Dissenting academy, Newington Green

Dissenting Academy @DissentAcademy
92 Mildmay Park, Newington Green N1 4PR

What gives a place that 'revisit factor'? The food? Ambiance? Service? Value? Convenient location? Attractive staff?! Maybe it's a mix.

There are some restaurants that I return to more than others. recent, The Dissenting Academy has been one of those places that I've gone back to time and again the past couple of months. The 'Cornwall Project', supplier of all things Cornish to places like the Ledbury, Pollen St. Social & Pitt Cue amoungst others, has taken over the kitchen, so you know the produce is of the highest quality. The beef they bring from Philip Warren is outstanding, one of the reasons that roast forerib dish at Clove Club was one of the standout things I've eaten this year. What's not elite is the cost, with most dishes at usual pub prices.

John Salt Part II - All Smoke, No Mirrors

John Salt @JohnSaltN1

131 Upper street, Islington

John Salt opened in November with Ben Spalding at the helm, with his much revered taster menus & bar menu. Much praise was lavished, including from us, but it was all cut short rather abruptly, with Ben replaced with Neil Rankin, former head chef of Pitt Cue Co. Neil was already in talks to go into another one of the 580 ltd group's pubs at the Owl & Pussycat in Shoreditch. Looks like John Salt have pulled another Ace out of their sleeve with this new signing, with food cooked on another spectrum (or a big green egg). With Rankin's renowned expertise with all things meat and barbeque and some rather exquisite Asian influenced dishes, the place is a haze again with recent glowing reviews in Timeout and the Metro, as well as from the smoke in the kitchen