Age: A few weeks at most – at least in this location. Friends Zia and Gul started Two Lads Kitchen to bring authentic Afghan street food to the capital; you might know them from their stalls at London Farmer’s Markets. We’ve certainly spotted them before in Walthamstow’s Lloyd’s Park and Victoria Park.
Where exactly is it? In the latest, most eastern part of the second floor foodie emporium at Camden’s new Hawley Wharf. Handy, in fact, for the excellent new 5-screen Curzon Cinema a minute’s hop away.
What should I eat? Two Lads specialises in fresh naans filled with black pepper yoghurt, mixed salad and soft boiled potatoes, with a choice of protein. Swerving the (admittedly delish looking) slow-cooked lamb, of the two wraps we ordered, the vegan grilled aubergine proved just inferior to the 24-hour marinated barbecued chicken thighs, blackened and meltingly tender, made zingier by a secret tangy green sauce. The only ingredient we felt wasn’t necessary – making it a tad carb-heavy – was actually the potatoes.
What else is on the menu? Slow-cooked rice bowls with carrots and raisins that can be topped with the same options, above. And there’s a ‘mantu’, steamed lamb dumplings filled with minced meat and lentil dal. Prices are upwards of £8.
The interior: discuss. This corner outlet absorbs the lunchtime sun, so if it’s a blue-sky day, it’s an extremely pleasant spot: perch at the counter and watch the chefs, or sit overlooking the canal and busy towpath below.
And what do I drink? It’s soft drinks only here, the usual fizzy and still suspects.
What’s the service like? It took about 15 minutes on a quiet midweek lunchtime for our wraps; not speedy, but it underlines that everything is cooked fresh.
Do say: Another decent food stall on this stretch of water (others we’ve reviewed are Three Uncles and Black Cow.) In fact, our overall vibe about Hawley Wharf is that it feels like a way to enjoy Camden in a much more chilled way than you might expect, or have previously experienced.
