Galley London

Restaurant Review: Galley, Upper Street

Take a trip to Islington for satisfying dishes showcasing the bounty of the oceans Galley, perched mid-way between Angel and Highbury & Islington tube stations, is a rather lovely find.

A galley is a ship’s kitchen – and upon first glance I could easily believe myself aboard a fancy ocean liner.

Though it was clear the standout dish of the day was the octopus and chorizo starter.

We just about had room for dessert; sharing the Chocolate & Orange Mousse (with salted caramel  and cappuccino ice-cream) and the Raspberry Panna Cotta (with honeycomb and a summer berry sauce) evenly between us.

Both were lip-smackingly sweet, but we both preferred the lightness of the panna cotta.

The Galley - London Restaurant Bar Review

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Fay Maschler reviews Galley: Go fishing in Upper Street | London ...

To unpick the announcement, Galley is the project of Marcel Grzyb and his sister Oriona Robb, who grew up in Poland where their grandfather was the local village butcher and their parents owners of a restaurant and delicatessen.

From “Small Plates” he chooses crispy Cornish squid with Japanese pepper sauce.

An order of Little Gem salad with pistachio herb dressing gets forgotten so the dessert of underpowered salted caramel tart with green tea ice cream (not great bedfellows) and chilli and hazelnut praline is not charged.

The cooking is less precise, most notably in a vegetarian small plate option of padron peppers, paneer, carrot and quinoa salad, which is served both fridge-cold and uncomfortably damp.

Among the Large Plates, where prices go up to £22.50 for sirloin steak, chimichurri and truffle-infused chips — there will be blood even in what is ostensibly a fish restaurant — the battered Cornish haddock with chips, pickled shallots, minted peas and tartare sauce at £14 is a proud example of our national dish.

Galley, Islington – tried and tasted | London Evening Standard

While Oriona has applied her stylist’s eye to the restaurant’s decor, Marcel has built the menu around what he knows best — fish and seafood.

And, yes, every restaurant and its estranged aunt may be offering sharing plates at the moment, but here it feels appropriate given the strong Spanish currents running through the dishes.

The 10-strong cocktail list, available at the restaurant and bar, might be considered too adventurous by some — there’s barely a drink which doesn’t contain Earl Grey, mascarpone cheese, beer or a float.

There are over 50 wines available, including a few English ones alongside a fairly even split of old and new world options.

Final flavour: Classy, clever and creative cooking in stylish surrounds — all round a bit of a stunner.

Galley | Restaurants in Islington, London

A Wuyi old fashioned, made with lapsang infused bourbon, was not only deliciously smoky, but had a precision-crimped orange peel garnish fixed to the glass with – of course – a doll’s house-sized clothes peg.

Fish stew: take a bow.

But all storms must pass, and this one did too, with a final killer drink, Minthology: a luxurious choco-mint cocktail served in a vintage wine glass that had its outside completely coated in high-end cocoa.

Did I lick the glass?

So take my advice: sit at the counter to maintain your personal space, stick to snacks and starters, and drink lots and lots of cocktails.