Josephine's Filipino

We live close to Charlotte Street and Josephine's has become our favourite haunt. It really stands out both for unusual and beautifully cooked food, and for being friendly and welcoming. We have eaten there at least a dozen times over the last year and we have never been disappointed. It's a great place to take friends to if they are visiting London and looking for something a bit more adventurous than pizza!

The starters are good though not outstanding; the real focus of the meal is the main courses. We have too many favourites to recommend one; but anything in their special peanut sauce is wonderful; the crispy pork is great; they do wonderful fried tilapia (milk fish); and there are some good vegetarian dishes including a very light, crispy 'aubergine omelette' made with tofu.

The desserts are the only real disappointment as Philippino desserts tend to be very sweet and rather stodgy. Better to have a coffee and then wander down towards Soho to pick up an ice cream!
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, February 18, 2008

I always go to this place to experience good Filipino cooking. The ambience is great and the staff are very friendly. A bit pricey but the food is good overall. Will always come back.
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Katrina Samaniego
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Friday, December 21, 2007

Was pleasantly surprised to find a Philipino restaurant in the neighbourhood. That's where the surprises ended. I guess it should have been a warning that in the whole of central london it was the only place that could seat us on a friday evening. We ordered one of the set meals consisting of a mixed plate of starters; a main service of creamy tilipia, peanut beef, noodles and rice; and a choice of desert.

To start with the starter. It was horrible. It was a selection of deepfried, tasteless reconstituted snacks. The chicken, prawn or crab all bizarely tasting very similar - which was bland!

Moving onto the mains. The peanut beef again was surprisingly tasteless. Swimming in watery sauce were 2 pieces of beef that had obviously not been cooked in the sauce itself as had no flavouring whatsoever. The noodles again were bland and only had two prawns and 2 small pieces of chicken. The fish was ok - perhaps the least offensive part of the meal.

And desert, well i couldn't tell you. We were so disillutioned that we just wanted to get out. The look of disappointment on the next door table as their deserts arrived confirmed that we didn't need to stay here for any further length of time.

Altogether a very disappointing meal that left a horrible taste in the mouth and a dent in the wallet (approx £55). Don't go.
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Justin B
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Friday, December 07, 2007

Josephine's is a small and quite restaraunt. The food was well priced and quickly made to order. It was some of the best food I have every eaten. They were friendly and were quick to help you choose any item on the meau. I can't wait to go back and eat again.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Saturday, October 27, 2007

I ate at this restaurant with my Filipino-Londoner friend (I am Filipino too): we both loved it so much we could barely speak while having our meal (and we talk a LOT). This is how Filipino food should be like. There was only one ingredient missing which Westerners would not know of- it's an Asian vegatable called 'bittermelon' ; in Tagalog it's called 'ampalaya'. I think it is because this vegetable is hard to find here, and it is even different from the Indian/South Asian version of it.

Everything about the place was excellent; the people, the service, but most importantly, the authencity of it be REAL Filipino food, not the Westernised version. So perhaps this is why some reviews are not glowing.

Anyway, I highly recommend it. Filipino food is not spicy, and it is not meant to be. This place is awesome. Better than ones I have eaten at in NYC, where I have also lived.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, June 22, 2007

Starters were acceptable, just, but the main course dishes were dreadful. The meat was swimming in brightly coloured sauces which made you question what colourings were in them. Not much flavour and definitely reheated very rapidly. A meal for 2 with a bottle of wine and no extras such as puddings or coffees was over £50, which for London isn't the best value for money. We wondered why it wasn't so busy compared to other places in Charlotte Street on such a warm evening and now we know why!

Very disappointed.
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Esther
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, June 12, 2007

I have been here a few times now - I was born in the Philippines and lived there until I was about 7 yrs old before relocating to Europe. Often, I have such a craving for Filipino food that I end up going to Filipino restaurants (the few that exist here in Europe).

After having read some reviews here, I have to say I disagree with the negative reviewers. Obviously, a lot of them don't know what Filipino food is all about. It is not the sort of stylish Brasserie-like fayre we are all too often used here. Neither is the cooking much like Indian or Thai. It's a very different cuisine, that combines the flavours from the Spanish colonies with Chinese and Malaysian influences, and a bit of whatever the Americans later brought onto the Philippines 7000+ islands. So, it's quite unique - but not necessarily for some people who like a clear cut taste.

In fact, much of the food may seem overcooked to European taste, but in the Philippines it's a common thing to leave chicken (as in Adobo chicken, for example) simmering on the stove for hours. In fact, in the case of Adobo chicken, many people prefer it reheated rather than right after cooking, as the flavour would have infused the meat more after a day or two in the fridge (or just on the stove as it is well-preserved, cooked in vinegar). So, I conclude that many negative reviews may only be due to people not really understanding this particular type of cuisine.

The last time I have been there, we ordered the sour soup for starters - again some people may not like it, you can't make my European dad eat it, but my partner (who is British) loved it. We had Ukoy, too - I had never had this before, and was kinda curious looking, but both my partner & I liked it (though other Europeans might not).

Then, we had Daing ng Bangus (which is fried Milkfish, I recollect), kare kare, and Tocino. Also had garlic fried rice. All great tasting...

The restaurant has westernised some of the food on its menu, so I think there will always be some food there for Flipino food novices. If you are open minded and want to experience new flavours (not the usual chicken satay skewers), you'll definitely not be disappointed.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Went to Josephine's in search for some traditional Filipino food and was by no means disappointed. Have missed mum's cooking for months and it was just like the real deal.

The lechon kawali, kare kare, garlic rice and inihaw were outstanding. The cassava bibingka was the most popular dessert amongst us.

The service was quick and friendly and the music 'karaoke' like I would just like to say that while I read some negative reviews about this restaurant, I thought I would give it a go and decide on my own merit. I have tried many other Filipino restaurants and eateries and I will definitely be returning to Josephine's.
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Maisie D
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Thursday, April 26, 2007

i'm just wondering, is this restaurant connected with that famous josephine restaurant in the philippines which had been operating since the 1960's? that restaurant in the philippines is a legend.
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alfred martin
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Sunday, March 18, 2007

I completely agree with a previous reviewer who had a bad experience here. The food was tepid, tastless and badly cooked. I have a fish intollerance so ordered steamed meat dumplings( as stated on the menu) for my starter, not only did they come with powdered fish on top but I was then told that I should know that meat dumplings are always made of meat and prawns. A replacement starter of chicken satay was warm, tastless and covered in cold, watered down peanut butter. The main courses didn't fare any better, my partners fish was vastly overcooked and came with our side orders at least 10 minutes before my main. Frankly the whole experience was awful and I would never recommend it to anybody
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TMF
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Thursday, February 15, 2007