It’s hard to describe Gilgamesh in Camden because the restaurant is unlike any other I’ve been to, anywhere, I‘m talking about the décor here, not the food, which I’ll come to.

After half an hour of searching round the Stables area of Camden, on this busy August Bank Holiday Saturday, I eventually asked a security guard type bod if he knew where it was. To my embarrassment he pointed to the entrance he was standing in front of! So unless you know the area, allow plenty of time. One enters Gilgamesh up a large staircase surrounded by a massively carved “tree of life”, the hand carving theme continues, everywhere and is supplemented with marble pillars, statues, friezes, inlaid tables and timber floor. The theme even extends to the toilets, which is so over the top I did not notice I was inside it – perhaps poor observation was the theme of the day. The kitchens and food preparation areas run down one side of the main eating area and diners can watch the chefs at work. It’s all supposed to conjure the “imagery and mystique of Babylonia” – I’ll take their word for it, I would not know Babylonia if it bit me, but it looked pretty damn good. If it all sounds a bit over the top, it is, but none the worse for that, and probably even more impressive at night.

Within a few seconds of being seated, I decided that even if the food was poor, I was glad I had made the special trip up to London. Fortunately, the food, which is described as “Pan-Asian”, proved to be as good as the venue. The staff were all pleasant, helpful and were able to answer any query I had concerning the many unfamiliar dishes. My better half chose a Crispy Belly Pork, Mandarin and Pea Shoot Salad at £11.80, I chose from the Dim Sum Menu where one can choose three items for £10. I selected: Thom Kha soup (creamy coconut, mushroom, prawn and fennel), duck spring rolls, and dumplings. Just in case this was not enough, I added a portion of stir fried Asian greens. Everything arrived quickly, was perfectly prepared and very flavoursome. The greens proved to be a portion big enough for both of us and brought back memories of those I have enjoyed in the Far East.
Desserts in Asian, especially Chinese restaurants, can be disappointing, factory produced ice cream objects, lychees, toffee apples, banana fritters – you know the type of thing – and although on the pricey side, these were, to us at least, unusual and tasty. A Green Tea Crème Brulee with sorbet (£6) and Green Tea Banana Cake with Coconut Ice Cream (£7) were both declared a success.

If I had to find any fault, my soup could have been a bit warmer and I prefer my coffee to arrive after my dessert, and the toilet could have been easier to find, but that was about it.

Two espressos, a Tiger beer and an Aruka Mocktail added £18 to the bill which is on the steep side, but a jug of tap water had been brought without hesitation. So, by selecting from the Dim Sum menu and holding back from too many add ons (we ignored the Remy Martin Louis XIII at £3500) one can eat at this unusual establishment at substantially less than our £65 bill, which did include an “optional” 12.5% service charge. Definitely “approved” – Top Cat