there are several veggie options. david just doesn't look beyond the meat section.

i really enjoyed it and will go back.

After 8 years in the area I finally went here last week. Really wholesome Colombian food, enough in their "typical" meal to feed an elephant.

Recommended.

It was open tonight, and it's always open and packed on a Sunday.

That's a shame - I'd had it as a bit of a resolution to go to La Guadales as I believe in trying everything locally before passing comment. Not sure I will bother now.

Petek's meat is very difficult to beat. You can knock what you like about the place but its meat is consistently good.

No, but in the spirit of Ian's comments I went to Dudley's on Sunday and so I can now happily comment.

What a joyless shit hole, the food was dreadful, everything was drowned in cheap cheese, and the atmosphere was quite bizarre. It had been on my list of places to go (not very high on the list granted) and now it's off, thank god.

@Ian, I may be wrong but would wager the meat is specifically the thing Andy would knock about Petek.

That review of Dudleys reads like a review for Pappagone.

I think I might just restrict myself to stuffed paratha's from JK as everything else is just shit. No sight of a decent coffee or bacon roll. Christ, Mike Leigh can't even make a good film about the place.

Anyone done the breakfast at Garufa's? I've an urge to initiate myself this weekend.

David, I want to try to the brekkers at Garufa as well.

Have you been there for any other meal types?

I would ask for the meat to be done a tad less that your normal request, if I were you, as they seem to be a bit overgenerous with the cooking.

My pound of flesh at Garufa was cooked perfectly to order. When it was delivered. However, being served on a hot plate it continued to cook before my very eyes. I almost gave myself indigestion trying to eat it before it lost its deep red colour.

I've heard good things about the Garufa breakfast. Ah, one day...

The Garufa steak is fantastic....have it with the morcilla (black pudding) and provencale chips - absolutely great.

I've had the breakfast and it's very good - alternatively hold on a bit and on Sundays they do steak, salad and chips for about £16 so well worth it.

Last night though I ate at St John in Archway and had a Ribeye with chips and salad for £17 that both my sister and I said was better than Garufa...and we are big fans.

Err...stupid question. And I'm too lazy to look it up. But where is Garufa?

St John is ace too. Especially for Sunday Lunch.

I think Los Guadales deserves a visit. I've enjoyed it on the occiasions I've been.

You cannot compare with Peteks - Colombian food is not Turkish food. Apples and Oranges, innit?

I think Petek is getting a bit sloppy. They bring the main courses out almost as soon as you get the starters, the portions of houmous are now tiny, and the overally quality of cooking and ingredients is slipping a little.

Too early in my mind!

I saw it too and I am sorry.
Only went there 2 or 3 times, and enjoyed the food and the service.
Great to have different cuisines around.

Has anyone tried the Mauritian Fish restaurant? I'd curious but it appears to be 15-25 quid for a main, and it doesn't look that plush inside...

Arky

Thanks staplejack. Maybe I'll take the missus there for Valentine's, unless someone less emotionally retarded than me want to shoot that idea down.

Arky

it appears to be 15-25 quid for a main, and it doesn't look that plush inside

To be fair there's one main course for more than £20 and all the rest are less than £16. The expensive dish is a lobster feast which would easily cost twice as much in the centre of town.

Chez Liline does great food for a good price.

@zaks, don't diss the mezbaan. I find the staff very pleasant. I wouldn't eat in there (just because of the tables/ decor/ lighting), but for a basic take away that I can walk to rather than have delivered, I'm very fond of it. For higher quality eat-in Indian food there are various threads here recommending places.

slabber - los guadales or mezbaan?

Los Guadales

@slabber. pls, do elaborate

i believe a place was raided for that reason in Holloway rd a while ago, but rumors are some times too easily spread, i think.
The Latin American community in London is big and mostly hard working i'd say.
Same as the Argelians hanging around Blackstock rd; why are they there? many came fleeing persecution around mid-late 90' leaving families behind, are not allowed to work, and i bet lots are still wating for the Home office to decide on what to do with them.
And for the record, asylum seekers get an equivalent to 70% of income support. Hence overcrowed living condition.
Wot u do? hang around in the street talking to your only family who understand what you are going thru and coming from, and in the majority minding their own business.

A friend's father used to run a Chinese restaurant. She once told me that every Chinese restaurant she knew of was involved in something on the side, usually gambling or people smuggling. Her father ran a regular poker game in the back.

Now this was in the States, but I doubt things are all that different here. How else do some of these businesses stay open for years, seemingly without any customers? I just hope that it's drugs or gambling, and not child prostitution.

People work because they need the money. If they were doing it to be virtuous or contribute to society, they'd be volunteering for some worthy cause. There are plenty of them. Morality has nothing to do with it.

Have you ever actually met an immigrant and asked them why they are working? No doubt if you did, you'd just get a bewildered look as to why you were asking them such a stupid question.

Not working is a luxury only the rich can afford.

Slabber, I’m undecided about how I feel about your post-deluge, but you’re on the money with this one. Hard work is not a virtue in itself, it depends on the work. To think otherwise is to be duped by the capitalist mentality.
Arky