for the offer of fish & chip.

When it arrived, you could see immediately where corners had been cut. The scraggly bit of cod deemed suitable for a London lunchtime portion would not have been considered fit for a Northern cat. The small selection of chips did little to cover glaring white of the over large plate and only a decent size bowl of peas seemed like value for even this small amount of money. Out of the generosity of their hearts, or more likely to cover up some more of the white plate, they had added the, oh so traditional Fish & Chip companions of coleslaw and salad. So wrong on so many levels I simply have no idea where to begin.

Size isn’t everything as I am all too often reminded and such parsimoniousness could have been forgivable had the cooking been able. It was not. The chips were undercooked, probably in a rush to get plates out to the waiting crowd and the fish itself, while undeniably fresh was covered in a batter which clung to the flesh like a five-year old to its mum on the first day of school. Even the peas were so undistinguished that I regretted having a generous portion and left most of them along with, obviously, the salad and the coleslaw.

The glass of red wine that came with the meal was pretty nasty, but did at least serve to take the taste of the food from my mouth and, about 20 minutes after I arrived, I found myself back on the street again feeling as cheap and shoddy as my lunch.

The bill came to £7 including £1 for the peas and a £1 tip for service, which was friendly but harried as two Eastern European girls wondered what kind of nation would do this to fish and potatoes. Looking back on my recent experience at The Golden Fish bar on Farringdon, up there with the best London has to offer (not saying a lot I grant you) in matters fish & chipular, my meal was £6 for a piping hot, well prepared generous portion. So, this is not even a particular bargain.

I have posted an image of the evening menu as I really can’t see why anyone would want to subject them self to this lunchtime treat. Let me know if you visit and how it stands up.

They say you get what you pay for in life. They, whoever "they" may be have obviously not been to Kennedy's.

COMIDA MEXICANA

COMIDA MEXICANA: DOWN, ER GOSWELL RD WAY

In the Times the other day I read about a UN survey that named London as the most ethnically diverse city on earth. I can’t recall the exact number of nations represented but it is certainly true that there are few creeds and colours not to be found in this weather beaten old place we call home.

So, I guess, it should have come as no surprise to me to find myself having supper on the Goswell Rd in an “Italian” café now run by a Bulgarian who, in the evening, offers up Tex Mex food while I was seated at a table between two Chinese students and a German tourist

But there you have it, and more than acceptable it was too. Certainly better than any of the abominable meals I had last week each of which cost at least three times as much.

While I looked at the menu, the owner brought out some store bought nachos for me to nibble on alongside some salsa which he had beefed up with the addition of plenty of green chilli.

The menu itself is short and to the point. About six or so starters, alongside the usual suspects of the Tex mex world, Chimichanga, Enchilada, Burritos and Fajitas. But, much is made of the fact that it is all made fresh to order so there is a need to be a little patient as the kitchen is small and he seems to be a bit of a one man band.

Well, fresh it certainly was. A well made Quesadilla was stuffed full of smoked chicken and would have been a meal in itself for £4.50 coming, as it did with a good dollop of fresh guacamole.

But, I am in the last stages of “carbing up” for the big race on Sunday and decided I needed more. So, I added an order of mixed enchilada with a side order of Pico de Gallo.

The enchilada were as they ought to be, a mass of meat cheese and doughy goodness with an added dose of chillies to pump it up a bit. The Pico was bright and tangy and ,for £6, there was enough here to feed two people.

Chatting to the owner, it appears he used to work in a Mexican restaurant in North London when he first came to the country. The owners, still his friends, come from Oaxaca and suggested he try some of the more straight forward dishes when he was looking for something to bring in people in the evening and to offer up for take away and delivery.

Well, he has made a very decent stab at it and is serving up some simple but tasty food ( remember the time when food was judged by how tasty it was rather than how clever or pretty?) at very reasonable prices. With a Diet Pepsi (I have to watch my weight don’t you know?) the bill was about £12.

Another contribution to the diversity of the city. Next week I shall be visiting a Bangladeshi tapas bar to eat sushi with a side of pierogi.