Rhythm, Crouch End, London

Restaurant: Rhythm
Location: Crouch End, London
Meal: Brunch
Visited: August, 2009

Rhythm is a modern Caribbean restaurant a few steps away from the ever popular Banners in Crouch End. So popular, in fact, that there were no tables to be had for walk-in brunch customers one sunny Saturday in August. Having decided to take a punt on Rhythm instead we began to see why, having waited for 15 minutes just for our coffees let alone our food - which was a good ten minutes behind the drinks - free tables were more plentiful here. This is not to say Rhythm did not have it's good points. The staff, for example, are warm and helpful and the portions generous. The place is decorated in that modern, sparse style which always includes the work of local artists for sale on the walls but it is no less welcoming for that. The music however was far too loud and still remained at high volume even after several people had asked to be re-seated further away from the speakers.

My partner and I both ordered the vegetarian breakfast, not because we are vegetarians but because curiosity got the better of us. We were intrigued to see how scrambled eggs and hash browns juxtaposed with callaloo and fried plaintain would play out. Surprisingly the two most competently executed pairs of items on the plate and the two least convincing were made up of one traditional English dish and one traditional Caribbean dish. Slices of lightly fried aromatic plaintain and two halves of a beautifully oven-roasted tomato were a complete joy but the scambled eggs - overcooked and overstirred -and the callaloo - limp and oily - were unpleasant. The hash browns were bought in but to Rhythm's credit they were at least piping hot, crisp and grease-free. Our coffees were of good quality beans, well made and served how we'd requested them (eventually).

Rhythm seems to be a restaurant with an identity crisis, which is a shame because it has much to commend it. There is clearly a good level of culinary skill in the kitchen but it needs clearer direction. For my money the menu should concentrate on the Caribbean specialities. We have enough fusion restaurants to last us a life time but there is a shortage of places specialising in this wonderful cuisine. Do that and maybe the long wait might be more forgiveable. Rhythm's potential puts me in mind of a comment my daughter makes about her cousin, who is charming, generous and unique but "runs on Jamaica time". It is because of the latter we forgive her the former.

Spices.

Testing, testing. This is my first post and I'm just loading a pretty picture to start with to check it's all working. As you can see it's a basket of eastern spices. I was quite pleased with the photo considering it was only taken on a 3 megapixel camera which itself was an accessory on my mobile phone. It's all about the light, darling!

More soon.

jo x