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| Metrolife
Review March 25, 2003-06-23 | Restaurant Review, Siobhan Murphy | (3 out of 5) The Barnsbury is yet another pub that has undergone the Islington tarting-up process. That's polished wood, tea lights on the tables, art on the walls and no sign of anyone who looks like a regular pubgoer. Anodyne was the word that sprung to mind, though we liked the wine glass chandeliers - and the wine list, which featured a good range and plenty of organic options. And so to the menu. I plunged into a plate of (well, two) fried sardines with tzatziki for starters - the rewarding balance between the cucumber-y, creamy tzatziki and the flavoursome fish slightly dented by the spices that largely masked the sardines' taste. Mains were more of a hit: my large, pan-fried, fresh swordfish steak with mango and red onion salsa was spot-on: the tropical juiciness of the mango gave the swordfish a much appreciated lift. Roasted chicken breast with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes was equally well-presented, the constituent parts all bursting with freshness and flavour. My dining companion may be finicky about food but he knows his chips, and The Barnsbury's received ten out of ten. Desserts were a huge disappointment, though, especially the chocolate cake, served with caramelised oranges and mascarpone, which was dry and wholly unappealing. The bill for two, once the obligatory 12.5% service charge had been added, was far from pub prices: £54.68, and that included one glass of wine. Time
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