Rhodes W1
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3 courses £17.95
...from a set express menu. Includes Vat, excludes service. Click for more details
our review
Some reviews of Rhodes W1 have talked of a massive space with chairs and tables running off into the distance. But from where I’m sitting it seems quite a compact room and I suspect some of these eminent critics have been reviewing the Brasserie by mistake.
In fact there’s a rather dark, subterranean, feel to the place with the suspicion that if you opened the wrong door you might suddenly stumble into the hotel’s laundry room or emerge blinking behind reception. That said, Kelly Hoppen’s designer interior is all rather luxurious with chandelier type things over each table winking with a rainbow of refracted colours, plus proper seats that you can sink into. The wall of wine in the dramatic corridor that leads to the bar is especially impressive
Amuse bouches (or amuse geules as us French chavs like to say) come out one after the other like trains and God bless the kitchen they are piping hot. Head Chef Brian Hughson is clearly, like Rhodes, an ardent supporter of British ingredients enlivened by classic French touches and it shows all over the menu, even though some dimwits have called the menu Modern French in the press. Suckling pig ravioli comes with a small pot of Bramley apple compote, which is just the thing to accompany pork. The ravioli are drum tight with tender meat and the compote cuts the fat like a Sabattier through butter. A soft-boiled egg, its top cut off and anchored in a raft of bosky morels, comes with little ‘soldiers’ of cheese sandwiched between bread for dippys. A lovely touch to warm the schoolboy heart in all of us.
Red mullet with mash and small, possibly potted, shrimps, was gorgeous and the best bit of fish I’ve eaten for weeks; perfectly cooked from its crisp skin to its just cooked centre, it was a blissful bite. The mash billowed onto the plate with a side jug of reduced stock ready to refill the lake around it and I found myself taking real time over each forkful to make it last. Proper cooking this was, presented well but clearly the flavour came first in the kitchen’s priorities. You can’t say that about everywhere these days where it’s too often a case of confusion on a plate.
Rhodes does one thing that is very French though and that’s to bring the cheese trolley around before dessert. You’d be off your trolley to miss this, a swoon-inducing selection of decadent cheeses all perfectly ripe and many knockout pungent. Real cheeses, with the dead hand of pasteurisation nowhere to be seen of course. Yes pregnant women, the old and the very young may be at risk, but they’re adults, or chaperoned by adults, so stop nannying us EU.
A shared chocolate millefeuille, with the chocolate making the feuilles, came with an excellent lime sorbet and we slurped the last of Sommelier Yves Desmaris’s excellent recommendations by the glass. Good old Gary, he’s the original and in many ways still the best. Recommended.
N.H. - June 2007
what the critics say
Joe Joseph
your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne
Should be called Rhodes "Ripoff" . Sat at table, asked about still or sparkling water, wouldn't allow me to have tap water (£5 bottle of water) firstly. Starter was 3 very small scallops in a bland green liquor with 6-8 broad beans in it! that was the soup. My main was 3x 50p piece sized lamb "bites" with sweetbreads. My partner had pork and it looked nice! Cheese next.....6 pieces of bite sized pieces of cheese, crackers (shop bought not home made)......bill £174 , cheese £10 plus £8 supplement, no bottle of wine with our meal.Shocking expense, I usually don't mind paying for such luxuries but this left me feeling insensed.
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helen smith
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Not to be confused with the Brasserie. I came here with my wife on a Friday evening on a last-minute decision. I was somewhat apprehensive given that we managed to book a table for 8pm on that morning and in fact the restaurant was not full when we arrived. Nevertheless, we had a wonderful evening and the restaurant proved to be a hidden gem. From the moment you walk in you are struck by the modern and attractive design. We were greeted by a very friendly maitre'd and that set the trend for the service for the rest of the evening with highly attentive and friendly staff taking care of us. The Sommelier was particularly helpful and suggested an excellent Burgundy. We chose the a la carte menu and while the menu, particularly the starters, is a little limited, the plates we ordered were absolutely delicious. The combinations are adventurous (e.g. frog leg raviolo) but create wonderful tastes. We opted for more conservative plates of a smoked salmon soup and a crisp soft egg, morel mushroom and roquefort truffle toast combination, followed by lobster with winter vegetables and beef with caramelised vegetables. Mains were followed by an excellent cheese board and then rounded off by a mouth-watering dessert of caramel chocolate mousse.
A wonderful evening and highly recommended for a special occasion.
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MOD
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Saturday, January 12, 2008
I travel to London quite a bit from Canada and have eaten at Rhodes WI each time I am in London. I have eaten in the restaurant approximately 15 times. I have had nothing but excellent service and my meal are always excellent. I have recommended it to many of my friends in Canada who have dined there also and thought the place offered good service and great food. I look forward to dining there in Sept. and November. Wonderful restaurant for those dining alone. The staff are very polite and make my eveing from comfortable and enjoyable each time.
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Darlene Chandler
Overall rating 
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Friday, July 20, 2007
Had a splendid lunch here last week. Superb prawns and butter soft lamb. Excellent service but the conversation on the next table ( wedding planning) over took the quiet atmosphere. They have planned something special though!!
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Friday, April 13, 2007
My boyfriend recently took me to Rhodes W1 for my birthday. As it was a special occasion he had requested a bottle of champagne to be waiting for us on our arrival to my surprise. He'd also requested a table where we could sit next to eachother instead of opposite. All his requests were happily accepted and fulfilled. The waiting staff were lovely and professional. The food was divine - if you do go you must try the egg Benedict for starters - perfection on a plate. We also enjoyed a few drinks at the bar - I decided on a non alcoholic cocktail and tried the forest berry fizz - wonderfully refreshing. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. The perfect restaurant for a perfect night. A bit on the pricey side for some - but definitely worth every penny.
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SS
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, February 05, 2007
It was always going to be a great evening as I was taking my girlfriend in order to ask her to marry me. I was able to book easily and only a few days in advance. Having let the restaurant know of the plan for the evening they gave us a more secluded table. The menu was wonderfully unfussy, allowing the main ingredients to speak for themselves. The food was superb and the service was attentive without being fussy or rushed. The atmosphere in the restaurant was good and improved as the evening went on and more diners arrived but wothout ever creating the feeling that your weren't the most important customer in the eyes of the staff.
Once she had accepted my proposal the restaurant were kind enough to bring us complementary champagne and after dinner drinks at the bar. Overall not only a wonderful occasion, but also an amazing culinary evening.
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Dave Sunman
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
I tried to book this restaurant for 7 people for a monday night in january 2007.
It was more like applying for a new passport than booking a bite to eat.
The receptionist refused to accept the booking unless i (a) printed off an emailed reservation form, completed it and posted it back to her and (b) provided my credit card details. The latter is something I have come across before, but not the former. I can only suppose the restaurant is desperately short of dosh if such extraordinary measures are required to ensure people pay whether or not they turn up. I chose to take my custom elsewhere.
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henrietta marriage
Overall rating 
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, November 06, 2006
What a treat! I went to W1 for my sister's birthday lunch last week and really enjoyed the experience. We savoured some delicious martinis at the bar before being seated at our table. The staff were helpful and attentive and the food delicious. As a vegetarian, I often struggle at restaurants but I was pleased to see the variety of dishes on offer. Rhodes plays on mixing classic dishes with his special touch and it results in a simply delicious and not overbearing meal.
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Shopaholic - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8
Saturday, October 14, 2006
I do not recommend this restaurant to anyone. I have eaten at a few top places now, and in compassion this place is awful. All three courses we in one way or another not good. The food was cold, the meat was very fatty, the staff were rude. I had to send two courses back. The deserts were the only good part of the meal. When you pay top prices you expect the food to be top dollar. Miss Rhodes W1 at all costs.
Poor, very very poor.
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Andrew - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating 
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Took my husband here for his birthday earlier this month. Bar staff a bit snooty. Waiters and waitresses very professional but friendly.
1 bottle of wine, 1 bottle of water, 2 starters and 2 mains + service charge came to £75.
Was a special treat, normally I wouldn't pay more than £40 for 2 including desert and coffee elsewhere.
But it is a famous chef's place and you could taste the food quality was superb, the taste of everything was amazing (I would definitely recommend the duck starter).
Huge candelabras, flower displays, lighting effects and hotel lobby all very impressive.
Nice for a treat, but can't afford this every weekend!
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Claudia - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Thursday, July 13, 2006
