Bacchus Pub & Kitchen

I dined here on Saturday night and must admit that if the reservation hadn't been made by someone who was much more into haute cuisine than I, it wouldn't have been my choice. Now, that being said the experience surprised me well beyond my expectations.

I had made the mistake of reading old reviews and was under the impression that I could order from an a-la-carte menu, an important idea for me as I cannot eat fish or shellfish. Upon arriving and reviewing the menu I learned that the tasting menu, which consists of primarily fish type items, was the only option available. Not wanting to leave my group and miss out on a convivial evening I decided to ask if there was something that could be done to accommodate my dietary limitations. After consulting with the chef the waiter announced that special dishes would be whipped up for me. I couldn't have been more pleased! So, the entire party of 6 people all ordered the 6 course tasting menu with the wine accompaniments. It was lovely and surprising and fresh.

It was not cheap but the service, the quality of the ingredients, the surprising mixes of flavours and the attention to detail made for a surpassingly good evening. If you are looking for something a bit different then I highly recommend Bacchus.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, December 02, 2007

Eight of us unanimously agreed that dinner here was one of the worst dining experiences of our lives. Unbelievably pretentious, unsuccessful combinations of deliberately odd ingredients do not equal fine dining. The portions were minute, inclduing the wine - a dribble at the bottom of an enormous glass even though we were paying 5 pounds a pop. The textures were unanimously sloppy, slodgy or mushy. So many random ingredients sloshed together that you could not actually taste any of them. The service was irritating. We left most of our food, but none of the waiters bothered to ask why or whether we enjoyed our meal. Overpriced to boot: we paid a hefty 60 pounds each for this dreadful meal.
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, November 27, 2007

I at at bacchus about a month ago and must say enjoyed it a lot.

The food is amazing and must say the chef has good talent and capability.

This is a place for anyone who likes to discover new flavours and combinations.

For those who like the normal food of brasseries I recommend them to go and eat where they go normally- (mcdonalds, pizza hut, all the crap etc)
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Saturday, November 03, 2007

I notice every time a slightly adverse review appears here, then a gushing one appears above it. Or am I being a bit too cynical. This place was a quarter full when I went on a Saturday night. The food was really quite ordinary and bizarre in places. Thankfully I didn't opt for the full tasting menu or I might have had to remortgage my house. I'd have also needed a stomach pump because this chef is indulging his own cullinary fantasies while ignoring the fact that the food may not actually be edible. I thought nouvelle cuisine portions died out with the eighties but they're alive and kicking here. And why so mean with the wine? Like so much of Hoxton, this is a triumph of form over content. It's also in a part of "trendy" Hoxton that is anything but. Bit like a bit of the Bronx in London town. When I left there was no 'good night' to either me or my dinner guest. I rather got the impression that they were pleased to have got our money and now we could drop dead - which we probably would have done on the nine courses.
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Tony McMahon
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, September 25, 2007

We ate at Bacchus a few Saturdays ago and had a brilliant evening.

We went for the 9 course tasting menu with wine, and it was superb.

The cooking was brilliant and the menu extremely well thought out, and the duck dish I had was probably the best cooked duck I have ever had.

The food was light and seasonal and filled with flavour. The cooking techniques used were executed brilliantly.

Every course was spot on and the wine pairing really enhanced the experience.

Also the service was relaxed and professional and the waitress we had really wanted to get us involved with the meal and talked extremely knowledgeably about the different dishes.

I have been to Bacchus a few times since it has opened and it was great to see the restaurant really blossoming.

Bacchus is a great restaurant and one I will continue to return to time after time.
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Mike O''Brien
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Like the main review here, we nearly gagged on some of the 'fusion' dishes. The "milk covering" on a green gelatinious brick which I was told was 'pistachio custard' was the most horrible thing I've ever stuck in my mouth - like eating the skin on a cold cup of tea. The green jelly brick was on top of dried, crushed coffee beans - never nice to eat at the best of times. The suckling pig was a piece of crackling which nearly broke my incisors on top of what looked like tinned pork. Cooked and raw figs in accompaniment - why both? The curious bread really was too clever by half. Dried strips that, as my friend put it, looked like a 'hob accident'. Very hot cheese mini-buns that were just revolting. This was a 'tasting menu' - the only option - and we had the wine pairing with the dishes. Barely two fingers in each glass and a boring description of the wine from the waitress - gee, New World Sauvignon Blanc...never had that before! The problem with this place is that it fuses textures and flavours that should be kept apart or not even served. It's way too costly and the servings are microscopic. Service is efficient but strangely unfriendly. Give it six months.
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Ross Todhunter
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Sunday, September 16, 2007

We ate here last week, and went for the 9 course tasting menu plus matching wines. This was excellent value at £105 each.

The service was brilliant - we had a charming waitress, and everything was explained to us courteously and well. The decor was nice; a converted pub which made for a more relaxed and informal atmosphere.

The food was very different - sous vide cooking, jellies, foams etc. I thoroughly enjoyed the food - flavours were well matched, course sizes were perfect so that we weren't left feeling stuffed by the end of the 9 courses plus amuse bouches. Many of the courses really played with your brain, giving your tastebuds something completely unexpected. However, I would suggest that if you have a problem with textures then this won't be your thing.

The bloody mary cocktail, 'Bloody Marvellous' was just that. Thoroughly recommended - and due to the menu changing every month, I will be returning!
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L
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, August 30, 2007

So, the point of Bacchus is twofold: high-end dining 'in trainers', and 'sous-vide' food- food cooked slowly that's meant to aid texture and flavour.

Well it is laid back and welcoming although I'd like to see a former East-End pub to keep at least an echo of the heritage. The decor is a little uninspiring, but overall the feel is relaxed.

The food is in the Fat Duck, El Bulli style- lots of foams & lots of blades of sauce painted onto the dishes. Some of the combinations work and some don't. For me the sous-vide style leaves me wanting the food to be cooked more. All the fish and meat seems raw, but without the flavour or succulence of sushi or good, slow-roasted cuts of meat.

It's ok, but there are a lot of places better for the price.
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Maugan - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Friday, August 24, 2007

My girlfriend and I went to Bacchus on Saturday night for her birthday and had a wonderful meal, the only downside being that the restaurant was almost empty and neither of us could figure out why. This is a great restaurant serving really interesting food that we both thoroughly enjoyed. The service was excellent (which it should have been with only 3 customers per waiting staff) and frankly we both felt this restaurant deserved to be full. Like many of the other reviewers we went for the 6 course tasting menu with wine pairing which was worth the added expense. I shall definitely return. (btw the duck was so good I'm still thinking about it).
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Stephen
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 9
Monday, August 13, 2007

My husband and I had a fantastic meal here last night. It wasn't just a meal, it was a real experience. We love the whole concept of tasting menus and Bacchus didn't disappoint. Every course was a mini taste adventure and provided us with fun talking points throughout the evening. I enjoyed everything I ate and it was great to try new (and sometimes strange!) taste combinations. Some worked better than others (most were excellent) but it was the whole experience which we loved.

It stands out from other restaurants providing this type of food as it is totally unpretentious and relaxed, very different to the likes of Maze for example (which we also highly rate but is much more formal). We loved the chilled music and the whole ambience. Cool without being too trendy. We had a nice table in the corner which was quite romantic, but it is definitely somewhere you could go with friends as well (there was also a big group on the other side of the room who seemed to be enjoying themselves).

The service was excellent; the staff were friendly and attentive without being overbearing and they were very knowledgeable about the wines and of course the food. They went out on a limb to please and it really showed.

We opted for the 6 course tasting menu which really is good value at £40 and had the accompanying wines as well which is another £30 (although it seems a lot it gives you the opportunity to try 6 different wines which in itself is an adventure). Bottles are cheaper obviously but we thought it was worth going the whole way since it was my husband's birthday. As a result the whole thing was on the expensive side but certainly worth it as a treat.

I would definitely recommend coming here, especially if you have an open-mind about food and enjoying experimenting and experiencing new flavours.

However, don't expect huge portions, that's not what it is about here. We were quite satisfied although not bursting (not a bad thing!)
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Dominique
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Friday, August 03, 2007