XO

I went to XO on Saturday night for dinner and had a lovely meal. The food was delicious! There were four of us so we got a whole lot of food to share which was brilliant. The highlights were the black cod gyoza, the chilli salt squid and the thai beef salad which was beautifully presented and really tasty.

Our waiter was really helpful and the service was nice and fast.

I will definitely be back.
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8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, July 29, 2010

Gorgeous food but very spicy! We made use of the 50% of the set menu usually £36 (3 courses). I had the chicken dumplings and the duck curry. Really good food but far too spicy and nowhere was this indicated on the menu that they would be. Cocktails are divine, £7 for an 'eastern sunrise' martini - best cocktail ive had in ages, pomegranate and passionfruit. House white was fine and not overpriced. Dessert tray was lovely. A selection of 3 desserts each. Service was really good. Tables are squashed together unless you have a booth which was a shame. I would go back but only using a discount again. If we had paid full price I may have been a bit dissapointed. I would recommend making the most of the special offers!
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7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Monday, February 22, 2010

Our experience at XO was truly disappointing.

The service and especially the manager's manners were very poor, intermittent and rushed, borderline rude: They were pushy from the moment we sat down, forcing us to order within 5 minutes and taking our plates away as soon as we dropped the forks.

It felt like their priority was to close the restaurant early - on sunday at 22.00!- instead of letting customers have a decent evening with their overpriced food.

Well, I hope they really enjoyed the extra hour out that sunday. We will not return.
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3 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Monday, October 26, 2009

with so many lovely authentic and fusion restaurants to choose from, other than convenience and something a bit designed, i can't see why XO justifies a look in. i've been twice - once for cocktails which were expensive and memorably lame (the barman winced when he tried his own cocktail and then didn't know how to make it better) then more recently for a meal with a group. the cocktail was a good warning but i had no choice the 2nd time.

in my view, the food is at best average - not much beyond what you'd get as a 'fusion' option in somewhere like giraffe! very mean portions (sorry woody) followed up with a bill that would have bought a banquet at a good restuarant like jin kichi, which may not be as designed, or present a supposed 'fusion' menu but serves solid interesting food. the salt chilli squid is well named, as the ingredients stand out in your mouth in that order, squid very low on the priority list - nice pot they came in.

the prawn dumplings were just like any you'd get at a cheap west end dim sum place or what you'd buy at wing yip....bar b q chicken was a chicken breast with a bit of hoi sin type sauce on, on a nice plate with a lotus leaf or whatever. not convinced that it had been near a bar b q. and so on and so on.

if a desgined environment is what you're after then ok i get it except for the fact that the design is poor also, in my opinion. the dramatic light fittings in the centre of the room look great, almost distracting you from the odd suspended ceiling, but give terrible light with tables at the edges lit one way and central tables lit differently - gloomy and without interest.

good for those that enjoy that kind of thing, but anyone interested in the real deal - get a cab into town - don't pay a fortune for something 3rd rate...
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family jules
5 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Monday, June 29, 2009

After reading some of the reviews I think many people do not check where they are going before they book in XO. I live in Belsize and have been to XO about 25 times, over half of them for dinner as well as cocktails. The service is fast and attentive. I don’t think the restaurant pretentious at all; tables have paper tablecloth and the cutlery in the centre of the tables in wooden cylinders.

It is certainly not a place to get stuffed but rather to enjoy a variety of Asian style simple dishes and very good drinks. The black cod is one of my favourites, it is always impeccable and always cooked as I order (medium rare). We also generally order edamame beans and are at all times asked whether we prefer them cold or warm (we get them warm but some people like them cold).
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Sunny
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, May 26, 2009