Last Saturday, against
all odds, we managed to squeeze in a booking for two in the very busy list of
the Harlem Café. I had wanted to go there for a while. I usually look at the
menu first when I try to find our next spot for a nice dinner out; but I must
admit that it is the style and the decoration that really attracted me this one
time.
When you step in the
Harlem Café, there is a lot to take in. Every single detail, every piece of
furniture has been carefully selected: it is a whirlwind of black and white
photographs, oil paintings, antique frames, tables and armchairs, imposing
vases, all brilliantly orchestrated in order to create a unique and enchanting
atmosphere.
The place was packed
and buzzing with excitement, which didn’t stop the service from being fast and
efficient. While waiting for our table to be ready, we ordered a crisp and dry
Chardonnay from Chile that was presented in an impressive and elegant silver
bucket.
The menu was quite
simple but really appealing. We decided to share as a starter the “Harlem’s
tiddly bits surprise” described as the chef’s choice of mouth watering treats! We
didn’t regret our choice when the waitress brought to our table a wooden board
offering a creative selection of curry popcorn, green and purple marinated
olives, garlic, chilli and curry infused oils with warm toasted sourdough bread
to dip in as well as a scrumptious sundried tomatoes tapenade and some crispy
fried puff pastry slices. It was a real delight and we devoured everything. I
had never tried something like curry popcorn before and loved the experience.
The mix of texture and flavours was astonishing.
As for our main
course, we couldn’t resist the temptation of the Harlem’s Big Smoke Steak
Burger. Believe me, it was massive and we definitely over-indulged but it
tasted so good!! The patty was full of fresh herbs and seasoned to the
perfection. It was smothered in Applewood cheese, which gave a nice smoky kick
to the whole burger. A crispy and lightly battered onion ring brought a lovely
touch to the dish. The Posh Burger from the Alley Cat definitely got itself
some competition and I haven’t even mentioned yet the side of chunky chips. I
wondered if those were the famous triple cooked chips I heard so much about. I
am more of a French fries kind of person usually but these chips were unreal,
thick but crispy, beautifully golden, they couldn’t have tasted better.
The only criticism I
have about this lovely evening concerns the temperature in the café. The way
the Harlem is designed results in a lot of people being gathered in a rather
small space and that creates some serious heat! Despite the front door being
open and the cold weather outside, we were rapidly roasting and it is just not
a good feeling when you are eating. It certainly put us off our food a bit and
we renounced ordering a dessert which was a shame knowing that the Café is
famous for its delicious cakes.
Except from that, we
had a great time and I would recommend it without a second thought!
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