It was in Wall Street – probably one of the greatest films ever – that Michael Douglas, playing the role of expensively pin-striped villain Gordon Gekko, uttered the words that came to define the 1980s: “Greed is good”. Now that a sequel is scheduled for imminent release, it seems like a good time to ascertain whether Gekko’s maxim still holds true. That’s my explanation for the utterly ludicrous amount of food I managed to eat at The Alice House in West Hampstead, and I’m sticking to it.

Situated on West End Lane, about a five minute walk from Finchley Road or West Hampstead tube station, The Alice House is really rather nice. Part-pub, part-restaurant, part-tequila bar, with a bustling outside terrace and secret downstairs area called The Den, The Alice House has something for everyone.

The interior combines the faux-rustic (with exposed brickwork, old wooden tables, pot plants and comfortably worn leather sofas) with the crisply modern – chrome bar and snazzy overhead light installation. It’s not the kind of look I always like, but here it’s understated and natural and totally works.

My diminutive dining companion and I kicks things off with a pair of light and elegant peach Bellinis, something of a bargain at £5.50 before we move on to Prosecco (£28 for the bottle – we’re celebrating her exciting new job). We’re not entirely sure whether to order several starters and approach them in a tapas kind of way, or just have one each and a main course. We hedge our bets with three starters between us and a main course each, and end up so full that it’s ever so slightly unpleasant. It’s totally our fault though – greed, it turns out, is not always good.

Starters-wise, the merguez are piquant and delicious, the calamari light and crisp (although the mayo could have done with more lemon for my tastes) and the goats cheese and sunblushed tomato croquets perhaps a tad bland. It doesn’t stop us gorging on them though. And at around £5 each they’re excellent value. Main courses are gigantic. My cod and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce (£9) is great and my companion’s burger (£9.50) is an utter marvel. Arriving on a wooden board and featuring a tangy chutney and applewood smoked cheddar, it’s deliciously dense with flavours.

By the time we’re done we’re way too full for dessert, but the wonderful Kathryn persuades us to try an espresso martini each. And they’re great – the perfect pick-me-up following such quantities of food. The Alice House is great – it’s nice and airy, the food’s good and not expensive, and the staff are delightful. You should come for brunch and stay ’til last orders…