All reader reviews by Chris
The Ambassador
Went for Sunday Brunch having wanted to go here for a while. On paper this place seems to do everything right, yet in practice it just didn't quite work for me.
The brunch menu seemed to be more of a lunch menu with a few additions, no fishcakes, smoked salmon & eggs, pancakes & maple syrup, BLT's or any items I expected to see except eggs benedict or waffles. The food we had was okay but herrings & sour cream and eggs benedict are hard to get wrong. Toast came untoasted (eg bread) and service was slow but very friendly. Only about a third full so atmosphere was very quiet.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
The Ivy
A bit of a mixed night at the Ivy on the weekend.
Starters of Lobster tart & steak tartar were great but followed by sub standered mains. Veal Holstein was okay but the Ivy burger was the driest bit of meat I've ever attempted to eat. On telling this to the waiter he agreed that others had already mentioned this to him. Baked Alaska for 2 people foe dessert however was good & a bit of table side cooking always looks good.
Austrian white wine was lovely & the service was very slick. Suprisingly the place didn't seem full but the atmosphere still had a nice buzz.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
The Comptoir Gascon
A return to Comptoir last night and everthing was as good as last time.
Duck rillette, seared tuna, roast pork & the barigoule were all of a very high standard.
Service was good, although the place was not full & the wine very good.
A bit more expensive than last time at nearly £190 for 3 people, with the cheese at £9 a plate a bit on the high side. However for this standard of cooking I'll be back.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
St Germain
Third visit in 3 months and have to say this place just gets better and better. Food is great tasting, simply presented and very well priced.
Service is possibly the best in London, wine list is short but covers most areas and the atmosphere is great.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Butlers Wharf Chop House
Have been here many times before (& even left a good review on this site), but I just had the worst meal out in a long time. Food was poor, the pork was so dry and the mullet main course far too small (maybe 100 grams).
However the service was even worse, things forgotten, no smiles, no pouring of wine, stale bread, wrong wine served, I could go on and on.
I asked for the service to be taken off and the bill was snatched from the table and the new bill slapped on the table. When I gave the girl my credit card I asked if she was curious as to why I wanted the service to be removed to which she I answered "I didn't serve you so I don't care". Never again!!!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 4 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 5
Coq d'Argent
3 of us went for the jazz lunch at Coq d'Argent yesterday and had a nice meal.
All of the nine dishes we had between us were of a high standard and of a good size, and at 3 courses fo £30 not bad value either.
The place was quiet, as it was a Sunday in the city, but the jazz band gave the place a nice vibe. My one main problem was with the wine list. Yes there is a great choice with over 300 bins to choose from but there is very little choice for less than £30 a bottle.
We ordered a Billicart-Salmon Rose to start which was presented and opened and we were told it was the last bottle. No problem so far. However on tasting the wine we all agreed it was corked. The sommelier said no problem and gave us back the wine list to choose another bottle.This is where the fun started. Tattinger Rose? out of stock
Billicart-Salmon NV? out of stock.
At this point we thought we would go straight to white and ordered a bottle of Pouilly fume. It was brought over opened and again we were told it was the last bottle. Wine was nice and when we finished the bottle we had to go back to the wine list. Sancerre? out of stock Gavi di Gavi ? out of stock. And one more choice I can't remember was also out of stock before we settled on a sauvignon blanc from the Loire.
I just don't understand why a restaurant like this can't simply mark of bottles they are out of stock so as not to waste so much time choosing a bottle only then to find it not available. Apart from the fun with ordering the wine the meal was good and I will be returning.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Nakhon Thai - Wapping
All in all a pretty good thai restaurant in a great water front setting.
Service was quick and friendly, food was good (drunken duck & panang curry were the highlights) and the wine list covered most areas.
With the 50% off the food for 3 people and 2 bottles of Gavi the bill came in at £103 including service.
Apart from the lack of fellow customers (it was a Sunday night) and what appeared to be the owners sitting at the bar watching their waiters every move it was a good meal and a welcome addition to the area.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 8
Boisdale of Bishopsgate
Im afraid to say this was an expensive and not very good meal.
Food was okay but prices are high (£25 plus for a steak) and the service was terrible. We had to carry our own wine including glasses and ice bucket downstairs when we wanted to go to our table. The manager spent the night sitting at a table talking and didn't seemed concerened anything.
To top it of i have never seen a wine list that states the wine must be paid for even if it corked or out of condition. Wines on the list were also not cheap, Craggy range sauvignon blanc for £35 is lot more than other city places.
Decor also looks tired.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Gilgamesh
Went for a Sunday night meal to Gilgamesh but came out feeling slightly let down.
Firstly the decor, it does look great and it's hard to fault.
Service was okay, nothing special and the place was not busy so it might be a bit slower say on a Saturday night.
However my main problem was with the food or lack of it. we booked on the 50% off set menu, and I have to say what we got would not have been worth the full £40. It appeared to me that this set menu only exisits so they can knock 50% off for online bookers.
The actual food was pretty good (watermelon & duck salad and the lamb on green mash were highlights) there just was not enough for the 3 of us eating.
Next visit I'll stick to the a la carte.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
St Germain
Second visit to St Germain and had another great meal.
The food is good and at a decent price and the service was again outstanding from our Australian waiter. The place looks good and has a nice buzz when it fills up.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Hawksmoor
Another great steat at Hawksmoor last night. The 600g ribeye was cooked just right and was washed down with a nice bottle of Cline Zinfandel. The place was busier than on my last visit and this made for a much better atmosphere.
Not a cheap place but a must for steak fans.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Arbutus
Have to agree with some of the other reviews here and say this was a major let down. Everything from start to finish was poor. Waited 15 mins for drink order to be taken and then another 10 mins for them to bring the bottle. When it did arrive it had no label but they told me it was what I ordered. I pointed out that I had ordered a rose and this one was white and then it took another 5 mins to find the right bottle.
Food was okay but not great and one dish was forgotten.
After desserts we had a bottle of Champagne and as they were 7 of us on the table I expected the waiter to spread the bottle around so we all got three quaters, but no he pored 6 full glasses and one got none. (We ordered another bottle)
Even the table was not great, but 3 tables for 2 put together, with no space at the head so 4 had to squeeze on one side.
In a word poor!!!
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
New Tayyab
The best curry to be had in London !
Yes you have to queue, yes the service can be abrupt and yes sometimes they bring your drinks, starters and mains all at the same time.
However these are things I can forgive in order to eat here. And it's really cheap and you can bring your on wine.
Forget Brick Lane and go to New Tayyab, you wont regret it.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Il Bordello
Il Bordello is a really good place for a quick pizza or pasta. The service is very friendly and quick and the place seems to be packed all the time, even on a Sunday night at 10pm.
Menu also has a good selection of meat and fish but prices are high, although portions are HUGE.
As I said the place is busy so may not suit a quiet romantic meal, but if your in Wapping give it a go.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Big Easy
Went to the Big Easy for a late lunch last Sunday and all in all had a good meal.
Service was friendly and quick and the menu was extensive. Starters were small for the price with the baskets/plates filled up with nachos to make the portions look bigger, but what we ate was okay.
Mains were better, the ribeye steak on the bone was a great piece of meat and it came with a few onion rings and the best bearnaise I'd had for a long time. All other mains were good except for a beef fajitas which were all veg and little beef and were poor value for £15.
Wine list was great and very well priced, £37 for Cloudy bay, I can think of only a few places cheaper.
Cocktails on the other hand were not so good and overpriced, £26 for a jug of long Island iced tea.
Overall not bad at all, and would go again if in the area.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Smiths of Smithfield
Without question the worst service to be had in London.
The food is good and the place looks great but after having problems with the service on the last three visits it's time to call it a day.
I will not be returning, which is a shame as it used to be great.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Le Beaujolais
A cracking little bar in the heart of the west end.
Nice bottle of Sancerre for about £25 and all the staff were really friendly.
The place was nice and busy with what looked like lots of regulars, and the atmosphere was great.
Did not eat but the menu looked simple and rustic and the food I saw going out looked good.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Incognico
A very, very average restaurant.
3 of us ate here on saturday night and all left rather dissappointed. The food was ok but for near £40 for three courses it was not up to scratch. Service was below par, with drinks forgotten and the bill taking a long time to come.
Overall at £200 for 3 people including 2 bottles of wine there is much better value to be had in London. I feel this place is a bit of a tourist trap.
My first and last time in Incognico.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Le Pont De La Tour
The following review is for the bar & grill not the main restaurant.
Been here over a dozen times over the years but I doubt I’ll be back for a while.
The food choice and quality have taken a nosedive and the service is going the same way. If a restaurant is going to charge me 12.5% service on my £30 bottle of wine then they should either make sure my glass is topped up or they should leave the bottle next to my table so I can do it myself, not 10 feet away.
As for the food it's not bad it's just a bit bland and boring. What we ate was fresh and well prepared but you need more choice: 2 types of steak, 2 types of chicken, 2 types of fish in breadcrumbs, 1 other fish dish, lobster and a veg option.
The one area that I cannot find fault is the atmosphere. Always a nice buzz and the pianist is great. The hustle and bustle of the bar is the main reason I eat here rather than the main restaurant.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
St Germain
Saturday night at St Germain and to echo the previous review, we had great service from someone who clearly takes pride in what they do.
Food was good and at a decent price, room was nice but only half full but still a nice buzz in the place.
All told 3 starters, 2 mains, 2 desserts and 2 bottles of wine and service came to just over £100.
Will be back!
Monday, April 07, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Bentleys
Got a table in the oyster bar of Bentleys on Saturday night and had a great time.
Food was good, Asparagus & duck egg, fish soup & pollack the highlights.
Tables are really packed in here but I felt this gave the room a great atmosphere.
Service from the reception to the barman was good but it was our waitress (Katie)who stood out, she was simply great!
Value for money was not bad, good selection of white wine in 250ml carafe's let us try several wines at a decent price.
And to top it all were sitting next to Hugh Grant!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Gordon Ramsay's Boxwood Cafe
Sunday lunch at the Bowwood cafe for seven people.
Nice bright airy room with a decent sized round table. Service was good, friendly and efficient.
Food tasted great and the portions were a good size.
We had a couple (3) bottles of Chablis for about £30 a bottle and all had 3 courses and the bill came in at around £450.
Water, sides,drinks in the bar and service pushed the bill up a bit but for this standard of cooking, value for money is not too bad.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Bodean's BBQ
If you like ribs then this is the place for you. I must have been 20 times over the last 3 years and I can think of only one occasion when Bodean's has let me down.
1. Food is great with top marks for the pork ribs, pulled pork, clam chowder & corn bread.
2. Service is always quick & friendly.
3. Beers & cocktails are good & at decent prices.
4. Great value for money with the 'pig out for a tenner'
Without doubt one of my fav places in London.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Gaucho - Tower Bridge
Went last Saturday for lunch at Gaucho, and all in all a little dissapointed.
Service was good and the atmosphere was nice, however it was the food that let the side down.
Starters were okay but very small, side dishes were better, but it was the steaks that that we came for and they were poor for the price. Lacked flavour, to much gristle and overcooked. A lot of my friends love Gaucho so I will give them another go.
On the plus side like I said service was good and wine list was also good, if a little expensive ( £31.95 for a Malbec from Masi).
Cheesecake for dessert was great.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Hawksmoor
Four of us went for lunch yesterday and found it to be the same as on previous visits. The steaks are great, in both quality and quantity, side dishes good but not cheap and great wine list, but again not cheap.The only thing missing on this visit was other customers as there were less than 20 people in the place.Service was friendly and quick. If you like your meat pay this restaurant a visit.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Butlers Wharf Chop House
I normally eat in the bar here rather than the restaurant, and at 3 courses for £12 you really cant beat it for value. Last visit also had a nice bottle of Chapel down baccus reserve and even with a couple of side dishes it was still great value. As for the food and service both are generally pretty good.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Rhodes W1 Brasserie
Went here last Saturday and have to say I was rather disappointed. The place was only a third full so the atmosphere was very subdued. Service was good but if anything it was to attentive (clearing our wine glasses away without asking if we would like another bottle). However my biggest complaint is with the prices. The food we had was very good but £28 for halibut without any veg (£4 extra for sides) was steep considering this is a brasserie. We were also charged £2.50 for 2 small slices of toast to accompany our pork terrine starter. All in all for 2 starters, 2 mains and a bottle of wine the bill was £130. As I said the food was good but there is much better value to be had in London.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
The Comptoir Gascon
Went for a meal there in December and had a great time. The large wooden table is just right for a group of 7 or 8.Food was simple and rustic, wine was good value and the service was laid back but attentive.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Rosemary Lane
Went last saturday and as usual everything was top notch.Have been many times and will continue.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
