Fig Bistro

What a shambles! Proceed with extreme caution to the brunch menu…

Perhaps the evening meals are a revelation, but I for one will not be back.

Sunday brunch yesterday consisted entirely of ingredients that you could buy in costcutter, and was presented as such.

I have never before put baked beans and coriander in a flour tortilla and called it brunch. Fig Bistro have, and charge you close to a tenner for the privilege.

We waited over 30 minutes for our drinks despite being one of 2 tables in the bistro. My bloody mary arrived in a jug after half an hour, except the waiter had not yet added the vodka, and proceeded to tip vodka into my glass at the table.

I'm not usually prone to bad mouthing places, and everywhere can have an off day. I felt that fig bistro was a class apart in terms of it's pretention and failure to deliver.
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Andrew Stephen
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Monday, May 16, 2011

We started with the Chestnut soup, a prelude to the generous and tasty Scallops which complemented the most amazing meal of Galloway Beef with Marrow bone - smoked (we were gob smacked). We were admittedly intrigued by the re branding but the alchemy of taste that we have grown to love with this quaint and alluring place led us to hope that only the name had changed. Thankfully we were correct in our assumption and hope this remains so. A return trip is a certainty with only the name change an obstacle to reconcile.
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Mark and Toni James
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, October 21, 2010

Went to Fig last night and had a very lovely meal but which was marred by a very callous attitude to the bill. After noticing that we had been charged over £50 for a bottle of wine we had never had we were told we had been charged for a bottle instead of a glass. But even this was more of an explanation than an apology. Then the revised bill came back complete with the original 12.5% service charge based on the original inflated bill. I asked for this to be removed so I could add my own service charge (which I fully intended to pay). But this time there was no suggestion of an apology and I was clearly made to feel as if I was just being rude. So we left without leaving any tip at all - but some £70 better off than we would have been had we paid the original bill.

I wouldn't want to put people off Fig as the food was very well prepared and thought out with lots of nice subtle flavours in each dish. And it can't be easy for this kind of small restaurant to survive. I'm sure the mistakes were due to being rushed rather than malice but it would be nice to feel some genuine sense of apology for overinflating your bill, not once, but twice.
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Paul Brindley
6 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Sunday, August 15, 2010

Returned after an eighteen month gap and the food is as interesting and daring as ever. My beetroot, bone marrow and horseradish starter was quite simply superb and the guinea fowl main was a total delight. The wine lis is well thought out and the puddings are legendary. The service remains quaintly amateurish but this cannot deflect from the high quality level of cooking.
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Toby Tucker
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, July 11, 2010

I ate at Fig for the first time last week with friends and to describe our evening very short, superb!

Innovative, tasty and well presented food with good combination in flavours.

Well sourced wine list and very charming service

We left very happy and will be returning soon.
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Mr W.
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, July 06, 2010

We went to Fig on a Saturday night and had the Tasting menu. This was easily as good and as well thought through as any of the "big names" in the West End and at £45 for 6 courses was terrific value for money.

Each plate was beautifully presented and had an interesting and well-balanced set of ingredients. The lamb and sweetbreads was a particularly fine main course.

Atmostphere was great - it's a small and cozy place and busy without being noisy. Staff were friendly and helpful and the chef even said goodbye as we left.

Fantastic place - almost don't want to review it as it's such an undiscovered gem ...
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nevynevster
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Sunday, May 02, 2010

Having not been to Fig for 18 months we anticapted an improvement on our last visit. We were not wrong. The service was attentive, the atmosphere back to its high standard and the menu and wine list inspiring ( Try the Sancerre, the village where Pascal Thomas makes this superlative dry white wine is well known to us). We will definitely return, we left our umbrella there, a poor excuse we know but our faith has been restored and we will spread the word again. Thank you guys for making it special again.
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Mark and Toni James
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, January 17, 2010

Afetr a few year's hiatus, my partner & I returned to Fig for dinner this weekend. I would agree with all the other reviews about the preparation of food. It's lovingly done though the poached duck egg seemed to be missing from our starter.

What let them down on this occasion was the service. It started off at a reasonable level & went downhill as the night progressed. Shame really
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Deborah
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Monday, August 03, 2009

This has to be one of the most romantic restaurants in London. It makes Barnsbury seem like somewhere in the West Village. And it's quietly welcoming in a way that makes you want to come back.

The food is always good, always interesting, and exceptional when they get it absolutely right. Puddings are especially fine. You get the strong sense of the kitchen really caring deeply about what they make, and not being too concerned about the showmanship and hot air that colour so many London restaurants. The head chef is Scandinavian, and that comes through in the clean favours and distinctive ingredients

My wife and I went last night for the third time, and it was excellent again.
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Chris
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, July 10, 2009

I am in love with this restaurant!

It was the best dining experience i've ever had-the outside area looks amazing and i havent stopped raving about it. incredible!
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megan
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, June 13, 2009