"Having recently been subjected to a number of over priced, snotty, lack lustre restaurants that had left me utterly depressed and frustrated, I was more than relieved to step into Arnika on a sunny week day evening, a modest little Persian restaurant in my local hood of Harlesden. Sitting outside Arnika doesn't afford Parisian style views but it matters not a jot when the manager is most welcoming, polite and entirely happy for you to BYO without a corkage charge. Excellent start. In the mood for a little mezze, four of us chose a range of meat and vegetarian starters that were ludicrously cheap and had me wondering how on earth people could survive in the face of gigantic London rents and rates. Anyway to the food. Prettily presented, I am delighted to say we were in total unison about the delicious, fresh, clean tasting dishes that were put before us. Saffron and garlic chicken wings served with a garlic aioli; crisp pastries encasing succulent chicken with a tangy, fiery tomato salsa; creamy hummus topped with tiny but juicy pieces of lamb; babaganoush which was eagerly scooped up with super thin flat bread; a couple of the house salads which were adorned with feta and walnuts. This sort of food is neither complicated nor requires years of training in a sweaty French kitchen. It is, however, honest, simple fare that involves thought, spankingly fresh ingredients and a cook who knows about flavour combinations. Get this will you? We had no room for mains and so we asked for the bill. It came to a whopping £30. For those of you who are **** at maths, that means you would be £7.50 lighter of pocket. Shut the front door! By the way, I shouted about Arnika on the local Harlesden FB page and since then, I have heard nothing but similar reports from very happy customers. I should cocoa. Well done Arnika; If they don't make it, it will be a sad day for us all."
