All reader reviews by Stephen H
Wild Honey
Went here because of the Michelin star, as many will do I'd expect, and am ever so slightly disappointed. Only a little though. I actually liked the look of the place. Bit Oxbridge dining hall, but generally good.
I started with the Dover Sole and, as became a theme, the main part of the dish was not great, but everything else was good. The Sole itself was a little undercooked and pretty tasteless. hard to get good fish in london but still, it wasn't great. The mushrooms and sultanas however were very good and saved the dish.
My main was the Icelandic Cod, which was a bit odd. The smell of the pancetta dominated, so when you tasted the fish it was an odd combination of very different taste and smell. Not sure if it was deliberate, but didn't really work for me. Again, the cod was ok but not great. Clams and pancetta were good though, nearly saving it.
Dessert was ice cream and honeycomb, which initially looked a bit measly, but ended up being a very good combination with the right measure of each. Overall problem with the meal however was that the portions were a little small. Would have ignored it if it was just me, but pretty much everyone in our group of 8 thought the same.
So overall, don't really think it deserves a Michelin Star. Not far off, but the core ingredients were not quite there. As it only cost £60 with half a bottle of wine each, it's still a good place to go however.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Chez Bruce
Have been waiting to go for months, so was looking forward after all the good things I've heard. I wasn't disappointed. First off, the place looks the part. Quite small but exactly what you would expect - smart and stylish. Went with a group of six, and immediately got addicted to the bread, which was some of the best I've tasted in years. Also had one of their organic beers which was damn good. Haven't had the starter yet and already I loved the place!
To start I had the Rare grilled tuna with prawn tempura. The tuna was perfect. You could tell it was high quality and was seared on the outside with just the right amount of pepper. If anything the prawns were even better, just the right amount of crispyness. The tempura could have been a little stronger though.
My main was Côte de boeuf with hand cut chips. The chips were great, fluffy, crispy and tasty. The beef was good, but only good so was a bit of a let down. Cooked well enough, but a little chewy. The gravy however made up for this. The wine list was certainly comprehensive, and our Cairanne was perfect.
For dessert I had the Lemon curd and blueberry ice cream. The ice cream was perhaps the best I've ever had, with the blueberries providing just the right amount of zest.
Coffee and complementary chocolates rounded off a great meal, and for £70 all in it was a decent price for what it was. Recommended.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Hush Brasserie
Went here last night, and was a bit worried about the level of service to expect. Ended up perfectly happy. Good service, decent food and generally a nice place.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Gordon Ramsay's Boxwood Cafe
Just got back from my first Gordon Ramsay experience, and I'm impressed. Go in, looks the part with classy decor and a generally nice feel. Staff were attentive and professional, alywyas around but not over bearing, and even joined in a bit of banter.
For a starter I had ham and poached egg, which was very tasty. Warmth of the egg really offset everything else, and it was cooked perfectly. For a main I had a whopping great ribeye steak, which was very nearly as good as Gaucho Grill, which is saying something. Cooked well, juicy and just fatty enough. Also got some parmesan mash to go with it, which was pretty good.
The dessert however was amazing. Had warm chocolate fondant and ice cream, which was, I'm pretty sure, the best dessert I've ever had. Oozing chocolate at just the right temperature, we were making satisfied eating noises for about 10minutes. All the courses were perfectly presented as well, you could see how expert the chefs are.
Only slight thing was that they asked us to move to the bar to have our coffees so they could set the table for dinner, but the place was empty and no-one had turned up by the time we had finished. However, easily compensating for this was when they brought out a dessert for my mum who's birthday it was with "Happy Birthday" written on it. Lots of brownie points for that.
Worked out at £80 each, for 3 a la carte courses each and coffee, but only one bottle of wine between six. Overall this place is great. Exactly what you expect: brilliant food at a bit of a price. Recommended.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Goldfish
Went her in a group of 4 after a slightly ridiculous review in the Guardian. First off, the decor is very good. Quite a small place but looks the part, such as authentic looking chinese shutters, nice water-wall, and well decorated.
Service started off well, very polite and prompt. However they forgot about two of our dishes and were often nowhere to be seen when the restaurant got a bit quiet. Food however was generally excellent. Some great starters like duck and hoi sin, good dim-sum and some fried pork. Mains were good too and quite original, like a creamy wasabi prawn. My odd banana desert wasn't too great, but their ice cream is excelent, especially the mango flavour.
Generally a good place, quite pricey at £50 each with no wine, but recommended.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Northbank Restaurant & Bar
Went for a big family meal on a sunday, so it was quiet, but very happy with the place. Started with the Falmouth Crab and Clotted Cream Tart which was excellent despite thinking it might be an odd combination. Warm, creay and tasty. Then had the Spiced ‘Gloucester Old Spot ‘Pork Belly with Razor Clams and Smoked Sausage which was also very good, cooked just right.
Service was pretty good, though it sometimes took a while for them to notice us as we were right at the back. Atmosphere was, again, a little different as it was so quiet, and they really need to do something about the sun being too bright coming through the window, but otherwise was good.
All in all it cost about £50 each, including wine, so was what you'd expect. Generally a very good place to go, and we were all happy with it.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Dragon Castle
Went here over christmas on the recommendation of a friend. It was pretty deserted, we were the only two in there. Generally very happy with it, helped by my chinese girlfriend who knew all about each dish. This place seems a very authentic chinese, which means it's good though you'll have to try some stuff that isn't the MSG chinese we're used to.
Service was ok, but not great. I suppose because we were the only ones there they weren't paying much attention, but annoying. Took them a while to notice if we needed something. Atmosphere was similarly a bit odd due to our situation. Would probably be good when full though.
Price was excellent, around £25 for two (no booze) for myriad dishes, so overall would highly recommend this place and will be going back.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
The Elk in the Woods
Been to this place twice now and found it to be excellent both times. Decor is a bit of a mix, looks mostly like a pub, with a bit of randomness to it, like some elk skulls, with misteltoe on them as it was christmas. Bit odd, but quite a nice feel to it, with old wooden tables that were still sturdy.
Food was generally excellent, with an amazing lamb hot pot that was thick, creamy and tasty. I only couldn't finish it as I was tucking into the nicest chips I've had in ages, perfectly soft yet crispy. Think I'll go back just for them. On the second visit I had a very good trout, well cooked and succulent, though tricky to eat as it was in a pool of tomato water.
Desserts were less good. A raspberry crumble was quite bitty. Necessarily so I suppose, but annoying. The second time was a pretty tastless chocolate thing, so generally wouldn't recommend the desserts.
Service was good though. Prompt and friendly, never a problem. Cost was pretty reasonable considering, about £20 without booze.
I'd reccommend this place in an instant, and will be happy to go back if I'm in the area.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Floridita
Strange set of reviews below. This is a really good bar with great music and a good, if expensive, restaurant. The service when I've been there has always been good. They're busy, but know what they're doing and do everything as they're supposed to.
I usually have the Chateaubriand when I go there as it's so good but what I've had of the other mains have been good as well. You'll pay for it though, with high prices especially if you go for the wine and the full three courses. But then again what do you expect for a place like this. They have live music and it basically turns into a club later on, with dancing and a good bar to make a good night.
If you want the best value food then perhaps this isn't the place for you, but if you want a good night out then this will do you quite nicely.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Norfolk Arms
Have to agree with first review, a definite find. Normal pub, great food, very happy. Went with a group of friends, they all had tapas while I had a main meal. Quite rare to find good fish in London, but the halibut I had was very tasty, while the tapas that I tried was excellent.
Would definitely recommend and will go back as soon as I find an excuse.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thai Pavilion East
Went here as it's my local and I wondered about the oddly good reviews below. It always looked nice as I walked past, but usually had only a few people inside. My impression is that it's an ok restaurant, but nothing special.
I've been to thailand and know a good pad thai when I see one, and the one here was bland and tasteless. Bit of a slog eating it really, and very disappointing. The curry that I had though was pretty good. Succulent beef and a tasty sauce, so I was quite impressed.
Service was fairly indifferent. Nothing terrible but a bit laid back, not all that attentive, while the place was pretty empty as usual. Cost me £18 in total, which seemed fair enough. I wouldn't mind going back if others were there, but don't think I'll be eating there again otherwise.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Chinese Experience
Been to this place a couple of times and I'd say it was pretty good, one of the better places in chinatown (not much competition really but still good). From what we ordered, the pork shoulder stood out as particularly good, with honey beef also tasty. Beer was decent, service perfectly good, the place itself clean with a decent atmosphere. Came out to £15 per head, which I was happy with. Didn't particularly stuff myself though.
You don't expect much when it comes to chinatown but this place is one of three that I go to. I'd recommend it and will definitely be going back.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Barrafina
Went here on a Wednesday night (2 of us) mainly because of various reviews. Generally happy with it and would recommend, but slightly disappointed that it wasn’t as amazing as some say. Was particularly attracted to it as it resembled a place in Barcelona called Cal Pep which had maybe the best food I’ve ever had, and would call this a good imitation.
We had a very reasonable 25 minute wait, with some nice beer to help. Bit squashed as people walked by but everyone very friendly. Menu is a little limited, not as much choice as I would have expected, but not too bad. Started with ham croquettes which were very tasty, good start, but the sardines were pretty tasteless. We then had some tasty chicken in Romesco sauce, a decent tortilla and good chrizo.
Price ended up as £25 each which is pretty good. Service was fine and atmosphere pretty good. Generally I’d recommend as a decent place to go and would be happy to come back.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
The Diner
Went to this place mainly due to the Time Out review and was a little disappointed. Went in and got served fast enough. Ordered some drinks which took a while to arrive but not too long, same for the food once ordered. So service was pretty good.
We all had burgers and I couldn’t help but find it a bit stodgy really. All the ingredients seemed a bit flat, which surprised me as so many had said the burgers were great. Chips seemed fine, as were the potato wedges, but nothing special. The milkshakes however were great, so I might go back just for them, pricey for £4.20 though. Décor was pretty good, so the overall experience was ok, but not somewhere I’d particularly want to go back to. Worth a shot though if you feel like it.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Anchor & Hope
Went on a monday night at 7pm and it was already pretty packed. A group of 5, we were told that we would have to wait an hour and a half for a table, which was annoying, but then the waitress said that a table in the non-restaurant bit would leave in 10mins so we could have that one. So basically impressed with how good she was and how much the staff in general care. I reckon coming as a pair or maybe a three would be fine most of the time, as there were always a few seats dotted around, you just have to be flexible.
We then chose to wait 50mins for the lamb shoulder, and it was worth it. This place is apparently famous for it's slow-cooked meats and you can tell, as it was perfectly tender and tasted delicious. The potatos that came with it were also great, though we should have had some beans or something as well.
With a few bottles of wine and some good desserts, we paid £40 which was pretty good comsidering. I'll definitely be going back.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Bincho Yakitori
This place is great. Everything about it is right up there with the best places in London. The food is varied and pretty much everything I had was delicious. You have a load of small dishes, eat them then order again, and you'll be ordering until you burst, and probably go for the lamb and pork belly with every round like me.
Their sochu and sake list is extensive and all the ones I tasted were great. Their chocolate dessert was one of the best things I've ever tasted. Service was excellent, and a few little things add to it, like having all the sakes explained and seeing one of the waiters check a wine glass before taking it to a table. You notice things like that.
The view is great as well, right over the thames, looks great when it gets darl. Only vaguely bad thing was that they asked us to leave the table and go to the bar at the end, but as we'd been there for two and a half hours then that's fair enough!
I'll be going here all the time from now on, and everyone else should.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Royal China (Queensway)
Just got back from this place and I'm hardly impressed. I'd heard a lot about it and so expected it to be good. It looks the part well enough, with nice decor and everyone turned out quite well. The smell reminded me of Hong Kong, which was a good start, but it started going a bit downhill from there.
I had vietnamese spring rolls, which were pretty good, but as you only got two and they were small, it felt a bit stingy. I also noticed that they were bringing things out in a very ad hoc way, so while some people got their food quite fast, others had to wait much longer.
The main courses were ok. I had some pretty good chicken which, though it got cold quickly, tasted good and it was a generous portion. The other main that I has was Mandarin fillet steak, which was a bit of a disappointment. It was quite chewey, dominated by the strong sauce and to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't fillet at all. Others with me had wine which they said was good, while the beer I had was nice enough. The simple fruit dessert was good also.
The service throughout was not great, until the end. A group of 8 of us had a bill of £370, for which they put on a £45 service charge. When we paid up she said we were £1.20, which she hung around for, reminding us several times until we paid it, with exact money! I found this pretty rude and really not what you expect. The guy a few reviews down saying that they were really rude when they asked for the service charge to be removed really doesn't surprise me.
Overall this restaurant is ok for the food, but nothing special. The service is really quite bad, and I wouldn't recommend coming here.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Overall rating 
Food 5 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Big Easy
Went to this place with a few friends and it was a disappointment. I’d hoped for some decent US food, even some fresh seafood, but, well, this is England after all. Walked in and the walls were covered with random tat to try to make you think it’s New Orleans. Fine, you want to create an atmosphere, but plastering every inch of wall with random signs and fishing stuff isn’t the best way to go about it.
The menu immediately looked pretty expensive for the kind of place I thought it was, with starters around £8-9 and mains around £20-30. Starter was supposed to be shrimp with blue cheese sauce, but it was some random spicy sauce instead. Still tasted alright but there seemed little point asking for a change as the waitresses were too busy. Main course was a rack of ribs which was a bit bland and smothered in far too much BBQ sauce. It was all very bland and not fresh at all. One of my friends said that their steak was “average” and at £25 that’s not great. Then again another friend said that they quite liked their ribs, so it’s possible I just got some rubbish, though I doubt it. I also somehow managed to still be hungry at the end of them meal, somehow.
Basically, the food here seems to be all stodge. Great if you’re off your face on a work do and can’t see, let alone taste, but not so great if you actually want to eat. They only have beer in bottles too, which isn’t particularly impressive. They then added 12.5% and I ended up paying £37 (no alcohol) for a really bad meal . Highlight of the evening was going to the pub to watch Man U lose in the Champions League.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Quaglino's
Came here to try the steak and by god it was good. Rates right up there with Gaucho Grill. Starters were tasty and well presented, while those foolish enough to not have the beef were very happy with their mains. In particular the duck was very well cooked, just right great mash, all sunk with some decent wine.
This place is expensive, to be sure, but you get good food for it. Atmosphere is excellent, very light and airy, with a long staircase which makes you think you’re picking up an award. We had the entertaining spectacle of a woman customer with the biggest thong riding up her back you’ve ever see, though I doubt this comes with the meal. All in all, very good, if you have the cash.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Abeno
Read a couple of good reviews so went on Chinese new year last weekend. Was so good I went back this week and will make it a regular trip. Never had Okonomi-Yaki before but it’s a great way to have a variety of food that you’ll never get bored of. I had the London mix the first time and by ‘eck it was nice. Such strong flavours all over the place and really went well together. Tried some of my brother’s noodle dish and it was similarly good.
Second time round I stuffed myself with a Sapporo mix and was again very happy. Best thing though was when I had pancakes for dessert. Wondered if it was a one off as it was pancake day, but apparently they always do it, thank god! I’ve always hated American pancakes for some reason, but these things were amazing. Perfectly crisp on the outside and soft in the middle, they give you as much maple syrup as you can handle, different ice creams and a little pot of strawberry jam. I wanted to kiss them.
Although you can use this place as a cheap stop-off, it can ramp up if you have the whole shebang. £3.30 for a bottle of beer, great desserts etc mean you can pay £40 all in happily enough, so beware! Still, service is very good. Friendly and courteous, but perhaps not surprising as they actually are Japanese. They have these cute little benches that you store your jackets in then sit down, and a nice bar means you can food perve on everyone else’s meal.
You might have to wait a bit on the weekend, but came here on a tuesday and only had to wait a minute or two, but you can't book. Basically, go here, it’s great.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Yakitoria
Slightly embarrassingly, we went here because it got a style award in Time Out. Bit of a mistake. It did indeed look great, with funky and comfy chairs, smart décor, chic look and well-dressed staff. It certainly looked the part and it’s obvious why it won that award.
However, the food and service were not up to it, not at all. The food was just about ok, but really quite average. The sushi was quite bland, though the texture was good. The Teriyaki chicken looked like it was from Tescos, cooked and shoved in a sauce. Desserts were bland and a bit pointless, made me think I’d been had.
However it was the service that stood out, and not in a good way. It was so badly co-ordinated that it actually became quite amusing. It was fairly empty when we got there, but there were still loads of waiters strolling around with nothing to do. We got served by probably 6 or 7 different people, while several times several of them got together in a little huddle to discuss what was going on. God knows how they cope when things are busy. They lost a couple of dishes that we had to hunt down and were a bit cold when they got there.
Basically the only reason to come here is to have a look and if you don’t mind eating average food for high prices with amusingly bad service.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Overall rating 
Food 5 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 2
Gaucho - Soho
This is the best steak in london, and a damn fine restaurant everyone should go to at least once. I've been there twice in the last month and plan to become a regular.
Myself and my partner both had the Churasco de Lomo, the best steak there and by god it was good. Perfectly tender and unbelievably tasty, it makes you cry that not all steak is this good. We had the first few minutes in respecful silence, just appreciating it.
There's loads of good sides, from chips to spinach, and the wine list is extensive as well. The only problem for me was my cheesecake dessert, which was basically a bit rubbish, just a plain paste really.
The waiter however was attentive and helpful, explaining all the different types of beef and recommending how we should order it. Overall it was 90 quid plus tip, though we didn't have wine. Recommend highly.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
