It is hard to tell if the art here is candid, but the food and atmosphere sure are... maybe too candid.

The Venue
There is so much going on on Upper Street this rickety backlane gets overlooked. But the cafe does not do much to highlight its own existence; there are hardly signs that point to it from the main street, and the weather-beaten signboard that sits at its entrance would have given up were it not for the tattoos on its body. Get through the musty smells poor ventilation traps at the front door and trot up to the second floor where the cafe is - you will know from the various classified boards.

The Atmosphere
There is a very cosy, old London feel - possibly because the place is lit up by candles sitting on sticks that drip heavily with wax. The long room is comparable to a sixteenth-century banquet room in an upper-middle-class London home, especially with its stout and sturdy worn wood table and high-backed wood chairs. Placed along the sides of the room are smaller tables and chairs of similar construct, and at both ends once-majestic red velvet sofas beckon for you to recline in - much like the lady in one of its paintings.

The Food
The absence of a full kitchen means that the food served must be easily put together. Items like pre-made soups and quick-assemble sandwiches grace the menu here. A chicken sandwich (£2.80) is swiftly delivered as a third of a baguette stuffed with limited fillings. The end-product is extremely dry if you choose to not have the sandwich filling moistened with mayonnaise. Fortunately, the dish comes with a side of plain salad (dusted only with a pinch of dry herbs) that you can add to the sandwich.

The Drink
They make a reasonable mocha here - hot, large and caffeinated (£1.80) with a full crown of froth dusted with sweet cocoa.

The Last Word
The food can be a bit hard to swallow, literally. But it is a good place to hang out and catch up with friends, or simply to retreat into a good book. The lighting gets very dim in the evenings so be sure to bring a reading light.

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