All reader reviews by eatydrinkywandering
The Grove Bar & Restaurant
Will definitely be coming back here! This is a great pub and I had a delicious salmon dish, perfectly cooked and very tasty. Service was good and they have outside seating too.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Le Garrick
Wow what a brilliant place. Very atmospheric and cosy. Food was good, not amazing but decent for the price and service was very good. There's a decent wine list and you can get carafes as well.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Overall rating 
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
HIX at The Tramshed
I really enjoyed our meal at Tramshed. We went for the starters which were alright although I probably wouldn’t bother ordering them again (even tho the aubergine was amazing) followed by the chicken which was very good although a tiny bit dry for my liking. Would like to return for the steak next! Service was excellent and apparently kids eat free if you visit during the day!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Bob Bob Ricard
Wow what an amazing place! We had a couple of cocktails in the bar downstairs and were lucky enough to be given a booth! We were bowled over by the service and the decor and atmosphere was brilliant. Will definitely be back!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Caravan (King's Cross)
We didn't think we would need reservations for a Tuesday night but we were wrong! Thankfully we managed to get a spot at the bar and then grabbed a table when some people left. Service was excellent, attentive and friendly. Drinks and food were all delicious - will definitely be going again!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Kateh
I had a fabulous time at this restaurant. We visited on a Tuesday and it was packed – definitely think about making a reservation! I think I saw a few people being turned away as the restaurant was so full. Starters were fabulous especially the prawns and the burrata and the smoked aubergine which were delicious! For main we shared a lamb stew and a marinated lamb kebab which was fantastic so tasty and tender, perfectly cooked! We didn’t have time for desserts but will definitely be back!
Service and ambience was excellent.
Thursday, September 06, 2012
Overall rating 
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Union Jacks (St Giles)
Would recommend this place if you wanted something quick to eat. The flats are alright although like most people have already pointed out, sound better than they are! Service was good.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Copita
We managed to get here early on a Friday night, it was packed within half an hour of us arriving. The dishes we ordered on arrival quickly arrived and I was impressed by the size of the servings - a lot more than I've had before in places like Dehesa for example.
I loved the restaurant it reminded me of the types of places we went to in Seville, quite authentic but modern at the same time (although the stools were really uncomfortable for some reason).
The dishes we ordered when the place was packed took ages to arrive, (as did the bill) - the staff seemed rushed off their feet. The delay usually wouldn't have bothered us, but we were going to the theatre. We wanted to order more, but given the delay in getting some of our dishes to us, we thought it wiser to refrain. On the whole, the staff were alright, reasonably friendly and they could answer questions about most of the menu.
There are several reasonably priced wines by the glass, we had two and were allowed to taste them before deciding too.
Food was good - I especially enjoyed the John Dory and the duck egg dishes and will definitely be back again.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
We went for dinner on Saturday night and were disappointed.
Service was alright although a bit inconsistent and below par for this type of establishment. Some of the waiters/waitresses seemed a bit nervous/depressed whereas others were great attentive, chatty and friendly.
We had a couple of drinks in the bar beforehand. I have no idea why anyone would recommend the bar, it reminded me of cheapish after work places around Oxford Circus, nothing special. The signature cocktail was fabulous, although for £18 (plus service) you'd expect it to be!
The restaurant is fairly big, again nothing special and didn't seem to have much of an atmoshphere. Perhaps it would have been nicer to visit during the day when we could have had a view of the park? Who knows.
Food was good but mostly severely over priced - we had the meat fruit, a tasty pate, shaped to look like a tangerine (completely overrated considering how people go on about it tho!). The chicken oysters and salsify were alright, a little too bitter for me personally, not great.
We had the pork belly cooked for 30 hours and the pigeon and artichoke for main. Both dishes were cooked perfectly and we had chips and carrots to accompany the dishes. Problem is we've had similar food, cooked just as well, in great gastro pubs for a third of the price.
For dessert, yes the tipsy cake was superb, for us it was the highlight of the evening, and at £10, a complete bargain compared to the rest of the menu. The lemon suet pudding was also very good.
We had a couple of glasses to wine picked by the sommellier. The matches were fantastic but extremely expensive.
We were done after 90 minutes and paid the bill. Perhaps with Heston's reputation, we were expecting the dishes to be a bit more interesting. Dinner is expensive and in my opinion, there are far tastier and more interesting and exciting places to eat in London for less than what we paid here. If you really want to go to one of Heston's restaurants, you can get similar food from his gastro pub in Bray for a lot less, or if you want something special, save up and visit the Fat Duck instead.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
The Riding House Cafe
What a great place!
Staff were friendly and attentive although one of the waiters was a bit slow to take our orders. Food thankfully came straight away however. We had the bread with the artichoke dip which was delicious and the chickpea cakes which were fantastic and a couple of cocktails which were fab. We sat by the bar and I loved the ambience of the place, great decor a bit 50s, with lots of character. Will definitely be back.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Rasoi
We visited on a Sunday when the restaurant was fairly quiet and had the tasting menus. Our welcome into the restaurant was very poor and fairly surly which set the tone for most of the evening.
Service was mostly good although a bit inconsistent. Perhaps we were there on an off night. I thought the food was good although expensive for what it was. I loved the decor and the feel of the place - a bit different from your average place.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Hereford Road
Maybe we caught the restaurant on an off night - I was disappointed by our quail for starter, nicely seasoned but dry and chewy. The meat for the mains was excellently cooked. However, the sauce and the vegetables that accompanied the lamb were both overly salty, (and I like salty food!). It completely over powered the dish. Likewise, the accompaniment for the pork was nothing to shout about. Dessert was a complete let down, watery rice pudding with two large chunks of undercooked rhubarb, which appeared a few seconds later, so obviously pre-prepared and had been sitting in a fridge somewhere.
The portion sizes are large and are relatively good value for that reason, however, given the reviews, I was expecting the quality of the food to be better.
Service was abysmal, impersonal and not very friendly. There was one table complaining that they had been waiting for their mains for an hour and a half. The staff seemed stresssed and unhappy, I didn't see a waiter smile all night apart from the maire'd handing our coats to us when leaving.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
The Harwood Arms
We visited on a sunny mid-week day for lunch. The place was busy but not packed which was surprising. The food was delicious, and very seasonal. We had both specials a crab and pea dish, and the rabbit and bacon faggots, followed by venison cooked three ways with potatoes and a lovely mushroom salad and the veal which was slow cooked. The food was very tasty and perfectly seasoned and we were really full by the end of our meal. Great place to come for delicious British food.
The place is fairly expensive with the usual overpriced wine bottles although you can get third bottles of some wine which is good. We settled on a couple of glasses each which were decent. They also had some home made cocktails which I didn't realise until the end of the meal otherwise I would have tried one.
Service was attentive. The place was relaxed and not pretentious in any way which I wasn't expecting but loved.
Will definitely be back for the autumn menu!
Friday, July 01, 2011
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Lucky Seven
We visited on a Friday night and had a great meal. I had the blue cheese burger - very tasty and perfectly cooked - one of the best burgers I've had. Great combination of fresh ingredients and the cheese was really good quality not the usual fake blue cheese cream that some other restaurants use. Chips were good although admittedly not great. The sundaes looked fantastic although we were too full to have one. Price wise we paid the same if not less than what we spend at Byron or GBH and the quality of our meal was better.
Service was brilliant - attentive and friendly.
I love the decor of the place, the music and the atmosphere, lots of locals who seemed to know each other. Will definitely be back.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Les Deux Salons
I was a bit apprehensive about this restaurant so was surprised when we had such a good time there!
The people at the welcome desk aren’t great, aloof and sulky. Fortunately, our waitress who was Australian was wonderful and made up for it – friendly, down to earth, attentive, and knowledgeable about the food. She also recommended two different wines for us and gave us a taster which were beautiful.
We went for the extremely good value pre-theatre 3 courses for £15 – brilliant considering that most of the mains are about £20 and the starters around £10! All the dishes we had especially the garlic and potato veloute and the cottage pie were fabulous and I was very full by the end of the meal.
We had a table downstairs by the bar which I liked as it reminded me of a Parisian brasserie. I really enjoyed our evening there and would go back.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Hawksmoor Seven Dials
I did like this place although it is very expensive. We went on a Monday evening for the BYO night.
Service was very good (apart from the staff on the door and who you call to make a booking which come across as very unprofessional - I had to wait for 10 minutes and had someone hang up on me when i was trying to make a booking).
However, the rest of the staff were very good, friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Cocktails were great, and I did like the bar and restaurant area.
Food was delicous but sadly no better than what I've had at Gaucho or from the Ginger Pig and cooked at home. Desserts were outstanding however and if I wanted to treat myself would probably go back again.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Opera Tavern
I wasn't sure what to expect but was very impressed. We visited early on a Friday before a theatre show and grabbed a table near the bar downstairs.
The staff and our waitress was fantastic - attentive, friendly and knowledgeable about the food. I haven't visited that many places with great service in London so really notice when it;s good.
The food was great, I loved the courgette flowers, the scallop, the lamb burger, and the beef skewer. The salsify salad and calamari were good but not amazing. We had some very good glasses of wine and I would loved to have spent longer here! Will just have to make sure that I go back!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saf
Service was fantastic here, and staff really went out of their way for us, were friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the dishes.
Food was good. I really liked the fact that some of the dishes were different than what you'd find in your average restaurant, although some of the friends I was with thought the dishes were a bit too different. I loved the mussaman curry, the laksa and the black tofu and the fact that I didn't feel bloated after the meal despite having 3 courses.
The restaurant was much nicer than I had expected and the restaurant was fairly busy with a good atmosphere considering it was a Monday night.
Prices are quite expensive for the amount of food you get but is exquisitely presented and different which makes it a but more special.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Needoo Grill
We really enjoyed our karahi chicken and gosht and were lucky we beat the rush. If we'd have made it slightly later we would have had to have queued for a table. The samosas and peshwari naan were delicious too while the pakoras were fine.
Staff were great, friendly, smiling and attentive.
The music is fairly loud and the place was busy but I think this added to the atmosphere of the place.
Prices were brilliant, we had 2 courses with sundries which came to just over £20.
Will definitely be back!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Soho Japan
I don’t think I have ever been served or eaten such a huge portion of chicken katsu curry – it was delicious and great value given the size.
We were sitting downstairs which I didn’t like much since it was very quiet and had two small tanks with some forlorn fish and two turtles swimming around which was a bit depressing to see. Upstairs looked really nice however.
Service was fine, attentive although a bit quiet. Will definitely be going again.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 8
Osteria Appennino
I’m not sure what went wrong perhaps I was just unlucky and ordered badly at this restaurant. I had a four seasons pizza which was one of the worst pizzas I have ever had in my life – there was so much cheese on a thin wet burnt base. My partner’s pepperoni pizza was a bit better but not amazing. Having said that the other dishes being served in the restaurants looked fine and service was good making up for the food. I did feel a bit robbed tho
We were there early on Friday evening and the place was getting busier as we left. I did like the décor very traditional Italian. I think downstairs walking to the toilet could be cleaner, there was for some reason a few pieces of broccoli scattered across the floor and it didn’t look that clean.
I might have been there on an off night - not sure if I’d risk going again however....
Monday, February 21, 2011
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Cote (Soho)
We enjoyed a very good value 3 course meal from the early bird set menu at Cote on Sunday.
The food was good, starters of mussels and the lentil and bacon salad were very tasty and our steak frites was probably the biggest minute steak I have ever seen, it almost covered the whole plate and was very tender. Our desserts, crème caramel and chocolate pot were good although not great.
I was impressed by service which was excellent, friendly, quick and attentive. Would definitely consider going again for the set menu.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
222 Veggie Vegan
We were here on Valentine’s night and had a very good meal. We shared several dishes including the bean burger, the spicy noodle dish, and the raclette which were all good and tasty. Staff were helpful and friendly although seemed a bit tired towards the end (although it was very late) and we had to wait a while to get their attention for the bill but overall they were good.
I think the location make this place seem more expensive than it actually is, if the same food and restaurant was based in Soho then it would come across as really good value.
I would consider going again if I was in the area.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Yauatcha
Maybe my expectations were high given the previous reviews but I was very disappointed by this restaurant.
We had been looking forward to visiting for Chinese new year. Our welcome was luke warm and our waiter was okay but seemed fairly stressed which made him come across as a little unfriendly and unhelpful. We were completely ignored by the sommelier which was a shame as I had been looking forward to drinking some nice wines. We had to ask for almost everything and no one offered to top up our waters or to get us any more drinks.
Service was a bit disorganised and haphazard – I have had better service by far in Wagamama and other places which are half the price. I wouldn’t mind as much anywhere else but in a Michelin star restaurant I expected much better. The staff didn’t seem happy to be here, the friendliest face we met was the doorman on the way out who offered to get us a taxi who also seemed quite depressed.
The food was alright but nothing special and definitely not worth the price. We asked our waiter to suggest a couple of our dishes which were ok but nothing different or worth visiting for. Perhaps we just ordered badly or was comparing the food to what we had in Hunan or in other good Chinese restaurants, but I was disappointed.
Perhaps the restaurant was just having an off night but I will definitely not be returning or recommending it.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Overall rating 
Food 5 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 3
Hunan
I love the concept of this place.
We had some stunning food and I liked the fact that we got to try several different different types of food in one meal. The courses arrived quickly and we were very full by the end. Overall I thought that the food offered great value. The wine was expensive but very good. We had one half bottle of white and one half bottle of red which cost almost the same as the food. If I went again, I'd be tempted to just have food and a beer or a glass of wine.
The place was very busy and much smaller than what I had thought it would be like for some reason.
Staff were generally very good and friendly.
Will definitely go back at some point.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Indian Zing
I had high expectations for this place because of the good reviews and a couple of my friends had recommended it to me.
The place was full and it was a Tuesday night which is always a good sign. I hadn’t thought we would have needed to book but we obviously did as some people came after us and got turned away.
We had a range of vegetarian dishes which were all delicious and good value. The breads were fabulous – the best I’ve had I think. Service was good, some waiters were friendlier and more attentive than others but overall it was fine. Will definitely be back because the food was good and it’s local to me but it is worth going out of your way for.
The dishes are a bit more expensive than your usual but the quality is much higher and not as expensive as places like Zaika for the same standard.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Chez Marcelle
What an amazing restaurant! I really can’t understand where the other reviewers are coming from. We went on Saturday night and had one of the best meals! My friend had recommended the place to me and Hardens rates it as one of the best restaurants in London for quality of food so I figured it was worth a try.
The place was almost full, and the atmosphere was great. Service was fantastic, I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like but it was brilliant, very friendly and attentive. I felt like I was in someone’s home! The owner was serving the tables and did a great job recommending some dishes and making sure we had a balanced meal. There was no delay between courses at all and we could have asked for more time between our starters and main if we had wanted (we were surprisingly full after our mains).
We had a range of mezze dishes, each was delicious including a fantastic fatoush, and the best falafel I have had since visiting Egypt a few years ago. We went for the dish of the day for main to share between us which was more than enough food. We had a Lebanese beer and a bottle of reserve Lebanese Heritage wine – one of the best wines I have ever had!!
I really wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this place, the meal was stunning value and we will definitely be back.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Taiwan Village
What an amazing restaurant! We were warmly welcomed on a freezing cold night and showed straight to our table. Service was outstanding, personable, very friendly and knowledgeable staff that knew lots about the dishes and made some great recommendations. The food was delicious and inventive, and not the standard type of dishes that we usually have.
We had the mixed hot starters, crispy seafood noodles, and the Taiwan Village specials which included a shredded pork dish, and a sizzling beef dish, both fantastic.
This is a gem of a place, that we will definitely be back to visit again. Well worth seeking out even if it's slightly off the beaten track
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
My Old Place
We went early on a Friday night. The place was very busy and buzzing but we got a table straight away. I really loved the atmosphere and trying to figure out what everyone else was eating.
Because of the reviews, I was expecting the service to be dreadful however apart from one fairly miserable waitress, the others were attentive and smiley.
We got served our starters almost straight away fresh and very hot. The portions are MASSIVE, the largest I think I've ever seen in a restaurant.
We ordered the spring rolls and salt and pepper squid which were both very good. The crab curry for main was divine although fairly messy to eat but worth it. The other main we had was beef in black bean sauce which was good although probably not the best I've had although to be fair in relation to price and portion this place is really good value.
Would definitely be back.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Rosa's
We visisted on a Saturday evening.
I really liked the restaurant's layout and decor which is cool. We got a booth to sit in which I liked. It was quite close to the kitchen so quite noisy although it didn't bother us.
The food was good but nothing special and quite pricy in comparison to other thai restaurants that serve much better food for much cheaper prices. I had two "signature dishes". The starter were the spring rolls which were good and the main was a seafood dish with probably some of the toughest squid I've ever tried to eat, very chewy and almost inedible. The rest of the dish was great but the squid really let the meal down especially given that it was supposed to be one of their signature dishes.
Service was decent and I was impressed by how the staff were reasonably attentive despite us being in a booth and out of sight.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Zaika
We were fortunate to get a table on a Tuesday night. The restaurant looked full. We ordered a la carte and were glad that we did - we ordered one starter and a main and were really full! The food was delicious and well presented. I had the scallops to start, which was served with a broth type sauce in a bowl but without a spoon which was a little shame. The lamb rogan josh was alright and my prawn curry was great with the biggest prawns I had ever seen, possibly a little overcooked or just big I’m not sure. We didn’t drink but I thought the wine package to accompany the tasting menu as well as the tasting menu looked good and decent value.
The service was inconsistent and really let down the whole evening. I was not impressed by the maitre’d who came across as arrogant and almost disdainful of our questions about the food. The welcome was very relaxed which was fine although not what you may expect, and we had to wait ages for anyone to take our order. We had to wait quite a while between courses although because we were so full that was fine. One of the courses for some reason didn’t turn up for a while after the others which was a bit annoying and we couldn’t seem to attract anyone’s attention when we wanted to order more bread.
Maybe it was an off night for service who didn’t seem to be very happy at their jobs, but it was a shame, and overshadowed the food a bit.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wahaca (Covent Garden)
This place is overrated although the food is alright. We were told that we had to wait an hour and a quarter although it didn't turn out to be that long. The place didn't seem to be that busy either to be honest. We had lots of street food dishes between the 4 of us and all of them were good. Shame about the service tho, our waiter was very rude, brusque, interrupting us, not friendly and being very dismissive of any questions we had which made us all feel very uncomfortable and unimpressed, we ordered a couple of drinks mid way through our meals which took ages to arrive too. He was also fairly agressive with wanting a tip which we didn't really give in the end, it was definitely the low point of the evening and overshadowed the food so probably won't bother going back
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Camino
I really liked this place, I liked the decor and the place was buzzing straight after work and was very busy. The restaurant was fully booked but we managed to get a table in the bar. Service was fine, what you would expect and the food was surprisingly good - not amazing but what you expect for the price. We had heaps of tapas dishes and I was really full which rarely happens when I eat tapas!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
The Fat Duck
I'm not sure what my expectations where apart from expecting the meal to be incredibly expensive which it was. I don't think I was expecting to be blown away by the food quite as much as I was however.
This restaurant really is something else, a unique experience and a cut above the other michelin star restaurants that I have eaten in. The ambience was perfect, friendly and relaxed. The staff really were superb, the service was absolutely faultless, knowledgeable and friendly and not at all pretentious.
Each course was outstanding and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend going if you love food and want something different. My only slight criticism would be that the cheese serving was a little mean between 5 of us, (I had more cheese just to myself in La Gavroche), however it is still unbeatable. We shared a drinks package which was very generous, and included plenty of refills. We knew it was going to be expensive and we did spend more than we usually do however that was partly because it was a special occasion and we wanted the whole experience (Champagne on arrival, dessert wines, teas etc). All in all, I think it was excellent value especially in comparison to the other 2-3 star Michelin restaurants. I really enjoyed our time at the Fat Duck and to me it was worth the money.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
The Waterside
We ate here in a very large group and the restaurant was very busy so I was very impressed when we were served such good food! The mains were particularly good, a succulent piece of pork belly with vegetable and a perfectly cooked fillet of sea bass.
The house wine, both white and red, were both very good, much better than your average pub. Service was generally good, attentive and friendly but a little inconsistent.
Would definitely consider visiting again especially for somewhere to eat out on the river.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
The Royal Oak
We were here on a Sunday afternoon after the flower market. We sat upstairs by the window which was great. The food was very good, I had the sea bream which was very well cooked whereas my friends settled for a massive serve of fish and chips and a Sunday roast beef which both looked good.
Prices were typical gastro pub prices but the food was very well cooked and the services was excellent. Would go again if I was in the area
Monday, July 05, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Greek Affair
We were here on a Saturday night and luckily got a table in the courtyard in the back which was great - it felt like we were almost in Greece!
We opted for the Greek feast menu and weren't disappointed - we had an excellent selection of cold starters including hummus, bread, stuffed vine leaves, followed by hot starters including probably one of the best calamari dishes I've ever had. The selection of mains were fantastic with the moussaka and the slow cooked lamb and chicken particularly standing out. For dessert we shared the Greek honey cake and a coffee which was just about all we could manage we were so full!
Service was brilliant, attentive, knowledgeable and helpful. The waitress helped us choose the wine, which was a delicious Greek white and we also had a Greek beer which I hadn't seen before and was very tasty.
Would definitely recommend and go back again
Monday, July 05, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Rebato's
We recently visited as a group of 6, the bar at the front is characterful and looks very authentic I thought, the restaurant is at the back. I was quite impressed by the decor, with the skylights, the plants and the water feature I almost felt like we were sitting outside somewhere in Spain!
The food was good, not the most amazing tapas I have ever had in my life but still good. Frustratingly, being with a group, we didn't get to try any of the main courses, (since the rest of the group wanted to stick with tapas) which sounded delicious. The group also only ordered about 2 dishes each whereas I think I usually order 3-4 dishes each! I may have been sensitive to this lack of ordering but also got the feeling that some of the staff weren't that impressed with us either despite ordering plenty of wine which let down the service a bit although on the whole it was fine.
The desserts came on a dessert trolley at the end and were good.
The restaurant was fairly busy and had a good atmosphere so I would recommend it if you're in the area and wanted a good value tapas place.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Indali Lounge
We visited very early on a Thursday so the restaurant was fairly quiet but that was to be expected considering the time. Service was very good and attentive.
Food wasn't your average Indian (heavy curries etc), and very interesting. The flavours were fantastic and I was impressed by the food combinations and the concept behind the dishes.
Perhaps I did have low expectations because of the reviews but I really did enjoy the food and would recommend it for a different Indian restaurant experience. Would also go back if I had the chance.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Hache (Camden)
We went late on a Saturday evening and had a great meal. There are loads of burgers to choose from.
Service was very good, polite, efficient and friendly and food was fantastic. Burgers were tasty and cooked perfectly. I went for the special Le Reblochon and my partner for the Catalan which were both good and came with salad., and we shared a portion of fries which were good
The burgers are a little more expensive than other burger places (but not by much) but the restaurant is much more sophisticated and the burgers less greasy, and it all tastes and feels a bit more upmarket. I really enjoyed the ciabatta bread and the smarties that were served with the bill too.
Would definitely recommend and go again.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Haz (Plantation Place)
We visited early on a Friday night for a quick meal after work. We ordered two courses from the set menu offer (2 courses for £9). The starters consisted of hummus and kisir which were both excellent and were accompanied by plenty of bread for which there was no extra charge which impressed me.
We shared the chicken guvech and the lamb shish which were both fantastic and came with rice and vegetables. The lamb in particular was delicious - beautifully marinated big chunks of lamb cooked to perfection on the grill - I don't think I have eaten any tastier or more tender lamb.
We ordered one soft drink and the bill with service came to less than £25 and we were both stuffed.
Would definitely be keen to go back again if only for the beautiful lamb!
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Mes Amis
I loved this restaurant!
It really is very unique - it is pretty much someone's house that it is based in or that's what it feels like anyway - very warm and inviting. The decor is amazing - I have never seen a restaurant that has been decorated so amazingly - there are exciting things to look at everywhere.
We shared a mezze which was sensational. For main we both shared the spicy and traditional chicken which were both sublime and you can see everything being cooked and prepared in front of you. Definitely some of the best food I've had for a long time and excellent value too.
Service was faultless, friendly, quick and efficient and we were not pressured at all to leave at the end.
There were a few Lebanese wines on the wine list which I would have liked to have tried but we weren't up for a whole bottles so settled for a glass of new world red which were good.
The only minor downside is that the restaurant doesn't take cards so we had to go to the shop next door to use the cash machine there - however the owner did offer to take the cash machine charge off the bill which we thought was a nice and fair touch.
Would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes Lebanese food, it is a bit out of the way in deepest darkest residential Fulham but it is definitely worth it and will be going back.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Mandarin Kitchen
I was really disappointed with this place, a friend who used to live in London a few years ago recommended the place and especially the lobster noodles.
We visited for lunch on a Saturday and there were only another 3 tables occupied in the whole restaurant - a stark contrast to the other Chinese restaurants on Queensway where people were queueing to get in.
Atmosphere was a bit strange since it was so quiet in the restaurant and it was a little dark.
Staff were a bit inconsistent, one waiter was great, the other seemed a little miserable. Food was good although definitely not the best lobster I've had and expensive obviously. Not sure if it was that good that I would order it again.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Silom Thai
We visited Sunday lunch time and shared 10 courses between the two of us. The food was delicious with some courses, most notably the fisherman's pie, and the pork belly particularly standing out - they were both outstanding!
I was disappointed by the quality and lack of service, however, which was completely inconsistent and unpolished - not what you'd expect from a Michelin star establishment where you're paying a significant amount per head.
Our welcome was fine and service seemed to start off well but got worse during our time there. We had several waiters, some were very good - friendly and knowledgeable, others came across as surly and inattentive. Our desserts appeared to have been forgotten about although the restaurant did apologise for the delay which wouldn't have bothered us had it not been for a 45 hour wait for the bill which we had to ask for 3 times. I could understand if the place was full but it was half empty. The staff seemed to become flustered and more miserable as the lunch service went on which I didn't really understand as the place wasn't busy at all and they have so many people working there.
The lack of service really marred my experience which was a shame as the food was so good. Maybe it was because it was during lunch rather than dinner and it was a Sunday? Who knows.
The restaurant itself is fine, quite basic with tables very close together but functional and modern.
Would love to go back for the food and would definitely recommend the restaurant on that basis providing that you're not expecting great service despite supposedly paying 12.5% for it......
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
The Cumberland Arms
We were here on a Saturday afternoon, it was quiet but soon got busy as it got later.
Food is fairly expensive but not overpriced - just typical gastro pub prices. My partner had the sausages and mash and I had the risotto (mainly because they were two of the cheapest dishes at around £10), both of which were very good. I've eaten here a few times and I've always found the quality of the food very high.
They've also got a great wine list and staff are usually friendly and attentive.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Tibits
We visited late on a Wednesday evening and the place was about half full. The staff gave us a warm welcome, explained how things worked and were very friendly.
I really enjoyed the food, we shared two plates of hot and cold food and it was all pretty much tasty, including the dips and the fresh bread. We ate loads so I think it is good value for what you get. The drinks are very good too.
The decor and music is really cool and the place has a great vibe to it.
Will definitely be back.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Original Lahore Kebab House
Three of us visited on a Saturday night. The place was very busy and we had to queue for a little while for a table but the atmosphere was really cool and the food was all superb and great value. I had the chicken karahi which was delicious and the samosas and onion bahji was just as good. We brought a few beers with us since it's BYO and there was no corkage fee.
Staff were very pleasant, friendly, and helpful with the menu but very slow. We must have waited about an hour for the bill which we asked for 4 times. We weren't in a rush so it was fine but have no idea why it took so long since all the guy did to give us the bill was tick some boxes for what we had to eat.
Would definitely go back.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Pierre Victoire
We were here on a Wednesday night and the restaurant was full and buzzing. Very inviting with all the candles and it being so cold outside.
Food was delicious and very well priced, decent size serves too and excellent house wine. We shared a starter and I really enjoyed the smoked chicken salad and the tarte tatin.
Service was good especially considering that they were busy and the staff put up with us finishing our meal late and drinking until midnight while they were closing up.
Excellent value for money, three of us shared a large mezze starter, and had two courses each plus 3.5 bottles of wine for just over £100 including tip.
Will be back again.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Timo
We visited on a Monday night when it was fairly quiet with no one turning up before 8pm. Atmosphere was alright although fairly subdued but it was a Monday, it was better when there was music playing in the background although for some reason this kept going off for long periods which was a bit of a shame.
Food was excellent although I found it the total bill (£90) very expensive considering that 3 of us only had one pasta course each, one beer, two glasses of house wine and the cheapest half bottle of red but I suppose cover charges, tip etc do add up. I will definitely go back for the lunch offer which looks like great value.
Service was efficient although not that friendly (maybe the manager was having a bad day or was annoyed that we were only ordering one course) but I really wasn't impressed by him. The other staff were good.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Vijay Indian Restaurant
We went last Friday early in the evening and had a great time. It's a bit off the beaten track but worth seeking out.
We had the lamb rogan josh and the cochin chicken - both were superb, tender, succulent and really flavoursome, not oily at all either (some curries I've had in the past have been basically swimming in oil). We had starters and sides and we were very full.
Staff were fabulous, attentive, knowledgeable about the dishes and the owner was even wandering around making sure everyone was happy.
Was great value too - will definitely be back.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
The Kensington Wine Rooms
We went last night and it was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday night. Service was fantastic and the staff were brilliant, really knowledgeable and passionate about the wines. Food was very good - we had basically the whole tapas menu and it was all fantastic.
We spent quite a bit in the end as we were trying to many different wines but they were all good and great if you want to try different wines by the glass.
Can't wait to go back!!
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Vinoteca (Farringdon)
We visited on Christmas eve for lunch so it was a little quiet but still fairly busy. The food was very good, the tastiest bread with a lovely olive oil and I had the haddock and chips with a mustard mayo which was fabulous and a pannacotta for dessert which was good. The food is fairly expensive but the serves are large and the quality is very good.
There are quite a few wines by the glass which I enjoyed.
Service wasn't bad but not amazing but then it was Christmas eve so maybe they just wanted to go home.
I'm glad I went but not sure if I'll be back.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
New Diamond
We visited for the first time in November and had such a great meal that we brought some friends back in mid December. The staff, like the first time were very pleasant, informative and friendly - much better service than I've encountered anywhere else in Chinatown.
The food was amazing and just as good as the first visit. We had half a crispy duck which was delicious and served and cut up in front of us, the fabulous salt and pepper squid, scallops and cashew nuts, special fried rice, chicken in chilli and black bean and chilli beef which were all fabulous. We had quite a lot to drink too and the bill was very reasonable considering how much we all ate.
Will definitely be back, the food and service is miles better than anywhere else I've eaten at Chinatown for as long as I can remember.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
The Knaypa Restaurant
We'd passed this restaurant before but it never looked worth visiting until a friend of mine recommended going. We went at the beginning of December and the restaurant looked like it had been redecorated, sumptuous walls and nice decorations. My friend is half Polish and recommended a few dishes for us all to try which were all superb, I had the beef stew and pancakes and the pierogi which was fantastic - very hearty and huge serves, I was so stuffed! For desser we had the nicest apple pie/strudel dish that I have ever had - it was excellent.
The staff were brilliant, very attentive and helpful. The restaurant seemed fairly quiet for a Friday but there were loads of Polish people coming and going which was good for us - it felt like we were in Poland.
Would definitely recommend and be back.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Latymer's
I've been going to Latymer's for years but have never been that impressed by the food - recently they seem to have had a bit of a makeover in the pub and in the kitchen tho because the food the last two times I've been has been superb! The pad thai my friend had looked brilliant, I had a very nice spicy thai green curry and my boyfriend had probably one of the nicest mussaman curries i've had for a while even rivalling ones I've had in Thailand. Will definitely be going back, great value too.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Launceston Place
Eating here was disappointing. We visited for lunch on a Thursday last week.
The atmosphere was subdued possibly because the place wasn't full and the staff seemed a little nervous. I had also called the restaurant to let them know that we were going to be 15 minutes late and had been quite taken back by the abruptness of the person who answered the phone. Our main waiter was decent but we received no guidance from the sommelier despite trying to engage with him, and he just came across as arrogant and condescending.
The first amouse bouche was superb, a cauliflower and truffle oil cappuccino which blew me away, the rest of the food was just average. We had devil prawns to start served in some shells. The dish looked cool but the prawns were over salty and very rich, the first one was tasty but as I was trying to finish it, the dish started to taste a bit bland, almost as if we were just eating salty butter by the last one. The mains, veal shin and ox cheek, were ok but nothing special - the kind of thing I could have made myself at home. The veal was also served with half a roast shallot which was inedible - I'm not sure why, perhaps because it hadn't been peeled or cooked properly, either way it tasted like rubber, looked dreadful and should never have been served - we couldn't eat it. We also ordered a side of leeks which failed to arrive with our main and we had to ask for them, (I think they had taken them to another table by mistake). The dessert was very good, a tarte tartin, but again not amazing.
Perhaps I had high expectations for this place, especially since Michelin have praised it as a rising 2 star restaurant and I had really been looking forward to going there! After eating there, I have no idea how Michelin got to that conclusion. I will not be rushing back and wouldn't recommend it. There are plenty of other good 1 Michelin star restaurants in London offering much better food, better service and a better overall experience for the same price.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Mohsen
We reserved a table 7pm on Saturday not really thinking that we would need it but the place was packed! The staff were the friendliest staff I've encountered for a very long time (if not ever) - genuine, attentive, welcoming and not over bearing.
The food was delicious, we shared the hummus, salad, chicken wings, picked vegetables and some bread to start with, all of which were very tasty. We were full after the starters and then came a huge plate of mixed grill meats, marinated succulent chicken, lamb cubes and minced lamb with mountains of rice. The chicken and the cubed lamb was sublime, the minced lamb wasn't the tastiest I have had but very good all the same. We had some Iranian tea to finish and had lots of wine and beer that we had brought thanks to the BYO policy.
A great place, will definitely be back.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley
Dining here, was without doubt, the best meal if not evening that we have ever had! We visited for our anniversary one Wednesday in January.
We were given a warm welcome, our coats taken and as soon as we were shown to our table and sat down, the trolley arrived with different champagnes to choose from, (no prices although we could have asked). Neither of us were expecting this, so we hastily agreed to a glass although if I had been expecting it I would have declined, (since we'd already had a glass at home!). We asked for still water although I would have no problem asking for tap water if I went again.
We had 3 different amouse bouche which were all divine. The tasting menu courses were nothing less than well and truly amazing and worth every penny - without doubt the best food I have ever tasted in my life. The first course was foie gras accompanied by a sweet hazelnut and jelly, which I think overpowered the foie gras, but my partner liked it so it was probably just my palate. The rest of the courses, the scallop, the monkfish, the quail, the lamb, (my partner had venison), the cheeses, the desserts were nothing less than perfect - beautifully cooked. I had always been dubious about spending a huge amount of money on food since I was never sure that it would be worth it, I mean how nice can food get? These courses really transformed my thinking, they really did blow me away! The ingredients, the flavours, the textures, all beautifully presented in each course, went together so well - I felt that I had died and gone to heaven! I couldn't believe that each course I had was as good if not better than the last. It really was a fantastic gastronomic experience.
The cheese trolley was fabulous - a huge selection! We had one plate of a selection of cheeses to share which came with a selection of crackers/biscuits and quince jelly. We finished with coffees and a selection of different chocolate truffles which were gorgeous. We left on a high, having had such a great evening and were absolutely stuffed.
Most wines bottles are priced at 3-4 times what you would pay for at retail which is normal but which always dissuades me from spending a lot on a bottle. We went for the tasting menu with a selection of wines by the glass to accompany the courses chosen by our sommelier. We didn't go for a different wine for each course which would have been 8 glasses (around £80 each) but I think we ended up with 5 in total which worked out to be cheaper although still quite expensive. The wines were generously poured in the suitable glasses. They were good measures and I was tipsy by the second glass! (Good thing I didn't go for 8 glasses, otherwise I would have been hammered!). If I went again, I would probably go for less wines, only because sometimes, between enjoying my food, and talking to my partner, I was struggling to drink my glass before the next glass arrived and probably didn't take my time to enjoy each wine as much as I should have done since I was rushing to drink them towards the end. Great experience tho and it was nice to have good wine to complement the food well.
Service was impeccable - very smooth. The waiters really knew what they were doing and were very friendly, attentive, relaxed and helpful. The only comment I could make was that my partner had to wait more than 2 minutes after he had finished his bread before the waiter, who came round regularly with the bread basket, came around to ask him if he wanted more, but he quickly came over when another waiter noticed that my partner's side plate was empty. Of course in most restaurants you wouldn't have batted an eye lid but because the service was so fantastic we found it quite amusing!
The place was sumptuously decorated and the restaurant is much smaller than I was expecting and beautifully laid out. Gorgeous good size round tables with incredibly comfortable chairs are arranged so that couples are sitting close together facing the restaurant which is nice. The ambience was buzzing, all the other customers (an equal mix of men and women) seemed to be having a great time and people were laughing and talking normally not in a hushed way as one critic has remarked. It was nice that the tables were not squished together either so you could have a conversation without being overheard if you wanted to.
The icing on the cake was being given a tour of the kitchen. One of the waiters first told us that if we had a problem with one of the dishes, we were welcome to discuss it with Marcus in the kitchen which we thought was a joke but it turned out that most of the other tables were going in for a tour so we did the same after we had finished our tasting courses which really was a great experience for us because we love all that! I think Marcus had left at that point since it was quite late but we had seen him approving the food at the pass earlier in the evening so it was good to know that he was actually working that night. Most of the staff were cleaning up when we went in but some of the desserts were still being served so we did get a glimpse of how things work and got to speak to some of the staff. We also had a long chat with one of the senior waiters/sommelier which was really interesting. He was very friendly and kept apologising for the fact that not much was going on in the kitchen and next time we should be given a tour earlier in the evening to see the proper action.
We arrived at 8.15pm and had the table for the whole evening, there was no 2 hour sitting which some other restaurants have which was good since we could then really enjoy the experience. A 2 hour sitting would have made our experience really rushed. There was one or two empty tables when we were there, I'm not sure whether that was because the customers had come and gone or whether they had been booked and cancelled but I was quite surprised. It may be worth calling last minute to get a table if you're having trouble booking.
The bill came to just over £400 all in, incredibly expensive and more than we were expecting to spend but that was down to us getting carried away, we'd be a lot more restrained ordering wine next time which would have reduced our bill considerably. I would definitely go for the tasting menu again tho.
All in all a really magical, special and unforgettable evening for a special occasion which I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone. Will definitely be back as soon as I can (after a lot of saving!).
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Terroirs
Given, the good reviews, I was looking forward to visiting Terroirs but unfortunately I was disappointed.
Service was very friendly but slow, perhaps because we had a table near the window, (it would have been nicer and probably more efficient to eat by the bar), but we weren't the only ones who seemed to be having a problem attracting the waitresses/waitors' attention. The tables were also very close together, so no privacy and there was quite a cramped feel about the area that we were sitting in.
We had a selection of small dishes which were good but the portions were quite small for the price and were not of the same quality as I was expecting, especially when you think of the quality of tapas at other tapas type places like Brindisa, Cambio de Tercio and Barrafina which I think is far better and for about the same price. We didn't have any of the bigger mains so they could be better.
We had about 6 different wines by the glass between us. Unfortunately, I wasn't that impressive by any of them apart from one or two being quite different from the usual types of wine you find, (which is a good thing). I was also expecting a wider selection of wines by the glass although it may still be better than most.
The place was surprisingly quiet, although that could have been because it was a Monday night before Christmas and it was relatively early (around 7.30), (I have no idea what the service would be like when the place would be busy!).
I may return if I'm in the area and looking for a snack and a glass of wine, (and also to double check whether my first impressions can be confirmed) but sadly, I don't think I will be hurrying back. I love the concept of this place so I really hope it succeeds but I think it needs to improve a lot to compete with its competitors.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
The Langley
I came here with my friend one Tuesday in December for a 2 for 1 offer. The restaurant area was reasonably busy but not packed but the bar area was busier. We both had fajitas which were huge and very tasty. Service was very good. Would definitely come back again. Good place for a quick bite if you're doing a bit of shopping in Covent Garden and the special offers are really excellent value!
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Sitaaray
We visited using their special all you can eat offer on a Tuesday. The service was very good and the food delicious. It wasn't the most amazing meal of my life but the food was very good. We were stuffed after the first few courses because we hadn't realised how many there so be careful with the amount of bread that you eat.
The staff were very attentive and efficient and would quickly take our plates away, bring us the new courses and ask if we wanted more of anything!
The place was very busy and the atmosphere coupled with the decor really added to our experience.
Would definitely visit on the special offer again.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Rodizio Rico (Islington)
we went on a saturday for a friend's birthday, i was a bit dubious of the whole concept but was very impressed by the quality of food. the meat was oustanding, perfectly cooked, marinated and really really tasty!! great value for money if you love your meat! even the buffet was really good, lots of choice and it actually looked nice rather than a messy, tired old buffet which you can sometimes get (although we were there early, at around 6.30pm). they didn't have the sea food menu option but they were serving grilled fish. all 4 of us had the all you can eat meat and buffet option and two bottles of wine and one dessert to share and the bill came to just under £150 including service which isn't too bad considering we were all stuffed!
it was our mate's birthday and the staff swiftly arranged a little desert with a candle and came out and did a little dance and singing thing which was nice (but didn't go on too long so it wasn't too embarrassing much to our mate's relief!)
service was very good, with waiters constantly coming over to serve us more meat. waiters were very friendly and polite and the place was busy with a realy mixture of people there so atmosphere was good
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Asakusa
We managed to get an early reservation at 6.45 on a Thursday, (we had tried to get in on a Tuesday night before thinking that we would be fine since it was a week night and it was early but it had been fully booked before so we were anxious to go back).
We arrived just in time as the place was packed (with lots of Japanese people too). We were told when we booked that we only had the table at 8pm which was fine but we were never rushed by the staff which was nice even tho we were running a couple of minutes late. Staff were very attentive, friendly, smiley and helpful in suggesting our menu.
It is a small restaurant with tables close together but I love the decor of this restaurant, it looks very authentic with lots of Japanese menus and memorabilia.
Food was delicious, we had miso soup to start, followed by vegetable dumplings with a citrusy chilli sauce, then a very good fresh tasting chicken katsu with a nice salad, rice and pickles, followed by a beef teryaki (steak cooked perfectly to order) in a wonderful sauce with bean sprouts and pickles. The sushi looked really nice and will definitely go back to try some of that next time.
We had 2 beers (Sapporo and Asahi, they also have Kirin and others lus wine etc) and the bill came to just over £30, really good value!!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Back To Basics
i really liked this restaurant, it was quite small and quaint, good decor and a good menu of freshly caught fish. food was delicious especially the bread we had to begin with, a medium sized toasted loaf between the 3 of us with 3 different types of butter - it was beautiful!! for main I had the smoked haddock which was very nice and very well presented, my colleagues had the deep fried codling which looked good and the tuna and butter bean mash which looked divine (although my colleague ordered the tuna to be cooked rare and as far as I could see it was well done).
staff were attentive although probably not overly friendly but nothing to complain about.
prices were quite expensive tho so would probably only go back if it was a special occasion and i was really in the mood for fish (fish mains were probably about £15-20 each).
i visited for a working lunch and the place was surprisingly quiet for a tuesday (probably about half full but it isn't a huge restaurant). however my colleague goes quite often and often has to book so maybe it was just a quiet day. they do have tables outside which i'd imagine would be nice to sit by if it was a nice sunny day
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
The Windmill
we visited late on a friday evening and sat in the pub downstairs. the pub was still busy although i think lots of people moved from the pub to the first floor restaurant space soon after we had arrived. i had one of the nicest pies i have ever tasted here. i had the steak and mushroom while my friends both had the shepherds pie which was delicious. the pies tasted fresh rather than frozen, perfectly cooked with lots of gravy and good mash and mushy peas. service was good and they had st austell's tribute on tap. very reasonable prices too so will definitely be back.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Smiths of Smithfield
4 of us visited SOS around 9.30pm last night, it was busy but there were a couple of tables spare at the second floor restaurant and we were quickly seated.
service was very good and the place was buzzing.
two of us ordered the pork belly which came with mash and was the nicest most succulent and tender pork belly I had ever tried. there was no squishy white fat (which I really dislike) just the best crackling i have ever tasted. the other two had a burger with bacon and cheese and tomato relish, also delicious. we ordered chips separately as the burgers only came with one big lettuce leaf and a marinated half tomato which was very tasty.
it was expensive, we only had 4 beers and one course and the bill (including service) was just over £80 for us all. the quality of the food was outstanding however and I will definitely be back again.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
The Oak
returned to the oak last night, arrived early at 6.30 when the staff were still having their dinner in the restaurant, we were sat down immediately by the waitress (place was completely empty) but it soon started to get busier. service was refreshingly very good after last time and pizzas were delicious.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Pierre Victoire
we visited on a busy wednesday evening. the place was busy but we managed to get a table upstairs (the piano player wasn't playing when we were there). the menu is fantastic with a brilliant choice of courses, between the three of us, we had the foie gras and seafood pancake and the tarte tartin, the smoked chicken salad and the banoffee pie and the tortellini and sticky toffee pudding. food was all very good especially at the price! they also have a set menu which is amazing value if you can get there before 7pm. we had two bottles of the house red which was good and the bill including service came to just over £75, for the quality of food and service, it really is outstanding value.
the service was fabulous. attentive and friendly staff. my friend asked for her foie gras to be sent back to the kitchen to be cooked a little more to her taste and the staff graciously took it away, apologised for the inconvenience and wipped her up a new dish without any fuss or complaint. i've been in far more expensive places and not had half the quality of service as this place. the place was buzzing, they had laid back music in the background (although I think we heard the same CD twice as we had been there for so long!) and the little tables with candles make it quite romantic too. will definitely visit again
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Pho (St John St)
We visited early on a Monday evening. i really liked the decor and the lighting and it struck me as a really nice place to eat. the place is small which is nice and we sat by the bar in the back so had a great view of the restaurant. service was good, polite and attentive. great selection of south east asian beers (Beer Lao, Hanoi, Hue and Saigon!). i had the green tea thinking i would get a nice pot or something but i just got a mug with hot water and a tea bag which was a bit of a let down. we shared a couple of vegetarian dishes which were good although would probably order something different if i came again.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Mandalay
We ate here early on a recent tuesday evening around 6.30, it was very quiet when we arrived but it was filling up when we left. staff were polite and attentive. it is a basic restaurant (cafe style) but the food is superb and very reasonably priced. we shared a selection of dishes, with the samosas, fritters and chicken fried rice standing out. would definitely visit again
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Leong's Legends
We visited a couple of days ago on a rainy wednesday night, it was only 7pm and the place was packed, we only had to queue for a minute though since we agreed to share a table with another couple. the table was for 6 people however so it was fine and we had plenty of space.
the friend i was with was a vegetarian so we shared quite a lot of vegetarian dishes. the dumplings were delicious!! the best dumplings i ever had, 6 of them too (not the usual 4) so great value. in addition we had the garlic shoots which were very tasty, a tofu dish in a delicious chilli sauce with rice which i would definitely order again! the other two dishes, the vegetarian fish, (basically vegetables and noodles deep fried with a chilli sauce) and the taro noodles, apparently a chef's speciaility but that was probably the dish i least liked out of them all. we also had a coke and a pot of green tea, we were full at the end of it and the bill came to £33 not bad for all the food we ate!!
service was good, attentive, friendly and fast. place was packed. the staff asked us to leave when we had finished our meal because they had a queue of people trying to get in but were very apologetic about it. the restaurant is decorated nicely, very modern and cool, with dim lighting, will definitely be back with my boyfriend to try some meat dishes!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
The Giaconda Dining Room
We visited early on a wednesday night before a concert. We were the only ones there at 6.30 but within in an hour it was full, with lots of people who seemed to have been a few times before (the waitress recognised them) coming in for dinner that night or to book a table for another meal. This was despite the restaurant having only recently opened too!
This place has a great menu and food was very good, we had pig's trotter and risotto, followed by the tuna and the crab omelette (with LOADS of fresh crab!), ridiculously good value, big portions cooked deliciously well!
We didn't have any wine (we had some interesting and tasty bottles of ale instead) but the wine list was reasonable.
Service was very good although there are only appeared to be one waitress when we were there who was lovely, attentive and very friendly. As the dining room got busier however, service got notably slower and we had to wait for the bill for a little bit, that could have been a one off though. Will definitely be back and looking forward to it!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Quo Vadis
We visited early on a Saturday evening. It was a little empty when we arrived but it quickly filled up. The dining room is beautiful with lots of character.
We ordered wine by the glass, the riesling, sauvignon blanc, the rioja and the pinot which were all very good. For starters we had the crab which was very basic but very nice and the courgette flowers which were delicious. For main we both had the fillet, perfectly seasoned and cooked as we had ordered which came with triple cooked chips and a huge jug of bernaise sauce. We also ordered some spinach which was probably the nicest spinach I have ever had! For pudding we shared the bitter chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream which was superb. Coffees were also good.
There was only one small hitch and that was that I found a small piece of cellophane on my plate, I have no idea where it came from, whether it was in the sauce or under the steak. It didn't really spoil my meal since I fortunately noticed it before inadvertently putting it in my mouth. I did politely point it out to the waiter who collected our plates however and he was very apologetic. Without asking, he also deducted the price for our coffees and pudding which was appreciated.
Staff were amazing. Everyone of the waiters were professional, friendly and polite throughout our time there.
The menu is quite extensive with so many good options, it took us at least 15 minutes to decide what to have! The food is generally very basic, nothing too fancy, but of very high quality and I would definitely like to go back again.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Ozer
I have been here a few times mainly on business lunches. On my most recent visit the food was very good, I had salmon for lunch which was delicious along with the fantastic bread and hummus which i could live off!
shame about the service tho, it was slow anyway but on this occasion we had ordered one main course which was listed on their quick lunch menu for £10. however when we got the bill, the restaurant had charges us the full price for the dish from the main menu. when we queried this the waitress insisted that we had not stipulated that we were ordering from the quick lunch menu even tho it did not say anywhere on the menu that this was required. we explained that we had not but had pointed to the salmon on the quick menu which we had believed to have been sufficient! anyway it took a great deal of arguing before the restaurant agreed to charge us the quick menu price rather than the full menu price which was significantly more expensive. this was completely unnecessary especially considering taht the person i was having lunch with visits every week.
atmosphere was ok nothing special
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Kings Arms
we came here one saturday early evening, the place was very empty so there was not much atmosphere.
the service was ok but not great and one in our party had to wait about an extra 5-10 minutes for his main. starters are very expensive for what they are. food was ok and reasonably priced but i have been to LOADS of cheap thai restaurants and you can get better quality food for the price.
it's also annoying that they only take cash and you have to go to the bar yourself to order drinks.
would try and avoid going back
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Amalfi
my friends had told me that this place was going to be good so i was looking forward to it but was disappointed.
the decor is lovely and i can imagine it would be quite romantic with the right person
i had a pasta bake for main which was the worse pasta bake i have ever had in my life!! it was swimming with oil, was poorly seasoned and the ingredients tasted cheap. my friends had pizzas which looked ok but not great.
service was ok but unremarkable and the atmosphere was missing something possible because of all the tourists that were there. will definitely not be back.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
The Cumberland Arms
i've eaten here on a number of occasions and have always had good food. recently i visited and had the steak sandwich which was huge and very filling. the menu changes regularly so it's always worth going back
staff are always polite and friendly and the atmosphere is always relaxed with lots of locals which is one of the things i like about this place. good selection of beers on tap too.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Pause Bar
went here recently for lunch and had a surprisingly good meal.
atmosphere was buzzing and it got very packed around 1pm.
staff were friendly, attentive, polite and unphased by how busy the place got.
food was delicious, we shared the lamb burger which was very nice and the steak sandwich which is one of the best steak sandwiches i have ever had, served with a pot of creamed cheese on the side as well which i wasn't sure of but it is such a great combination!! would definitely be back
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Star of India (Old Brompton Rd)
we visited here recently on a thursday night. the place was full downstairs when we arrived and atmosphere was good.
we shared a selection of vegetarian dishes, four in total with two portions of rice and i must say they were probably the nicest vegetarian dishes i have ever had.
service was bit surly but there were no big problems. we shared a large bottle of cobra and the bill came to around £40 would definitely go back at some point
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Cambio de Tercio
i ate here for an anniversary recently. it was a monday night and the place was packed!! people were still coming in when we left at 11.30 and i can see why because the food was amazing!!
we had an array of tapas dishes and shared the suckling pig main. the tapas dishes were sensational, in particular the patatas bravas. i love good patas bravas at the best of time but here it is something else it is to die for! the suckling pig was also very good although if i ate there again i would probably just stick to the tapas dishes rather than sacrificing one for a main.
when ordering our wine, the waiter suggested/presumed that we would agree to go for a bottle which was £5 more expensive than the one we had initially gone for which i thought was a bit cheeky but it was one of the nicest bottles of red wine i had had for a long time so we didn't complain (i just wonder whether the one we initially wanted would have been as good). other than that service was faultless, brilliant polite and charming staff who are also attentive, we didn't have to wait for anything.
we also had a couple of sherries and a beautiful chocolate dessert. would definitely recommend going back it is expensive but worth it especially for a special occasion
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
India Club
we visited on a wednesday night before a concert at summerset house.
atmosphere was a bit funny, the place is very basic so there is no music and it's all quite worn down but that's what gives the place character i guess.
service was a little slow and we had a mix up with the BYO since the waiter told us (after we had bought our drinks from the newsagents next door) that BYO was only allowed from the bar downstairs, it was ok as the waiter let it go so we had no complaints.
food was good, we shared a selection of vegetarian dishes some which were amazing, others not so good. i definitely would not recommend the onion bhajis which we ordered and we found to be very tasteless but that could be just because they are very different from the ones i have had before.
not sure if i would bother going again
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Hummus Bros (Holborn)
we came here on a wednesday night and it was full and buzzing.
service was quick and polite and the hummus was delicious. we shared the chickpea dish which was very good and the fava bean which i would not recommend. very good value especially if you're a hummus fan!!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Imli Street
we visited here on a tuesday night and shared lots of vegetarian dishes. atmosphere was good and it was busy which is always a good sign.
the staff were very helpful and attentive and the food was delicious.
Excellent value too with the bill coming to £30 including drinks and service and i was full!!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Haozhan
we visited here recently on a monday night and it was probably half full which didn't help the atmosphere. on the other hand the service was amazing although there were far too many waiters for the amount of people there with most waiters just hanging about doing nothing in the back.
food was delcious we had some spicy malaysian noodles which were sublime, will definitely be ordering them again! the other dish we had was singapore noodles which i didn't think to be very tasty and were served quite cold.
the decor is very modern and swish as expected since it has only recently open. worth a look if you are looking for somewhere to eat in china town
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Firehouse
i was taken here as a special occasion but was horribly disappointed.
we were sat next to a roaring hot fire so we were sweltering. there was a big party in the next room which seemed to be where the staff were concentrating on. i didn't think service was very good for us. starters were good - scallops. however, i ordered a fillet steak for main which i had ordered to be medium however it was served rare and positively burnt on the outside. i can't believe that the kitchen had served it to me since it was so obviously burnt - i assume they hoped they would get away with it since it is so dark in the dining room. i tried my best to eat it and would have complained had it not been that we were out for a special occasion.
other than the party, the restaurant appeared very quiet and they were playing incredibly depressing slow songs (the kind you listen to when you want to cry about someone having recently died) which didn't really help the mood.
the food was definitely over priced, the only saving grace of the evening was that we had a bottle of nice wine which was also expensive (£40 when it retails at £20). would not recommend or be going back.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating 
Food 5 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 5
The Dartmouth Castle
we went on a friday night and had no trouble getting a table even tho it was reasonably busy.
i had one of the nicest and most tender piece of roast lamb that i have ever had and delicious roast potatoes with lots of bread, olive oil and balsamic to start.
good selection of reasonably priced wines too.
service was relaxed but then it is a pub so it's what i would expect. menu often changes so will definitely go back at some point.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Churchill Arms
I have been coming hear for years and have never been disappointed! I even went through a long period of going at least once a week sometimes twice because it's so good.
Food is excellent value with all dishes delicious and cost £6 with no side orders necessary. This place does the best pad thai - I love it. For some reason they have increased the spiciness of the penang curry (my old favourite) which was divine so try it now at your own risk!
Service is always good, staff are always charming and the food is always served quickly. Atmosphere is brilliant because it's usually always busy. Not the place for a romantic meal due to the one hour sitting rule but a perfect place to eat great thai food.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Kam Tong
Have been going to Kam Tong for years and have always had excellent food at good prices. It is my favourite Chinese restaurant in London.
Service has always been brilliant and the atmosphere is always good. It's usually busy!
Can definitely recommend the spring rolls, black bean sauce, chilli squid and egg fried rice. Portions have become smaller over the years but the food is still good value.
Took all my family for a big meal here recently and they all agreed that it was one of the best Chinese meals that they had.
Am looking forward to going back!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Wild Honey
We visited on Saturday and had a wonderful meal.
Food was wonderful, we had the crab and salmon to start followed by the rabbit and lamb, with a selection of cheeses and the honey ice cream for pudding. Crab was to die for and the lamb was incredibly tender.
We went early, 6.30pm and the atmosphere was good even tho the restaurant was probably only half full. It was probably nicer for us that it was quieter since the tables are close together and we could hear every word of the couple's conversation next to us when they arrived (just as we were leaving).
Service was excellent, polite and relaxed. I also really like the opportunity to buy carafes of wine which is really good value. We had a riesling, a pinot noir and a sticky which were all fantastic.
Food is expensive but prices that you would expect. Would definitely go back. Menu incidentally appears to be almost identical to its sister Arbitus.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Barrio Bars to open a new site in Shoreditch next month (via Caterer) -