The Botanist

Popped in for a quick weekday lunch, and the place was nicely busy. We were shown to our table by a waiter who looked like he was dressed for an appearance in "Annie get your gun", but friendly enough in a sloaney sort of way. The menu reads well, and is reasonably priced, and the room is bright, but noisy. Unfortunately the food really let the side down, or to be more accurate, the chef.

The food tasted good generally, but was executed with a catalogue of errors. My starter of prawns and snails in a mousseline sauce firstly arrived cold, I mean fridge cold, in the center. This was replaced (after an uncomfortable wait for my dining companion who had to eat her "not great" soup alone) with a very hot version. Unfortunately the sauce had split, but I ate it as I didn't want another wait. After another long pause (this was supposed to be a quick lunch!) we chased our main courses...."They will be here in 1 minute" our bright but not particularly efficient waitress told us. They weren't. They were another 10 minutes, and when they arrived....my food was cold again! What was ironic is that I was warned not to touch my plate as it was allegedly very hot. It was a luke warm plate with lukewarm contents! The side dish of "Hand Cut" chips were nothing of the sort. They were standard uniform low quality french fries beloved of mediocre restaurants everywhere, but at least they were hot. And raw. Again the dishes went back to the kitchen, on their return the chips were cooked, but my risotto was now raw instead. Not al dente, actually crunchy.

What a farce of a meal. The place was redeemed by a charming female front of house. She really compensated for the kitchens inadequacies, but I am not sure I want to risk another disappointing meal here.
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Shappo
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Thursday, February 04, 2010

It was New Year Eve daytime and after a full on morning scouring Peter Jones and the White Company for bargains we were a touch peckish. We hadn't planned to eat out but my lovely wife suggested we pop in to Botanist. I am always a bit wary about places near Sloane Square as they can be very pricey and there is more style on display than substance. However the Botanist was to prove me wrong. The decor was indeed smart but there was a nice airiness to both the bar and the dining room making you feel relaxed upon entering.

We popped in at 12 for the start of the lunch service it was quiet but soon filled up. They thoughtfully gave us a table by the window with plenty of room. My arm was still up in a sling so I was a bit worried about what I would eat easily. However they had a macaroni cheese on the menu and I thought it would be ideal to eat with one hand and a good way to see if the kitchen was as impressive as the decor. My wife wanting to chase away the cold outside went for the same. The dish was extremely good, well cooked pasta, nice cheese sauce and a gratin on top off cheese and breadcrumbs which drew out any oiliness from the dish. It was really tasty and a bargain at £11.

This was so nice we thought why not treat ourselves to desert. I went for a very nice triffle which though good was perhaps a little too modern for me. My wife went for one of their ice cream sundays which was resolutly old school and all the better for it, a superb blend of strawberry, vanilla, chocolate pieces and cream. It looked great and it tasted even better. This was really good lunch in a fun restaurant. The service was very good, friendly and helpful. The bill was reasonable for the standard of food we had. We had a great time and I now don't mind going up to Peter Jones so much.
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david ginsberg - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Not normally one to write reviews but I found a real gem on Sloane Square. The Botanist is an impressive, lively and sophisticated establishment, which has become one of my favourite new places to take friends and clients alike. Last Sunday we wanted to take our friends, who were visiting us from the States, to have a traditional sunday roast lunch and The Botanist did not disappoint. We had planned to go to a pub nearby but on the way passed by The Botanist and decided to take our chances on any vacant tables. There were a number of people outside and the bar was almost completely full. A friendly lady at reception could see I looked a little lost and offered her assistance. Thankfully there was a table available!

The front of the restaurant overlooking Sloane Square was completely full so we were given a table towards the back of the restaurant under a stunning chandelier. It was a little quieter which suited us as it allowed the us to have a good chinwag and catch up with our friends. All the staff were friendly and helpful and it was noted how enthusiastic our waiter was about the menu and wine list. The food was delicious and our mains left little room for dessert but as I saw these come out of the kitchen to other guests, I knew we had to at least share one! The service was exceptional and our guests were most impressed. I have been raving about The Botanist since our visit and will most definitely return very soon.
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Vivianne Sewell
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, November 23, 2009

I went on Thursday evening for dinner. The food was excellent. So were the cocktails. So was the service. However, this is possibly the loudest, noisiest restaurant I have ever, ever experienced. The accoustics are horrendous - it was just like being in a nightclub - only worse and without music. My dinner companion and I were practially screaming at each other and one point we had to cup our ears to hear better. I am not a pensioner - I am hip 30-something that is used to trendy bars and restaurants packed with people. But the noise levels at the Botanist were ridiculous and I won't be returning for that reason.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 5
Friday, October 30, 2009

Visited The Botanist this weekend with friends, on arrival found it to be busy and full of vibrance. Cocktails in the bar and outside to begin with kicked off our night wonderfully, dinner totally lived up to expectations, in particular the braised rib of beef was outstanding. Would thoroughly recommend for a night out with friends but may be a little loud for an intimate occasion. Lively, New York atmosphere with great service and knowledgable staff - a must visit.
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Sarah
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, October 19, 2009

A lovely restaurant with a lot of character. The sweet assortment on the table (which also served as the center piece) looked beautiful. The afternoon tea platter was heavenly, especially the carrot cake. The only downside was that the waiter took ages to bring the check. But all in all a great experience and would definitely recommend it for a nice and relaxing afternoon tea.
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Anna
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, March 28, 2009

Too many people ordering fancy cocktails means that even 4 skilled bar staff fail dismally to meet demand at peak times. If you like cocktails, don't mind waiting for your drink and are then happy to nurse it for ages this is the place for you. If all you want is a quick couple of beers or a glass of wine this place is infuriating. Bars, and the Botanist is not alone, should learn to manage this issue if they choose to serve everything to all people. Is there anything more irritating when you have a thirst and the bar is five deep than to watch a barman delicately singeing orange peel, briefly wiping it round the rim of a glass before throwing it away, only then to start artistically flavouring some sugar cube before measuring out eight separate fluid shots? I timed one drink and it took over 4 minutes.

I then observed the growing scrum of people around me who proceeded to order, in turn, some beers, a gin and tonic, a vodka and cranberry, wines by the glass and champagne. I am not opposed to cocktails, especially given that women like them, but the economics of the situation should persuade the manager to address the situation. For example, why not have dedicated "simple drinks" and "complex drinks" bar staff. The simple drinks staff could race through the faster orders, save people time and make more money for the bar. The complex drinks staff, perhaps dressed in distinctive gear, could then manage the expectations of those prepared to wait for hours for their thimble measure of overpriced fruity fashion juice. In the days before Britain became an industrial human alcohol consumption processing plant there used to be a physical distinction between the cocktail bar and the "other" bar. Restaurants also often make a distinction along similar lines by having brasseries and dining rooms. Think Bibendum or Bluebird. This is not a new thing, it makes sense.
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JuanDong HongKong
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 5
Wednesday, February 11, 2009

I absolutely love this restaurant. The service is outstanding and unobtrusive and the staff are always welcoming. We went for dinner last night and apparently they have just rolled out a new menu. The food was wonderful and the cocktails amazing. I am very happy to have this as my new local.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, November 22, 2008

I wouldnt say that this restaurant is a complete disaster but it is far from perfect.

The atmosphere is great, nice and buzzy even if you do feel a bit crammed in.

The service is OK, not great but not terrible. The wait between courses was a bit too long but in that style of environment you can sort of get away with it and they were very busy

The food is where this place really lets itself down. It is below average for above average price, I dont mind spending money for good food but I can not justify paying on average £20 for main course for something that is badly thought out and prepared. The menu actually sounded quite interesting but I was very dissapointed with the outcome.

You get the feeling that The Botanist is trying to be something that it is not and it looks like the chef is unable to either substain good cooking at high volume or lacks in skill for this style of food. Its funny because if the menu was cheaper you would actually say it was quite nice, but NOT at prices youd find in Michelin star restaurants!
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, November 19, 2008

My friends and I went to The Botanist a few days ago after work. We decided to have a cocktail in the bar before dinner. At the bar we got served almost straight away even though it was quite busy. The cocktails were really really lovely! The food was amazing and the staff very attentive. We were all very impressed and will definitely go back again soon!
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Maria
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, October 09, 2008