Finsbury Patty Pity

Step out of Finsbury Park Station (Wells Terrace exit) on any evening and turn right towards Stroud Green Road - you can't help but get a whiff of the sweet jerk chicken aromas wafting through the air. It's a nasal delight, a perfect accompaniment for a summer sunset; and it's provided by the hot griddles of the yellow shack on the corner, Big Dada's BBQ (open 10am-midnight everyday).

One fine April evening I stopped off here for a touch of nourishment on my way up the hill towards home. I asked the chef behind the counter for a saltfish patty and made some preliminary enquiries about the establishment.

'So do you cook all your patties here?' I asked, as he took the yellow pastry off the incubated rack and slipped it into a paper bag.

'No, no, they get made in a factory', he said, smiling, '...they come from a factory near Heathrow Airport.' How intriguing, I thought. Why so far away? Are the raw ingredients flown in direct from the Caribbean? Presumably somebody is lugging sackloads of hot patties up the Piccadilly Line everyday.

Fumbling for change, I realised I only had £1.31 in my packet, and the asking price for saltfish patties was £1.50. Seeing my struggle, the seller said not to worry and let me off the difference and handed over the patty. So far, so great! Clutching this cutpriced prize I wandered off up hill.

The lukewarm yellow half-moon pastry was flatter and floppier than I'd had before. Taste-wise, too, I was left surprisingly underwhelmed. It took me three bites to get a tangible grasp of the saltfish's presence. The remainder of the filling was composed of moist mushed pea, sweetcorn, carrot, and red pepper. Only when I reached the mid-section did the flavours break through and liven up my tastebuds. That was the best bit, the pepper and hot spice complementing the saltiness of the fish (cod, I think). Good stuff. Once I'd passed the patty's halfway point though, the spiciness went away again, and I was left struggling on with a mouthful of dry pastry and soggy stodge. To wash it down I went to a newsagents for a can of Orangina (39p).

Overall, I had no major gripes with Big Dada's - it hit the spot, eventually, and I got a discount after all - but as I continued up the hill I felt the pastry/seasoning/filling ratio needed minor adjustment to justify the regular £1.50 pricetag.

Big Dada's BBQ, Finsbury Park Station