London restaurant recommendations

[maomao]

Hullo,

My family is coming for a visit in a few weeks (hooray!). I'm looking for restaurant recommendations in London for my dad's 70th birthday dinner. By no means does it need to be fancy, but it most certainly needs to be child-friendly (DD is 5 months). We'll eat anything, so there are no constraints there.

Any thoughts? Thanks for your help!

Yes, I'm a FREAK about ice cream! Okay, I'm just a freak.

Your park recommendation sounds great---I'll have to check it out. Thanks!

If going to Halepi I have to say I would order the meze. I know it sounds unadventurous but its is fantastic and BIG. I know Vrisaki too, smokey and noisy from what I remember but fab. My husband had his "stag night" (boys' dinner) there.
Holly Bush - Jamie Oliver lives next door!
For ice cream forget Hagaen Daaz, go to Marine Ices in Chalk Farm, VERY child friendly but possibly not special enough for adult birthday. There's also Belgo there which is great but a bit loud.
Could go on and on but would be up all night!

When it comes to ice cream, it either has to be Ben&Jerry's or real live Italian ice cream only found in Italy.

For Gastropubs I like the Salusbury in Queens Park and the Rocket in Acton...both have very very good modern european/italian style cooking.

Mmmmmm..... ice cream..... but I digress. That's great to hear about Marine Ices, as my nephews (7 & 4) are suddenly coming too! So if anyone has thoughts about places nearby (not necessarily food-related) to take 2 rambunctious boys I shall be forever indebted.

Y'know Davros, I was watching "Jamie's Restaurant' or something like that (I wanted to seewhat was up with the word "pucca" ) and I THOUGHT it looked like he was somewhere near the Holly Bush!

SofiaAmes, if ever you're in the area, you should try The Wells---my understanding is that it's quite good. The chef there was formerly at The Fat Duck.

I know a great gastro-pub - The Engineer in Primrose Hill - it's REALLY good.
Have a look at this

Oh - sorry link won't work for some reason. It's www.the-engineer.com or just type engineer restuarant into Google.

ThomCat, I think I would have to eat my way thru the entire menu! It looks DEE-lish. Thanks! Is there something that you particularly like there? (It doesn't seem like you can really go wrong with that menu!)

Agree with The Engineer, I have lunch there with a friend every month and my hubbie had his 40th there in the upstairs room. Chips there are great. Have also heard the Wells is good but not tried it. Disappointed with The Belsize which turned Gastro Pub last year, average food and expensive, no garden, dark and smokey. Also Black & Blue on Haverstock Hill was a disappointment, frozen chips! The ice cream at Marine Ices IS just like that made in Italy and was started early 20c (?) by Italian family from Amalfi and has been passed down. Chalk Farm is all trendy now but still with a grotty undertone!
Kenwood is great for breakfast, especially a sunny autumn day, meeting friends there for just that week after next. Also frequent Wagamama in Camden.
God my life's a drudge

Davros, you can send me your leftovers anytime---sounds like you eat in some yummy places! I appreciate all your recommendations, and if you've got any more....

Thanks!

I can second Beetroot's recommendation of Vrisaki's (or it could be Vritsaki's) in Bounds Green, its on Middleton Road and we have taken our son a few times. They are fantastic with children and you HAVE to book, even midweek. There is always La Porcheta's in Muswell Hill or there's another Italian in Muswell Hill can't remember the name but it's diagonally opposite St James's church on the Broadway.

P.S. Beetroot do you live round here as we live just off Brownlow Rd?

maomao, leftovers, what are they! PLEASE let us know where you go in the end and what its like.

Ooh, Debbiethe mum, I am 'just off' Brownlow Road too, and know all the places you talk about, even though, after six years and LOADS of recommendations, we still have not managed to get to Vrisaki (sp?). Must do it! The scary thing is, I probably know you, even if at just the corner shop!

does anyone know the persian restaurant next door to kebabish which is opposite bounds green tube station? my hubby wnats to go there tonight and i have no idea why ! it looks horrid from the outside. is it any good, and can you recommend anywhere else thats nice, not too noisy and serves halal food. prefer not indian

Pizza Express has the highest marks of any chain we visit. Not just tolerant, but actively helpful.