Napket (Piccadilly)

Such are the wonders of technology that I have decided to post a review from my phone while having breakfast here on a Saturday morning.

I had previously reviewed this place in Feb 2010 (see below). I decided to have eggs benedicte and a coffee, again. In summary, it's not much changed and if it has it's not for the better my toast is easier to cut - thank you. At the same time, the eggs have not a hollandaise sauce as one knows it but a lemon flavoured buttery emulsion with the consistency of triple cream. Maybe it contains that too. The eggs weren't that hot (literally, rather warm) and the sauce seems to be warm to cold. So not really a hot breakfast - what this should be. I was given a small pile of lettuce on one slice of toast, also with salad dressing on it. Why?!?! I ordered this meal at 9am - this should be nowhere near all day brunch territory and such salad provisions are not necessary. In fact, it's just wrong.

The coffee is ok, but my double macchiato arrived filling an emote cappuccino cup. A bit too XL for me. And it came with a sugary biscuit on the side. Very kind, but again this is breakfast! I don't want diabetes by lunch time. I shall leave here fed but once again I am thinking - should have gone to Fortnums. It wouldn't have cost any more. This eggs benedicte was something in the order of £12 or £13. With coffee (not cheap either) and service (which isn't bad, but I disagree with them trying to flog me some fruit juice just after I've ordered an eggs benedict and coffee for myself - especially as I appear to have received some of my five a day in the form of a salad with breakfast...)

This place is confused, overpriced but convenient. That said, I probably won't ever return. The restaurant makes out it does food for snobs, but I wouldn't even recommend it to my non-snob friends.
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M Jacobs
3 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Saturday, July 30, 2011

Probably the most expensive coffee in London. probably the worst baristas in London as well. Poor hygiene. Untrained and unfriendly staff. Some of the sandwiches are not bad. Others are terrible.
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RC
2 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0
Saturday, June 04, 2011

Overpriced and tiny portions but the food is very tasty. They should increase portion size given what you pay. A similar salad at Vital Ingredient would be double the size for 20p more.
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5 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

I find Napket outlets a expensive version of Pret a Manger... I have been 2 times in the King's Road branch, which is always empty, and I will never go back there... I decide to try the new Napket "restaurant" and the disappointment was the same... A place of bad expensive food with no soul. I do not understand why people do not try to concentrate in just one business: Cafe or restaurant??? Do just one, but do it well!
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Maria
4 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Thursday, May 20, 2010

I have been here a couple of times at different times of day. It's a great location and more interesting an option than the usual Pret, Itsu or Starbucks opposite. At the same time, with the Wolseley and Fortnums across the road, it's also got 'snob food' (Napket's terminology for their own food) competitors in its proximity.

One trip was at breakfast time; a quick eggs benedict and coffee, with one of their interesting flavour shots. Service was good; fairly speedy and polite, and the food was fair value for money. There was a full array of mouthwatering pastries laid out on a table behind me, but I was after something a bit more substantial. My eggs benedict was quite strange, however, in that rather than the conventional muffin, the eggs and ham were served on what I suppose was meant to be a slice of ciabatta. But what was meant to be ciabatta was actually a sort of large very crispy bruschetta. Nice idea, but it was physically impossible to cut. After occasional success (with what must have seemed to other diners like a five minute geological exercise every time I wished to cut a square of 'bread' to go with my egg and ham), I eventually gave up. All other components were cooked well and the ham was a decent quality, but I wouldn't pick this dish again in a hurray. I imagine it would be especially nightmarish if on a date.

And it was one a quasi-date that I visited a second time, on that occasion to grab a spot of tea after a matinee on Haymarket. I remembered their impressive pastry selection from the previous visit and thought it was time to try. We must have arrived with fifteen to thirty minutes left of the tea menu being available, but there weren't many cakes remaining. I had a banana cake and it was brilliant - moist and full of flavour. The quasi-date went for lemon and poppy seed cake which was stale. No exaggeration; simply fact! It may have been nearing the end of the day, but a Pret slice of cake packet with preservatives or freshly baked slice of something from Fortnums would have been a better option. This time the service was so-so; not as polite this time though. It seemed that by coming in towards the end of tea was a burden for them and we were being made to feel apologetic for constantly asking for pastry items on the menu which were't actually available by that time.

A plus point about this place is the interior decoration. It's a sort of synthetic opulence verging on tongue in cheek rather than a grand aspiration, but it totally works both complementing the Piccadilly and Mayfair environs as well as creating an oasis of mock-decadence in its own right. I would happily go there again, but it's neither the quick fix or genuine spot of luxury which other establishments in the area offer.
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M Jacobs
6 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Friday, February 26, 2010

Amazing experience! The decor is sumptuous, the pastries are great and come warm to your table, every little detail is just perfect, from the cutlery to the menu offerings and the service. They even have a baker that prepares all day long fresh muffins and cakes in front of you. Only problem, it is too packed you will probably have to queue to get a table...
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Aldo
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, February 25, 2010