Meet your nemesis in chocolate form

If you want the dessert to end all desserts try the Nemesis at Joe Allen – it’s this restaurant’s best kept secret

A TRULY fabulous place. Even if you are not part of showbiz the atmosphere is there and you soon relax and enjoy the ambience. The restaurants in New York, Florida, Paris and Los Angeles all share similar features: a pianist, a long bar, mainly round tables, dark wood and a myriad theatrical pictures on the walls.
They have a pre-theatre menu Monday to Saturdays from 5pm to 6.45pm. (£15 for two courses and £17 for three courses). Saturday and Sunday Brunch (11.30am-4pm) the two courses at £18.50 or three at £20.50 include a bloody mary, bucks fizz or a glass of champagne.
A most popular place for dining after a show as they are at the centre of Theatreland and close at 1am and midnight on Sundays. Booking is essential. The waiters are cheerful and most attentive. We were a party of five and having ordered the carafe of house red (£15) we asked for water.
Instead of receiving the customary look of disapproval from the staff, we were asked ‘ice or not ice’ and we were brought water in a lovely carafe accompanied by six glasses with ice.
We all decided to have just one dish each. The light eaters chose a caesar salad (£8) and chopped chicken liver (£5.50).
One of my dining companions and I both ordered Joe Allen’s famous barbecue spare ribs which come with rice, wilted spinach, black-eyed peas and corn muffin (£13). Simply delicious. It is a mound of ribs with a rich barbecue sauce. Next time I will ask for the sauce to be served on the side, though.
Another of our party had the grilled sirloin steak with roast potatoes and ranchera sauce (£15.50) which she described as tender and very tasty. Another opted for the grilled swordfish (£15) and said it was excellent.
The medium size menu include the following which are not readily available in other restaurants: black bean soup (£5), grilled red mullet with green beans and aioli (£6.50) and wild mushrooms with garlic on toasted sage and corn bread (£6). Highly recommended: slow-roast pork with braised savoy cabbage, girolles and caramelised apple (£13) and the warm leek, sweetcorn and goat’s cheese tart with new potatoes and watercress and red onion salad (£9.50).
Joe Allen are best known for their pecan pie (£5.50) but one of ourt number enquired if there was a dessert without sugar.
The amused waiter replied: “If there is a dessert without sugar it would not be worth having.”
I wanted a dessert without wheat or dairy. and one of our number smiled triumphantly and came back with Nemesis, the richest and most delicious of chocolate cakes.
It was meant to be a secret as nemesis is not on the menu – but what are secrets for if not to share them with my most intimate friends.
Service charge is not included but once added by the customer, the credit card bill is closed by the restaurant.
Well done.

Joe Allen
13 Exeter Street WC2
020 7497 2148
Monday to Saturday, open 12pm-1am
Sundays, open 12pm-12am