I've realised that this is my third "lover" post, and so far all I have talked about is food Will and I have eaten together. In my defence, eating food is one of mine and Will's favourite pastimes, especially cheese and carbs (did I mention they have loads of both at Mishkin's) but nonetheless I promise my fourth lover post is not food focussed...
Mishkin's in Covent Garden for me is a great date restaurant, it's relaxed, whilst still feeling special and it ticks of loads of boxes for both me (or you) and Will (or your boyfriend). Assuming you and I are alike.
These are the 19 things I want in any restaurant where I am a "patron", which I presume you probably do too:
1. Somewhere understated enough to feel like I've discovered a hidden gem, yet somewhere also chic enough that I could imagine it being featured in Stylist
2. Aesop or cowshed soap in the bathroom. And hand moisturiser.
3. Exposed brickwork or some nice wallpaper maybe.
4. An extensive cocktail menu - we're talking gin cherry sours and lavendar rose martinis, not woo woos and sex on the beach
5. Enviable crockery and cutlery - maybe mismatched cutesy designs, or maybe just some massive white plates that would never fit in our cupboards so it is a treat to eat off.
6. Candles
7. Quirky lampshades, ideally some fairy lights, somewhere or those cool copper lights hanging from the ceiling. But on only very dimmly so our faces look their prettiest.
8.. At least 40 gins on their drinks menu. Sourced locally.
9. Prosecco for under £30. Extra points for under £20.
10. Carbs
11. Cheese
12. Salads that are both carbs and cheese heavy, so we can convince ourselves we are being healthy and put that our dinner was a 400 calories salad into "My Fitness Pal" when really, we just ate a lot of carbs and cheese with a bit of rocket on the side.
13. A menu suggesting you should have an after dinner cocktail - acknowledgement that is a thing. "A digestif"
14. A menu suggesting you should have a pre-dinner cocktail - acknowledgement that is a thing. "An aperitif"
15. A dessert menu of stuff we couldn't just buy in tesco
16. Booths. Or if not booths some pretty chairs.
17. "Small plates"
18. "Big plates"
19. Tap water infused with lemon or cucumber or some sort of herb or something.
Will (and I assume all boys) want
1. Beer on tap
2. Some sort of red meat ideally in burger or steak format
Possibly no restaurant can tick every box for me, though Mishkin's did come pretty close. An excellent cocktail list (I had the gin cherry sour, yummy yet wonderfully strong), loads of different gins, excellent lampshades, lemon infused tap water, fabulous crockery. They didn't have Aesop soap, but extra points go to making a soap on a rope classy:
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| I am so happy in the bathroom for some reason |
And maybe best of all: the cheese. The carbs. Did I mention they have 3 different types of macaroni cheese? (A classic plain cheese, one with Colman's mustard and salt beef, and one with spring vegetables in for those healthnuts out there).
They also have absolutely terrific deli sandwiches, that actually really reminded me of that time I went to New York with my parents and we went to the deli where Meg Ryan faked an orgasm in Harry met Sally, but with more exposed brickwork and candlelight. Uncomfortable to have the word "orgasm" and "parents" in the same sentence.
For Will, they had both burgers and beer on tap (Camden Hell's Lager and Pale ale), though in the end he went with a sandwich as they were so damn good.
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| Hello lamps. Hello exposed brickwork. |
I ate:
A small classic macaroni cheese and half a reuben on rye - pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss cheese, gherkins. I drank gin cherry sours and camden pale ale.
Will ate:
A small colman's salt beef macaroni cheese and a whole smoked salmon cream cheese bagel, with hard boiled egg on the side. And the cheesecake of the day, which had fresh strawberries in it. He drank old fashioneds.
So how much will it cost for 2?
Oh and prosecco is £30 a bottle. Plus they have carafes! (Of prosecco and wines. So you can do that thing where you order a carafe and are all like "oh yes cos my boyfriend will have one after his beer." And then drink it all.")
To book Mishkin's call 020 7240 2078. Their website is here. I think it would make a great pre or post-theatre meal, if you are in that part of town to see a show.
Do you like carbs and candlelight? If so you might enjoy Lover: Pizza at Story Deli
Copyrights: I obviously didn't take that photo at the top, it is too good. It is from Mishkin's website.
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