All reader reviews by ITM

Tootsies (Putney)

AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Honestly, this place is an absolute disgrace!!! The fact that it is a chain is no excuse: GBK serves a very high standard of food, and furthermore Tootsies is located in very nice (and dare I say, affluent) areas of London (Wimbledon, Putney, Holland Park, Richmond to name a few). There was therefore no reason for a meal this apalling. The first sign of disaster was a mango smoothie with huge frozen chunks of mango at the bottom of the glass. Nevermind the actual cooking, if the kitchen/bar staff were incapable of holding down the button on the blender until all pieces of mango have been pureed, I worried that it did not give much hope for the more complex components of the meal. Unfotunately I was was proven right, as the "frozen" theme they appeared to be aiming for continued to the main meal, where I ended up having to send the chips back to the kitchen as they were frozen inside. I must state that I hardly ever send food back, but this was inedible. The burger also lacked any flavour but carbon as it had been chargrilled almost to a cinder. I was therefore charged about £20 for a burnt burger, under-cooked frozen chips (is it that hard to make them fresh? Seriously!)) and a diabolical smoothie.

The only saving grace is that if they continue with such poor standards they will be loathe to survive in this current economic climate, thus passing on business to more deserving neighbours such as Moomba. I doubt anyone would miss them!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0

New Tayyabs

Great place!!! My main warning is that if you actually want to enjoy the dinner service within 2 hours of arriving, it is imperative that you book in advance. I had been warned beforehand and thankfully did so, as the queues upon arrival (a Friday evening at about 7:30) literally wound around the whole restaurant! We were made to wait about half an hour, but it certainly helped that there were only two of us, and that we made a point of asking every single waiter who happened to go past to ensure that they did not foget about us. I would not have blamed them, they were rushed off their feet!

When we were finally seated we were brought poppadums at once, and I was particularly impressed by the way that a waiter came by with a bottle opener as soon as he saw that we had brought beer. Considering that the place was absolutely packed, and more so that we had not even asked him yet, I thought that was excellent service! Beware as the starters all arrive on the same platter, which may cause some inconvenience if a diner has specific allergies or requirements, but if not (as in the case of my companion and myself) it simply makes the platter look twice as inviting. The lamb-chops are an absolute must to start, by the way. They are fairly scrawny but so full of flavour that my friend was actually gnawing on the bone. Lucky for both of us that this was not the sort of place where anyone would care! The mains were served whilst we were eating the starter (whether as a means of ensuring that all the flavours were savoured together, or just a means of hurrying us along to appease the ever-frowing queue of impatient diners, I do not know. All that I do know is that it worked!), and I cannot remember what we had ordered specifically, but there was not a single dish that was not beautifully done. I would order more than one main per person as the portions are rather small, and I believe the idea is to have a nice selection of dishes to share rather than one to yourseld.

We did clear out rather soon after eating, but I must emphasise that if the waiters were actively willing us to leave they were subtle in their tactics. To be honest it is a very functional restaurant where I feel one goes simply to eat, rather than to catch up and reminisce as it is busy and crowded. We left feeling very full and very happy having had a wonderfully relaxed meal for about £15 a head. This is not a place for a first date or a meeting, but any true food buff will not be disappointed!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10

The Green Room

I really enjoyed this place! It was quiet (albeit mid-week) and tastefully decorated, which is always a good start. The a la carte menu looked delicious but we decided to opt for the set menu, which was very reasonably priced (£15 for two courses, £20 or so for three). The waiter was very friendly and provided us with some delicious olive bread straight after taking our order, which was very welcome as I was starving. It was also a peasant change to have it served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil rather than butter. To start with my friend and I had the goats cheese souffle, which was suitably creamy yet light, and accompanied by some very scrumptious garlic bread. I followed it up with some very basic penne pasta with a ragu-ey like sauce, which was complimented nicely by fresh basil leaves and some mature pecorino cheese. Very tasty despite its simplicity, so no complaints there. The dessert raspberry cheesecake I was less impressed by, but mainly because I am extremely fussy about my cheesecakes and prefer them plain (sans coulis or any silly toppings) and baked rather than refrigerated, and this cheesecake did not reach my standards on either count. However, my friend's rhubard crumble looked and smelt delicious!

I would definitely recommend this place if you are in the area and are looking for somewhere nice and well-priced. I shall certainly return whenever in Hampstead!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10

L'Auberge at The Black Lion

This place undoubtedly does the best fish and chips along the Thames! I found this gem today and on entering really liked the decor. It has a nice relaxed pub feel without attempting to be a pretentious gastropub, but what also hit me was the mouth-watering smell of the other dishes. As my friend and I looked for a nice place to sit everywhere I looked I saw something that I would like to order, especially the steaks which look fabulous! When we had settled we were given the menus, told the specials and given the option of having a cream tea, which my friend took. I was too ravenous to settle for that and so after scanning the menu (which does not seem to do the tasty dishes that I saw around me justice in its descriptions to be honest, except for when describing the puddings) I chose the fish and chips, which I was told was the last on offer, proving its popularity. The very friendly waiter (who judging by our conversation afterwards seems to be the owner/manager/landlord) informed us that the food owes its deliciousness to having been freshly cooked on the premisis by their "phenomenal" chef, and I tell you he was not exaggerating. My dish when it arrived 10-15 minutes or so later came plainly served, but still looking alright, and having overheard another diner informing the landlord that the Black Lion chips were better than the other pubs along that stretch of the river, I tried one first. They are roughly cut (some resembling potato slices more than chips), crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy inside. The fish, however, was in a league of its own. The batter is so unbelivably light and crisp and the beer flavour is certainly present without being strong, per se. It makes every other beer-battered fish that I have tried seem too soggy/heavy/greasy/hard or anything else, and before today I had singled out what I thought to be the best chippy in London. My friend's cream tea was also apparently nice, but being a raisin-phobe I declined to go near it. What was more I was far too busy with my fish! The prices of the dishes, I suppose, are average for a decent gastropub, slightly higher than your average "burgers, pies and fish deal" type pub, but I wouldn't begrudge them a single penny of it, it is obvious it is going to good use. The service was very good and extremely friendly. A tad slow at times, but to be fair they were very full, were apologetic when they realised we had been waiting, and in any case the surroundings were so comfortable that we were certainly in no rush to leave!

From the moment I had smelled the other diners' food I knew I was in for something special and when it was served this was confirmed. It has not even been a day since I had the meal and I am already thinking of with whom to return, and when!

Saturday, January 31, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9

La Buvette

La Buvette is a really chain eaterie who handle large bookings very well. I held a surprise party there last week for a party of 10 and everything from the food to the service was faultless. Although they only served orders from the fixe price menu this menu contained more enticing options than almost any other set menu I have seen. I had the sauteed king scallops served on a roast carrot and ginger puree to start which were prepared so well that the delicate flavour of the scallops was not overpowered by the delicious pureer, nor the madira jus. Incidentally they also happened to be the largest scallops I have seen served in a restaurant, certainly no complaints there! My main course was the chargrilled onglet steak which they, as they advised me, prefer to prepare rare, and although I would usually have gone for medium-rare I was very impressed with the end result. The meat was very good quality and cooked to absolute perfection. I wasn't terribly keen on the shallot and red-wine sauce, usually preferring creamier sauces with my steaks (I am a die-hard bearnaise fan), but it was in no way overpowering so easy to overlook. I have no doubt that it would suit the tastes of others as noone else at the table had anything bad to say about it. I must also state that the mixed grill as enjoyed by some other diners was described as being fabulous.

Dessert for me was the creme brulee which tasted as good as it looked. The caremlised sugar topping had no hint of burnt taste, and the creme itself was very rich, sumptuous and not-too-sweet.

The staff were very courteous and efficient, considering our large party, all courses arriving at the same time and leaving us alone to enjoy the meal, I personally am not wild about "over-hosting"! They also gave us complimentery chocolates on a plate with "Happy Birthday" and the name of the birthday girl written in chocolate, a very nice touch!

I will definitely be going back there again and again as I cannot wait to try the other dishes on the menu, particularly when served so nicely in a pretty restaurant at a price that provides excellent value for money!

Saturday, January 31, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10

Tea Box

Everything about this place is great! The staff are all very friendly, there is almost every tea imaginable (and some unimaginable, for example their Kenyan-blend special Obama-rama named following US electiong results). The teas are served in little individual teapots complete with the cutest timers to give an indication of when to serve the tea according to strength. Foodwise in addition to some delicious traditional teacakes and sandwiches they have a scrumptious selection of unusual scones, such as apple and cinnamon, spiced pumpkin and pumpkin and chocolate. Everything

It's a small place which is obviously popular with the locals and can get quite packed on a Saturday afternoon, so during the winter months when it gets too full they seat you outside. However if you do not look adequately dressed for the cold they provide you with huge very warm fleece-lined coats that kept even me, who is not at ALL a fan of cold weather, toasty warm. They do take bookings though!

It's an absolutely charming little eatery in the absolutely charming Richmond!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10

J Sheekey

I admit, I like very formal settings, and this is certainly the embodiment of that. It is very elegant in an understated way, rather than being glitzy and glamorous, and the food is good. The menu is very traditional, unadventurous and typical of an English seafood restaurant with starters such as potted shrimps, perfectly cooked Dover sole for a main, and post-entree dishes such as soft roes on toast and Welsh rarebit, but only the best ingredients and freshest fish is used. The waiting staff too are friendly (they particularly enjoyed the look on my face having attempted to be adventurous by going for the jellied eel starter, most certainly an acquired taste and possibly the most revolting thing I have ever tried) and are very attentive.

This is a lovely place for fine English dining which is, of course, very conveniently located for most West End cinemas.

Monday, January 19, 2009
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8

Nobu Berkeley

Having read about Nobu in gossip columns and seen rather silly B-list celebrities spilling out of it I had expected it to be glamorous yet pretentious and over-priced, serving ordinary food. Studying the menu confirmed this suspicion as it seemed to be ordinary sushi at exorbitant prices. I ordered a deluxe sushi bento box and sat back, waiting to be unimpressed on its arrival. I was, however, completely wrong, for although it was seemingly ordinary sushi it was so fresh that the fish could have been alive up until five minutes before service. The different dishes in to box were also delicious, including deliciously tender rock shrimp, vegetable tempura served at a perfect temperature in the lightest and crispest of batter, and kobe beef! The box is worth it for the kobe beef alone, which happens to be the most unbelivably delicious, tender, melt-in-the-mouth beef ever. I had always thought it rather silly to bother massaging cows until I had tried it!

The service was pleasant enough, the waiters stylish in simple unfussy black uniforms and the bill, as predicted, very very high. However, although I cannot quite decide whether this was justified by the high quality of the food (I do think Nobu cashes in on its celebrity, understandably enough), at least unlike some other celebrity-haunts the food is worth writing home about!

Monday, January 19, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6

Champor-Champor

Having read the reviews I decided to treat an Asian-fusion-mad friend here for an intimate meal for two, and had one of the best (and most unusual) dining experiences ever.

The place is rather hard to find as it is in the middle of a not-too-attractive residential area, but this is easy to forget as soon as you walk into the tiny retsurant. The decor is in a word, stunning. Several unusual artifacts collected from all over the world adorn the walls, and the colour scheme is full of lush greens and blues, giving it a rainforest-like feel. Even the two loos are two of the most beautiful loos I had ever seen!

I had requested the mezzanine table having heard that it was the best, and was pleased to be seated in a very intimate tree-house-like position away from all other diners. My table even had a hand-written calligraphy card with my name on it, which I felt was a very personal touch. I actually slipped it into my handbag and still have it to this day as a nice memento!

The menu is vast and combines some very unusual ingredients to create dishes that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. My only suggestion to the restaurant would be to have a sampling menu as there were so many lovely-sounding dishes that it was a shame to choose!

The food, as expected, was wonderful, and the service excellent. The place is very small and intimate, so the waiting staff really do take good care of you. I should have written this review straight after the experience as I unfortunately cannot remember the exact dishes that we chose, but I do remember the silence straight after we had been served, as my friend and I ignored each other and tucked in!

The bill was slightly higher than expected, coming to just under £100 for two, but despite this I was in no way reluctant to pay. I instead felt that the experience had been to our liking in every possible way. Perhaps not a place for casual everyday dining, but definitely somewhere you ought to take someone who means a lot for a remarkable night out. I assure you, choosing a place like this would show them how much effort you have put into it all!

Monday, January 19, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7

Original Lahore Kebab House

The food was unbelievable. The place is certainly cheap and cheerful with basic tables, harsh lighting, no decor and a very basic menu, but as soon as the food had been served I assure you it no longer mattered a bit. The chicken wing starter must have been marinaded for at least a decade because the flavouring had soaked into the flesh as well, rather than just the skin. Amazingly good, even though I am not the biggest fan of chicken. The mutton and spinach curry was very tender, and one of the best that I had tasted (and I like to order the same dishes and different restaurants for a true comparison). The waiter was very friendly and let us know when he thought we'd over-ordered, rather than allow it and simply pocket the money at the end. There is a Bring your Own Booze policy with no corkage fees, but for those who like traditional Indian beverages the lassie is a must...more to avoid being unable to handle your wonderful meal as it is too spicy! this place is a must for those who love good food over everything else.

Monday, January 19, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10

Fratelli la Bufala

One of my favourite restaurants. I stumbled upon this with my mother who works nearby quite by accident, and have been back at least ten times since. My mother has never really been a fan of Italian (I had to drag her in the first time, actually) but even she has been back of her own accord. The dishes are bursting with flavour (all mozzarella used is buffalo mozzarella) and must contain only the finest ingredients to get such a wonderfully fresh taste. Their pizzas in particular are absolutely incredible as they use a proper traditional wood-fired oven, and for those who like their flavours simple, may I recommend a margharita base with an added topping (I go for pepperoni and am never disappointed). My only warning is to not allow others at your table to try your dish. I know this having had my pizzas demolished by my companions on several occasions! The buffalo meat sausages are also a must as they have this wonderful flavour, like beef only far more interesting and very tender.

The waiting staff are polite and the manager is very warm and friendly. He has even let me charge my phone there, which certainly earned him extra kudo points! The bill is also a nice surprise as I would be prepared to pay a lot more for food that good.

Monday, January 19, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10