Axis

I attended this restaurant on Friday 25th April. I was extremely impressed with the level of service which was most definitely first rate. I especially liked the complimentary bread throughout the meal which was a nice touch.

The decor looked modern and the high ceilings with painted bamboo wall gave a curious effect. I liked it.

The meal itself was quite well prepared and although not too filling it was presented very well and tasted as I thought it should. I think Mr Ramsay would be impressed if he came here.

I strangely wondered why on a Friday night it was at least half empty (or half full for those optimists).

I will make one comment about a certain crying baby, which did detract from the atmosphere, especially having to put up with this for at least an hour and a half. (I wonder why guests feel the need to take a 1 year old to a classy restaurant like that.) Staff have to be praised for trying to make amends by offering a complimentary glass of Rose, but I had to wonder why they didn't ask the family with the 1 year old to leave as they had clearly finished their meals even before we sat down. Perhaps they were friends of management, or buying a lot of food and wine. Your guess is as good as mine.

I will probably return, but not until I have tested a few other restaurants in the Covent Garden area first.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 6
Monday, April 28, 2008

We booked here mainly because the space is really cool, big bold soaring art deco thing with a fantastic futurist?/vorticist?/cubist? mural acroos one wall.

Arrived at eight for drinks. I had an old fashioned which was okay but a bit weak tasting. I kind of give up on cocktails in the UK. Between taxes, weights & measures and profit margins its almost impossible to get a decent cocktail for anything less than the national debt of a small country.

Anyhoo not the meal.

The atmosphere was quiet and relaxed. If this is typical this is not a raucous city eater but more somewhere thats a bit grand but where nevertheless you can hear each other speak.

Starters for two of us was a dish of smoked eel, crispy pork belly and Excellent beetroot and was excellent. My other companion had Cheddar gorge cheese soufflee. Its was a bit batter'y for me but there again I'm n souffee officianado. He was pleased with it.

Main course was Herwick lamb, salsify and kidney. Lamb very good and done to expectation. Kidney a little over-cooked.

Companion A. had smoked haddock, bubble and squeak and poached egg and was well pleased with it. Companion B had poached salmon, lobster and seafood bisque and again was very pleased. Wine was very reasonably priced Australian sav blanc and went well with our dishes, possibly the seafood more than my lamb!

Slight gltch: The broccoli side dish was way too cooked and the mash side could have been presented better, looked a bit insipid on the plate, a drizzle of olive oil perhaps? a sprinkling of pepper?. Pity as the mains were so well done.

Dessert was chocolate fondant, blood orange sorbet and a nasty caramalised clementine [fruit was dry and segments unpeeled]. I had treacle pudding and vanilla icecream, the pudding was a bit dry having been deconstructed with the treacle on the side, suggest dropping the 'El Bulli' approach and just soak it in treacle, subtlty is not the way forward with this dish!

Excellent fruit jelies and chocolate petit fours to finish off went very well with coffee.

Axis is a competent restaurant with interesting and well executed if not inspiring food. In a less interesting space it would be overpriced but travertine and murals cost as well as good food (I don't mind paying for surroundings as long as the food is not too far behind)

Service is very good in that they just get on with it with a smile, surely all you need on that front?

I'd go again but probably for the impressive space and reliablity rather than a culinary revelation.
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Marc, Mark & Lizzie
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Sunday, March 16, 2008

I have just come back from lunch at Axis and was generally very impressed. The three course lunch for £17.50 was excellent value and the food was beautifully presented and not overly ambitious in terms of combinations of flavours. The Christmas pudding with vanilla and brandy custard could have been a ridicukously rich affair but they got it just right and the halibut for main course was perfectly cooked and accompanied by a sauce which just hit the right note. The service was a little on the cold side I have to say but it was attentive and quick. The setting, in my opinion is really stunning. Plenty of space to relax and comfortable furniture meant it was a lovely place to sit for an hour if nothing else. Didn't have wine but had a look on the winelist and it was very reasonably priced, starting at around £18 a bottle. Water was 3.95 which isnt bad compared to some places which can go up to 6 or 7. All round, pleasant experience (can't ask for more than that) and will return.
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Brian Sheehy
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, December 10, 2007

Attracted by its menu of British cuisine, I chose this as the venue to celebrate my 30th birthday family last night, but the lively atmosphere I was expecting to find at this supposedly popular restaurant was decidedly absent. Only two other tables were occupied throughout the evening - and this was a Friday night.

Decoratively the restaurant hints at being an 'occasion' venue, although the skyscraper mural that dominates one end of the room bellows its presence rather incongruously. Tables were intimate and comfortable nonetheless.

We drank an Argentinian Merlot, which was far from worth the £45 tag, and an over-sweetened mojito. Starters were chargrilled asparagus, cooked to perfection and enjoyed by both who ordered it, and the crispy duck salad, which was consumed voraciously but without comment.

Mains were mostly enjoyed, but criticised for mean portion control. My mum found her hay baked leg of lamb 'tasteless' but I put that down to her cold; I sampled it and found it tender and flavoursome. My brother raved about corn-fed chicken from the grill, although from where I was sitting the portion wouldn't have been sufficient to satisfy a fieldmouse. My fish pie was the triumph of this round - succulent, bursting with flavour and decidedly more-ish.

To finish, we ordered four puddings between three. Profiteroles were fine - as a dessert dish they're hard to get excited about. Pannacotta with English cherries was spot-on, the best pannacotta I can remember having. My Victorian 1882 trifle was interesting; I ordered it without really knowing what made it 'Victorian' - I believe the answer is the inclusion of mint on the topping. Blackberry bakewell tart had too much tart and not enough fruit, and was rather unyielding to the spoon - but the accompanying lemon curd ice cream was superb.

Service was exemplary throughout, with friendliness and efficiency both pitch-perfect. It would be interesting to see how they perform when (and if) the restaurant gets busier, but for us it was probably the highlight of our evening there.

The meal cost a hefty £65 per head, but this restaurant gets a lot right - overall the food was very good - so it's difficult to understand why it was so empty. Small portions at high prices haven't stopped other restaurants aimed at a moneyed clientele succeeding; indeed for the most expensive restaurants, it's par for the course. I just hope this restaurant is still around for me to return to next year.
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Bel Ludovic
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 6
Saturday, August 26, 2006

I planned a business dinner at Axis a couple of weeks back and after my experience would highly recommend it to anyone. The service from the moment we arrived to the time we left was impeccable. Food was beautifully presented, well priced and most of all tasty! The restuarant itself is tastefully decorated and tables are spread far enough apart for it to be quite private. This is a great spot for dinner and I will defintely be going back.
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AJ
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, August 10, 2006

Absolutely first class, would recommend to all and will definately eat there again!
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Mark
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, March 10, 2006

Service was good but the food was very average & overpriced.I will not be going there again!
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Friday, February 24, 2006

I had a meal here last night and it was lovely. The service was amazing from the bartenders expiliang the different gins to the indivual ashtrays given to each person at the table so we didnt have to reach across.

I had the scallops to start and they were really good, cooked just perfectly. I had the honey glazed ham for my main and it was delicious. Ranked up there with the best ham I have ever had, not too salty with a subtle honey flavour and just fell apart on my fork.

I would recommend it, A lot better than the majority of covent graden area restaurants.
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Louise Collins
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, February 22, 2006

I accompanied my husband to his team's Christmas dinner at Axis last Saturday night.

We arrived early and we couldn't access the bar due to a private function so we headed next door to the hotel lobby bar for a glass of very nice but very expensive champagne. It was freezing cold in there with lots of stuffy and rude people. I was really hoping the restaurant wasn't the time.

We were then seated in the much warmer and nicer atmosphere of the restaurant and I have to agree with the other comments made about the seating height - nightmare for anyone under 5"5 with some of our guests having to ask for extra cushions!

The bread was nice but sooooooo stodgy - beware of over-eating and spoiling your starter. I chose the crispy duck noddle salad which was very scrummy followed by the lamb which was very good too.

One of our party was brought the wrong main dish (even though we were all presented with individual menu cards) and it took over 40 minutes for her chosen dish to arrive - not ideal at all. Having said that the service was very efficient and we didn't feel rushed.

One of the highlights for me was seeing Piers Morgan although he left so quickly after finishing his meal I didn't get time to congratulate him on his book so that was a shame.

The Chocolate pudding was heaven and the mini mince pies were to die for. We chose the wines beforehand and found them to be very good but very over priced based on other restaurants.

We did haggle a bit over the service charge due to the late arrival of one of dishes and they were fine about it.

All in all, very impressed and would definitely go back although I would give the lobby bar a miss next time.
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Victoria Brodie
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, December 20, 2005

I went to Axis for a Business Lunch and after reading these reviews, I wasn't to sure what to expect. However I must say it was excellent I started with the smoked salmon and cream fraiche with dill this dish was amazing. My main was a fillet steak and garlic mash with a side of green beans and spinach top with a green pepper sauce. This dish was fantastic just the right portions of everything. We then followed with coffee's again presentation of these was classy yet simple. The service at this restaurant was excellent, the waiters just add those little touches and attention to each diner that really stood out for me.
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Amelia - View all reviews by this user
Monday, September 12, 2005