The new venture for Russell Norman small dishes empire is Mishkin’s. Yes the same Norman that gave us the magic of Da Polpo, Spuntino, Polppeto, and Polpo is back looking for rebel forces on the planet Covent Garden. Loose Jewish comfort food, nothing too kosher about that, would this be the place that Ezra Mishkin envisioned? Not so crowded as his brother Spuntino, Mishkin’s has a unique atmosphere, a definitive mix between Manhattan and London, big bar just at the entrance and tables at the back, wooden and brick walls, and their now classic rustic décor.
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| Mishkin's |
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| Inside |
My friend first comment after studying the menu was I don’t understand it, who cares? Order one of each and make your life easy, if it’s as good as Da Polpo or Spuntino you will be fine. Good cocktails, I haven’t been feeling too good so I ordered a milkshake which was pretty good, but my friend ordered a Diamond Fizz (gin, prosecco, and lemon) which actually loved so much that couldn’t resist to tweet about that.
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| Diamond Fizz |
Plenty of options I knew I wanted to try the Reuben, pastrami on rye with sauerkraut, Swiss melted cheese, and Russian dressing. It was awesome, huge portion, full of flavour, the dressing, the sauerkraut, and the melted cheese in perfect balance with the pastrami, definitely my favourite Reuben in London, I can compare it to the one of Grahamwich in Chicago. I want it more so I ordered a special fried sprouts with garlic dip, the battered was good, nice flavour, good dip, but I think it felt a little bit short. Finally I was between meatballs or the traditional matzo ball soup, at the end decided to try the Lamb and Pistachio meatball, good spicy kick, nice flavour but a little bit dry, nothing serious that can be easily fix as the flavours are there.
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| Reuben |
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| More Reuben |
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| Meatballs |
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| Fried Sprouts |
Highly recommended, nice atmosphere, R&B music out loud, I recall Otis Redding version of Satisfaction, a different and unique menu, and great cocktails, I wonder why it wasn’t as packed as Spuntino during my visit, probably Jewish cuisine is a hard sell for Londoners, not sure, time will tell, but for now I will go for my Matzo Ball and another Reuben when nearby Covent Garden.
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| A view of the bar |
Jewish cuisine reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Fatigues”
George: What are you doing here?
Kramer: Well, he came by to pick up his check for the banquet hall. You know I got a hundred and eighty-three responses? Oh, it's going to be a ragger
Jerry: Kramer, how are you going to cook Jewish delicacies for a hundred and eighty-three people?
Kramer: Yeah, you're right. That's a lot of pupkitz. Hey Frank, you know anybody who can help me cook?
Frank: Cook? No, I don't know any cooks. I don't know anything about cooking!
Mishkin's
T: 020 7240 2078
Jewish Deli
Area: Covent Garden
Borough: Westminster
Twitter: MishkinsWC2
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4 comments:
Where is the meat?
Two wafer-thin slices of meat – and you're calling this a Reuben.
It's more sauerkraut than meat. And it's more bread than anything else.
If I wanted a loaf of bread, I would have gone to a bakery.
Are you joking?
Marks and Spencer makes pre-packed Ham sandwiches with more meat than this thing!
I've never seen such a stingy sandwich, let alone a Reuben.
A place like this would be laughed out of existence in New York, New Jersey – or any state in America for that matter.
What a let down... I will never return again.
Joey,
I kind of agree with you, is nowhere near the portions size in NYC or any other state in the US so it's difficult probably impossible to compare with monster size portions of Katz's and other places.
However for London standards I think the size was good, not the more generous filling probably but at least was tasty and not a trainwreck
I'm a big fan of a good Reuben. A good Reuben is a celebration of Life. It should be satisfying. And it should be generous.
I will go miles out of my way for good Reuben or a good Salt Beef Sandwich on Rye with English mustard. These two sandwiches are like two brothers. I love them equally.
Two of the best places in London to get them are B&K Salt Beef Bar up in Edgware and the Beigel Bake on Brick Lane which is open 24 hours a day seven days a week. Both of these joints know how to make a super-juicy-fall-out-the-sides generous sandwich.
You could put either one of these shops somewhere in Brooklyn, and they would still have massive ques. Because New Yorkers don't want fancy-pants nonsense. They just want a good sandwich. And if you go to B&K Salt Beef Bar up in North London or the Beigel Bake on Brick Lane out in East London – that's what you get. A no-nonsense great tasting super-juicy super-generous Salt Beef Sandwich.
Joey completely agree Beigel Bake Salt Beef are awesome, as soon as I'm back in London I will go to B&K thanks for the tip
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