B & K, Brilliant food & Kind staff - warmly welcomed a baby and a Ukrainian

B & K interior, Hatch End.

 

Service

Two girls serving, the one with the ponytail is Romanian, could not have been more welcoming. All smiles for the baby. The baby smiled back, then threw food on the floor, and accidentally dropped bits of scrambled egg they had cooked for her on request. I apologized. 

'Not to worry,' said the server and promptly swept it up.

The mixed hors d'oevres was enough for four with some left over which they wrapped up for me to take home.

I had salt beef on rye bread with one latke. (Latke is grated potato.)

Our Ukrainian visitor who was being treated to lunch spoke good English but did not recognize the word turkey. The server gave the visitor a free taste of salt beef and a meatball. Then the visitor chose turkey from the display at the deli counter.

It would help to have photos of the dishes for the occasional visitor who does not understand English and Jewish style menus. 

Borscht - Beetroot Soup

Borscht, a Jewish favourite, as well as a popular Polish dish, I learned on a trip to Warsaw and Krakow, is apparently also considered a Ukrainian national dish. Interesting, as borsht is what I remember from my childhood in London. My great grandfather was Ukrainian from Lemberg as it was known then, now known as Lvov or Lviv.

At B & K the most traditional dishes would be lokshen pudding (noodle pudding). Or apple strudel. 

Salt beef and latke which we took home on a previous recent occasion.  Photo by Angela Lansbury.

In the picture, that's my poppy plate, not the restaurant's. In the restaurant you can't see the plate for food!

Dessert

However, my American relative by marriage wanted that American favourite, pecan pie. We ended with a shared pecan tart between two of us, which was served on what looked like a pattern of chocolate sauce.

Chocolate

We received a chocolate mint each when the bill was presented. Wrapped toothpicks were another thoughtful touch.

The restaurant menu is extensive, and will delight Jews who are not strictly kosher, or those who are strictly kosher but are happy to stick to fish, as well as non-Jews and people from European countries such as as Ukraine, Poland, Russian and Belorussia, who will recognize many dishes on the menu.

The family running B & K has another branch in Edgware. 

Useful Websites

https://www.bksaltbeefbar.com/