I had a fantastic lunch last week at Assiette Anglaise, a relatively new restaurant for Highbury and a welcome one indeed! It’s is a fine little neighbourhood brasserie which locals should be proud to call their own. Everybody else? This all day eatery’s only a short stroll away from Highbury and Islington Station (and is just about as close to Holloway Road and Caledonian Road stations too). The delighful meal I had was certainly worth the time I spent on public transport to get there.
I loved my salade Lyonnaise. At £6.50, it was a generous portion with plenty of thick bits of bacon. An inventive (for a residential north London lane anyway) main course of chimichurri steak tartare (£11) hit the spot as well. I’d recommend both for folks with hearty appetites and wouldn’t be against having either of them again myself.
My wine was wonderful too. A glass of Gascogne Rouge “Aramis” (Château D’Aydie,
Gascony, 2011) was a fresh and well structured complement to my meaty meal (£5 for a glass, £13 for a carafe, £19.50 for the bottle). For my afters I went with a couple of cheese (£3 each) followed by a highly commendable coffee. I absolutely loved the Selles de Cher goat cheese.
Beyond a delicious and value-for-quality lunch, Assiette Anglaise does brekkie, din-din and (according to my server) a very popular weekend brunch.
Service was fine – polite and informal. The space (it’s the old Morgan M restaurant) was a comfortable blend of elegance and fortuity, not overly precious or at all shabby chic. Obviously, the restaurant can’t guarantee nice weather, but the sunlight streaming through Assiette’s giant windows and the mild breeze blowing in the open front door during my visit were extremely pleasant touches. With St Mary Magdalene Garden across the street and Paradise Park round the corner, a sunny day visit would be a grand idea (you’d be wise to call ahead to book a table on the weekend though).
Assiette Anglaise is located at 489 Liverpool Road, N7 8NS. Find out more at assietteanglaise.co.uk.
