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Gallipoli’s a great place to meet up and eat outCND vice president Bruce Kent enjoys a great Turkish meal, which he finds offers great value for money
WHERE else to plan a campaign against the proliferation of nuclear weapons than the popular Gallipoli restaurant in Islington’s Upper Street?
Over the delicious Turkish meze and moussakka veteran peace campaigner Bruce Kent makes the final preparations for his public meeting involving Christian, Jewish and Muslim peace activists, being held at St Mellitus church hall, Finsbury Park, on Wednesday, February 14.
The restaurant even has a small alcove where Bruce, vice president of CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), his wife Valerie and up to six colleagues and friends can meet to eat and talk over a glass of something or other.
“I’ve been coming to the Gallipoli for eight years,” he says. “This is my favourite restaurant. The food is wonderful and very reasonably priced. You won’t find much in Upper Street these days which is such good value.”
In an effort to verify Bruce’s claims for the Gallipoli I decided I had better meet him there for lunch.
Bruce and Valerie shared a Gallipoli meze – a platter of seven selected dishes – as a starter (£4.45), which I had to help them finish because it was all too much, even though I had ordered my own starter, prawn avocado, (£3.25). Goodness me, the things one has to do in this job.
Then we each had shish kebab – spicy cubes of charcoal-cooked lamb or chicken on a skewer – for £6.95 and shared a bottle of house white wine.
As we ate Bruce told me that CND, whose HQ is in Pentonville Road, Islington, is becoming busier than ever with more people worried about the nuclear issue. “It’s not just the proliferation of nuclear weapons by governments,” he adds. “Terrorists may also obtain the technology to explode a device in a major city like London. The answer is to abolish all nuclear weapons on a worldwide scale.”
It was a very enjoyable lunch and the only time Bruce got a bit heated was when he was talking about the Prime Minister.
“Blair’s the greatest disappointment this country’s ever had,” Bruce says. “He came in with a massive majority and could have made Britain the peacemaking country of the world.
“He could have changed our social services, health system and education for the better, but he’s squandered it all in wars. Not just wars that he had to fight but wars in which he slavishly followed the Americans. I think he will go out in disgrace.”
We’d almost completed the meal when manager Can Aydin came over with a small tray bearing what seemed like tiny cakes. We were all very full and were of a mind to decline the offer but Mr Aydin was very insistent. “Please,” he implored, “these are called Gallipoli Delights and are one of the house specialities.”
Well, it seemed churlish to refuse and we all popped one of the delicacies into our mouths. It was like a sweet taste explosion, we all agreed, absolutely gorgeous. They were in fact apricots, stones removed, with fresh cream and pistachio nuts.
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