805 Bar Restaurant, London SE15

* 805 Bar Restaurant (Source: Time Out London | Eating & Drinking 2008)

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Tucked away on a grim stretch of the
Old Kent Road, 805 is a bit of a culinary Tardis: what lies within its golden interior bears little relation to its unprepossessing exterior. Inside,
you’re in upmarket Lagos, with afrobeat on the sound system and a spicy menu
to warm your chilled London bones. Regarded by those in the
know as the city’s best Nigerian restaurant, 805 draws a sharply modish crowd,
but the mood remains laid back and boisterous; this is very much a family friendly
restaurant Staff offer helpful guidance to non-initiates, ensuring that
newcomers don’t order tripe without meaning to; they will also ask whethr you
want to eat with your hands.

The Nigerian menu (there are non-African dishes for the bland of palate) is fairly short, but nothing here comes small, so you won’t want to order much. An authentically bracing pepper ’soup’ came with a whole fish in it. Gamey goat stew in egusi (pounded melon seeds) had a strong
smoky flavour and went well with the delightfully creamy pounded yam. There’s a
steady supply of chilled Star and Gulder beer on hand to cool overheated mouths.

Babies and children welcome: high chairs. Disabled:toilet. Separate room for parties, seats 60.

Table outdoors (6, pavement). Takeaway service. 805 Old KentRoad, SE15 1NX (7639 0808). Elephant & Castle tube/rail then 53 bus.

Meals served 2pm-midnightdaily.

Main courses £6-£15.

Credit MC, V. Nigerian