Canteen

We went this Sunday at lunchtime, had to Qqeue which was fine as we didn't book. The experience was superb. We took the waiters wine recommendation to accompany the Duck, an Argentinian Red Malbec , an excellent choice and at around £20 reasonably priced for London. The Duck was beautiful, it just fell of the bone and the skin ws crispy. Accompanied by some very tasty roast vegetables and a good bread sauce. One of our party had the haddock and was equally impressed.

A variety of Desserts, treacle tart, orange jelly, and apple crunble, were a nice finish, with maybe the best macchiato I have had in a restaurant - real foam in a glass. Service was great and attentive.
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Evad Retset - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, November 18, 2007

I live nearby and have eaten here once; the food was quite good, with a quick service (hence 'Canteen.).

However my experience is rather with their customer service. I went in person to see if I could arrange to buy a voucher to give as a gift for a group of friends. The first hostess gave me a dumbfounded look and had no idea about what I was talking about, like she had never heard of this happening before. She fetched someone who seemed equally clueless but said they didn't do this, most likely because he didn't get what I was asking for. So I went to the Scarlet Dot spice bar two shops away and they were happy to arrange this for me.

A month later I tried to make a reservation over the phone for a weeknight dinner around 7pm, a few days in advance. When I asked for 12 people, the person I spoke to said that they only had benches accommodating 10 people. Then I requested two tables of 6, and he refused, saying that they only had the one table for 10 left. How about later in the evening? 'Sorry, we are full all evening'. So this time Carluccio's at Spital Square got my business.

The staff at Canteen seem to have little interest in helping to generate business. They have lost out twice already and I won't try them again.
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Tried but failed to give them business
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Sunday, November 18, 2007

My lunch here the other day was good, but a 'canteen' is all this place is. To say the cooking here is great or the ingredients are the best the country has to offer is nonsense. Everything had a production line feel to it which might appeal for it's kitsch value but giving it praise for re-introducing great british food?...I don't think so.
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Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Thursday, November 08, 2007

Went here for lunch and it was very good. Pleasant modern environment , service was friendly & efficient. Food was good - went for the lemon sole (the whole fish which I much prefer to a small fillet) followed by a yummy Eton Mess. Would definitely go again for a relatively quick meal which was good value for money.
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Ella - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Friday, August 10, 2007

The food has always been of a high standard but do watch out for the Blackcurrant Jelly with Vanilla Ice Cream and Shortbread. The Shortbread is good and the Vanilla Ice cream is even better until you notice the man made hole in the set jelly beneath!!! After much debate and confusion from the manager the man made hole is to keep the ice cream in the middle........of the glass.....REALLY!
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John
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, August 07, 2007

After hearing so much good stuff about Canteen we decided we had to go. The staff who greeted us were great, the food was beautiful, but unfortunately the staff who served us were poor to say the least . Wrong orders brought twice, and when a special request from one of our party was ignored, our waiter informed us it would have been easier to understand if we'd spoken Italian or Spanish! We decided the experience wasn't worth the automatic 12.5% service charge so removed a proportion, leaving what we felt was fair, only to be ordered to explain ourselves to the manager ( it didn't feel as though there was any concern that our experience hadn't been great). Seems to me the typical London auto-12.5% means the waiting staff have no incentive to try. Oh, and the website says they're delighted to get feedback, however small, so they can strive for the best. Don't believe it - they couldn't care less - I wrote twice and was ignored. Shame really - the food was genuinely great, unfortunatley they believe their own hype too much...
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Ian Douglas
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Went there again yesterday, great smile greated us and servive and food was just pleasant. Love the new chairs, we can now get in and out easily.

Keep it up and I need to try the Southbank restaurant.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, July 18, 2007

went to canteen tonight on the basis of the rave reviews read on this site.If you are not used to eating properly cooked basic good food this might be the restaurant for you but as my teenage children said 'both our parents and grandparents cook much better'. The arbroath smokie was dry, my daughter's lamb was fatty, my steak had absolutely no taste at all and the chips were pickled with salt, to the extent we had to send them back. We left without having dessert or coffee feeling that we had made a mistake with our choice of restaurant considering this was supposed to be a birthday treat. On top of this, we were also served by a waiter with his jeans hanging off his rear and hit with what was laughably called a 'discretionary' 12.5% service charge - what service?
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cj
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, July 11, 2007

I tried out Canteen at The Royal Festival Hall last week for lunch with friends. I was very impressed. Good food, cooked and presented well. Friendly service and a relaxed setting. Overall an extremely enjoyable experience which I will be repeating.
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Ro
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, July 02, 2007

very good place for a quick lunch or for a nice pleasant evening. All

the staff are very welcoming and the food very good.
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bill
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, June 29, 2007