From the less obvious touches like the reserved interior design with nods to the fashion world and the soul/blues raison d'être to the more authentic soul food on offer, an awful lot of thought has gone into the Blues Kitchen and it's gratefully lapped up by its faithful followers.

Regulars at the Blues Kitchen find the required dress somewhat restricting

We, for one, certainly enjoyed it; the live music makes for an interesting backdrop to enjoy your gumbo or Po'Boys sandwiches. This will clearly become a music venue of choice for those 'secret and intimate' gigs that often pop up in the trendier clubs of Camden. Can't wait for James Blunt to do a set there. It will be well received. Either that or rhyming slang will be thrown about with wanton abandon by the discerning locals.

The range of cocktails and other drinks on offer is great, not least because it includes an unhealthy selection of milkshakes to harden any artery as well as American favourites like root beer and coke floats. The drinks though are secondary to the food.

The soul food is a good mix here. The chilli for starters and BBQ Chicken Po'Boy (a traditional submarine sandwich which was invented by a New Orleans restaurateur who handed out the subs to poor striking workers - a credit crunch special no less) to follow will stuff most normal eaters, which is a shame because the desserts listed were certainly tempting. Aside from the dinner menu, the weekend brunch is apparently brilliant, though we have yet to try it personally.

All in all, this is a great place to waste a few hours listening to live bands and enjoying a rack of BBQ ribs washed down with a bourbon. Well worth a visit.

http://www.theblueskitchen.com/home/