Megabite Cafe

MEGABITE CAFE

Cuisine: Chinese

Nearest tube: Holloway Road

Address: 117 Benwell Road, Islington, N7 7BW

Tel: 0207 697 0891

Arsene Wenger, and Arsenal Football Club in general, have Megabite Cafe to thank for my continued support.

It is no lie that were it not for this wonderful little eatery, I would go to Arsenal home matches far, far less than I do. It is a compulsory part of the matchday experience, and depressingly, is usually the highlight of the day.

To give it a football analogy, Megabite Cafe is a bit like Cesc Fabregas. An unpolished gem that's been around for ages, great value, magnificent quality, and has blossomed into the heart and soul of the football club. Rumours of Barcelona attempting to purchase the cafe and airlift it to Catalonia are yet unconfirmed. (And if you're reading this Pep Guardiola, fuck off, there's no Barca DNA here)

Very much in the Wong Kei mould, Megabite serves huge plates of delicious food for next to nothing, minus the rude service. Most meals cost under a fiver, and range from my usual favourites of mixed seafood ho fun, lamb with sea spicy aubergine and crispy noodles, to my friends' usual choice of mixed meat Thai curry. All of which should of course be smothered with the fantastic chilli oil. Every dish, without exception, is expertly cooked, in a huge satisfying portion that will never let you down as much as the football inevitably will.

In short, this little cafe has become a treasured part of my life. I've had some real moments here over the past four years: counting down the minutes on a rainy Tuesday night before a big Champions League match; celebrating a victory on a Saturday afternoon by swearing at the passing away support coaches; or even just cramming in a quick meal before going to the pub to watch a game on TV. Win, lose or draw, Megabite Cafe always delivers.

Service 4/5

Food 4/5

Value 5/5

Ambience 2/5

Total: 15/20

Why you should go there: Brilliant food, huge portions, dirt cheap.

Don’t leave without trying: Lamb with sea spicy aubergine