By Anh Nguyen
Pasha
301 Upper Street
020 7226 1454
***
A RESTAURANT in Angel celebrated its 35th birthday on Monday by offering a special menu at prices from the seventies. For one day only, Pasha made authentic Turkish dishes available at kebab shop prices.
For those who have never tried Turkish food, this was not an opportunity to miss. A full reservations book proved the point.
Inside, large Turkish paintings told fairy tales from the walls, and exotic, bronze light fittings might have stored gold, frankincense or myrrh.
Unfortunately, there was not a single pair of flares in sight. The only sign of nostalgia was the seventies soundtrack pumping classics such as the original Lady Marmalade.
Waiters dressed all in black bustled around seating and serving men and women in business attire. Despite their uniform, diners could not have failed to appreciate the distinctive-looking waiters.
A jolly, Pedro Almodovar look-a-like, the Spanish film director recognisable by his large build and mop of curly hair, provided a speedy service, with a charisma that “Manuel” of Fawlty Towers would envy. (“Beautiful place, beautiful food, beautiful company.”) Incidentally, there was also a “Manuel” look-a-like, who was less able to disperse the “Mediterranean” charm and enthusiasm.
The “Sultans Meze”, a plate of four dips including tomato couscous and hummous (£1.50) was plenty as a starter for two, and baskets of pitta bread were small change at 20p each.
The most expensive dishes on the menu were main courses at £3.20 each. Tender lamb or chicken shish came with a perfect mound of aubergine rice, but was let down slightly by a plain, watery salad.
Things perked up for dessert, however, and the single scoop of vanilla ice cream, dusted with dark chocolate (50p), melted in the mouth with the extremely rich baklava (75p), which was enough to forgive any weeping salad.
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