Mamuśka

Now in its third location, long-running Polish restaurant Mamuśka has upsized to the kind of gigantic industrial railway arch that feels as though it should be a nightclub: aided by the pumping soundtrack of Sean Paul and Euro dance that thumped away on our 8pm midweek visit. A selection of McDonald’s-style automated screens now join the counter staff from which you order the hearty, rustic Polish cuisine, before waiting for your order number to be called.

The gut-busting portions attract a diverse (if Polish-heavy) crowd, from party-frocked women carb (and vodka)-loading before hitting the town to thirty-somethings in comfortable jumpers charging their phones over pierogi and a chat.

A big stack of potato pancakes came with a beautifully caramelised crust, topped with huge chunks of pork and a molten layer of cheese, while a starter of dill-sauce-coated herring was served with an impressively warm hunk of home-made bread, tiger-striped with char marks. The pierogi were the stand-out, though: a cheese version was all gooey centre, topped with crisp bacon bits – great hangover food, which is apt given its vast booze selection of 30 vodkas and 40 beers.

Prices aren’t as low as they once were: £15 for two beef cheeks is pushing it for somewhere playing club hits circa 2006 and seating diners at beer garden wooden tables and benches. But for mega amounts of warming, Eastern European comfort food, Mamuśka is still well worth a look.