Quadrato

Booked and ate there for the first night of their new winter menu.

Not imprest.

Out of four course for the two of us three were acceptable to very poor and the price to high.

The rissoto was hard, scallops bland and the garnish with the beef cold as well a the pomme puree with tartfuo being encased in a hard risso like item.

However the wine list was excellent and wines by the glass of the best quality.

Having lived and worked in Italy the quality was below par at half the price.

Discussed this with the management and got a discount on the bill (about 30%), but unlikely to go back, although would drink in the bar.
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Iain Greenwood
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Monday, October 16, 2006

What looks like a simplistic menu but cooked as well as it could be. Theres a usual selection of Italian dishes - pasta (home made ravioli, lobster spagetti), gnocci, steak and more and they seem to trek across italy offereing regional specials each month.

Before your meal you'll get some fantatic homemade breads and some olive oil (they dont even scrimp on that its very peppery).

After desserts there's also some very nice home made chocolates.

The food only gets a (high) 7 because, although cooked fantastically, I think there is a limit to how well you can rate tagliatelle with wild mushrooms, very nice but not very imaginative, but I guess thats the point its quite traditional food and Im biased towards a bit of fusion. Anyone else would probaly give it a 9. I've been about 20 times know and the dishes are spot on each time. Nice little touches like the very fresh parmesan (never though I could eat plain chunks of the stuff) and delicious buffalo mozzarlla make me feel guilty for not rating it higher.

Unbelievable service, the staff are very knowlegable about each dish and will gladly spend time discussing which wine should go with each dish.

The only way the service could have improved was if the waiter actaully cought the knife before it hit the floor when I dropped it as opposed to mearly making me wait 10 seconds for a new one. They actaully thanked me for telling them I needed a 15 minute break between my starter and main.

Im guessing as part of the quite expensive hotel (four seasons) they're not too bothered about profit margin but the newer waiters/waitresses can tend to still plug the wine. Although as the nominated driver they are happy to provide me tap water in a large jug with ice/lemon.

One very minor gripe with the food is the garnish, its more apparent with a group of 4 or more people but the chef seems to have made a huge batch of homemade usundried tomatoes. They're very nice but the don't have to go with every dish.

The setting is like to coolest 70's hotel you've been in; dark brown wood against white columns with geometric shapes cut out of them and huge vases on high pointless wooded shelves. The kithen itself it visibile by virtue of being almot in the middle of the restaurant surrounded by glass, although its at a level where you just cant see their hands.

Nice acoustics and space in between tables, (high ceilings makes it quiet) and there's usually "chilled ibiza for restaurants" pleasantly playing or sometimes a painist by the bar whic is just outside.

Defninalty worth it after a long week at work where you just want to relax and know you are going to get good food, great service and feel almost papmered enough to want to book a room for the night.
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mike
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Saturday, May 27, 2006

I have eaten here on several occasions, and I have always found the food and service to be extremely good. The menu is well balanced and has variety. It is not cheap (for a three course lunch with no wine one should expect to pay £50/head). In the summer you can sit outside which is also pleasant.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Monday, December 19, 2005

I was invited here for lunch earlier today and I'm not sure whether it was the fact that it was miserably rainy outside or the fact that I wasn't picking up the bill but I could happily have stayed all afternoon! A really pleasant atmosphere, quite formal and not particularly cosy but then I wouldn't expect anything less considering the location. Extremely attentive waiting staff who managed to get the balance right between being at your side bang on queue but not hovering over you whilst you ate. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Being an Italian restaurant there was the typical fare - antipasti, pasta, seafood etc but it was the variety of choice and the way the waiting staff were extremely keen to provide details on each of the dishes that impressed me. I started with a salad of dandelion leaves, rocket and raspberries, which sounds slightly dubious, but with the balsamic dressing made a really delicious alternative to the usual wilted leaf displays that get churned out time after time in most establishments. I then followed with a grilled fish platter, which included squid, cod, and also king prawns. Presented well and all cooked perfectly. I sadly had no room for pudding but one of my colleagues had what looked like an amazing limoncello liquor jelly, which by all accounts was pretty potent! Having not picked up the bill I'm not entirely sure the exact cost per head but I'm guessing it is not somewhere that you would stop in for a 'cheap eat'. However, it was truly amazing, atmospheric and relaxing. I would definitely recommend booking if you are in the Canary Wharf area.
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TT
Wednesday, July 27, 2005

the sunday brunch is fab. such a lot of choices. there was a complimentary glass of champagne to start with, followed by cold dishes, main course and desert. cold dishes consisted of fish, meats, cheeses and salads. there was a choice of pasta, roast, vegetarian dishes for the main course. the bill, excluding service charge came to approx £37 per person. bargain considering it is a nice hotel!
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kp
Monday, July 18, 2005