Hackney
Testi

Testi

38 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7PL, Hackney, United Kingdom

Meat • Pizza • Cheese • Turkish


"On Sat 12th July, was my 2nd visit, for a freinds birthday 1st was on new years eve and both times was a complete sham! The food standard was way below par. No bread, salad or dips or given to start, most other places give this as standard, while you wait. Bread came with the was burnt, no decent salad, slices of thick carrots on the edge of a sad looking salad, on a small plate. We ordered a £60 platter, meant four people, it came with just wings, ribs, one each skewer of chicken lamb shish. The lamb shish cubes were tiny. This place cuts corners everywhere. I ordered a seabass, it came with a sprinkling of wilted lettuce, I called the waitress over, to draw her attention to this, I asked if this is meant to be the salad,,she replied yes , then said she 'd call someone. We had the same experience on new years eve. We were also rushed, as food took ages to arrive as well. I felt sorry for the male waiter with the glasses. He tried his best after taking over from the lady, because we raised so many issues. Will certainly not be going here again, there are loads of other Qualuty Turkish restaurants just down the road, where you 'll get your monies worth on the platter, as it will also include, chicken lamb doner, köfte and two types of rice. Only those who are inexperienced with Turkish dining would find this place amazing. There 's much better place down the road. I hope the admin from Testi do not attempt a response, because when we asked for the manager that night, they refused to come and put the poor chap instead."

Salvation In Noodles

Salvation In Noodles

122 Balls Pond Road, N1 4AE, Hackney, United Kingdom

Asian • Salad • Noodles • Vietnamese


"That is actually the name of the restaurant, not just me seeking salvation in noodles although it's something I'm likely to do. Good Vietnamese food is hard to come by in London, so when Angela asked if I was up for trying SIN, I was more than eager. The only slight downside (for me my location) is that it's in Dalston, an area I'd never ventured into before, because it just feels that little bit too far away... but will travel for food, and all that. It's a bus ride away from a couple of tube stations, so it's not too bad (and if you live East, it's really not a trek at all, but I live on the other side of the city), but something to keep in mind. Geographical logistics aside, I had a great evening of food and chatting with Angela, her boyfriend and his friend. It's a cosy little place which is clearly popular, with friendly staff and a no fuss vibe that I think suits Vietnamese cuisine. With four of us hungry and ready to dig in, we ordered a selection of sharing plates: summer rolls, spring rolls, lamp chops and chicken wings. Although everything was delicious, the meat stood out for me the chicken wings were so moreish with that sweet and salty flavour everyone loves, and the lamp was excellent too. Perfect little plates to open up our appetite! Thankfully our appetites were still going strong when the noodles arrived, because those bowls are massive. You know those bowls that seem never ending, no matter how much you think you've eaten? I went for the Bun Rieu, which is Vietnamese crab noodle soup with pork belly prawns, which comes with these crab meat balls that take the dish up a notch. It was incredibly fresh but pretty spicy, so I'd stay away from it if you're not a spice fan I really enjoyed it myself. They also have other noodles, such as the classic Pho and also noodle salads, if you're not keen on soups. I'm kind of hoping that they open a branch somewhere central at some point, although that would mean we'd probably have to fight for a table... in the meantime though, I'd definitely recommend it for those who want to quench their Vietnamese noodle craving and not be disappointed. Up next on my Vietnamese food trail is Cafe East, which I've heard rave reviews of. If you have any other suggestions, let me know!"

Translate

Translate

12-14 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, E2 8DA, Hackney, United Kingdom

Pub • Wine • Beer • British


"I've walked past Translate bar several times, mostly in the day and each time I think ooh, what's that place, that looks nice' before realising again it is Translate. On Saturday, I actually went in, for a drink or two before The Dance Assembly at the Horse and Groom.And it was nice. It wasn't as busy as I feared it would be plenty of people to give it an atmosphere but there was still plenty of space for standing, or, if you were lucky, sitting like we did. There's pretty lights at the window and interesting art on the wall, plus that stripped back, brick thing that Shoreditch does so well. They had a couple of interesting beers that Stephen went for I had an averagely priced glass of house white which was plenty drinkable before perusing the cocktail list. These are mainly (or if you go for one of the posh' ones their words) which is an acceptable price to pay for a cocktail in a place whose raison d'etre isn't cocktails unlike, say, Callooh Callay or Worship Street Whistling Shop. I ordered the Taste of Honey (apparently the first person to actually call it by its name, rather than just the top two ingredients of honey and lime listed on the menu The menu, by the way, is a rather cute-looking thing itself, the ingredients of each cocktail being designed in the shape of a drink (presumable to match what it looks like when served). The taste of honey was a short, strong drink of rum, but obviously the addition of honey gave it a sweetness that I like in my boozy beverages. It was great, and I could have have had many more but I didn't want to spend a fortune so I switched back to wine for my last drink there.The music while we were in there was fantastic. I meant to write down just a few choice songs but each time another song came on, it was again worthy of note. So, a selection of our soundtrack to the night included:Salt n Pepa's Whatta Man, Soul II Soul's Back to Life, Madonna's Papa Don't Preach, The Doors – Break on Through, The Beach Boys – Barbara Ann and Aretha's Respect. Not too shabby diverse and a little bit old school but all gems to put you in a mood for a night out."