The Parakeet Pub

The Parakeet Pub took over the old Oxford pub on Kentish Town high street. If you’ve seen an earlier review I did of Brat, the Parakeet Pub is home to Ben Allen who used to work there. The concept is simple enough, cooking the best produce over an open fire. This was the last spot we went to with my brother, and it genuinely feels like the best spot in our area.

We started with pickled oysters which were fresh and tart, a new way to experience fresh oysters. We were recommended the braised leeks and mushrooms in pecorino sauce and I’m so glad we opted for it, with a generous portion of pecorino sauce it’s a rich dish that is best shared amongst friends. I’ve written before about my love of shrimp heads, shrimp guts, just all things shrimp. One of my favourite dishes here is the grilled lettuce in shrimp head butter. It’s as delicious as it sounds, all vegetables really should be cooked in shrimp head butter, or any butter for that matter.

Once again, I was pleasantly surprised at the dessert options, we opted for the Kossoffs kouign anam & brown butter custard. I’ve always enjoyed custard, going back to my days as a child going to a Catholic school in Welwyn Garden city. This obviously was a far more satisfying dish and one that we were all pleasantly surprised by. My brother was keen on the Chocolate torte, this was incredibly delicate and light and also a winner.

The dining space is small and buzzy, the staff are incredibly attentive and friendly, bar one waitress who dropped off the odd dish with no fan fare or eye contact, she seemed rather distracted or uninterested. Perhaps we caught her on a bad day. Outside of that though, this is a really great spot, very welcoming, and one I hope to dine at for years to come!

Price per head: £40 per head with a drink

Kossoffs kouign anam & brown butter custard

Oysters

Shrimp head butter salad

Braised leeks, pecorino sauce, smoked mushrooms