Here's what you're heading for - the big red boat on Regent's Canal.
What can you tell us about Caravel?
First off, it's the latest in something that London seems to do surprisingly well - restaurants on barges. Whether it's the Cheese Barge or The Grand Duchess (both in Paddington) or Barge East, what may seem initially like a gimmick (twice over when it comes to the Cheese Barge) often turns out to be a very impressive restaurant. And that's very much the case with Caravel.
It comes from two brothers, Fin and Lorcan Spiteri (sons of London hospitality legend Jon Spiteri). Lorcan Spiteri is in the kitchen, with work at Quo Vadis, Oldroyd and Rochelle Canteen behind him. Fin Spiteri is in charge of drinks, he was previously at Rochelle Canteen at the ICA, 69 Colebrooke Row and Untitled.
They've taken over a restored barge on the Regent's Canal and converted it into a bespoke restaurant. It's part of Studio Kitchen (right beside their canalside terrace) but while that's much more of a casual affair, this pushes things up a notch or two.
To find it, head to the south side of Packington Bridge and you'll find an entrance to the wharf there. You can also get to the terrace through Studio Kitchen itself. It's a bit in-between stations - so is about a 10-minute walk from either Angel, Old Street or Essex Road.
Where should we meet for a drink first?
If the weather is behaving itself, then the terrace at Studio Kitchen (aka The Pontoon) is well worth considering.
If you fancy something different before or after, then head about five minutes down the road to the Narrowboat pub on the north side of the canal, an excellent local pub. A bit further, you'll also find organic pub The Duke of Cambridge. Heading south, the Wenlock Arms is worth a visit too.
Inside Caravel - it really is just a lovely-looking restaurant. Note that there's plenty of air-con, so it's perfect for a sunny, summer day. You can just see the small kitchen at the front of the boat.
Onto the barge itself - what's it like inside?
It's laid out like a classic restaurant, tablecloths and all - it actually feels like one of the fanciest barges we've been on. There's a really lovely atmosphere inside, particularly as the sun sets and the candles dotted around the barge come into play. The kitchen takes up a tiny space at the front of the barge and it really is impressive what they're creating up there.
Then the food - what to expect?
The food has been simply described by Lorcan as the food that he and Fin liked while they were growing up, so that's something that gives them a wide remit. it's also resulted in a menu that's packed full of things that we wanted to eat too. Like recent hit Cafe Cecilia, the restaurant ably manages to merge a modern British/European menu with a distinct comfort food vibe. We approve of this trend.
Here's what we had to narrow it down to on the night:
While the menu is seasonal, there's a good chance that you'll find these snacks on the menu - potato rosti with sour cream and caviar (£6.50) - gorgeous little crispy bites that are a great way to start. Order them immediately.
Guinea fowl skewer and dragoncello (£11). If you're wondering what dragoncello is, it's a tarragon-based sauce created by the chef. Amazingly tasty skewers.
Tempura prawns, herb sauce and pickled ginger (£10). We almost drank the remaining amazing herb sauce at the end...
Chicken liver pate and brioche (£8.50) - edging into mousse territory, but essentially an absolute pitch-perfect pate.
Artichoke and ricotta ravioli with crisp sage (£14.50) - delicately flavoured pasta swimming in a buttery, sage sauce.
Mussels, fried potatoes and velouté (£16.50) - almost the very definition of a comfort dish, with huge fried potatoes smothered in veloute and mussels. It's like a really pimped-up version of mussels and chips, in a great way.
All that leaving room for only one dessert, this is caramelized banana and almond tart (£7). It is epic.
What's it like for vegetarians?
From what we've seen, there are always at least two main vegetarian dishes, and a few snacks and starters too. Other mains we've seen are braised chickpea and delicia pumpkin (£12.50) and wild mushroom and summer truffle risotto (£18.50).
The cocktails are an absolute must (see below) so you should kick off your meal with one of those. Otherwise, there's a short but impressive wine list (four reds/whites, rose and a couple of bottles of fizz). The wine starts at £28 for a bottle of Verdejo, which is a very reasonable starting point in London right now, with no whites above £40 on our visit.
The cocktails are as good as you should be expecting from Fin Spiteri. On the left is the Paper Chaser (Aperol, bourbon, lemon, blood orange - £8.50 including £1 donation to Cook for Ukraine). On the right is the Rum 'n Coke Old Fashioned, a surprisingly perfect merging of two of our favourite drinks.
We've been hearing very good things about Caravel ever since it opened and all that praise has been clearly justified - and then some. The room/boat is beautiful and welcoming and the food is among the best we've had recently - a menu that's packed with hits. Highly recommended.
Where is it? 172 Shepherdess Walk, London N1 7JL
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit the website or Follow them on Instagram @caravel_restaurant
Hot Dinners ate as guests of Caravel. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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