The Saturday List #438 - 10 great international cuisines you can taste in the Borough of Barnet

 Yesterday, the rather wonderful David Grant asked the listeners of BBC Radio London for ideas for eating out, when he was standing in for Robert Elms on the midday show. What followed was a truly wonderful selection of restaurants etc across London. It got me thinking as to what were the 10 best cuisines that I've eaten in the Borough of Barnet. We are blessed with some fantastic restaurants. Here is my selection.

1. Chinese. You simply cannot get a better Chinese meal than the Good Earth in Mill Hill. The food is absolutely wonderful and the people who run it are lovely. It is not cheap, but is rather special.  As an alternative, if you want lovely Dim Sum JM Oriental is excellent.

2. Indian. Regular readers will know I love Indian food. My favourite is The Mill Hill Tandoori. It is very much a traditional Bangladeshi style. The best dish they do is the Tandoori Salmon. The mixed grill is also rather good. There are plenty of good Indian restaurants in the Borough of Barnet, I'd recommend trying them all!

3. Argentinian. If you like eating meat, you really can't beat El Vaquerro in Mill Hill is wonderful. The cuisine is meat on skewers. There is no menu, they keep bringing around different delicious meats until you are full. What is not to like. There is also a decent salad bar, but to be honest, you wouldn't really go if you are a vegan.

4. Irish. One of the best Irish pubs in London is in Hendon. The Claddagh Ring does excellent Irish cuisine, with great stews, bacon and cabbage etc.  Needless to say, the Guinness is pretty good too. It is not the place for a quiet romantic dinner though, absolutely buzzing venue. 

5. Italian. There are quite a few decent Italian restaurants in the Borough. My personal favourite is Metro Italia, in Copthall open space. Not fussy, a fave for families. Just good, relatively inexpensive and friendly. I'd also highly recommend Il Tocco D'Artista in North Finchley, which I note has a five star rating on Trip advisor. 

6. Spanish. I love a good Tapas bar and La Luna in Whetstone is excellent. A great thing for me is that it's only 15 minutes from Mill Hill on the 251 bus, which means I can enjoy a glass or two of wine as well. The Gambas, Crispy Pork Belly, Tortilla, and  meatballs are very tasty.

7. English. Many snobby foodie types look down their nose at English food, but I passionately believe that a Full English breakfast is the food of the Gods and there is nowhere better than Cafe Anglais in Colindale. 

8. Turkish. I'm rather partial to a good Turkish grill and Izgara in Edgware is pretty good. Not overpriced and highly tasty.

9. Japanese. Have to give Kiyoto in Mill Hill a shout out. They do wonderful Sushi, fresh and tasty. A really vital part of the Mill Hill food scene! A favourite of my missus and kids.

10. Pakistani. Easily confused with Indian food, but actually rather different. A friend suggested we try the Original Lahore Restaurant in Hendon recently and it was amazing. The grilled meat starters and the specials are amazing. If you want a more traditional Indian meal, you may well find it is not on the menu. They are not licensed, so you bring your own booze, which means it is a real bargain! 

And on that note, I am going to have lunch. It's made me rather hungry! Please feel free to share your tips in the comments. I am always looking for new, exciting restaurants.

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