Italian Kitchen

When I moved to London eight years ago, the Italian Kitchen was a welcome surprise and a regular haunt. In the past, it boasted an extensive menu that had innovative takes on traditional dishes.

BUT (and this is an important but) two years ago they slashed their menu by more than half. Conveniently however, they have left their older, more impressive menu online to fool unsuspecting customers.

I discovered this when I took a group of 15 there for my birthday. Not only was the selection pathetically slim, the preparation of the food was amateurish, sloppy, and simply unappetizing. I was so mortified I wound up picking up the check for the entire party, not feeling comfortable asking friends to pay for the experience.

Over two years later, the Italian Kitchen still posts an inaccurate menu on their site, making them not merely an inadequate restaurant, but either lazy or dishonest as a business. While it has always looked like a cheap tourist trap, now it actually is one.
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Ben
4 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Thursday, September 01, 2011

Have been here half a dozen times now over the past two years and it's always been up and down. After the last visit, however, I will not be going back. Mushroom bruschetta was literally mushrooms on toast - no herbs, no chopped onion, not even any seasoning. My pizza base was thick and undercooked and absolutely slathered in tomato paste. The ham topping looked like reformed ham slices that you buy in the fridge at Tesco and were only lukewarm. My largely untouched plate was collected with absolutely no comment. The food of my fellow diners was a little better, but presentation was mediocre and everything looked like it had just been thrown onto the plates with little care or thought. Disappointing.
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Paula
2 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Sunday, May 08, 2011

We went to the Italian Kitchen on Saturday as a party of 18. I had been and looked at the venue earlier in the day and was slightly worried by the shabbiness of the restaurant, but we all agreed that the food and service were excellent and would definitely go back.
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Judy Gregory
7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Monday, March 07, 2011

Firstly - Unfriendly service - waitress was very impatient, tearing off order notes in front of our eyes.

Secondly - food was overpriced, tasteless and very basic.

A meal deal (about £8) said: salads for starter and chili pasta for main. For salads it was literally 3 leaves of salad in plate with some olive oil... Pasta - not cooked enough and taste was horribly overkilled with garlic chili... Minestrone soup - few small pieces of vegetables floating in water.

As London visitors, I think, we were caught in one of those "tourist one-off visiting restaurants"...

We've never had such a bad restaurant experience before!
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Mike
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, November 23, 2010

delicious food, good service, nice people, one of the few restaurants we visited twice.
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martinus fennena
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Monday, August 16, 2010

very very nice nite out, the pasta very tasty and good portions and the seabass with the black rice very good combination of flavours.The restaurant was full and lively and the service very (italian) friendly and polite (very rare nowdays) they reccomended us the tiramisu and it was....to die for.We'll definitiley go back and very good value for money.
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Rebecca Gold
8 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Sunday, March 28, 2010

3 years after having a very nice meal at the Italian Kitchen, we went there again last night as part of a group of 6. it was the most dreadful meal I have ever had. Calamares with zucchini was fine but the portion was tiny, and my breaded veal was as dry as a bone and served with some very old potatoes that I think had been sauteed a good while back. They were soggy, grey and tasted foul. There was nothing by way of garnish except a sliver of lemon. My partner and another of our party had seafood pasta, neither of them could eat it. Lasagna, was OK but had a sweet, 'jammy' flavour. Bruschetta was "OK ish", the only edible dish was penne with tomato sauce. Frascati was thin and acidic. Staff surly.
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Maggy Ridge
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Saturday, March 13, 2010

Arrived here at 7pm as previuolsy agreed with owner for short notice booking for 9 people! We had previously been told that the table would be needed at 8.30 which to us was not a problem. Service was swift , but not uncomfortably so , food was great my son declaring his pizza the best ever! Lasagne , lamb and various pasta was enjoyed by all- and even having a starter as a main course for someone in the party with a smaller appetite was not a problem. Tiramasu and panacotte were wonderful.

The waiter came over about 8:25 to say if we wanted to squeeze up he only needed one of our tables to accomodate other diners and we could linger as long as we needed.

All in the party agreed we would return another time as service great, food great atmosphere great.We had Main course , sweet and drink and was about £20 per head fatastic for London - Also if you eat before 5 they do a special £7.95 menu.

thoroughly recommend
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Helen MacEwan
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Saturday, February 13, 2010

Why has 'Gary' written two reviews having a go at Italian restaurants? Why is he so down on Italy? I grew up in Italy and I'm slightly offended by that. I don't know where he's been visiting, but it's nowhere I've been. There are many many nice tratorrias in every place where you can have a starter, nice hearty pasta and wine for less than 25 euros each if you just know where to go. You've been ripped off mate!

Anyway, I like Italian Kitchen. I've loved it for years. The food is nice and authentic. The prices are a little more than I'd like but this is the West End. The staff are very nice.

I can not tell you if what people below saying it's a bit hit and miss now is right or not, but it has always been lovely when I have eaten there.
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Christina
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, December 22, 2009

I had been to this restaurant with my wife on a Saturday evening.

We had tried the 2 course set menu. The ambience is very romantic with candles and very low lighting and it has a very rustic feel reminiscent of rural Italy. I ordered the Pizza which is best avoided (I think I am too used to Pizza Hut pizzas) but the pasta was nice. The place seems to be crowded so book in advance. Expect to spend around 20£ per person.
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Gururaj Parvatikar
7 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, December 22, 2009