Can there be, in Britain, such a thing as a destination Greek taverna? There are some cases where proximity is the most important thing: gyms, cafés, defibrillators. A Greek taverna falls into this category. All you need is harmless food and ambient fake vines for a catch-up with your relatives.

But I’m in need of a new one. Lemonia in north London was a good option until halfway through my final meal there. A bit of lamb kleftiko decided it wanted to remain in the entrance to my father’s trachea. Choking, mouth frothing, screaming for help, oh thank God there’s a nurse over there, Heimlich, hospital, then, seven hours later, home.

In Covent Garden, a taverna will always be rootless, which is a contradiction in terms

In Covent Garden, a taverna will always be rootless, which is a contradiction in terms

‘I watched my father die in front of my eyes at a Greek taverna in Primrose Hill’ would have made for quite a heavy-metal introduction to this column. But I........

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