The Bay Tree Café

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

The long-established Bay Tree likes to keep things fairly simple, with its unassuming layout and Middle Eastern knick-knacks around the walls. The same goes for its menu, which comprises a mixture of Arabian, Mediterranean and European dishes at reasonable prices. Starters are basic, with the likes of battered onion rings and garlic bread joined by moist vegetable pakora. Among the mains, there's a strong lamb presence in Turkish and Greek styles, as well as chicken – a Persian juje kebab has an aromatic saffron and lemon marinade, complementing a huge heap of spiced couscous. From a very good vegetarian selection (The Bay Tree was once vegan-only and still cooks meat separately), a steamy stew is rich in flavour and texture, with large pieces of nicely simmered veg. There are also pasta dishes, a children's menu for fussy tots who demand fish fingers, and discounts for students. Live music four nights a week varies from traditional Arabic instruments to soft piano tunes. There's no wine available, but if you grab some from the nearby shops on your way in, staff will happily provide glasses and corkage for free.

• High point: Watching West Enders go by through large windows
• Low point: Can be chilly