The Triangle

Formerly WXD and resembling a crap art gallery, this place has been given a new lease of life by Morroccan chef, Aziz. I used to go to Banners for the slightly bohemian Crouch End vibe, but this place is better and the staff are friendly, helpful and QUICK ! Daytimes it's a sleepy, quiet cafe - great for meetings and newspaper dozing - love that scrambled eggs and salmon in a small toasted baguette with rocket salad. Evenings it becomes a moody hangout with hundreds of candles, a real fire and very classy ambient ethnic dance music. Settling into one of the huge leather settees makes it quite possible to lose all track of time and space - especially when Aziz has one of his impromptu lock-ins. There's also live music on Sunday evenings which often turn into spontaneous collaborations with some of the well known musicians and actors which have adopted this place in the last year. Neil Morrissey loves it (not sure if that is a compliment or not). Anyway - I'm hooked - can't stay away which is burning a bit of a hole in my wallet, although I'm willing to pay up for a place this good. I've met so many interesting people there and it's given a much needed sense of community for young adults this side of the broadway. Fantastic. seb
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seb
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, December 06, 2007

The person who reviewed the Tringle saying the food was poor, must have caught them on a rare bad day, or otherwise must have unrealisticly exacting standards. I have eaten there three times and find the food to be among the best I have had in any restaurant. The Jerk Chicken is in my opinion one of the highlights of their menu. A subtle but tasty version of the dish with delicious mashed sweet potato. The rabbit is also a good choice and their stakes are well prepared, the meat clearly being of high quality. Then there is the desert. The chocolate gateau, made on the premesis of course, is an outrageous fusion of choclate moose, dark chocolate flakes and a light hint of honey. The only down side for me is that the prices could and should be a little lower
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Thursday, September 06, 2007

The atmosphere and decor are great but the food is very poor. The worst

kind of 'fusion', prepared by culinary illiterates - over strong flavours competing

with each other in the sauces/relishes, cheap (and therefore tasteless) basic

ingredients. On a Sunday night it was three quarters empty and we could see

why: a sea bass 'fish special' which swum in an overly acidic vinaigrette that

swamped a potato and (tasteless) French bean salad and a 'salsa' that tasted of

little but raw onion. My partner's so-called jerk chicken comprised tasteless

meat and a bland sweet potato mash. For the prices they charge, this is very poor value. The restaurant used to be great a few years ago but has gone steadily downhill.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 1
Monday, July 09, 2007

It pays to talk to your neighbours. I recently found myself locked out and had no choice but to go to the pub. I got talking to a couple of regulars, who informed me of an excellent Moroccan restaurant right on our doorstep. I made the trip to The Triangle’s unlikely location: fresh out of Fez on a quiet street corner in Haringey. Inside are more surprises than you’d get in a carpet shop posing as a great view of the city: a mud-hut terrace bar; a mirror-walled open fire; exquisite dishes including a Thai green curry served with lime and a slice of grilled halloumi (not very Marrakesh but it went down a dream) and a whole room hanging upside down from the ceiling. Yes, a room hanging upside down from the ceiling. Good things can happen when you get locked out. /
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Delaina
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, June 08, 2007

Prepare to be transported to another world. Inside this palace of curiosities between Crouch End and Finsbury Park, with its rich fabrics, beaten metalwork, glowing candles and enchanting alcoves is a food-lover's heaven. Moroccan-inspired but with elements of Asian, European and even Australasian cuisine, the menu is as eclectic as the decor. We ate sardine salad with couscous - the fish moist with a perfectly crispy exterior, the couscous tender and spicy - then Thai green chicken curry, once again the ideal heat, texture and taste. My companion's sirloin steak had a garnish of ginger which had her squeaking with pleasure.

Owner Aziz Begdouri devised both the exotic interior (including a surreal bed with furniture stuck to the ceiling) and the funky fusion menu, having been a chef in both his native Morocco and in London. Triangle won Archant's Best Moroccan restaurant in London award in 2006.

Combined with the chilled music, the gracious and happy service, the small but idyllic garden, the low-level den where you sit cross-legged on cushions, the inventive wine list (try the Moroccan sauvignon blanc - it's knockout) and the plethora of intricate, lovingly worked details everywhere you look, this is a stunning triumph of a restaurant.

david nicholson
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david nicholson
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, May 02, 2007

A very bizarre place - I couldn't work out what theme they had picked to deck it out in and was totally confused by a menu that included Thai green curry, kangaroo steaks, and sea bass. Starters included meatballs, sardine salad, duck pancake salad and a Triangle pastry. Although this all sounds like a recipe for disaster miraculously all the food was good and at pretty decent prices. There was a certain charm about the odd decor and crazy menu and we all left well fed and content. I would however avoid the daiquiris unless you like them to taste like slush puppies ...
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Gav
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, May 02, 2007

My partner and I have been enjoying the excellent food, drink and 'unique' atmosphere of The Triangle since it opened. It's one of our favourite restaurants to take friends and family. No matter how many times you visit this restaurant there is always something new/previously missed to catch your eye. Friendly staff deliver a good service and creator and restaurateur, Azis, is simply 'the icing on the cake'
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jules
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, April 28, 2007

This shabby triangular building houses one of the most original venues in North London, the exterior giving little clue to the delights inside. Coming in somewhere between a Morrocan palace and a final-year art project, the most distinctive feature of this bar and restaurant is its installation, featuring a raffia motorbike, a laid table, a bed and a shopping bag… all stuck to the ceiling. On the real floor, the mirrored fireplace, metal furniture, hanging plants and numerous candles make for a surprisingly intimate feel. Towards the back patrons, cross-legged on the raised floor, tuck into meals from a catholic menu. Serious drinkers might complain about the absence of draught beers and the small wine list, but there's a good selection of bottled beers, including Kirin and Casablanca. And for sheer sensory overload, it's definitely worth a visit.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2006/7
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mat
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, April 24, 2007

After a couple of decent (but pretty pricey) meals here a year ago, I was expecting good things. What I got was poor-to-mediocre food at rip-off prices. Our Lamb Tagine was around 80% bone surrounded by slightly undercooked, stringly meat in a lukewarm sauce. At £13.00, you'd expect couscous thrown in but, no, this cost £2.50 for a very dainty portion. We complained about the miserable portion and received no offer of discount or refund - merely 'carrot in orange juice' and a glass of wtarey, undrinkable fizz. Our bill, for two tagine, a glass of wine and one of beer, and some bread and olives, topped £40! All in all, an unpleaasant experience and a rip-off
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waveydavey
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Monday, December 18, 2006

We read all these amazing reviews and seeing as we live in Finsbury park we decided to try The Triangle out last weekend. We were both really disappointed. We were told the food we wanted to order from the menu wasn't available so we opted for the sea bass tagine instead. When the meal arrived, my husband's fish was tiny and we were told that was just the size of the fish. This meal cost £12.95 so we expected a decent portion. Unfortunately the fish was also overcooked and mushy. We ordered an £18 bottle of Merlot that tasted like water. All in all it felt like a complete waste of an evening out and I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.
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Bec Mortimer
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Friday, December 08, 2006