Oy Vey at Mishkin’s Covent Garden

Miskin’s – A kind of Jewish Deli with Cocktails in Covent Garden:

I was curious.  I’ve seen so much written about Mishkins.  And like everyone else in London, I’ve tried Russell Norman’s Italian bars…though avoided Sputino  so far partly  because I just don’t think I’m cool enough and partly because it seems to be a lot about eggs…and I just don’t like eggs.  That’s probably nothing more than the much photographed  truffled egg toast;)

You know when you go to the theatre and you recognise the set design of whatever new play you are seeing because you know ‘that designer’s style’ (think  David Hockney for instance or John Piper).  Well, going into a Russell Norman restaurant is a similar experience.  You are there for the theatre.  Nothing too serious…or at least nothing that anyone over 25 is going to take too seriously.

Mishkins is very much from the same stable…and,  playfully inauthentic down to the All Pork Big Apple dog!  We’d already eaten a light lunch and were looking for coffee/tea and something sweet.  So,  we just looked on longingly at the very generous salt beef sandwich and meatballs ordered by the next door table.  And ordered a bowl of reubens bananas and icecream to go with our drinks!  The bananas were gorgeously goey and sticky with brown sugar, but not a match for the rather fabulous looking salt beef sandwich.

It’s not truly uncomfortable, but nor is it the sort of place you’d settle in for the afternoon.  Bentwood chairs and banquettes, a typically Norman bar laid up for snack-dining.  This is somewhere to grab a pre-theatre or post theatre bite to eat or to have lunch after shopping in Covent Garden.  Nothing is scarily expensive but nor is it ‘budget’ pricing – substantial sandwiches are £9.00 and ‘all day supper dishes’ range from £6 to £9.

The day we went, there WAS a real Oy Vey experience as a customer fell down the stairs and needed an ambulance crew to take him away.  The staff were truly efficient and calm – and told me that he was a regular customer and they thought he’d slipped because he was wearing his cycling shoes.

At some point I will return.  Hopefully it will be a drama free visit.  And I’ll make sure I’m a bit hungrier!

Mishkins
(020) 7240 2078
25 Catherine Street, Covent Garden WC2