All reader reviews by Ewok

Sophie's Steakhouse (Covent Garden)

I went to Sophie's during it's second week of opening. The food is really well cooked and the staff are fantastic although I probably won't return to the restaurant as I think there a couple of other restaurants in London where you can get much better steaks.

The restaurant is much bigger than the original Chelsea branch and it is located in the middle of theatre land so it's perfect for pre-theatre dining. They have a no reservation policy just like the Chelsea restaurant.

I couldn't fault the service. The staff were extremely friendly and professional. Food arrived in a timely manner and we did not feel rushed.

The steaks were cooked exactly how we asked for them to be cooked (my steak was rare and the boyfriend ate his medium-rare). Although cooked perfectly I didn't think the steaks were particularly tasty. From what I recall the menu just states the beef is Scottish. I would like to know what type of beef I am eating (Casterbridge? Dexter? Aberdeen?). Additionally I thought the Bearnaise sauce was quite insipid.

Sophie's is great for steak if you are on a budget, however, if you want the king of all steaks I would spend that bit extra and go to Maze Grill or Quo Vadis.

Monday, November 24, 2008
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 5

The Hive

I decided to eat at the Hive last night before going to a concert at the Brixton Academy. Arrived at 7pm and the downstairs restaurant was almost full but fortunately I had reserved a table. Overall the venue and service were great, however, the food was quite bland.

We were greeted by a friendly waitress who seated us straight away. The tables are very large so there is a lot of space for plates and there is a decent amount of space between tables. The atmosphere was buzzing - an ideal dining place for a group of friends. Service throughout was efficient and warm.

The only let down was the food. It was very average. The roast duck had no crispiness to the skin, the potato dauphinoise was underseasoned and the green beans were overcooked.

Friday, November 07, 2008
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7

Sketch Lecture Room and Library

I went to Sketch last weekend and really enjoyed the experience although I think there are much better restaurants in London. I probably won't eat there again but I'm glad I went.

If you eat at the Lecture Room & Library on a Friday make sure you go after 9.30pm. We sat down to eat at 7pm and it was empty! We felt a bit awkward but fortunately the staff were very professional and made us feel very welcome.

I had the tasting menu and overall I thought it was a bit hit and miss. There were certain courses (pidgeon, desserts, cheeses) which I thought were sublime. However there were others which I thought just didn't work (scallop).

As you'd expect the food was very expensive. We paid approx £150 per person and we only drank a couple of beers and a glass of champagne - no wine at all. You can eat at Petrus for the same amount and get more out of it. The last time I went to Petrus we paid £150 per person (this was for a larger tasting menu, glass of champagne each and a bottle of wine of the table) so I felt it was better value for money.

I'd recommend Sketch for a night out with (rich) friends who are looking for something a bit gimmicky. Also great for a romantic date.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 4

Le Garrick Brasserie

Worst meal I've ever eaten in London!

The service was good and the restaurant had a good ambience. Unfortunately the food was disgusting. Never again. Total tourist trap too.

I had the mussels for starter and my jaw was aching afterwards because they were so chewy. It was comparable to eating rubber (tasteless lukewarm rubber).

For main I had the duck which was as dry as sand. Overcooked. Again tasteless.

Not worth the £40 per head that was spent. Felt cheated.

Monday, September 29, 2008
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0

Quo Vadis

I ate lunch with a couple of friends at Quo Vadis last Friday and I was truly amazed at the quality of this restaurant. Not only was the food delicious but the service was outstanding.

The menu is quite lengthy so it took us a while to choose our dishes but the delightful waitress was patient and more than happy to explain the dishes that we queried

I could see one of the owners, Eddie Hart, greeting people at the door and fastidiously checking the tables were properly laid out. At one point he came to check we enjoyed our meal and took our orders for dessert. By the way, he's very cute!

I can highly recommend the chips (triple-cooked I think), the rib of Dexter (very very large steak and not for the faint hearted!), crab linguine and whitebait

There is a £2 pp cover charge and this covers olives, bread and unlimited chilled filtered water. In total we paid approx £60 per person - this was for three courses and a glass of wine each.

I cannot wait to return!

Monday, September 01, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10

The Bear Free House

I go to the Bear in Camberwell on a regular basis to eat and drink and thought it was about time I left a review. In my opinion it is the only decent place for pub grub in SE5 (having sampled the horrors on offer at the Sun & Doves, The Castle, The Grove and The Phoenix). I used to live in Wandsworth Common and previous to that I lived in Fulham so was spoilt for choice when it came to food. Thank god for the Bear; I was beginning to have my reservations about moving to Camberwell.

The menu is very limited but they seem to cover all bases: vegetarian, red meat, game, seafood, salads, cold dishes and puddings.

I can highly recommend the onglet (when it is on the menu) but please eat this medium/rare or better still rare; onglet shouldn't be eaten medium or well done as it is too tough (actually steak should never be eaten medium or well done in my opinion!).

The vegetarian dishes are always very tasty (usually cheese based) and very filling.

The bread and butter pudding (when it is on the menu) is melt in the mouth. I also like the miniature Le Creuset pots they are served in.

Finally, the staff are always really friendly and are knowledgeable about the food they are serving. I have no problem with the 12.5% service charge which is added to the final bill because of this.

Monday, August 18, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10

Roast

We popped into Roast last Saturday morning (around 10.30am) in the middle of a hectic Borough Market shopping trip. We didn't have a reservation but were seated straight away.

We both ordered a "Full Borough" breakfast (£13.00). The black pudding and sausages were delicious. The portions were massive - even my boyfriend struggled to clear his plate.

Service was friendly and efficient. A great place to go if you are shopping at the market. Unfortunately we were so full after we left Roast we weren't in the mood to buy any food in Borough Market.

Monday, August 04, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7

maze Grill

I ate lunch at Maze Grill with three friends on a Friday afternoon and was truly impressed with the quality of the food, service and ambience of the restaurant. The consensus amongst each person in my group was that it was the best steak we had ever eaten.

Upon arrival the staff in the reception were very welcoming. Following that our waitress was extremely friendly and clearly explained the cuts of meat.

Recommended dishes include: seared calves liver (a starter on the set lunch menu), garlic fries, pigs on toast and of course the steak (Casterbridge rib-eye was one we liked).

It's extremely cheap if you eat off the set lunch menu (£15 for two courses, £18 for three courses). If you go a la carte it does add up (one person in my group went a la carte and paid £36 for starter and main, not including drinks) but it is definitely worth it.

Monday, July 28, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9

Roka

I had a delicious meal at Roka last night and was truly impressed with the entire experience - food, service, surroundings, ambience etc.

We sat down to eat at 6pm and the restaurant was already getting busy. By the time we left at 7.30pm it was almost full (bear in mind it was only a Tuesday evening).

Our waitress was very friendly and clearly explained the menu. They recommend you order about 3 dishes each. My greedy partner and I ordered 9 dishes between us including desserts and this was more than sufficient.

Highly recommended dishes include: lamb cutlets (served perfectly i.e. medium rare), baby back ribs, crab hot pot (almost like a risotto), miso sea bream (similar to the black cod dish but much meatier) and languoustine tempura (with spicy batter). Try and leave some space for desserts. We almost licked our plates at the end of the meal!

It certainly isn't cheap; we paid £130 for two of us and the only alcoholic drinks we consumed were two beers.

It appeared to be quite children friendly - we spotted several families. Overall - very relaxed, no complaints and would definitely go back again. Liked the outdoor seating too.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7