Reviews or Comments for 'Harry Morgan's' (1)

Harry Morgan's is a renowned institution amongst North London folk. With a cross section of clients from the St. John's Wood Jewish community hankering for some Jewish style grub, to the local labourers stocking up on coffee and sandwiches, to any passer-by inclined for a little nibble post-shopping. It is also notable in its reputation for their long serving staff, with some waitresses having worked there longer than my life span.

As I arrived, still unused to the quick setting of the sun, I was indeed in the mood for something hearty and comforting, which is what Harry's is allegedly all about. With the prestige of being voted 'The best chicken soup in London' and such an established reputation I was eager to dive in and brush off the inkiness that is get-dark-early October.

Slinking onto one comfy black leather bench I find Harry's has a surprisingly new and polished feel to it, considering its old-school reputation. I opted for the chicken soup whilst my friend goes for a plate of the salt beef & tongue. Now for me this is a bit of an introduction to the New York/Jewish deli approach but I found the soup very tasty. In particular I was a fan of, what I now know to be, Matzah balls. These little dumpling style things where a great addition for me and the stodginess complimented the subtle extract of the soup very well. I also had a nibble on the salt beef and, inadvertently I hasten to add, the tongue from my friends plate. The salt beef was great but yet again my inexperience with this sort of cuisine leaves me little to compare it to. The tongue however definitely did not float my boat, most likely because I am somewhat of a philistine in what parts of animals I like to eat but also as for me the texture of tongue is akin to chewing on what I imagine soft leather to be like.

We ended our mains and hit the dessert list with a self assured calm. If there is one thing I now about deli style it is cheesecake. However deciding to be adventurous I ordered the home made Lokshen Pudding. It was a fantastic dessert with a great balance of creaminess and gelatinous texture with the addition of the broad noodles giving it some wallop. A spot on sweet treat!

For me Harry Morgan's was in interesting eat outside of my usual fare and a very enjoyable location. The staff were pleasant and the service inviting, as is the venue itself. I imagine it is an ideal lunchtime destination and a quick evening bite spot, but with their menu consisting largely of offal it is a slight minefield for me to navigate through, however with the success of the soup and the dessert alone it is a definitely worth a visit, especially if like me you know little to next to nothing about this sort of culinary style.

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