Camden Kitchen

Camden Bar and Kitchen was so full it took 15 minutes for us to be seated, and another ten for us to be given a menu. I can’t fault the waiters though; they were friendly and apologetic, and clearly understaffed. It was a Saturday lunchtime after all.

A busy restaurant is always a good sign, therefore I was a tad surprised when once my food arrived it had all the flavour of a tissue. Bland and tasteless, the contents of my seafood platter appeared to have been boiled to the point of evaporation. It did however, look very pretty. My companion had an omelette which was satisfactory; I would think it’s hard to go wrong with an omelette so long as you’re over the age of 9.

From the outside I can see how the throngs of weekend shoppers and tourists would want to eat here rather than the greasy spoons and fast food places that populate this stretch of Camden High street; the interior is appealing with wooden tables and chairs, there is funky wallpaper which I read somewhere is designed by Matthew Williamson. While the menu is far more adventurous (halloumi vegetable kebabs, lamb shank slow cooked in curry coconut sauce) than many of its neighbours’ you’re better off venturing a few minutes north to some of the eateries around the Stables Market. Better still, walk up Chalk Farm Road towards Primrose Hill and you’ll find an array of pubs and restaurants with better quality for the same price.