All reader reviews by Battersea Rise

Banana Tree (Clapham)

Frankly this place really doesn't need a review. I visited on its opening day, many years ago, and it has been full ever since!!! Well priced, perfectly delighful fresh food. Busy, noisy, but brilliant.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8

Pizza Metro Pizza (Battersea)

Well I finally went back after a few years absence Sadly it has not improved. Gone are the attentive staff, superbly cooked food and charming homely atmosphere, to be replaced by half a dozen waiters/waitressess running around like headless chickens, food which if I am brutally honest was bland, and noise levels that required a lot of shouting to make oneself heard.

Our waiter was perfectly lovely, but he was far to busy to provide anything like decent cover for our table. Why should I wait over 5 minutes just for a drink?

The pizza - nice gimmick to have everything on one long slice of bread on a raised tray - but a real pain to still have to cut it yourself. But what about flavour? A slice of mozarella, 3 basil leaves, a handful of wilted (or rather wilting) rocket and 2 slices of salami isn't a pizza in my book.

Personally I had the rib-eye steak. Cooked rare as I requested, but severely lacking in flavour (I actually added salt - I NEVER add salt), and about a third was gristle. If only I'd been given a steak knife I could have at least had a few more bites...

I will admit the calamari were very nice, but would have been nicer with a bit of garlic.

This place is always packed out, I suppose its trading on its once glorious reputation that saw coachloads of Italians being shipped in for the food! I probably won't be going back.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3