I want to begin with something positive. The tea. It was served in a cafetiere, and the waiter told us that the herbal infusion (which seemed to be camomile) was typically Albanian. Imagine camomile tea. It was like that.
That’s more or less where the positives end.
We were back in Kilburn in late July for the next foray in our culinary food odyssey. In a side street just off the high road, we had found one of the few restaurants in London purporting to sell Albanian fair. To be fair, Vila Ronel positions itself as a Mediterranean restaurant, and most of the food seemed to be a mix of Italian food and grilled meats.
But we were there for the Albanian and asked the waiter what he’d recommend. There was no Albanian wine or beer (he laughed, “Albanian wine no good, we have Italian”), hence the ‘Albanian’ tea.
Food wise, the only genuinely Albanian delicacies were the byrek (filo pastry stuffed with cheese), some bread and Tave Dheu, a beef dish. We ordered it all and readied ourself for the Albanian aliments.
First, the bread. Alf was more positive about it than me. Imagine the texture of a day old Victoria sponge. Then imagine it tasting like bread. This was our starter, made just about palatable through dipping in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Soon enough the mains arrived. Sizzling ceramic dishes carried the Tave Dheu, and a plate for the byrek.
Byrek, in my limited experience, is meant to be crispy, a little chewy, and satisfyingly oily. Sadly the kitchen at Vila Ronel had committed the cardinal sin of microwaving pastry, which meant the byrek was blisteringly hot, limp and soggy. A bit like eating an old bath matt after you’ve had a shower, stood on it, and really let it soak.
Onto the Tave Dheu – the ceramic dishes seemed to have stopped sizzling and we tucked in. Described on the laminated menu as “beef pieces in tomato sauce with soft cheese and herbs”, it was one of the least edible things I’ve ever ordered. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Vila Ronel’s Tave Dheu is that it had no flavour at all. How did they achieve this?
Beef should taste of beef. Soft cheese, should, presumable, taste a little tangy and cheesy. Tomato sauce should come with a hint of tomato. But no, this was just… texture.
What’s more, the microwave had been used with great gusto in the kitchen. At moments scoldingly hot, at other times unpleasantly lukewarm, Alf and I concluded the Tave Dheu must have been microwaved from frozen.
I failed to finish either dish.
For all we know, real Albanian cuisine as served in Tirana is excellent. But it hasn’t yet translated to London.
Score: 3/10
Cost: £33 for two mains, bread, starter, tea and two cokes
Address: 46 Birchington Rd, North Maida Vale, London NW6 4LJ
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