Restaurants

A Tunisian-British couple set up Adam’s Café over 15 years ago and found a winning formula – inexpensive menu, cheery laid-back atmosphere and top-notch food. No wonder the place is so popular with locals. While waiting for our food, staff brought out baby balls of lamb, fiery harissa and spicy pickled vegetables to whet our appetite for the excellent starters that followed. The Tunisian classic, brik à l’oeuf (a still-soft egg encased in a brittle fan of ouarka pastry), was perfect: a rare find in London. A generous bowl of harira soup was thick and warming, and pastry cigars of spicy minced meat were among the best we’ve tried. For mains, we ordered a large bowl of couscous with cumin-infused meatballs in a satisfyingly rich tomato sauce. Food presentation is a bit dated (think carved lemons and flamboyant use of parsley garnishes) as is the decor. Nevertheless, we hope the owners banish any thought of updating their establishment. We love the café just the way it is.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009