The Giaconda Dining Room

I just love this restaurant and would like to go back endlessly. The wine list is also great, including the Basque fizzy wine (sorry, "slightly effervescent") and the Faugeres and .... Actually, it is not that cheap at all but, even so, I just wish it was open on Saturdays and Sundays. Also I like the "vegetarian menu" on the web site.
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miranda escobedo - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Saturday, January 09, 2010

I went to Giaconda Dinning Room on the 13th August and had the most wonderful meal also the staff were fantastic nothing was too much bother and as soon as we were in the restaurant they were very professional i could not fault this lovely restaurant, it was such a lovely evening and will be visiting on a regular basis and would recommend this place to anybody who appreciates fantastic food the only down side is that it does not open at weekends.
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DEBBIE
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, August 14, 2009

Just had an excellent lunch at this tucked away restaurant off Charing Cross Road. The restaurant is nothing to look at from the outside, or for that matter, the inside, but the food was no-nonsense fresh and wholesome with a good choice of both meat and fresh fish. Presentation is basic, but the lightness of the touch in the kitchen and the freshness of the ingredients take a lot of beating at many of London's more expensive and flashy restaurants. Wine list was varied and the service enthusiastic and knowledgeable and the prices very reasonable. Would I come back - yes. Would I recommend - definitely yes.
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Paul Slight
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Monday, June 08, 2009

A gastronomic food gem, tucked away in a restaurant no man's land. Simply divine.

Knew what to expect from the reviews and postings on here, the cramped space, the competitive prices, the qualtity of the food - and i completely agree. Even though was marking a special occasion decided to forgo the stylish showpiece restaurants with their designed interiors and wanted the occasion to be focussed on the quality of the food.

Struggled at first to decide what to have, not helped by the hunger pangs and felt sheepish in asking for some tips. Full marks to the very helpful waitress who whilst juggling her other tables talked through the menu and obviously shared a passion for the dishes. Having read about the signature dishes, and because of her personal reccomendation, we opted for the pig's trotters which i am glad i tried but something my delicate palate will leave in future for other folks enjoyment and those fond of nose to tail eating. Their presentation and style couldn't be faulted, even though i couldn't convince my stomach that this this the darn best trotter's in town. Lamb and Eton mess to follow were more to my conservative palate and simple but effecttive. The extensive wine list offered a good range on terms of pricing but with the good prices for the food, couldn't help but push the booze boat out and opt for a pricier bottle. We also started off with a bottle of fino to wash down our starters, which made a nice change.

The intimate surroundings defintely made the dining experience all the more enjoyable, even for marking a special occasion. Will be coming back for seconds and hopefully will not have to queue to get in when the the masses cotton on to this place.
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Foodie
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Sunday, May 17, 2009

Is there anything further that can be added to shining reviews that have occupied our papers? Probably not, but I will try...

Amongst a party of 3, I dined there this week and could not fault the service nor the food. We all had different starters mains and deserts. The Baked Eggs and Spinach starter was an absolute revelation (seriously!) whilst the Pigs Trotter and Liver Pate were both very good. With the exception of Fish Cake which was bulked out with a little too much Potato, everything else was spot on.

The wine list is more than fair and in my opinion one of the best value lists in town. The team at GDR should also be commended for ignoring the service charge culture that plagues most restaurants in London. No hidden costs when you are at GDR.

As the fittings and location suggest, this is not pretentious dining but it is good wholesome fair at a very reasonable price. It's only faults are that is not open on weekends and not on my doorstep.

Not groundbreaking but refreshingly great value.
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Gregory
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Just as well I booked for lunch, the dining room was already packed with business lunchers and arty luvvies by the time we turned up at 1pm. The service is akin to travelling First Class on Qantas (I’m only assuming please), efficient and to the point but boy did I start to wonder what it's going to be like during dinner instead.

My signature starter of Crisped Pigs Trotters and Eggs Mayonnaise was perfectly balanced and delicately unctuous; I might request this as a mains option on my next visit. My dining companion’s Shellfish Bisque was unfortunately a little under-salted, personally I think this could’ve been remedied with the addition of some grated Gruyère. For the main course I decided to go "off-piste", as everyone else in the room seemed to opt for either the Roast Salmon or Grilled Sirloin; my delicious Tripe Braised with Chorizo, Smoked Paprika & Butter Beans was basically grown up baked beans for the discerning palate. The companion’s Duck Confit and Roast Potatoes was pretty much epic in proportions, it took him forever to finish the plate up (obviously good enough as a dish as he has a habit of leaving most of his food half-finished). We ended up the meal with a shared pudding of Poached Peach and Eton Mess; this was the star dish of the meal for me at The GDR for it was so fruity, crunchy and sensibly creamy, it was the perfect end to a delicious and good value meal.

The location is great, one can now rid of the lunch excesses by window shopping around the guitar stores on the same street or admiring that fine carbuncle nearby otherwise known as the Centre Point tower.
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bellaphon
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Thursday, September 25, 2008

I've been dining here since it's first week: the food is honest, robust. The wine list is sound and very well priced. The French waitress is great...(she always recognises return diners, as the other reviewer noted). Overall, a great find and worth trying.

However, having booked a table for a Wednesday with a date, we found we had no table. And nowhere else to perch. So we duly trotted off to a local bar and awaiting our promised call to return to dine. Just after 9pm we called, still no table. We gave up and headed into Soho proper to find a table.

Not the best date ever! And not the best way for a new restaurant in the wrong part of town to treat customers during a credit crunch. Better customer service needed.
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Rob
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Thursday, September 18, 2008

Went to Giaconda last night on the back of some amazing reviews both here and in the papers. Hmmm ...Maybe we were unlucky but not having the foie gras or pate starters at 8 on Friday was not a great start . The tuna and beef carpaccio that we chose instead were bizarre, quality ingredients but smothered to death in oil ( the tuna ) and covered in mayo and cheese (the beef). Rump steak to follow was average and not a great cut ( grilled with a dull mushroom and tomato). Also worth a mention is the strange experience of the bathrooms, the decor in the restaurant is very nice and simple but leave it to go downstairs to these and you are in what seems like a surreal soho warehouse with no signs telling you where to go - quite disturbing after a few glasses of wine ! The wine list itself is very good and well priced and the service excellent and very friendly - shame about the food really...
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Sarah - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Saturday, September 13, 2008

Awesome food......some great ideas beautifully and generously executed.

The service was friendly and as professional as it could be in a confined space and the prices were very reasonable for the quality. I was packed but our food reached the table in a timely manner.

This is the best new restaurant I have been to for several years. It is small so don't just turn up on the off chance.
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James
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Been to Giaconda, good food, fresh ingredients, poor service. There were only 10 people in there and the food took far too long time to arrive. The lady who served us was frosty and made me feel rather unwelcome. No apology for late arrival of food and no interest in whether I enjoyed the food either.
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Daniel
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 6
Monday, September 01, 2008