A bit of S&M

69 Colebrooke Row, Angel, London, N1 8AA

Not been opened very long this is a tiny cocktail bar, they somehow manage to squeeze in a piano with pianist playing chilled lounge music. It's the sort of place where you are shown to a seat and given a vast cocktail menu to peruse. I really love going for classic cocktails when in a place like this as they are so often the best way to know the skill displayed by the mixologists, so on that note I opted for a classic gin vodka martini and it was bloody good - chilled to the max well and with just right hint of vermouth in the background. It's not cheap but because of the nature of this place they're never going to let it become rammed and it'll be top of my list when a quality cocktail is in order, think I'll test them with a Sazerac next time and then try some of their own creations.

S&M Cafe, Angel, London, N1 8LN

After the exuberance of the cocktail bar it was time for something a bit more down to earth and what better then sausage and mash? It's quite a long time since I've been here but it has always down what it says on the tin and the Angel branch is the original and probably the best still. We knew what we were gonna have already and were ravenous so ordered straight away and luckily it didn't take long at all for the food to come out of the kitchen.

Daring Dan 'Cumberland Ring, Pork & Ale, Pork & Leek, Venison, Wild Boar and London Sausages' with Mature Cheddar & Rosemary Mash, Fried Onions, Mushy Peas and Onion Gravy

A great selection of sausages were served and woofed down by the two of us. The highlight was the cumberland which nicely fatty and therefore really juicy, both the venison and wild boar were just a bit too dry - but drowning them in homely gravy seemed to do the trick. The mash was good and while I would have preferred a little bit more butter in it I'm glad it didn't have as much as I'd put in because with the gravy you didn't really need it. The crispy onions and the mushy peas made this a complete meal and I enjoyed it throughly and felt it was a perfect warmer to face the brisk air outside, not a salad day that's for sure.

View Tales of the Undigested in a larger map

Angel in York

The York, Angel, London, N1 8EQ

The first pub you come to when walking right out of Angel tube, I’ve gone past here numerous times but never felt the urge to go in. I was meeting a visiting mate and he’d spent couple of hours nursing a pint while reading the paper and waiting for me to finish work, in fact he described it as a perfect place for this job during the day and I could see why. Just a normal pub really nothing special but also nothing crap about it, although I might change my opinion of the crap-ness if I’d eaten here, don’t think I will though. Beer’s were standard fare on draught and I plumped for every reliable Deuchars which wasn’t bad at all.

View Tales of the Undigested in a larger map

Afghan Curry

Camden Head, Angel, London, N1 8DY

A really good example of an old victorian pub, its even got the brass water taps on bar still. The beer selection is pretty poor and most of the ales on the pumps were off but didn't feel missing much as I've drank quite a bit of Doom Bar recently and have gone off London Pride totally, instead I went for a Leffe and it was pretty decent. Overall this isn't a pub I'd go back to and I'd made that decide without factoring in the soft rock soundtrack, Bon Jovi is quite possibly my least favourite band ever.

Afghan Kitchen, Angel, London, N1 8DU

Just around the corner from the Camden Head but unlike that it's on a busy road in the heart of Angel. There is a small space with two tables downstairs and only a few more tables upstairs, we were seated upstairs at table with two couples. The service was slow and they seemed a little stressed, most people just seemed to be drink water with their meals and after we had a glass of red wine we saw why - it was ridiculously cheap and even chilled, wasn't fit to call itself wine and we just left it. The food was a totally different kettle of fish though...

Lamb with Spinach

Tender stewed pieces of lamb sitting in a mass of spinach, the spicing was very simple and quite subtle but brilliantly done. Tasted and looked like real proper authentic Afghanistan curry not an Anglicised version and with the amount of spinach and the lack of greasy coating it seemed quite healthy.

Chicken with Yogurt

This was just a fantastic curry, the cool yogurt was fighting with the deep and hot chilli as well as the generous refreshing mint. Easily one of the nicest curries I've ever eaten and just thinking about it now is making me hungry.

To go with the curries we had some excellent rice to go with our bread, the bread was like a thick wholemeal nan but much heavier - obviously just out of the oven it was so nice soaking it in the yogurt sauce with came with my curry. We also ordered some pickles and chutney, unfortunately the chutney was all done for the day, I really liked the pickles which were just like normal but spicy British pickles with the cabbage being especially good - I was the only person who though they were nice though, I am partial to strong acidic vinegar though.

For what it is this place is superb, what it isn't is a restaurant, it's an informal laid back almost haphazard place to eat which you should treat that way. I can see people going here and getting wound up by the service and drinks but just go and enjoy the curries because you're unlikely to get something so tasty for such a good price almost anywhere else.

View Tales of the Undigested in a larger map

Turkish Meze in Angel

Gem, Angel, London, N1 2UQ

A good ten minute walk east on Upper Street from Angel tube station; Gem is particularly un-Turkish and unassuming looking from the outside, inside the menu is everything you'd expect from the region. I actually quite like the fact that its not done up like some mock harem, its just a laid back and simple looking restaurant. We opted for the set menu b which at £13.95 per person seemed like a good deal.

Selection of 6 cold, 3 hot starters (meze) to share

I thought this was a very well portioned meze starter, the dishes included; Cacik, Iispanak Tarator, Patates Salatasi, Tarama Salata, Muska Boregi and Falafel. The feta cheese filled pastry that is Muska Boregi was especially nice and went really well with the yogurt cacik and beautifully puffed up bread.

Beyti

Beyti is a spicier version of the traditional adana lamb kebab, lamb is by far my favourite barbecue meet because of the juicy fat which stops it from drying out. For me the spice could have been upped a notch but this wouldn't have mattered if the harissa that was served with it had more of kick. It was really good but not as good as the starters in quality and flavour.

We had a nice bottle of Argentinian Malbec which was again excellent value at under £14, the price combined with the quick and effective service made for an excellent meal before we headed back up the road to cinema to watch the blue people in 3D.

View Tales of the Undigested in a larger map

Go to The Winchester and wait for all of this to blow over

The Winchester, Angel, London, N1 8LN

I quite like the Winchester but this is probably only the fourth time I've been here since I first visited for a friends birthday 3 years ago. It seems to have chilled out a bit in that time and become a bit more grown up and just better.

Being valentines day and just meeting a friend I was so relieved when the only thing different than normal they were doing was a ladies only cocktail party downstairs, upstairs it was just right for quiet Sunday and I found a table straight away. I had a pint of the Portuguese beer Sagres while waiting which was nice but unremarkable, after finishing our first drink we decided to give the Sunday lunch a go even though not planned to eat anything.

Rolled leg of lamb with roast new potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, carrot and parsnip

Nicely presented with the Yorkshire pudding on top of the meat and full to brim with gravy, when cut into the gravy ratio was spot on, I do like a lot of gravy with my Sunday dinner. The lamb and everything else was cooked well, my only gripe - well my only two gripes were the Yorkshire pudding which I'm sure Aunt Bessie had a hand in and the mint sauce which seemed to have been left under a hot lamp for too long so had a crust on top.

I'd say the dinner was just above average but what made it was the value the meal offered, the Sunday dinner was 2 for 1 and with a decent selection of wines for about £15 a bottle it cost less than £30 for two of us with wine, I thought we'd got a total bargain and on Valentines days too!

View Tales of the Undigested in a larger map

Snowy evening in north london

The Angel Inn, Highgate, N6 5JT

Stuck in a pub because of snowy blizzards at least makes it feel like christmas, first time I've been to Highgate and seems like a nice quiet area with a bit of character. We went to the Angel Inn which has good selection of european beers on tap but not quite as good for the real ales. Being about -1 degrees outside I didn't really fancy a chilled lager so opted to try what ales they had. First up was pint of Adnams Broadside - bought this a few times and don't know why I keep trying it as just a bog standard bitter really but this was no worse or better than I've had before. The service was pretty slow at the bar and even though not busy did take a while to get served. Had a pint of London Pride next which was good if head a little weak. Having been uninspired by the ales I thought I'd try one of the continental brews on offer and had a pint of Erdinger Weissbräu which is always a good fruity wheat beer - this tasted much better although did feel unusual to have in standard pint glass and not the vase type glasses you get in most places serving it.

Slow roasted pork belly, with glazed apples, black pudding, mashed potatoes

A real slab of pork belly, it was superbly slow cooked so melted in mouth to right degree. Also good was the creamy mash the belly was laid upon. The black pudding was cheap though and the glazed apples were just like two slices of apple that had been put under grill for 2 mins - didn't add anything to meal at all, they would have definitely worked if they were done properly.

Sirloin steak with chips and side salad

I love the way chips look when still got skin on the potatoes - I think they actually look tastier. They tasted good too, the steak was a little over medium rare for me but I think I was only person who thought that. The salad was nice and fresh but cheap olive oil didn't elevate it from just a bit of lettuce and tomato.

This pub is a nice place which I would go back to, preferably in the summer though when you'd want to drink all those chilled foreign beers and not freeze on the way home.

View Tales of the Undigested in a larger map