Getting seedy in King's Cross

The idea of dining out in King's Cross seems as mad as trying to score crack in Sloane Square. The area may have received millions over recent years to pave the way for the new Eurostar link, but I still think King's Cross is a coldsore on the face of London. I know a few people who live there, including Debs and Nicky who have to negotiate these mean streets in wheelchairs. In the way Londoners do, they love to grumble about their area, but get very defensive if you, the visitor, criticise the area. With much local enthusiasm, Nick and Debs took me to the Mustard Seed.

In Portobello or even Hackney, a place like the Mustard Seed would be nothing to write home about. For the residents in the heart of King's Cross, it is. A huge massage parlour and a derelict pub are its neighbours. The place is not fitting with its environment. It has arum lilies, sunny daffs and gingers in vases, the walls are painted in brown and cream retro stripes, there are huge mirrors and architectural radiators, and the softest lighting, lots of blonde wood, and a Brandenburg Concerto playing in the background add to a very gentle and aesthetic vibe. I spotted some 'funky Christian' literature, and the German owner confirmed that the Mustard Seed is run by Jesus-loving do-gooders. Nick said he liked the idea of the girls in the massage parlour getting something nutritious inside them.

Indeed, the meals here are very wholesome and balanced. There are lots of interesting fresh juices, such as apple, nectarine and cinnamon. The food, though, is not all good. The menu is made up of simple favourites - soups, risottos, sausage and mash, breakfasts and ciabatta sandwiches. There is a £1.50 corkage fee and the corner shop up the road sells a good Argentinean merlot for £7.

To start I had prosciutto and melon, which was fine, but the melon was far too cold. The others had an ordinary tomato and mozzarella salad, and a porcini risotto. The porcini had not been soaked long enough and were tough and unpleasantly musky. However, at only £3.95 a pop, they were a bargain.

We were the only people there on a Tuesday night. Most of the action was out on the street, where plainclothed policemen were loading boxes of files into an armoured van. The waitress took aeons to take our plates away - in the end I cleared them myself.

The mains divided us. Debs and Nick said their fishcakes were a goer, but my steak was like shoe leather. I asked for it medium rare, but what arrived was a leaden, uniformly brown piece of sinew. Imagine a steak cooked in a microwave. Not good.

We were having a pleasant time, and the coffees and puddings - particularly a gooey brownie with good vanilla ice cream - were especially fine. The enthusiastic response of our two locals is enough to recommend it, if not for the food then for the simple fact that it exists in a place which is crying out for a bit of calm and good old-fashioned Christian loving.

The Mustard Seed
109 King's Cross Road, WC1X 9LR