Muswell Hill is one of those parts of London that makes you feel as though you aren’t in London, ignoring the red double deckers that seem to be the focal point of Muswell Hill Broadway. Its surrounding royal avenues – Princes, Queens and Dukes – all lend to that villagey feel everyone recognises in certain pockets of the city. The latest addition to the village is Bob’s Cafe.
Setting up residence in the former location of gourmet chicken restaurant, Chooks, Bob’s Cafe is a light and airy little place – Muswell Hill now being their third residence, following Ealing and Queen’s Park. The exposed brickwork and hanging plants set a quiet calm, as does the smiles of the staff and their amiable approach.
Their menu is seasonal, with an offering of both light mains and heartier meals. Summer truly arrived in the starters, with Grilled Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers a great choice to kick things off – a nice balance between the saltiness of the Mediterranean cheese and the sweetness of the peppers. The Crunchy Tiger Prawns are fantastic, with the spicy aioli offering the right level of punch to each bite.
The mains on show were a meat lovers dream. Bob’s burger is now a reality! It’s loaded and juicy and full of flavour. The highlight though is the Steak Frites, the chef excelling in the cooking of the thinly beaten out sirloin minute steak. Each slice had the perfect shade of pink and was excellently seasoned. The garlic and herb butter melting over the delicious meat worked wonderfully as a combo (I’m normally a peppercorn sauce or red wine jus kinda guy).
Room for dessert? If you insist! Try the Mountain Chocolate Cheesecake. It’s a bit heavy, but then all the best desserts are, so forget about it and indulge for the evening. It’s straight up gorgey!
It’s friendly, charming and no nonsense, just what you’d expect from a quiet little village cafe.
For more information visit http://www.bobscafe.net/