North London Food & Culture

Wednesday Picture: Les Toilettes at Guanabana


Regular readers may recall that Mrs Kentishtowner, on an evening out, is sometimes more stimulated by the lavs than the food itself.

Not that we’re insinuating Guanabana’s quirky Latin American-meet-Camden cuisine is substandard (in fact, we were pleasantly surprised by a starter of sprouts with chilli and anchovies, and a tender goat curry) but there’s something satisfying about what lurks below: note the attractive curve of the subterranean brick arc, and the antiquated simplicity of tap and basin (Mrs Kentishtowner would, in an ideal world, lose the mirror and soap dispensers, but hygiene is, of course, all).

Furthermore, this is one toilet with a backstory: in World War II, the houses just a couple of doors away (Nos 75-79) were all destroyed in the bombing, so it’s highly likely this would have been used a shelter.


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Worth a thought next time you’re washing your hands, the buzz of the busy restaurant above.

Know a nice khazi? Pray share…


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The award-winning print and online title Kentishtowner was founded in 2010 and is part of London Belongs To Me, a citywide network of travel guides for locals. For more info on what we write about and why, see our About section.