Saltine, London, restaurant review: Highbury’s cool new bistro is a mixed bag

I woke up on my birthday with a raging appetite having spent several days in bed suffering from that ghastly flu that’s been doing the rounds. To say I was excited to consume something other than hot honey and lemon or Heinz tomato soup was an understatement. I was ready for culinary delights.

Perhaps it’s a bit unfair to judge a in this state, but I was raringoffers. The “modern neighbourhood restaurant” in Highbury, opened by Mat Appleton and Jess Blackstone, founders of the popular Fink’s cafes, and chef Phil Wood from , offers a daily changing, pared-backed menu. I’m usually a fan of such a setup, but the two large plates – the only two – didn’t scream “order me”. More on those later.