Please note, Mishkin's is now closed. Time Out Food & Drink editors, Feb 2016.
Mishkin’s calls itself ‘a kind-of Jewish deli with cocktails’, which is a pretty good description, though it omits the knowingness of the place and the fact that the menu is much too short for a real Jewish deli. Still, what’s listed is generally pretty good. We’re partial to the reuben (pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss cheese and russian dressing on toasted rye bread), though it’s no bargain at £11. Sides such as chips, fried onion rings and coleslaw (most recently cauliflower and caraway) are hard to resist too, especially if you’ve plumped for the burger. But some dishes are a bit so-what – ‘house’ fish cakes with beets and horseradish, for example, managed to be bland. It’s an attractive selection, though, mixing tradition (chicken matzo ball soup) and innovation (cod cheek popcorn), sometimes in the same dish (smoked mackerel latkes), and prices are just about reasonable given the location. The small, shabby-chic, NYC-style interior is low-lit, which means diners can’t always appreciate the mass of decorative touches (including a cabin-like table at the back). Staff are young, friendly and attentive, and can mix a mean cocktail. Mishkin’s belongs to Russell Norman and Richard Beatty’s stable of restaurants, along with Spuntino and the three branches of Polpo.