Ted is reunited ...

… with an old girlfriend and the Doll didn't mind in the least now that you ask (yes you did I heard you).  There is a great Cypriot restaurant in Camden town in what was originally known as the “Peloponnese Triangle” due to its large Greek and Cypriot communities. While a lot of these communities have moved to north London (looking for sun presumably) Daphne’s remains and provides some of the best Greek Cypriot cuisine in town.

So why the “reuniting” Ted?  Well Daphne’s closed down temporarily for building works and it took a lot longer to complete than ever imagined, and only relatively recently did they fire up their charcoal grills again in the refurbished handsome restaurant, where naturally they retained all the interesting historical photographs.

The family behind Daphne's are long-time residents of Camden. The woman behind Daphne’s is Anna (now the truth comes out Ted) who ran the restaurant for many years and created a really warm and welcoming atmosphere that along with the excellent food accounts for why about 70% of their customers return again and again. Today it’s son Nicholas who runs the restaurant and he is every bit as warm and welcoming and knowledgeable on the cuisine and passionate about Cyprus and Greece as his Mum. 

Cyprus has been invaded many times over the centuries and as a result while the core of the cuisine remains Greek and Turkish it also shows the considerable influences of Byzantine, French, Italian, Catalan, Ottoman and Middle Eastern cuisines.

I ordered a bottle of soft juicy plummy cherry and very moreish Agiorghitiko red wine from Nemea in the Peloponnese in Greece, and we perused the menu while nibbling fresh nutty marinated green olives.

I went for Greek sausages on the charcoal grill for starters and they were all meaty and seasoned and smoky, just like they should be.  The Doll had stuffed aubergine and pronounced it delicious. I couldn’t resist the Kleftiko which is lamb slow baked in the oven with lemon and herbs and onions, until it literally falls off the bone and this one just melted in my mouth. The Doll went for lamb souvlaki from the grill and ate every bit of it (and there was a lot) and all her spinach on the side and sat smiling and looking replete. Sadly we were too full for desert.  I finished the evening with a snifter of the famous Cyprus brandy – 5 Kings.

There is a reason why we all return to Daphne’s time and time again – next time you’re in the Camden pop in and discover why all for yourself. Go at lunchtime and the chances are you'll that you'll meet the lovely Anna as well.