Zeytoona in Hackney

What a great experience! We had so much fun experiencing dish after dish of Ghanian cuisine (the menu that night - it varies). It was lovely getting to know the many people from all over who came together to share supper and wine (and liqueur!) while supporting Doctors Without Borders. Early in the evening we gathered in the parlour and got a chance to introduce ourselves to our fellow guests while the host and her sous chefs were finishing up the cooking. We then shared a large table and dish after dish came out of the kitchen. More than enough for everyone to get their fill. It was a lovely experience and I hope more people will be lucky enough to experience it, too.

Ocurrió que pasear por la zona buscando cualquier tipo de café para sentarse mientras esperé unas pocas horas por un amigo, no esperaba nada en particular. Pero mi ¡oh, ¿estoy contento de que tropezamos con Hirsinger y Strauss! El lugar es tan cálida y acogedora, y el personal te hace sentir aún más con su amable, servicial, allegados forma. El café es el lugar perfecto para protegerse de la lluvia el tiempo fuera, donde se puede oír el suave sonido de jazz suave y compartir la compañía de los demás tranquilo folk. La comida es absolutamente increíble y el té.

Great and suitable for celiacs 🫶🏼

We dined at Escudo de Cuba last night, and while the food and drinks were great, the service was an absolute circus. The restaurant was so overstaffed that it felt like we were being tag-teamed by a never-ending rotation of waiters. When we arrived, we informed a waiter that we had a booking for five people. Instead of being shown to our table, we were passed from one waiter to another—I had to say we have a table booked for five people at least 10 times to different waiters—until we finally reached the manager, who seemed completely lost about where to seat us. Once seated, we were waiting for two more guests, but that didn’t stop five different waiters from approaching us one after the other to take our drink orders. When our full party finally arrived, another wave of waiters swooped in immediately to take our food order. We had to tell different staff members at least four times that we needed more time. Throughout the meal, multiple waiters kept trying to clear our plates before we were finished. Instead of feeling looked after, we felt constantly interrupted. The food and drinks were genuinely enjoyable, but the chaotic and excessive service completely ruined the experience. If they could manage their staff better and give diners some breathing room, it would make for a much more pleasant experience. The Ropa Vieja A La Havana was 10/10.

Llevé a mi madre a tomar una copa después de cenar en otra parte. No teníamos una mesa, pero la señora de recepción miró su tableta con reservas y amablemente nos ofreció una mesa que todavía estaba libre. Fuimos atendidos por un buen empleado Luigi que nos ofreció ayuda en la elección de bebidas y más tarde como nuestras bebidas llegaron - él cuidadosamente nos instruyó cómo 'prepararlos'. He estado en Alchemist muchas veces antes, pero mi madre nunca ha estado allí, así que quería que probara algo diferente y ella estaba muy impresionada! Éxito : )