Randomness Guide to London Menu

Somali cafe and restaurant on Lewisham Way, on the borders of Brockley and New Cross.

It's small, seating just 40 people on mismatched chairs at wood-effect melamine tables. The decor is casual, and a flatscreen hangs on one wall. The feel is much more of a cafe than of a restaurant.

Kake visited on a Tuesday lunchtime in August 2018. There were four other customers when I arrived a little before 12:30pm, with lots of others in and out while I was there. Everyone except me seemed to be a regular. The flatscreen was showing some sort of TV programme with the sound on, not too loud.

Although the menu outside photo showed a range of dishes, when I asked what was available that day I was only given a choice between meat, fish, and rice.

I went for the fish, which turned out to be grilled salmon served with rice, mixed vegetables, and a small portion of spiced spinach and potato photo. The salmon was quite good; nicely seasoned, and with a crispy skin but not overcooked flesh. The rice was OK if a little dull, though the vegetables on top helped a bit: mixed peas, sweetcorn, green beans, and carrots, enlived by a good amount of lightly-sauteed onion. The spinach and potato was also OK, though the spinach had a texture and flavour that made me wonder if was tinned.

Unlike other Somali cafes/restaurants I've been in, I wasn't brought complimentary soup or fresh chilli sauce to go with my meal. Service was fine, though, and tap water arrived swiftly on request.

I also had a takeaway fish samosa, which was really good. The pastry was well-fried to create a good browned flavour, and substantial without being heavy. The fish filling (possibly well-cooked tinned tuna) was accented with finely-chopped barely-cooked onion and a good hit of fresh chilli.

My meal and takeaway samosa came to a total of £6.50.

Accessibility: A short but very steep ramp to get in, really a smoothed-over step. Toilet not checked.