Magdalen

Magdalen has been well reviewed in the London press, but I don't believe reviews anymore so i thought I'd better actually go and find out.

In short, It is well worth the praise.

Normally one of the three courses will disappoint somewhat, not so here. From terrine starter to veal sweetmeats main to cold rice pudding ( yes, really) the whole lot was superb.

Service was very good although the main took a bit long to arrive (which they were very good about); but I can't fault the place apart from that.

The refit of the building has been very nicely done too.

So, when my wife and I want to go for a mid priced meal that delivers Magdalen will now be on the shortlist.
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Jan van der Moodoink
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, November 15, 2007

A lovely meal last night at Magdalen. Was initially a bit concerned about service - our table was tucked away and took a while before we could place our order. Our table was right by the ladies as well!

This did not matter, as the waiter redeemed himself with friendly and helpful service as the night went on. The other half's potted crab tasetd fresh, and my cheese and potato "salad" was delicious - nothing fancy, and nothing wrong with that.

The main of venison and trotter with marrowbone was the revelation. Deep, rich flavours with a long finish, beautiful crisp pastry suitably accompanied with the Rousillon we selected (reasonably priced).

A delicious pot of lemon to finish and we were very happy. Unpretentious, with the focus on the food, a new breed of restaurant in London and long may it continue.
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Simon
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, November 09, 2007

Last night I ate suckling kid shoulder for 2 which was absolutely beautiful. There aren't many places in london where you can enjoy treats such as this. All the other food was spot on as usual including a cracking jerusalem artichoke soup. The service was great and the restaurant had a very nice buzz. One of the best restaurants in london.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I've been to Magdalen's a number of time since it opened (including opening week) and the food never fails to impress. I went with three friends for a meal last night and the food as usual was fantastic.

I started with the leeks and salt cold which was excellent, and the starters of pigeon terrine, fois grais and Spanish ham went down just as well with my fellow diners.

For our mains two of the party shared the excellent veal pie which, when it arrived, was easily enough to serve three. I had the smoked haddock which again was fantastic, although perhaps a little salty for some peoples tastes, and the final member of our party had the duck which she said was delicious.

By this point we were so full we needed to be rolled out of the restaurant. However, the dessert menu was just too tempiting so we shared a mango sorbet and a chocolate cake with praline ice cream. Both of which were delicious.

There is an excellent wine menu with choices to suit all budgets and the salt caramel chocolates that come with coffee can't be faulted.

I would thoroughly recommend Magdalen to anyone wanting to eat excellent food at reasonable prices (for the quality of food on offer). Whether it's a meal with friends or a romantic dinner for two it's the perfect venue.
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Charlotte Holmes
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, September 04, 2007

I've been a bit bored of London restaurants recently. No dining experience has really stood out over the past year, apart from the inventiveness of Bacchus in Hoxton. So it was with low expectations that we went to Magdalen on Saturday night, despite the good reviews on this site and elsewhere. Well I'm happy to say that the low expectations were unwarranted as it was quite simply the best meal I've had in a long time. The rabbit terrine with celeriac and apple remoulade was sublime, and the saddle of lamb with ratatouille and olives was just so packed with flavour and perfectly cooked that I didn't want it to end.

The service at Magdalen is exceptional, with the waiting staff thoroughly briefed on each dish and able to talk knowledgeably about the provenance of the food. It's relaxed, friendly and efficient.

A week earlier we celebrated our wedding anniversary at the Waterside Inn in Bray, but despite its 3 Michelin stars and hyper efficient service, we both agreed that Magdalen was actually better. Better food, more enjoyable service, and better value for money
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PL
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Monday, July 30, 2007

I'd not heard of Magdalen until the very positive review in the Guardian some months ago. A colleague and I walked there from Waterloo which took about 30 minutes along the river. By the time that we arrived we were both ravenous. A warm welcome was followed instantly by bread and butter and a glass of excellent champagne (£5.25) to help us unwind. Starters of asparagus soup with a sliver of toast topped with goat's curd and sun-blushed tomatoes (£6.50) and smoked trout (£8.50) were outstanding - well-cooked and richly flavoured. A carafe of New Zealand Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc (£15) was good value though just slightly too acidic.

The short but tempting menu didn't have a vegetarian main course, however there is always a veggie option. In this case it was pappardelle with wild chanterelles and peas in a creamy sauce (£12). My colleague feasted on John Dory (£16). We chose a bottle of chilled Chiroubles from Beaujolais to make the most of one of the few sunny days this year.

The dessert menu offered too much choice but eventually we plumped for French toast with apricots and vanilla ice cream (£6) and a lemon pot (a creamy mousse) with blackberries (£5.50). Again both were perfectly cooked. The dessert wines on offer are quite unusual and we settled for a glass of Banyuls (£4.70) and another of Pacherenc (£4.55).

Quite simply one of the best meals I've had all year. The fact that we were one of only four sets of diners on a Tuesday lunchtime in a restaurant so close to City Hall and its surrounding office blocks is inexplicable. Note that they're closed from Sunday, August 19th for two weeks.
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Justin Dillon
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Fantastic restaurant. We ate upstairs, where you can book.

Glass of chilled manzanilla while mulling over the menu. Very tasty & chewy bread with excellent butter.

I chose fried pigs head with sauce gribiche, my partner the potted crab. The pigs head was delicious, very tender chunks of meat deep fried in a crispy coating. The sauce gribiche was tangy and creamy, and cut the fattiness of the meat. The potted crab tasted very fresh and delicious, spiked with cayenne.

My main course was slow roast lamb with borlotti beans and stewed tomatos, my partner had roast longhorn beef with dripping toast and spinach. Both were delicious. The lamb was meltingly tender, and the bean & tomato accompaniment complemented it perfectly. The beef was obviously of excellent provenance, perfectly cooked, and the dripping toast was sublimely "beefy". We had a bottle of Barbaresco with a bit of age, and it complemented the food very well. The waiter even put the wine in an ice bucket on request as it was a little warm when brought to the table.

The dessert list looked very tempting, but we shared a plate of cheese and a glass of tokaji and a glass of port. Coffee was very good and came with a delicious chocolate truffle.

Service was attentive without being overbearing, and the room was pleasantly decorated and had a nice buzz about it even on a Tuesday evening.

Thoroughly recommended.
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S Milligan
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Third visit to Magdalen last week and as usual, the food was excellent. Experimental, a "work in progress", yes. They're still finding their feet and some dishes don't quite gel together. The terrine with armagnac plums clashed a bit and were not complimentary. I would've thought quince (or perhaps some sort of rose confit) would've been a better fit. The terrine itself had strong notes of liver and overall, a wonderful texture on the palate.

Again the brill (which was well cooked) & Morecombe Bay shrimps with mussels fought each other for attention, the later clearly overpowering the former. The spinach was particularly good however. In fact, I would say that the vegetables at Magdalen have ALWAYS been first class. The brussel sprouts from a previous visit were a revelation! The Brill dish also contained a type of red celery that I am unfamiliar with (answers on a postcard). It was intriguing and also provided a very pleasing aesthetic contrast.

The chocolate tart & cherries were, like the terrine, two individually delicious elements that didn't compliment each other (nor were they a clever juxtaposition). The trout & dill starter was the highlight of the evening for me. The dill leapt off the plate with intense aromatic enthusiasm - a real olfactory assault! Again, it overpowered the subtleties present in the trout, the colour & marbling of which were sublime, but I still wholeheartedly recommend this dish.

Onto the drinks. We had an extremely cheesy German Riesling whose name I've forgotten - it was £24. Well balanced in terms of acidity & sweetness. Thankfully the overt cheddary notes faded into the background after a while. We also had some "Banyals" (again, previously unfamiliar with) which was intriguing and a lighter, more readily drinkable alternative to the ports on offer. We also tried a 10-year tawny which was pretty much of a muchness. It lacks the complexity & structure of older vintages, but will only set you back £6 a glass.

Service was a tad slow, but it was very busy. Otherwise, they're always very friendly and not at all imposing. Atmosphere was great as usual.

Bill came to £68 each including service, which I think is superb value for money for the quality on offer (we had three starters, two mains, two desserts, a bottle of wine, mineral water and four glasses of aperitif between us). Sublime food at compelling prices. What more do you want?
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 19, 2007

Following a disastrous meal at Browns, a friend and I booked into Magdalen one Saturday night.

Not only were the atmosphere and food excellent, but we had plenty to drink, and the bill was actually no more than the dreaded Browns!

We are still in debate as to whether one of our fellow diners was actually AA Gill...

I fully recommend this restaurant!
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, July 18, 2007

We went here on the recommendation of a friend and were pleased with the choice. Three of us had three courses each and a bottle of wine - £110 excluding service.

We were not able to book a table which was annoying, but readily sat downstairs in the 'walk in' section. The service was attentive, but a little slow. The atmosphere was lovely - low lighting, smart tables, nice furnishings.

The menu was short but each dish, tasty. For starters I ate the artichoke soup which was delicious - thick and creamy, with a great side of tomato and goats cheese bread. There were no vegetarian options for main - I ate the spring lamb with a bean-based side dish. The lamb was a little fatty; my friends both thoroughly enjoyed their cod. For dessert we shared the French toast (not to be missed and worth a visit by itself), almond tart with amaretto ice cream (great marzipan flavour but better warm) and apple sorbet (forgettable).

I would recommend again for couples who are non-vegetarian.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Thursday, June 14, 2007