Eclectic dishes served in style

London is a huge city which makes getting around seem like an Antarctic trek compared to more compact cities. On the up side, London’s huge expanse means you’re likely to find interesting restaurants in the most unlikely of places. The Triangle is a case in point. This stylish restaurant serving up an eccentric range of dishes is located on a small leafy road just west of Finsbury Park. Its neighbours include a Londis convenience store and a laundertte.

The idea of a stylish restaurant near Finsbury Park may seem oxymoronic to seasoned Londoners, but The Triangle is an attractive place. Turkish and Moroccan-style lamps festoon the roughly triangle-shaped dining room. A mixture of modern art and Maghreb-style fountains line the seemingly roughly hewn walls. Oddly, the carpet is on the ceiling and not the floor. Most of the lighting is provided by lamps and candlelight which would make it attractive for a romantic tryst but I had to be content with the company of Wicket.

You Purty.

The menu at The Triangle is just as varied and unusual as the decor. Wicket started off with the open ravioli served with asparagus in a mushroom and brie sauce. The furry little fellow seemed underwhelmed by his starter though, so I suspect it’s no match for the excellent ravioli at Latium which is admittedly a tough comparison since Latium specialises in ravioli. The bread basket for the table was unremarkable, but the zesty butter was a nice touch.

Is open ravioli really ravioli anymore?

Everything looks better by candlelight.

I was intrigued by the crocodile satay since I’ve never had crocodile before. The old chestnut about crocodile tasting like chicken may be clichéd, but it’s actually true. The chunks of croc had the fibrous texture of pork, but with a lighter taste resembling both pork and chicken. I doubt it’s the best example of crocodile meat, but it was tasty and went well with the deliciously nutty, paste-like satay dipping sauce. The fluffy cous cous was a pleasing accompaniment.

Yeah, I know it’s not a very good photo. You try looking inconspicuous while taking photos of food in a restaurant.

For some reason Wicket ordered steak against my advice. He was unmoved by his medium-cooked slab of beef and this is a man who thinks Gaucho is a good steakhouse, so that’s a damning indictment. The chips, which we suspect were cooked in beef dripping, were fine, but a little too soft for our taste. We both seem to prefer a firmer, crisper chip. If you’re serious about your steak and chips, Hawksmoor is the place to be.

Many cows died to bring you this blog.

Kangaroo meat proved surprisingly hard to find during my trip to Sydney a few years ago, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to try it here. This was my first taste of kangaroo and it wasn’t as tender or gamey as I was expecting. It was cooked medium, as recommended by our waitress, and the firm, grainy texture and slightly grassy taste reminded me of venison which was accentuated by the sweetness of the berries scattered on top. The root vegetable mash and French beans helped make up my five-a-day. Not bad overall, but nothing to write home about.

From the hip hop to the hippy to the hoppy to the wibbly wobbly woo

Wicket chose the banoffee pie as his dessert, but he found it surprisingly reminiscent of cheesecake with its fluffiness, mounds of cream, toffee sauce and crumbly base. It wasn’t what he was expecting, but he seemed to enjoy it nonetheless.

Banoffee pie

I opted for the tiramisu, but The Triangle’s disappointing rendition reminded why I usually avoid this Italian dessert at most restaurants. It was excessively creamy with precious little coffee, booze or cocoa in it making it a very one-dimensional dessert. The fruit topping was unusual and out of place too. Poor.

Waitress, why is there fruit on my tiramisu?

To wash it all down I opted for lemon juice, which was sweeter and not as tart as I was expecting, but still refreshing. Wicket gulped down a bottle of Casablanca beer which he seemed gutturally non-committal about.

Lemon juice = lemonade?

We’ll always have beer.

The service couldn’t be faulted though. Our primary waitress was especially charming, informative and helpful.

The Verdict

There’s no doubt that The Triangle is a stylish and atmospheric restaurant, but the food is competently satisfactory overall rather than compelling, outstanding or memorable. If you need a romantic meal stop in the wilds of north London, or simply want something interesting to look at while eating, then The Triangle is a good enough choice. Given the quality of the food though it’s unlikely you’ll want to return which is a shame given the warm and friendly service.