All reader reviews by HW3

Bonnie Gull Seafood Shack

I've been twice now and it has been great both times. Thoughtful, well matched, super-fresh ingredients - the baby scallops and chorizo starter was just delicious, all perfectly cooked and well-balanced. The smoked trout and beetroot was superlative - such fluffy blinis! mains of turbot and seabass both cooked to perfection. Friendly, inconspicuous waiting staff (no interruptions to ask if you like your meal), and generally a very pleasant, informal experience characterised by the freshest fish and seafood I've had in London.

Thursday, December 06, 2012
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9

Mari Vanna

Had a very pleasant lunch here and as I write I'm in semi-comatose carbo-overload. Attentive but not overbearing service, good-sized portions and pleasantly seasoned dumplings, but it is all quite heavy. Even the salads. Fabulous decor and I imagine it would be a good romantic venue for the evening. Lots of ladies who lunch; I guess they will all go and work it off at Pilates later.

Friday, August 31, 2012
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8

Tsunami (West End)

There are some very nice dishes on the menu here and the sushi platters are well-executed. But it doesn't feel very authentic. And I would criticise some slightly dozy staff and the very small plastic teacups... But the tuna tartare is delicious.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4

Barbecoa

We didn't start out on a good footing, because I asked for a lunch table at 12.30 and was told they could only do 12.15 or 12.45... this is the kind of response that always gets my back up. So i got there at 12.22 to a virtually empty restaurant. By 12.30 it filled a little but was by no means full, so why not just give me the time i asked for in the first place?

Anyway, i had a starter of smoked beetroot salad - three pieces of average beetroot, a few very small dollops of cheese and some not especially fresh watercress on top. Very poor value. My main was the pulled pork and waffle, which i really wanted to enjoy but the bbq sauce was just too sweet and the pork too dry, despite being a generous helping.

Decor - too many hard surfaces, way too noisy. And wooden floors near kitchens often seem to result in an ice rink effect (especially in heels) so why do they still do it?

Service was friendly and efficient, so points for that, even though the lady on the door seemed baffled when i asked why i couldn't have just boooked the stoopid table for 12.30 in the first place. i won't bother again.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3

MEATliquor

Definitely London's best cheeseburger, in terms of flavour, consistency, texture and non-collapsibility. The sides were also delicious. Shame about the chick-problem waitress who delivered our order to the couple next door. We suggested that as we had been there 20 mins already and they had just sat down, and the order was exactly what we had ordered but not what they had ordered, perhaps that was ours. She thought not, leaving it next door while she 'went to check', And was never seen again. Except when she brought next door's order to them without a mention of the previous mistake, which we had sorted out between ourselves. Weird. And quite rude.

Friday, January 20, 2012
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8

Galvin La Chapelle

An excellent restaurant, I had a delicious roast duck breast, just rare enough, with a truly scumptious little flaky pastry tart; my companion was very impressed with his lamb and stuffed courgette flower main course. No time for starters or puddings unfortunately but the waiting staff were very accomodating of the brevity of our visit. The sommelier was excellent. i hope to visit again soon.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9

Patterson's

Had a very enjoyable lunch here last week; lots of delicious sounding things on the menu, which is well judged and creative enough without being bizarre.

Monday, July 25, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9

The Wolseley

Not at all impressed by the afternoon tea; the somewhat surly waiter forgot to bring plates for the scones and forgot the macaroons we ordered. The macaroons were stale and unecessarily dipped in dark chocolate. Having had a merely adequate lunch there a few months ago, in the main restaurant where I could barely hear a word my lunch partner was saying, I totally fail to understand the hype. And despite it being a lovely room the furniture and accoutrements are looking quite shabby.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2

Ikeda

This is the best quality, freshest sushi i have eaten in London - sushi lunch A is superb - and the service is excellent. the decor is pretty dated but if you want quality Japanese food this is the place to go; the tempura and other dishes such as the smoked mackrel are also excellent. And i like the refreshing pieces of orange at the end.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9

New Tayyabs

People had been telling me for years how great Tayyabs is; what were they on? massively unimpressed. as other reviewers say, shocking service, tables not very clean, nice naans but the rest of the food distinctly mediocre. i won't be back. yes it's cheap but you get what you pay for.

Thursday, June 09, 2011
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1

Tinello

Excellent lunch, very fresh food, the mackerel with salad was inspired and delicious. Service unobtrusive and informed. And i liked the decor; tables not too close together and generally not too noisy with a nice ambience. Will be back.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10

Paternoster Chop House

Good service but much too noisy, I could hardly hear what my client was saying. Also had to send the roast beef back as it was virtually cold... but the staff dealt with it very nicely. And the condiments were excellent.

Friday, May 21, 2010
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 5