Sorry for the delay in blogging, January finances etc., here's something to keep it ticking over...

I went to Sekara, quite literally, just before Christmas and over the festive season didn't write it up. This review is therefore a little bit more from memory than I would like, and as a consequence, a little bit short. But, I didn't want to not blog the place as I was fairly impressed.

Its just round the corner from Victoria station, which is why I went there when waiting for a coach home. It was very empty when I went there, but it was Christmas Eve and earlyish so that is unlikely to be a true reflection. Sekara specialises in Sri Lankan cuisine, which is sufficiently different from standard Indian fare to make it an interesting change.

The décor is less than impressive, consisting of bad paintings of Sri Lanka in a very ordinary 'local_indian' style dining room. The service was impeccable and friendly from what I imagine were the proprietors. The few other people who came in when I was there were all treated well, from regulars who were known by name to a large family of Sri Lankans, who I gathered were ordering “off-menu” and being a little difficult.

I had started with fish rolls, these were deep fried and had some pretty heavy spicing. The spices were really warming/sweet rather than hot and they would have worked quite well, but the fish tasted a little artificial or perhaps less than fresh. Unlike the Timeout reviewer, I have no doubt they were homemade from the different attitude to spices, but I probably wouldn't order them again as the off flavours from the fish were overpowering. I also had Vadai, lentil cakes which were spiced with cumin and heavy on the onion. These had a good flavour but were a little on the dry side.

Whilst not truly poor, there had been nothing to excite at this point, but the main course marked a big improvement. I ordered a Mutton Lamprais which was a essentially a type of biryani served in a banaa leaf. It was very good though, the rice full of flavour from being cooked in stock and also from the spices, which were again of the warming variety. The dish did pack some heat but in a slow burn kind of way and I really enjoyed it. There was plenty of meat but the dish was a bit of a mountain, not really a complaint but just a bit too much rice for one person, and not enough to be a sharing dish.

This had come with two small side dishes: an aubergine curry and seeni sambola. I'm afraid that I can't remember a lot about the aubergine curry, but am sure it was pretty decent. The seeni sambola looked like a pickle, but was actually incredibly sweet and tender caramelised onions. This really went well with the rice and was a truly good dish.

Based on the Timeout recommendation I had the dhal as well, it really wasn't necessary with the amount of food but I am glad I did. It was a very different flavour profile from a North Indian dhal, containing red lentils, lemongrass and finished with coconut. It was fragrant rather than spicy, perhaps a little watery but another delicious part of the meal.

This restaurant is licensed, so unfortunately no BYO. The wine list is not inspiring but could be worse and there are things on there you might want to drink at fair prices. Personally I stuck to a Sri Lankan lager. This looked expensive but was actually a 660ml bottle and had a good amount of flavour, much better than so many bland lagers I have endured in a misguided quest to be authentic/try new things.

I know I have used the word sweet a lot in the above review and I think it conveys the wrong impression. The spicing was sweet as in cinnamon etc. rather than actively having residual sugar. The only dish that was sweet in the true sense was the caramelised onions and they were superb. The flavours here were interesting and worked well and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Whilst most of the dessert list sounded bought in, there were two Sri Lankan desserts I would have liked to have tried. However, by this point I was absolutely stuffed and had to leave them for another time. At first, I had thought the place a little expensive for this type of food, good as it is. I think my meal was close to £30 including service. But then, I reminded myself that this is actually a convenient location and its just that we're used to eating interesting food in parts of London were the rents are a fair bit lower. Added to that, I had the most expensive main course and the quantity of food might well have been enough for two with another side dish and I think this place is actually very good value.

There's enough of interest on the main menu (as well as those desserts) to make me want to go back. Its a bit depressing to see that having updated my list of places I want to eat, not withstanding a number of closures of places I didn't even get to, the additions mean the overall number has gone up not down. That said, I've pretty much ran out of affordable to-dos in the centre so I'm sure I will be back in Sekara, long before I have the cash to go to Ramsey's or the time to get to Southall.

Like every other review I will start by boring you with the spelling debate, apparently it is meant to be Oaxaca, a place in Mexico famous for market food, but its been spelled phonetically. So what really. Its well known that people won't go to a restaurant they can't say the name of so who can blame them. (Actually I have no stats to back that assertion up, but it makes sense to me, and is a common observation in the wine trade). The second obligatory thing to mention is that Thomasina Miers is a winner of Masterchef and then did a TV programme about wild food. So now we all know.

As it serves all day I went here for a solo late lunch as its near where I work and I wanted to give it a go. Unfortunately, despite being open all day, the staff are decidedly inattentive outside normal hours and getting served was a bit of a mission. The restaurant is in a basement but despite that there is plenty of light. The décor is very bright and music very upbeat, others have told me this works well in the evening and I'm sure that's right but it was a bit full on at lunch.

Everyone gets two bowls of salsa to pep their meals up and these prove to be necessary. The salsa verde lacked the promised punch, it was fine, but when its described on the menu as fiery you expect it to deliver a little more than it did. The red salsa had a bit more of a kick two it, and both were clearly made with good ingredients. I had Frijoles Tostadas and Skirt Steak Taco with a chippotle sauce with a green salad. The food arrives when it is ready and I had quite a delay between each dish, but when they did arrive everything was very fresh.

The tacos were clearly home made and had a good doughy taste but were a little on the small side. Nonetheless it was clear that some effort had gone into them. The food is simple but the skirt steak had a good flavour, and was not chewy as I had expected. The sauce was a little indistinctive and was another item that lacked a kick despite the expectations. There is however chilli sauce on the table, but I don't see why all the food had to be quite so bland to start with. It seems to be obligatory to mention that the chilli sauce comes from Devon, all very eco-friendly and the taste doesn't suffer.

The fried tortillas for the tostadas were very crisp and not at all greasy. In fact they must have been about the cleanest tasting deep fried thing I've ever had, making them a little dull and characterless. The 'frijoles' mix of beans was good however, there was a real depth of flavour that reminded me of a good dark dahl. This was about the best thing I had at Wahaca. However, it was topped with a very small amount of cheddar cheese, in keeping with the local sourcing. All very well but cheddar doesn't really melt right and using the wrong cheese, albeit for arguably sound reasons, spoiled the dish a little. It reminded me of being a student and putting cheddar on any dish (pasta, gratin...) because it was cheap and readily available.

The green salad was all present and correct with a nice dressing, but was the only dish that seemed a little steeply priced, especially compared to the others. Portions here are small but prices are low, and the £20 platter for two looks like a particularly noteworthy bargain.

The problem here is the food is not very fatty. Its an odd complaint but it all just tastes a bit too healthy and lacks heart. Its not really authentic market food which is greasy and filling. I have been to Mexico and like Mexican food and even the much maligned Tex-Mex. But, a few truly great dishes aside, it is simple filling stuff. I wish there were more good examples in London, but here it hasn't really benefited from the attempt to make it healthy or make out its something its not.

There are lots of ethical policies on the menu here, bits of cod-philosphy which I have obliterated from my mind, explanations of the policy on local sourcing, Belu water etc. Its all very right on, and probably a good thing but here it all feels a bit too rammed down your throat and a little forced.

Echoing the initial difficulties in ordering, at the end of my meal it was almost impossible to get the bill in a virtually empty restaurant. There was no shortage of staff to back up their claims of all day dining, but mid-afternoon they simply seemed more interested in chatting to each other than dealing with customers.

This place has been damned by faint praise by many, and in a way I am doing the same. I guess people were expecting more of Ms Miers. But the food is fresh and cheap, and there seems to be a consensus that there is a much better atmosphere in the evenings. With that in mind, I'd probably go back with a group and share lots of the bargain platters and explore the interesting looking tequila menu. All in all then it is a useful addition to Covent Garden but in no way a 'must visit' restaurant.