Bogayo

I've eaten at Bogayo numerous times and apparently there has been a new chef hired as of summer last year.

The food has apparently improved since the new chef, but many of my colleagues who have eaten at Bogayo for ages mentioned that the food has always been good.

The chicken tagine is a particular highlight. The earlier reviewer may have missed the point with the sheer temperature of the food, but anything cooked traditonally in a tagine will undoubtedly be roasting hot as it's cooked in the dish it's served in. I would guess that a ceramic dish in an oven will probably get quite warm...! Every time I've had that dish it has never been devoid of taste, quite the opposite, and I can only presume the new chef has taken the food quality to a higher level. Instead I found it extremely flavoursome, with the chicken cooked to perfection so it falls off the bone and beautiful taste of preserved lemon, just as it should be.

This restaurant is definitely traditional, the service efficient and the food is great. Add in the reasonable prices and you've got a great experience.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, March 12, 2008

After good experiences in Soho of Lebanese and Persian restaurants in London We decided to try somewhere a little closer to home.

The exterior and interior of the restaurant are ver impressive and the courtyard has great potential for great dining.

This however is where the plus points to this restaurant end. The service was attentive yet indifferent and cold, we were sat at a small wobbly table outside which was of the kind used in cheap cafe's and was unsuitable to really dine on or cram all that was expected to take. This was made more infuriating by the fact that there were a good number of sofa's with big tables kept empty for an hour and a half (until we had finished) reserved for what turned out to be a large group of obnoctious city workers who promply ordered a lot of fizzy non-descript larger.

The wine despite being mid price-range tasted like a it was selected by Tesco for the comsumption of those looking to move on to a cheaper alternative to lambrini.

The starter was overly oily and it is the only time I have really disliked prawns, shell fish usually being one of my favourite foods. it was all a kind of luke warm, with the cold and hot dishes reaching a siimilar temperature by the time the got to us.

The main course looked much more promising. However this was again a disappointment. both came in a tagine, which was nice however both were unbelievable hot (temperature) and never cooled down. My girlfriends food, chicken tagine, was so devoid of flavour it was quite a suprise to experience something adible that had absolutely no way of stimulting the taste buds.

My food on the other hand had a strong aroma and taste, it was a pity however that a traditional moroccan dish could smell and taste exactly like the tubs of what is commically labelled (grated hard cheese) in most supermarkets and sold for 25p per 150g.

Alll in all it was a terrible meal and quite a poor restaurant.

I would recommend that people go to Soho for this kind of cuisine.
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M
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, July 31, 2007