All reader reviews by AndyJ
Elliot's Cafe
Food good, service totally disinterested - we had to ask for empty glasses/bottles to be removed and for a cloth to wipe up a spill. The biggest disappointment was the wine list. Massively over priced and under quality. We paid £29 for something which should have been described as "sub house" wine. Eat the food but drink the tap water.
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Overall rating 
Food 8 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Quo Vadis
With the new owners, chef and all the good press it seemed an obvious recommendation for some visiting American friends. Five of us turned up for a late table on a Saturday evening and things started promisingly as one of the new owners Sam or Eddie was working the floor and showed us to our table. The new chef was also chatting to a neighbouring table as we sat down. That was the high point. One of us ordered the lamb onglet to be told it was now rack of lamb, the next person ordered the chicken pie to be told it was now rabbit and duck pie. It would have been nice to have been told but not a car crash... that was to come when the food arrived. Jersey royals seemed an obvious choice as our friends hadn't tried them and we did the whole "worlds best potato" thing and had to explain that they really are nice if they aren't boiled for about 40 minutes so they become waterlogged mush. Saute potatoes were worse, as they were overcooked jersey royals fried for a bit to overcook them even more. The rack of lamb was overcooked, the beef onglet, ordered medium rare, was completely raw inside. The potatoes were taken away the steak recooked, which came back after a few minutes charred on the outside and raw on the inside. The waitress took away the offending items without question, without explanation, without apology. It certainly had the feeling that this wasn't the first time she had been down this road. The fish was better but luke warm sauce and the feeling of a kitchen wanting to go home. Throughout the chef came out two or three times more and spoke to the same adjacent table, giving football updates. If only he had taken his eye off of the ball! The bill arrived with water that we hadn't ordered added to the bill and again, the ever pleasant waitress took it off without muttering a word. The bins in the gents toilets were overflowing with white paper towels when we arrived and even more overflowing when we left. The receptionists seemed more interested in the Macs than the restaurant and it shows. The other people near us all seems happy and content with their evening so it could be just us, but thems the facts.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Overall rating 
Food 2 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Tinello
I dont get it. This was some of the most uninspiring Italian food ive eaten. The room is nice, the serivce attentive but the night we visited they must have run out of salt. I went with two friends. one of our party was a professionally trained chef and two were judges for an industry food award. All three of us had to use salt on our pasta which was a first for all of us. Not a hint of seasoning and the pasta had been cooked in unsalted water. For main course the salt baked sea bream had apparently been cooked in salt but managed to be as bland and unseasoned as the starter. The menu described it as coming with saffron potatoes but it came it what looked like a florescent soup, impossible to eat with the knife and fork supplied not that you would want to as it tasted like it looked. The pork chop was said to be very good but the chard it was served with had not been washed properly and contained grit. The Maitre D' admitted that the "potato" description was perhaps a little misleading and removed the fish from the bill. I went with high hopes because of the restaurants pedigree and reputation but left very disappointed. Maybe if they get a salt delivery and a menu rewrite things will improve.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Overall rating 
Food 3 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Barrio Bars to open a new site in Shoreditch next month (via Caterer) -