Daphne's

Attended Daphne’s for dinner a couple of nights ago. I expected a sense of occasion, good ambience and good staff – happily the restaurant delivered on that. Being an owner of the Daphne’s cook book I also expected excellent and interesting pasta. Here they also delivered, albeit one of the dishes (rabbit parcels) was noticeably heavy on the salt. The main courses (scallops, calf’s liver) were a bit of a let down. I felt they were too simple and rustic-looking to justify the price, and did not have the “wow” factor of the dishes in their book. A side order of Italian broccoli was something of a non-entity, with none of the advertised flavour of chilli or tomato. Cheese was very good, desert was fine, although here they made a mistake with the ordering and brought me the wrong one. In summary, not quite impressive enough for a return visit – but by no means a bad experience. I’d have liked a more exciting menu.
Comment on this reader review

NGJ
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, December 05, 2007

This restaurant was a serious disappointment. While the breads and olive oil was fine, the supposedly large serving of pasta with pheasant was measly in portion, consisting of a few ravioli parcels stuffed with a bland, greyish goo of pulverised meat. The accompanying watery sauce had the colour and taste of dissolved marmite.

As for dessert, the lemon polenta cake was overly sweet, although the accompanying figs and mascarpone were okay.

The one point for the food goes to the fine and fruity olive oil we were allowed to dip our bread into.
Comment on this reader review

Al
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Saturday, November 10, 2007

I dined here last night for my anniversary and everything was perfect. Whilst it is not the cheapest of restaurants it is easily possible to be restrained with pasta starting from £9.75. The emphasis of the food is one of simplicity with ingredients allowed to sing. It also has faultless service and a brilliantly buzzy atmosphere - our table was not booked until 10.15 pm but we were by no means the last, and it was still almost full when we left at midnight. There is something very special about Daphne's that makes it unbeatable for both a special occasion or a discreet late-night supper.
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Sunday, May 27, 2007

I chose Daphne's for an early dinner with my mum to follow a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show. I chose it primarily because of it's Chelsea location, sophisticated reputation and courtyard area. I thought it would provide good peope-watching fodder for us in sloane-ranger land. I wasn't expecting such fantastic food and I was so pleasantly suprised. We both had just one fish course. I had the swordfish with sweet and sour aubergine and my mum had cod with parma ham and risini beans. We shared minted jersey royals and green beans and a decent bottle of pink. All were mouthwatering and perfectly executed.

Service was spot on. I will definitely return, although not my normal stomping ground.

Very strange how Chelsea girld dress like their mothers! Very handy for them as they can share scarves I suppose.....The whole area is like a different planet to Islington but very enjoyable indeed
Comment on this reader review

Gemstone
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, May 27, 2007

me and my partner visited Daphne's just after christmas i found it pleasent staff very nice the food was lovely i had seafood for both courses full of flavor and very enjoyable the only problem i felt was it all seemed a little rushed and it was a bit pricey compared to some other london resturants in the same area but all in all i enjoyed it but not in a mad mad rush to go back
Comment on this reader review

lorraine longdin - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Thursday, March 15, 2007

Sunday evening dinner for four last night, chosen and booked by my brother.

In comparison with other high end Italian restaurants in London, Daphne's is wholly adequate and perfectly pleasant without being in any way remarkable. Food and service are both fine and the log fire certainly creates a warm atmosphere. But clearly the good folk of Chelsea are going to have to change their ways when the ban on smoking in restaurants arrives.

The wine list is interesting, almost exclusively Italian, with an good range, complete with some rarer Super-Tuscans.

Overall, I'm just not quite sure it was worth £85 per head.
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Monday, March 12, 2007

We had really high expectations as this was a birthday celebration, but unfortunately the food was well below average.

I had prawns to start, which were tasteless and tough. I ordered "Pink" calves liver which came up in sliced and in a sauce - which the waiter should have informed me of when i requested it pink. The 3 people with me had similar experiences, the best thing ordered was the rabbit which was very nice.

The service was good and the decor very nice.

I would definately not recommend nor would i go back.
Comment on this reader review

- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 1
Monday, February 12, 2007

Four of us lunched here on 14 Dec 06 and loved every minute of it. From start to finish we were treated beautifully. The staff were verty attentive and friendly and accomodating. The main course was delayed but we were warned, but it did not matter as the bubbling Christmassy atmosphere was brilliant. The food was faultless and my daughter's birthday was marked by the chef putting her name around the plate thanks to the mamager. Certainly intend revisiting-well worth the expense!
Comment on this reader review

- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Saturday, January 06, 2007

This has got to be one of Chelsea’s best restaurants.

I took my father for lunch here this week. We arrived 30 minutes late but the staff couldn’t have been more hospitable. We were taken to the terrace and sat right by the fire. Perfect for a winters afternoon – the food was excellent and although we had to wait quite a while for our main course, the relaxed atmosphere and attentiveness of the staff helped us soak up the ambience.

I would highly recommend this place to anyone – I can’t wait to go back.

I’d recommend this place to everyone.
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, December 10, 2006

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday last week. The service was good and efficient although we were seated right next to the kitchen and apparently all the waiters have firecrackers up their bums as they literally sprinted to and fro - it was entertaining watching the near-misses though (such skill). Our waiter also seemed to have a lot of pressure on him to get us out in time for the next table to the extent that he looked stricken when we asked if we could wait 20 mins before dessert - and suddenly couldn't speak English. The food was very very average and far too average for the prices. Overall I thought the restaurant was very reasonably priced for one within this chain, but the food didn't match up. My partner ordered the 'Breadcrumbed Veal' which was just over £20 - when it came it was just a veal schnizel with a bagged up lemon - that was it, no sauce or even decoration - a very bare plate and of course all veggies are extra - which I dont' mind but I do object to paying 20 quid for something I could have bought from the freezer section of my local supermarket. I had the scallops and although prettily presented, they were nothing compared to what I've eaten at similarly rated restaurants and lacked any kind of accompaniment which again brought down the quality of the meal. Overall I was very disappointed because I knew how much effort my other half had put into researching the reviews of this place and wanted it to be just right. I would recommend spending your money somewhere else. Sorry.
Comment on this reader review

Anna
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Friday, December 08, 2006