Heddon Street Kitchen, 3–9 Heddon St, London W1B 4BE

Heddon Street Kitchen, 3–9 Heddon St, London W1B 4BE
www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/heddon-street-kitchen/
04/07/2015

She said: I’d been wanting to go here since the opening was trailed but he had decided he didn’t like Ramsay so I was surprised when we walked in for a pre-theatre dinner on my birthday – especially after a slap-up birthday lunch. I’m pleased to report – he was wrong and admitted he was wrong to be anti-Ramsay. Having replaced a previously unforgettable noisy drinking/dinng spot in the foodie Heddon Street, Ramsay’s space is an open, smart but relaxed dining room with cosy banquette seating. The menu offers a good range of options but with limited time we went straight to mains. My fish was succulent and delicious and I wasn’t about to pass up the chance to have a second desert on my birthday so ordered the chocolate tartlet which was just amazing. There was a lovely gesture when staff brought out a second chocolate tartlet with a candle and birthday greeting for me; I’m not sure why they hadn’t just done this with the first tart and even for me another round of pudding wasn’t going to succeed in staying down if I were to try to hoover it up so staff obliged with a doggie bag which he clung to for me during a less satisfying West End ‘comedy’. Heddon Street, very much like Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen in St Paul’s, is a great spot for great food at expected prices for an eatery of this calibre and somewhere I will definitely go back to. Yum.

He said: She'd wanted to try this Ramsay joint for a really long time so, on a special day, I chose to display my legendary thoughtfulness, park my irrational antipathy for Ramsay, and treat her to a surprise visit. But I was definitely more surprised than she was: I actually liked this one, despite starting from a very low base of expectations. I suppose that in previous expeditions, foraging through Ramsay's vast food empire, I'd liked the food well enough, but found the portions stingy and the vibe generally too wannabe sophisticated. Two words you'd never use to define the English character are 'miserly' or 'aspirational', so I never really clicked with the Ramsay thing. But Heddon Street knocks out good portions of really good, interesting British food that's not over-elaborate, in a sexy (is that British?!) and cool but comfortable setting, at a fair price - what more do you want?! The location is also very convenient, being tucked away in a little oasis of calm just off Regent Street. Heddon Street may not be the flashiest Ramsay gaff, but it's definitely my favourite. By the way the cocktails are excellent and under a tenner, so this is a good all-rounder!

Petersham Nurseries, Petersham Rd, Richmond, Surrey TW10 7AB

Petersham Nurseries, Petersham Rd, Richmond, Surrey TW10 7AB

www.petershamnurseries.com/

04/07/2015

She said: We were going to be in Richmond so sought out a good place to have my actual birthday with him. Petersham showed up on a google map and when I clicked it looked interesting. It’s not one that’s ever been on my radar but turns out it’s a (secret) gem. I really can’t express just what a paradise this was in almost every way. You wander down a little country lane past a film-set church and enter an actual nursery with lovely garden-related things for sale. At the centre of the nursery you enter a garden paradise in which a stunning dining room sits. The gods were smiling on us as the weather was just perfect and we spent a couple of hours convinced we were in a beautiful Tuscan villa courtyard enjoying the locally produced, freshest of ingredients. Though the menu is small, you will find something amazing for each course at Petersham. My ravioli and his peach salad (which I ‘helped’ him with were delicious; my fish main was heavenly; but my chocolate dessert was one of the best I can remember ever having – just amazig. Our candied rose petal prosecco was expcetional and I just didn’t want the experience to end. It’s not the cheapest of places at just over £60 a head for 3-courses including coffee and a cocktail but believe me, if you’re going to splash out anywhere – it must be here. And don’t worry – if the sun is not shining, there is a lovely glass covered dining space which is just as magical, though nothing will feel more like a diner’s paradise than if you can go on a sunny day. 11 out of 10 for this one. Heaven.

He said: Petersham Nurseries is one of those places that's so good, so much better than the average gastro scam, that you end up in a foodie moral quandary: to keep the secret to yourself or to proselytise? In this case you really don't need to worry about it; judging by how far in advance we had to book the cat bolted that bag a long time ago. The beau monde of Richmond has clutched this fine spot to its fair bosom, and quite rightly: Petersham is wonderful in every way. Getting there was for us, on our little put-put moped, quite an epic, but so worth it. You get a real thrill of discovery turning off the main road, parking up next to a beautiful little church, and walking down a gravel track parallel to the Thames just visible in the distance. And on a fine summer's day, sitting at one of the outdoors tables, with dappling sunlight poking through the trelice of vines there are very few places in London that can rival Petersham for the sheer sense of place. After such an auspicious start I was actually worried that it might all come crashing down. But the food was fantastic: British but cooked with an Italian spirit: with  simplicity and showcasing few, great ingredients, many grown on the spot, without drowning them needlessly in heavy sauces, or showy technique.  I can't wait to go back, even in bad weather when, instead, you sit in the greenhouse. There's no doubt that when this year ends Petersham will be very high up my list of favourites for 2015 - quite likely at the very top. Go!

Rabot 1765, 2 - 4 Bedale Street, Borough Market, London SE1 9AL

Rabot 1765, 2 - 4 Bedale Street, Borough Market, London SE1 9AL

www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/restaurants/rabot-1745

30/05/2015

She said: A restaurant dedicated to chcolate. Come on – how have I not been here until now. Occupying a prominent spot by Borough Market, Rabot 1765 is the cocoa-themed restaurant of Hotel Chocolate. Though the word ‘theme’ conjures up peple in fancy dress shaking cocoa-filled maracas, Rabot is a classy joint, above the chocolate shop, with each dish having a subtle cocoa influence. The indoor space has a industrial feel but the place to be is the outdoor terrace overlooking the hustle and bustle of the market; and overhead heaters and blankets are provided for the cold-blooded amongst us. The menu was extensive and inviting. I kicked off with a praline cocktail which was like a liquid, alcoholic pudding, yum. My starter pear and goats cheese with nib infused cocoa balsamic was perfect. My market fish with Jerusalem artichokes was just okay; the fish was a bit dry and I realised I actually don’t like Jerusalem artichokes especially in bulk (usually you get a pretty display of a scattering but here is sat like a pound of mash on the side of the fish. ‘Never mind’ I thought, dessert will be the killer highlight. I ordered the ‘Bafta’ salted caramel dessert. This was so underwhelming it actually made me sad. It was a sort of congealed icky caramel lump sandwiched in an impossible to cut shortbread with a spoonful of chocolate mousse thrown on top. The mousse was good but the rest, sigh, such a shame. And really, the pudding summed up what was missing from Rabot. This is a chocolate influenced restaurant; it will attract people that like, err, chocolate. So Rabot really needs to up the chocolate/cocoa influence and be more bold. Screw subtle. The biggest shock was the bill at £106 for a 3 course lunch, one cocktail and a beer. This was no Michelin or celebrity spot and though I heard a while ago that cocoa prices were on the rise – a few nibs and droplets surely doesn’t warrant such an extortinate lunch. Shame as I really like the idea of Rabot and there was lots of good things about it – but I would only return for a set lunch menu which I believe they offer during the week and I would pick my dishes more carefully. I also should add, I spent the next 90 minutes feeling rather sick (literally had to stop myself from hurling) – that could have been due to overeating or something else..The evidence was inconclusive.

He said: 'wasted potential' is the first thing that springs to mind when I think of Rabot. The location in Borough market is great, both as a venue and for access to good produce, and the idea of using chocolate in all the dishes is actually a good one, in the right hands. Except here the concept never gets beyond gimmickry, which is what anyone with an average level of cynicism might guess before going. Every now and then things work out when you take a chance, just not this time. It wasn't bad, just nothing special. The terrace overlooking the market is a nice space, but skip the restaurant upstairs (or lower your expectations), and just stick to the chocolate shop downstairs.

Sixtyone, Montcalm Hotel, 61 Upper Berkeley Street, London W1H 7PP

Sixtyone, Montcalm Hotel, 61 Upper Berkeley Street, London W1H 7PP

www.sixtyonerestaurant.co.uk

25/05/2015

She said: After the Bupa 10K jaunt through London I needed a food-related reward so we headed to this easily-missed spot half way along Upper Berkeley Street. A picture of their chocolate pudding in a magazine was what had alerted me to Sixtyone in the first place. Initial impressions were good – a bright, contemporary room with a three-course set menu for an impressive £22. I have to say, the goodness continued throughout. My crab ravioli was good, the cod main course succulent and the caramel tart a fine way to finish. Service was friendly and the whole experience made this a solid spot for a relaxed or business meal. My only reservation is that although the food was good, it was not quite amazing. The cod was more salty than it needed to be, the ravioli was ‘nice’ but something missing and likewise for the pudding. That said, given the great value, I’ll take good.

He said: this is definitely not the hot new table in town. No one is talking about Sixtyone, but you could do a hell of a lot worse in London. We only took a chance, despite my hotel restaurant phobia, because we're local-ish and we'd walked passed a bunch of times before. And I'm really glad we did; for £22 each for three courses of excellent modern British food this is really great value. The kitchen is imaginative with the flavours and presentation, maybe sometimes pushing the boat a little too far (my desert was more clever presentation than ease of consumption) but the enthusiasm of the cooking makes up for any such minor glitches. I really struggle to think of any other restaurants you might bring your folks to that represent better value.

The Gate, 370 St John Street, EC1V 4NN

The Gate, 370 St John Street, EC1V 4NN
www.thegaterestaurants.com/islington

17/05/2015

She said:
Yes I already raved about The Gate in Hammersmith but we decided to try the sister spot in Islington. It looks like an unassuming pub from the outside but inside is a bright, atmospheric dining space dedicated to vegetarian cooking. The menu is the same as Hammersmith and again I loved my starter and main dishes. I wanted pudding but he was keen to move on and I was short on storage space so agreed. This remains a great vegetarian London offering that stands out from the hippy-bean alternatives and though the Hammersmith venue feels like more of a ‘find’ in a more creative space, if Islington is easier to get to, this one holds its own.

He said: Scroll down for our review of the original The Gate in West London which, for me, was a much better experience. The location in Angel is more convenient, and the space arguably nicer, but the food was somehow lackluster by comparison. Don’t get me wrong: it’s still nice to go to a restaurant and not have to scan the menu and settle for the one veggie dish you can have. But this was style over substance, more about the idea and presentation than execution. Or maybe I’ve been totally spoiled by Terre a Terre in Brigton: the best veggie in the South East. For whatever reason The Gate in Angel was just ‘meh’ for me.

Sidi Maarouf, 56 Edgware Road, London W2 2JR

Sidi Maarouf, 56 Edgware Road, London W2 2EH
www.sidimaarouf.com

16/05/2015

She said: Craving middle-eastern food we hit Edware Road. We sat in an Iranian place with a great menu only to be told that each thing we ordered was not ready so we left. Starving, I noticed an inviting Morrocan spot I’d not seen before. Don’t know why as it’s a big, double fronted restaurant near the Marble Arch end. Most people were sitting outside along the narrow row of tables soaking in the polluted procession of buses and taxis but we opted for the indoor space which had a classic Kasbah vibe with hanging draped ceilings and shimmering chandeliers. The menu was great. When I got excited by the generous olives and crudites with garlic and chilli sauces, he pointed out there was a £2 cover charge each so the complimentary nibbles were not quite so complimentary – but good nonetheless. The menu was excellent with lots of choice. The food was amazing. My Briwat spinach was a creamy, smooth spinach delicately wrapped in a thin filo and my main fish tagine was full of flavour wih an array of juicy vegetables. I wanted pudding but had already made a later cake date…The service was friendly and efficient and we were told abut the live entertainment at weekends which created a wedding atmosphere of jubilation – so I need to come back for sweets and then to shake it off with the belly dancers…An excellent find for all occasions.

He said: when we came back form hiking in Morocco, a couple of years ago, we kind of looked around London for a solid Moroccan restaurant, hoping to recreate an amazing dinner we had, but mainly to find this killer desert called pastilla. But this gem was right under our nose, and we blanked it all along. Sidi Maarouf is one block from Marble Arch on Edgware Road – a busy, anonymous corner so easily avoided and with no pull whatsoever until the day we found Sidi Maarouf by total chance. At first I was a little worried by a décor so full-on Moroccan that it was borderline Disney. But the menu was good, and the service so genuinely hospitable that I quickly forgot about all that, and made a mental note to come back on a Saturday night when, according to our waitress, the ambiance is proper Moroccan wedding with live music and everyone dancing. I had a light lentil soup to start, and grilled prawns to follow. Both were just right, as were her fried filo parcels filled with fluffy spinach. My only gripe is that prices were on the high side, and amplified by that bizarrely antiquated practice of adding on a cover charge. Still, once you throw in the music and dancing, it’s probably good value for undeniably good food.

Ethos, 48 Eastcastle Street, London W1W 8DX

Ethos, 48 Eastcastle Street, London W1W 8DX
www.ethosfoods.com

9/05/2015

She said: A trendy, contemporary, serve-yourself vegetarian restaurant at the back of Oxford Street, Ethos presents beautiful food which you mount as you wish on to a plate then take over to a counter to weigh and pay. The selection is lovely; creative salads, lots of different warm options from different cuisnes, a tempting selection of desserts a bright, open dining space…The issue – the price! £15 for a plate of a mix of salads (chic pea, feta, beans) and some warm pasta and chilli. Fine it doesn’t break the bank – but I’m not sure the ethical concept of ethos quite stretches to its pricing strategy given the serve-yourself buffet concept. For a few pounds more many of the fancy-pants London restaurants offer a set 3-course menu in elegant dining rooms with waiter service. Shame. I did also find the food uncessarily more salty and saucy than it needed to be (so vegetarian in this case is not per say healthy) but that can be managed depending on what you put on your plate from their vast selection.

He said: Ethos is basically a dressed-up version of every self-service vegetarian place you’ve ever been to on the continent, from Vilnius to Bratislava. Ethos sets the clock back for the vegetarian cause (fight the power!) by at least twenty years: it’s the same old stuff, but just in a fancily designed place, at twice the price, or more. Ethos is really, really expensive for what it is. And you have to serve yourself! Those guys must be coining it. To be fair, I probably wouldn’t mind so much if the food was half the price. It is kind of stylish and cosy, and obviously popular with girflriends catching up. But man: this is London, food capital of Europe – why are there so few decent veggies around that this place is the most popular?

Percy and Founders, 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BT

Percy and Founders, 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BT
www.percyandfounders.co.uk
18/04/2015

She said: Gutted to miss the soft launch 50% off by a day (a rare exercise of poor planning) we headed to this new fancy pub/restaurant in the once vast Middlesex Hospital near Goodge Street. The space is impressive – a fancy All-Bar One-like interior but with designer furniture. They were only doing a brunch menu when we went so I opted for a salmon salad with a martini both of which were very good. The prices are fine for where we are and what they do but more importantly, this is a great new hangout space for a relaxed meal and drinks in a trendy but comfortable setting. I can already see this being a fantastic Christmas spot and a see-and-be-seen space in the Summer.

He said: Percy and Founder was genetically-engineered to be successful. The space is vast, which is still rare for that part of London, and hits the boho-chic mark right on the head. It’s central yet off the main drag, so you get that feeling of discovery. Cocktails are under £10, and the food is British-ish, and really well executed. The only false note is that one of my dishes was served on something goofy, not a slate or a rock (I can’t quite remember) but something other than a plate, which is trying a little too hard and so last decade. I really enjoyed the vibe there, and pretty much everything else. This would be a great place to hang out with a bunch of mates. But, dear readers, now is the time to go; don’t delay! P&F is inside a really expensive new development, with offices and apartments about to be handed-over. It might not be long ‘til it’s teeming with blowhards, so go there while the going’s good, and I’ll see you there!

Vinoteca, One St Pancras Square, N1C 4AG

Vinoteca, One St Pancras Square, N1C 4AG

www.vinoteca.co.uk

14/03/2015

She said: Another soft launch (50% off) so I booked this new addition to the growing food destination that is King’s Cross. We’d been to the Marylebone branch of this wine and dine restaurant and loved it so expectations were high. Set on the newest corporate square of the King’s Cross development, initial impressions were good. Lots of glass, bright, a casual wine bar-bistro feel. The maitre d’ was warm and welcoming. We were early so took a seat at the bar but I was informed they did not offer a cocktails menu so I just studied the food menu instead until our guests arrived. The menu offered a good, solid range of options. Unfortunately the food was a bit of a let down. Nothing was bad but neither was it memorable or worth returning for. My hot salmon starter was fine, a little crisp. My cod main looked lovely but was excessively salty – there must have been a slip of hand in the kitchen? I scanned and rescanned the dessert menu for chocolate but other than profiteroles there was nothing nor any suitable alternatives as everything seemed cream based. Still I opted for the semifredo which turned out to be a lump of sort-of tasteless ice cream with a skirt of toffee sauce; disappointing. Service was slow but maybe they were letting us take in the company and setting but the restaurant was also very cold with an icy breeze shooting through every time a door opened (I kept my coat on throughout). All I can hope is that these were all soft launch issues and with feedback, the menu and cooking will ‘evolve’ to the more sophisticated flavours achieved in its other branches. For now, it’s fine as a casual after-work social but falls short as a smart, foodie destination.

He said: I was looking forward to this Vinoteca. The one near us is nice, and New Kings Cross is everything that London isn’t: planned-out, spacious, it works. She booked us into a heavily discounted pre-opening deal, so we let rip and ordered everything gangsta style, without thinking about the interest on the credit card. But this Vinoteca was miles apart from the other, and, despite good service, was really let down by the quality of the food: even by soft-lauch standards this was sub-par. Food came out quickly enough, but without any flair or attention. It wasn’t bad, just really average. The impression I took away is that Vinoteca, like so many other really good restaurants, is expanding too fast. What’s wrong with just having one, maybe two restaurants that work really well. Why rush and screw up? But the location is nice so I guess it will do fine.

Skylon, Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 8XX

Skylon, Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 8XX
www.skylon-restaurant.co.uk

08/03/2015

She said: After looking at a rocket atop the Hayward we were hungry so I suggested Skylon. He agreed but I knew he had never been keen on this one but by the gods did I come out of this one the ultimate food pleasure finding queen of queens. From the moment we arrived Skylon was exceptional. The setting, elegant, grand yet intimate. The service, pleasant, attentive and generous. The food flawlessly magnificent. I was already planning a return by the second course. My fig and shallot starter was heavenly; the halibut with mushrooms juicy without being over-seasoned; the peanut butter brownie divine. As they didn’t have a table by the window, they gave us complimentary Proseco to make up for it. The coffee came with beautiful, delicious petit fours. They even brought the dessert exactly at the same time as the coffee as requested. Faultless. At £32 for three courses not including drinks, Skylon is at the higher end of the scale for a set lunch but believe me when I say it is SO worth it. This place is a wonderful occasion restaurant but also just somewhere to spoil yourself when you just want a delicious meal in a setting that will take you away from all your troubles.

He said: one of the few things I remember from school that doesn't involve clique politics or the usual mischief, is that one of the main causes of the French Revolution was the rising tide of expectation. The middling classes had been promised for so long that things would get better that they came to expect it, and believed that the time had come to go and get it. So it was, dear reader, with Skylon, except the opposite. When it first opened a few years ago I heard some pretty bad things about Skylon. So when we decided on impulse to go lunch there, I had zero expectations. As it turned out this made this surprisingly good experience stand out even more. The first thing that strikes you is the uncommonly large, triple height space, with one long side all glass overlooking the murky Thames. We were seated at a nicely appointed table (draped with a white cloth, a novelty these days!). Still I went up to the maitre d’, with little hope for success, to ask for a table by the window. Fat chance, obviously. I don't think my face reflected crushing disappointment, that’s just how I look. But still the maitre d’ felt bad go have ‘let us down’ and sent a couple of flutes of prosecco. This really characterised the whole experience at Skylon: the obviously attentive cooking and plating matched by top notch service, attentive but with a light touch and never in your face. Skylon even passed the ultimate test: desert and coffee, as requested, arrived precisely at the same time, a feat accomplished by one restaurant a year (at best). 

Twist, 42 Crawford Street, London W1H 1JW

Twist, 42 Crawford Street, London W1H 1JW
www.twistkitchen.co.uk
07/03/2015

She said: He was dubious about an Italian-Spanish fusion tapas place. I was keen to try a new local. He was right. Twist in short sells overpriced, average tasting little plates of food in a forgettable space a walk too long from the Marylebone heartland. £9.50 was a silly price to pay for a few spoons of ‘homemade’ fettuccine in a tomato sauce as it was for a deep fried ball of cheese. I really wanted to prove his wrong and that decent tapas at decent prices is not the preserve of Middle Eastern cuisine. But as of yet, the evidence remains to the contrary. If you want Italian – go somewhere that will give you a proper plate of pasta and if you want fusion tapas, pick another on our list as this place should be renamed Twisted!

He said: For me Twist encapsulates exactly all that is wrong with many restaurant openings in trendy neighbourhoods: it’s high on concept, often one you would never dream off (Italian tapas dining), high on pretension and design, low on delivery and quality, and low on customer comfort (‘you get your food when it suits us’). The kitchen no doubt thinks that it is dishing out the most sublime creations, using the finest produce. But really it’s just expensive rustic fare, like some Italian interpretation of Ottolenghi, except with miserly portion control. Just in the same way that 99% of people could not tell you if they're drinking a £100 or a £10 bottle of plonk, most people would not know, or care, if the burrata was flown in that morning (was it? Who cares!).  Twist must be popular because it's been going for a little while now; which confirms that just because a bad idea lasts, like Crocs or Scientology, doesn’t make it any more right.

Ali Baba, 32 Ivor Place, London NW1 6DA

Ali Baba, 32 Ivor Place, London NW1 6DA
www.alibabarestaurant.co.uk

28/02/2015

She said: He had watched that hairy biker exploring the cuisine of Egypt on the BBC and so we googled Egyptian restaurants in London. Surprisingly very little turned up but Ali Baba on ‘the other’ side of Gloucester Road caught our eye as somewhere we might not get food poisoning. Ali Baba is easy to miss, tucked down a side street behind the Marylebone Station it looks like a kebab shop from the outside. But when you go in you walk through to a sweet little restaurant which feels more like Mrs Baba’s living room with around 8 tables. The heating wasn’t on when we visited and I suspect in comes on when there are more than two customers (such as in the evening) but we weren’t there for the radiators. He had tried making falafel at home ‘the way we had them in Cairo’ many times but failed. We learned from the hairy biker that it’s because Egyptians make it with beans rather than chick peas. So, our first order was the falafel. We were transported immediately back to Cairo. It was light and fluffy on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside and came with a yummy tahini dip. Second round was Koshari – the only vegetarian main on offer but an Egyptian stalwart. Consisting of rice, lentils, chopped macaroni, fried crispy onions and a spicy tomato sauce, this dish will take care of your carb needs for the week. My portion could easily have fed two and I thought I was smart to say ‘spicy’ when given the option of a mild or spicy sauce which though delicious was too darn HOT for my English-corrupted palate (would opt for mild next time)! He wanted to try the Um Ali dessert which the hairy biker had talked about so despite being full we shared this strange hot dish which seemed to combine bread or pastry with cream, milk and raisins – an acquired taste but glad to have tried it (wouldn’t have it again). Ali Baba really is a delightful throwback of a place and the place to go to for authentic, delicious Egyptian food. Besides, at £6 for my main and just £4 for five juicy falafal and a basket of piping hot pitta – where else would you go?

He said: I liked everything about Ali Baba, including having to walk through the take-away at the front to get to the neon-lit dining room at the back, spotlessly clean, and the walls decorated with cryptically relevant art and the inevitable flat screen (off when we arrived).  I like that it’s the same family run operation as it was when it opened decades ago; that the front of house is still run by pop, a grizzled and wiry man whose style has not softened one iota over the years, that the kitchen is run by an invisible but no doubt portly mom, and that some younger relative is waiting the tables. It's all efficient but with no lack of charm or warmth, and the short menu clearly honed to perfection over years of repetition and refinement. Everything we had was excellent – as it should be, mom would no doubt say. Even the desert, Umm Ali, although the creamy, bready concoction is not really to my taste. But we had to try it because a TV show we watched revealed that this, Egypt’s national desert, is not named after a wise old denizen of the Nile valley, but after an Irish woman traveller called O’Malley! The falafel was delicious, as was the koshari, which is one of the most satisfying of all comfort foods. Including coffee, water and service I think we payed something like £8 each for one of the most memorable and authentic meals in a while.  Ali Baba is the real deal; may it thrive another few decades!

Portland, 113 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6QG

Portland, 113 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6QG
www.portlandrestaurant.co.uk
21/02/2015
She said: Damn, the critics were gushing about this place before it hit our radar so I was dubious as to whether the hype would match reality. It did. Portland looks unassuming from the outside, opposite a pub and alongside the strange mix of retail on this Fitzrovia side street. When we entered the warm, but cosy, galley, blonde-wood interior with its tables lined up to maximise the space and an open kitchen at the end, I was just hoping it would deliver. The lunch menu was interesting but for some reason none of the starters appealed – they really did sound creative so I’m not sure why, but I skipped straight to main with a miso barley dish. I cannot express just how magical this dish was; heaven with every spoon. I would go back tomorrow just for this wonder. I actually liked the intimacy of the space as I do like listening in to other diners’ conversations, like the middle-aged man showing off to his elderly mother at the table two inches from us. Though I doubt the table on the other side of us liked me brushing their plates with my rear when I tried to pass to visit the ladies. The only jarring gripe was the loud, never ending phone with a ring tone you would expect in a busy Pizza Hut which was a constant mood killer – that needs to go. But back to the food. I caved in to the critics who had banged on about the dark chocolate dessert; though a small portion (I could have had twice the amount) it was again like eating a very chocolatey cloud then ended heaven. So, regular heavenly visits with the food at Portland. Surely a price worth paying (and you do pay – with two courses for two people and no alcohol at £60).

He said: I knew exactly nothing about Portland before walking through the door. But walking out of it, one fine meal later, I knew for sure that we'd been to one of the finalists on our eventual ‘Best of 2015’ list. The first impression is excellent: the place is done up in a stylish but unassuming ModernScandi style, giving a clear view of the open kitchen at the back. It exudes a ‘serious about food’ vibe while avoiding the food fascist and food fadist trap – no sous vide snail porridge here. Portland is all about seasonal fare and rock solid technique. The cod I ordered was the best fish I’d had since The Corinthian (see below) probably about two years ago. A side of roast cauliflower was perfect, as was my slim but spot on wedge of sugar tart for desert. Everything unfolded totally seamlessly. I'm glad this is local; this is definitely the kind of place you want to survive, unlike a lot of trendy openings. Prices are on the steep side, and the narrow space between tables won't be to everyone’s liking, but it's forgivable, and maybe even desirable for a neighbourhood restaurant: you might just be sat next to someone you always see in the baked beans aisle  at Tesco’s. I would definitely like to go back. The kitchen is pretty small considering all the magic coming out of it, and it would be interesting to see how they manage all these closely packed tables at full swing on a Saturday night.

Michael Nadra, 42 Gloucester Avenue, London NW1 8JD

Michael Nadra, 42 Gloucester Avenue, London NW1 8JD
www.restaurant-michaelnadra.co.uk/primrose

14/02/2015

She said: We first noticed this place during a morning walk along the Regent’s Canal; though not on the water, Nadra occupies a large corner plot tucked just behind the canal in Primrose Hill. Giving up on waiting for a sunny day, we wondered in for a weekend lunch. Though there is a lovely walled terrace for when it’s warm enough, inside is a series of charming caverned rooms and we were seated in the one at the back facing an inviting fireplace. The set menu seemed good value at two courses for £21 and provided an excellent range of options. Nadra also has a dedicated Martini menu (my favoured poison) so I could not resist a lychee martini and could easily have had several. The warm bread was delicious and compulsive. For my starter I ordered the tuna tartar and salmon ceviche which was absolute perfection and my choice of main was the halibut which came with a combination of flavours that blew me away. This place is food heaven. I envied the folk of Primrose Hill for having such an amazing local. And indeed it did feel local, with couples and families having a relaxing lunch, clearly familiar with this place. But yet Nadra has a classy, contemporary and exquisite feel. The service was friendly and engaging. The puddings didn’t call to me on this occasion but with the menu changing regularly I would expect that to change next time – because there will be a next time.

He said: As She will gladly confirm, no doubt, being married to me is like Valentine’s Day every day. So as a matter of principle we avoid the commercial bandwagon of Love. The last time we did was many moons ago,  in the early days of our fairytale courtship, at a Bella Pasta, I think. But there are few things in life as good as a surprise (unless it’s sprung by your doctor) and so we took a romantic walk along the canals to Michael Nadra’s. Going at lunch, in daylight, meant that the walk was romantic rather than like a spooky episode of Prime Suspect; and also that we avoided all the cringey, goo-goo ga-ga forced romance thing. The maitre d’ told us that the previous year there had been three proposals that night, including one that sounded like a real car crash. We kicked things off with an excellent martini each – Nadra mixes excellent cocktails – and followed with a starter and main, thinking we’d catch a desert somewhere else. The food, of the pan European variety, was excellent, well-prepared and presented. My main of tagliolini was a generous portion, which was a very pleasant surprise; the way these are rationed in some places (eg Ramsey) you’d think they were the last vial of antibiotics in the First Aid tent at Glastonbury festival. The only mistake was skipping desert; these actually described really well, and would have crowned an already very good meal – who knows, the chocolate high might have even compelled her to give her Valentine a smooch on the walk back. Nadra’s is actually a nice, hidden little gem, and kind of romantic whether or not it's Valentine’s Day. I definitely recommend it, especially on a spring or summer’s evening, when you can also sit in the courtyard and knock back some very good cocktails.

Wellcome Kitchen, Wellcome Collection, Euston Road, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE

Wellcome Kitchen, Wellcome Collection, Euston Road, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE
www.benugo.com/restaurants/wellcome-kitchen

08/02/2015

She said: The cool Wellcome Collection has been undergoing a major renovation for a very long time now! But, finally they have joined the rank of museums with a ‘trendy’ waiter service restaurant. Wellcome Kitchen is located on the second floor and is a bright, modern, inviting dining room with a cool, cosy design. At the time we visited there were plans to convert the entrance to the restaurant into a café space which will create a further buzz. The menu offers around four varied choices per course so I kicked off with a hake tempura which was surprisingly good. I was really looking forward to my buckwheat cauliflower risotto so was sorely disappointed when a rather tasteless, overcooked mush arrived. It wasn’t bad enough to send back and had that air of ‘it tastes this way because it’s good for you’ but not one to ever have again. I really wanted pudding (the chocolate cake) but he was full and wanted to move on so I’ll have to come back. Yes despite the risotto mush, Wellcome Kitchen really is lovely. The setting, the menu and I suspect when they are no longer in their first week of operation, the food make for a relaxing, sociable lunch in between viewing Henry Wellcome’s medical marvels. The 50% off bill was a super surprise (soft launch) but even the full menu prices are reasonable. A good, upmarket yet affordable addition to the polluted, traffic-ridden Euston Road.

He said: Walking into Wellcome Kitchen was a bit of a madeleine moment for me: the pared down retro look and geometric parquet reminded me a lot of my old school (in a good way). I really like the way this place is decorated, including the science and medicine themed art on the walls. You definitely forget that on the other side of the windows lurks the Euston Road, one of Europe’s most hideous and polluted thoroughfares. I had a nice green broth, followed by a very prettily arranged vegetarian main. Service could probably have been a little better and swifter, given how quiet it was during our visit. But it would be churlish to moan since we went during the soft launch and got it all for half price. I have a feeling that the food is probably always going to be slightly off the mark, given the Benugo association, but it's definitely good enough, and a very nice place to meet up with people after taking-in one of Wellcome’s often very good exhibitions. 

Babaji, 53 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6LB

Babaji, 53 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6LB

www.babaji.com.tr
25/01/2015

She said: Alan Yau founder of Wagamama at one end and Michelin fancy pants Hakkasan at the other has opened a ‘high street’ Turkish joint – be it in the tourist heartland of Soho. I was intrigued enough by the two reviews I read to give it a go. First impressions were good; a lively but small downstairs dining area around an open kitchen and a more open, calm space on the first floor. The blue tiles and dark wood worked for me. The menu had a decent selection of meze, pide (Turkish flatbread pizza) and more main looking dishes. We debated our choices and ordered. First strike – the spinach stew was not available. Given this was one of two vegetarian options by default we switched to the bean stew. I guess there’s a spinach shortage? Next, we ordered three meze’s and the courgette and feta pide. Around 10-15 minutes after ordering we were informed our pide was not available. Strike two. This place supposedly specialises in pide. Guess there’s a courgette shortage too and it takes quarter of an hour for the kitchen to relay that back to the waiter? When I asked why two of the five items we were ordering from the menu were not available, the waiter shrugged and guessed ‘maybe because it is a Sunday’. We switched to a feta and chard pide. Strike three was my pomegranate juice which arrived in a small breakfast juice sized glass – but at a big size price and sour. Sigh. When our three mezes did arrive, they were small portions but good. Not amazing but good. The bean stew was literally beans in a tomato-like juice. The pide, which arrived at the end of our meal was again okay but not the delicate, thin speciality I’ve had elsewhere. And that’s the real problem here. Even if you excuse the mess with the menu (which I don’t), and the higher than average prices (£40 for two), there are far better Turkish joints in London with more choice for less money (such as Ishtar in Marylebone). So, it looks like this one is firmly aimed at the one-time-tourist..

He said: the unveiling of a new Alan Yau concept is always going to be a big deal. There’s hardly a thing that this Midas of the Kitchen hasn’t managed to turn into restaurant gold. This time it’s Turkey’s turn to get Yaud; it may seem like an odd departure from his well-trod East Asian path, but it’s similarly at once exotic and familiar, and allows for some kick ass interior decorating. First impressions are mixed: the interior design is cool, and the waitresses are wearing sweet ethnic threads, but the location’s hardly sexy. Still, neither was the first Hakkasan’s, tucked as it was in a pissey alley behind Tottenham Court Road when it was still heaving with curb crawlers, sex shops and suburban stags and hens on a rampage – but that didn’t stop it going global. What’s most disappointing about Babaji is the lack of ambition: the space is too awkward, spread over four floors of a corner site, to allow the design to really sing; Yau should’ve found one of his usual vast spaces where you can create a real sense of place, and where the beautiful people can preen and prance about. And the food is equally un-ambitious; it was light and, unusually for restaurants, not packed full of salt, sugar, fat and other delights we’re all addicted to. But, honest and pleasant as the food was, it never rose above the standard of a good local. It’s tasty but no-one’s going to walk out of Babaji feeling like they’d been on some magical journey of culinary discovery, which is a shame because Turkey can definitely deliver in that department. It was also very telling that two of the dishes we wanted to order were not available – one of them because they’d run out of this precious and rare gift of the earth: courgettes. I can understand restaurants run out of sole, or urchins, or whatever; but not courgettes, not at the beginning of service, not when you’ve just launched, and not when there’s a Tecos’s 5 minutes’ walk from your gaff. When it comes to attention-to-detail I’ve always thought Yau was a man you could count on, but definitely not this time. He’s set his sights lower than usual and, on our visit at least, taken his eye off the ball. This is why Babaji, although fine, is such a disappointment; it could have been so much better.

Maroush, 4 Vere Street, London W1G 0DG

Maroush, 4 Vere Street, London W1G 0DG
www.maroush.com
17/01/2015

She said: Maroush is a bit of a Middle-Eastern empire with five outlets in London, seven other restaurants linked to the group and a series of bakeries. Given our love of food from the region, we’ve kept saying we’d try one out. Finally we opted for the Vere Street branch near Bond Street which is a more casual setting with a wide ranging menu. The drinks menu was great with lots of creative cocktails. We ordered a series of meze’s including roasted eggplant, fava beans, baked fish and flatbread topped with cheese. He misread one dish which he thought was the delicious rice with lentils but turned out to be a ground paste of something similar (and not something I would have ordered) but otherwise, the food was fine. I’ve had so much amazing Lebanese food in the Middle East that I know what amazing is and what good is. This was fine for someone unfamiliar with the delicate flavours of the stalwart dishes but for a die-hard foodie like me, sadly it fell short. It’s a shame as the service was good and staff very welcoming; they even sent some complimentary baklava to our table with the bill after our confusion over the rice paste thing (which was his fault not theirs). I wanted to like it more…

He said: Maroush is legendary on London’s Middle Eastern scene; it seems like he owns every other restaurant on Edgware Road. Yet, somehow, we managed to avoid dining at any one of them until we stumbled into the one off Oxford Street, even then somewhat by accident. Even a few days after the fact I’m still in denial about this one; I really wanted to love it, but in the end it was just a middle-of-the-road Lebanese joint. It might be that this one, because of the location, tweaked things for a Western clientele: for example we tried to order the Fattet with hummus and yogurt, which is always served hot; but our waitress told us that here they serve it cold, despite customers having got into heated arguments with the kitchen about it. The way she said it you just knew she also thought it was a ridiculous thing to do. And the moujaddarah came without the usual crispy fried onions, which I had to ask for. Just weird. The place is not without some charm, but if there’s to be another Maroush meal it’s going to be on the Edgware Road.

Fenchurch Bar and Grill, Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 3BY

Fenchurch Bar and Grill, Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 3BY

www.skygarden.london

07/01/2015

She said: The infamous walkie-talkie is open. We booked the Fenchurch Bar and Grill which was billed as the refined dining location set on the 37^th floor. We marched up to 20 Fenchurch Street reception only to be told the Sky Garden entrance is located at a side entrance around the corner. The receptionist had better get used to giving those instructions to wayward Sky Garden visitors. There was a short line at the ground floor reception to Sky Garden with two people seemingly sitting at the reception desk but only one functioning (the other remained fixated on a computer screen). When we reached the front of the line the supposedly functioning receptionist also decided to type on her screen for a few minutes before attending to us. We were then given a security pass and told to move towards the security check. The security check was equally silly and po-faced. Not the best welcome and anyone planning a business lunch will need to factor in extra time for all the faffing. We finally entered a lift which took us to the 35^th floor. Okay, now I can wow. The lifts opened onto a vast, jaw-dropping glass dome with the best views of London I have ever seen. Aside from a modest, circular bar, the rest of the space offers chic seating and plenty of room to amble. This level is flanked by a cascade of greenery and we were told to walk up to the top of a long flight of stairs to the Fenchurch. I oohed, and gasped at the breathtaking views all the way up until we entered the restaurant. Confusion followed. Who creates a fine dining restaurant in such a location to then not offer the very views the building is expected to showcase? Fenchurch is a chic looking space but the majority of tables look onto a steel and glass roofing frame and the floor below rather than out to the spectacular London skyline. There are about four tables along the rear side of the restaurant which do offer views and we were luckily seated at one of these. The menu was good and the food excellent. My Jerusalem soup divine and the sea bass also gets top marks. Everything was presented beautifully. There was a bit of a heavy push on getting us to purchase alcohol (first cocktails, then wine and even a champagne trolley pulling up) which made me wonder how non-drinking clients would cope but otherwise the dining experience was superb. We had a look in the Darwin Brasserie on the way down, which is billed as a more casual dining experience and it was certainly busier, noisier and a more informal space. But again Darwin did not benefit from the setting, even if the views were marginally better than Fenchurch with it being a little further down from the roof. This is therefore an odd review to write, as Fenchurch was a lovely restaurant in terms of food, service and décor and the walk through the bar space is very cool but I just don’t get why neither restaurant actually capitalises on the location?

He said: The Walkie Talkie is the ugliest skyscraper built in London after the Shreking monstrous BT tower. From a distance it is so hideously ungainly and lumpy that it could have only been built by someone's mate. And, by modern restaurant standards, getting into Fenchurch is about as pleasant as clearing security at Kabul airport: metal detector, and slow credential checks in a very noisy and poorly designed entrance. But once the elevator doors open on the magical Sky Garden all is forgiven. The view is breathtaking, no doubt the best in town.  And while high buildings are generally small and awkward spaces at the top, the Walkie Talkie's horrifically bloated upper floors become, seen from inside, a vast cathedral of steel and glass, every window filled with the mesmerising miracle of London. Tear yourself away from the view and behold this giant greenhouse packed with vegetation, like a botanical Noah's ark In the sky.  And set in the centre of all this, three eateries stacked on top of each other, in ascending order of price: cafe, brasserie, restaurant but, paradoxically and because of the weird architecture, with a descending quality of view.  We met for lunch in the restaurant, our table set at one end of the room, and giving us the best view over the city; tables on the long side of the room have practically no view because of the way the steel supports stack along the curved roof. But for me that was the only false note: flavours were excellent, portion size spot on, and the plating quite beautiful. The price was absolutely fair; Fenchurch could certainly have charged more, so definitely get there before they do. Me I'll go to the cafe next time: it's all standard stuff, paninis and brownies but in an amazing setting and at Pret prices.

Bocconcino, 19 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8ED

Bocconcino, 19 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8ED
www.bocconcinorestaurant.co.uk

02/01/2015

She said: A new year, a new restaurant. This time an impressive grand space off Berkeley Square. At first the large but rather private looking front door was off-putting and club-like but on entering Bocconcino I was wowed by the vast double height basement space below the entrance runway. I immediately felt excited about this place. The design is clean, contemporary but warm and the Italian menu has an excellent range of pizza, pasta and main (meat/fish) dishes. The starters are on the high side but the pizza selection is good value. I was able to substitute the tagliatelle with a linguini pasta which I think worked better with the prawn and courgette dish, which was delicious and a reasonable portion. His pizza was nice and large so I helped myself to an excellent slice of thin crust gorgonzola and pear combo, mmm. Being in Mayfair, where many restaurants are clearly style over substance, Bocconcino really stands out for me as being a perfect balance of great space and delicious, good portions of food. A welcome addition and another find to go back to.

He said: 'live insect cuisine' is probably the only three word descriptive less likely to get you into a restaurant than 'Russian owned pizzeria'.  Yet that is what Bocconcino is (pizza, not bugs) and it would be a mistake to miss it. It serves other Italian classics, but pizza is what I was in the mood for, half expecting awful fusion combinations like Nutella and anchovies. But what came out was actually very nice: pear and blue cheese pizza on the thinnest and crispest base I've had in London. The design of the place was also a pleasant surprise: not a hint of narco-trafficker classics like gold taps, but lots of establishment colours like taupe and mushroom - very Mayfair. The architect actually managed to make this basement site really inviting.  All this for a fairly reasonable price, for the neighbourhood. This is definitely one to try when you feel like pimping out your pizza night.  

Hafez, 5 Hereford Road, London W2 4AB

Hafez, 5 Hereford Road, London W2 4AB
www.hafezrestaurant.co.uk

22/11/2014

She said: We love Persian and this place was recommended to us by local Persians so we had to go. Unassuming on a Notting Hill side street, Hafez is a small but perfectly formed gem. The knick-knack décor inside is quirky and endearing and the menu has a good choice of mezze and main dishes. For the first time that I can remember, they made the Ash soup the way my Iranian childhood’s family used to make it – thick, rich in herbs and no pasta (it just never seems right with the pasta that most Persian restaurants seem to add). So good. The warm aubergine dip with the oven-baked Persian bread was compulsively good. Our Persian acquaintances has recommended the pomegranate stew (Fesenjan) which is normally with meat but the menu offered a vegetarian version. The stew sauce was tremendous but sadly vegetarian meant no meat but nothing else – literally just the sauce. A couple of vegetables would have done wonders. Luckily we also had the absolutely delicious Ghorme Sabzi with the herbs and kidney beans making my mouth water with every bite. When we received the bill it came with the juiciest baklava, better than any after-dinner mint ever produced. Hafez is an excellent neighbourhood Persian and probably the best I’ve been to. I wish they did my favourite tamarind fish dish, but even so the menu has enough to come back for, at good value.

He said: Hafez, named after Iran's answer to Shakespeare, was recommended to us by an Iranian couple who swore it was the best Persian in London, and also dissed another place around the corner which I agreed was over-hyped. So we hightailed it to Hafez at the earliest opportunity, and ordered a couple of classics: Fesenjan and Gormeh Subzi. Both were very tasty but I was really mystified when the veggie version of the Fesenjan came with no veggies: sauce only.  OK it tastes best with chicken, but that is just weird. Having said that, the flavours of everything we ate were just great. I also liked that Hafez has been around a very long time and has that neighbourhood restaurant vibe. I would definitely go back, but I can't help but think that London's best Iranian has yet to be found. I will be enjoying looking for it!

Dishoom, 1 Stable Street, London N1C 4AA

Dishoom, 1 Stable Street, London N1C 4AA
www.dishoom.com
08/11/2014

She said: We were in on the first day of the soft launch so even the website didn’t mention the latest addition to what is becoming the Dishoom chain. Forget the other branches, this St Pancras-based wonder will blow you away. I can spend ages praising the stunning industrial space with a great open first floor dining space and stylish basement bar; and go through the magnificent list of fantastic food and drink options which led us to order as much as we could fit on the table but this is really somewhere you have to go yourself. I was so overwhelmed by the grand setting, delicious chilli martini and compulsive flavours in everything from prawns to beans that the fact I found a bit of plastic in one of my mouthfuls (which the manager guessed was from packaging) and that my yoghurt was forgotten were minor mishaps in an otherwise perfect experience. Yes the 50% off helped, along with the lovely company of a good friend and him of course but service was keen and friendly and Dishoom just has that buzz balanced with calm that makes you want to keep coming back. I hope they don’t lose the magic when this place becomes over-run, which it will.

He said: this branch of Dishoom is miles better than the 'ho hum' Leicester Square branch we hit some time back.  The huge converted Kings Cross warehouse space is perfectly suited to Dishoom's street food/railway snacks gambit. It's a very cool space to hang out in, and with lots of good reasons to keep you there: the cocktail list is extensive, and the menu has been made more veggie-friendly. We went during soft launch, armed with a half off discount, so we ordered much more than usual. Every dish we tried has been engineered to be the best version of itself. The crispy fried bindi is like crack, the black dhal is excellent, the kati rolls delicious, and ditto the stewed kidney beans. We went back with my brother a little while later, paid full whack, and still enjoyed it.  My only minus is that the menu is not as extensive as in most traditional Indian restaurants, so you might end up repeating yourself on return visits. But what you do get there is really great, and the vibe is very cool and laid back.  I'm looking forward to going back already!

Pachamama, 18 Thayer Street, London W1U 3JY

Pachamama, 18 Thayer Street, London W1U 3JY
www.pachamamalondon.com

26/10/2014

She said: Another new Peruvian, this time just down the road. Pachamama is easy to miss with its tiny door along the forgotten end of Marylebone High Street but as you walk down the narrow stairs you enter a vast underground series of dining spaces with a warm, homely vibe. I’ll say upfront, Pachamama is not cheap. In fact, prices are high (but not high enough to call stupid), portions are small (but again just enough to avoid being called stingy) but the saviour is the flavour – delicious. Everything tasted divine. The cocktails yummy, the ceviche fresh with mouth-watering zing, warm dishes like plantain melt with every spoonful. I wish the run of excellent Peruvian restaurant launches in London were just a bit more reasonably priced to allow for regular dining but for a night out after pay-day, this place is worth it.

He said: as far as the quality of food goes this is probably the best of the many Peruvian restaurants we tried. The food was really great: subtle flavour combinations and great presentation, but I just wish that there was much more of it. The twist here is that though Peruvian, the dishes have been tweaked to include locally fished and farmed ingredients. We went during the soft launch and got everything half price otherwise we easily would have spent £70 each, and been left wanting more. When you add to this that the basement space itself, though nice, lacks that wow factor you're not left with much to justify the price. Pachamama is really all about the food; which might be fine for die-hard foodies, but others, me included, might like some razzed dazzle for the price. I loved the food here, but will probably only go back if someone else is paying.

Shikara, 65 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7PS

Shikara, 65 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7PS
No website

25/10/2014

She said: It’s 2014 but power cuts still remind us we’re at the mercy of the fat cat energy companies…After digging around for torches and finally convincing him it was not at all romantic to cook and eat dinner in our dark home, we hit this local Indian. I had noticed Shikara whilst waiting for my nails to dry across the road and thought it would be great to find a good local Indian so was keen to test it out. Short answer, it failed. On entering, it has all the qualities of a reliable classic: dated décor, Bollywood tunes from the last century, mafia-types having brow-raised conversations over buckets of curry and a long menu. Unfortunately when the food arrived it was clearly tailored to those of you who like your more bland flavours. It’s not that the food was bad; it just lacked any spice or authenticity of the east. Plain Jane, such a shame.

He said: we checked-out Shikara on impulse, having been locked out of our kitchen by a power cut literally as I was about to start dinner. This Indian restaurant is a short walk away from our place, and we were lured-in by its shabby-but-clean appearance and menu of classics: it looked like Shikara had been in business a while, and that it might do the home style version of Indian cuisine which really is the best. Unfortunately our bubble burst pretty quickly. Shikara evidently advertises in local hotels, or the Eurostar magazine, because most tables were filled by continentals, and the kitchen has very regrettably adjust the spicing to suit our European cousins' timid palates. Bummer. In my book there is no bigger let down than disappointing indian food.

Quaglino’s, 16 Bury Street St James's, London SW1Y 6AJ

Quaglino’s, 16 Bury Street St James's, London SW1Y 6AJ 

www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk
13/10/2014

She said: I remember coming here maybe 15 years ago and really enjoying the experience so when he noticed a re-launch I quickly made a booking. Too much time has passed to compare with the previous experience but Quaglino’s post-make-over is equally impressive with its vast dining space approached via a sweeping art deco staircase. The whole space feels very plush and special without being fussy. There’s a stage at the front of the dining room which apparently hosts live bands and a dance space and I love the seating around the edges of the room with a shimmering bar in the centre. The upstairs bar is also a great space for a cocktail and people watching. I went all out with three courses, starting with a delicious smoked salmon accompanied by a horseradish sauce, capers and onions. This was followed by a perfectly cooked cod and complimented by the glazed red cabbage. It was worth squeezing in the desert which was a heavenly chocolate marquise, amongst the best ever. Prices are fine for Mayfair and I would definitely recommend Quaglino’s for special occasions. The atmosphere-food combo did not disappoint. Another great joint to come back to.

He said: The 80s are back! That old stalwart of bygone excess has had a spiffing up and got some of its mojo back. In contrast with the sleepy streets of its clubby St James's neighbourhood you can't help but feel like the coolest cat walking down Quag's fabled staircase and into the vast and glamorous Gotham Deco styled dining room. There's a buzzy bar area, and also a cabaret/dance space at the front to help crank up the fun a few more notches on Thursdays to Saturdays. All excellent for people watching and for being seen. The food is modern British/European and well executed, although the portions are a little on the small side, reminding you that there is probably someone at the back weighing out each scrap of fish, and that this is a business and not all about fun. St James's has had a mini revival on the food front lately, and the new Quag is a fun, let you hair down alternative to delicious but slightly boring Murano and Boulestin.

The Mermaid Inn, Mermaid Street, Rye, TN31 7EY

The Mermaid Inn, Mermaid Street, Rye, TN31 7EY
www.mermaidinn.com

12/10/2014

She said: Wow, what a find! After a few hours hiking from Hastings to Rye (with the help of a taxi) I had booked the Mermaid Inn on the basis of it seeming like an historical inn, with good food (including a vegetarian menu) on a pedestrian cobbled street. In fact it was a stunning inn, with spectacular food (including creative vegetarian options) on a beautiful ye-ole-England cobbled street. It took us about 10 minutes just to go into the Inn while we picked our jaws off the floor aghast at the picturesque location; the same again when entering the most authentic inn dining space I’ve ever seen. The menu had lots of choice so I went for the pumpkin veloute and black olive risotto – both generous portions and just perfect. I cursed my stomach for not having room for any of the amazing sounding puddings. I really didn’t want to leave the Mermaid Inn and found myself browsing details about their guest rooms with four poster beds and the festive plans for Christmas. The Mermaid Inn is reason alone to make a day-trip to Rye, build up an appetite and then spend the rest of the afternoon there. It will take you to another world. Just perfect.

He said: Rye is an impossibly pretty town, perhaps the prettiest in all southern England, and the Mermaid is one of the most evocative buildings in a town full of history. If I remember correctly it's cobbled from a number of Elizabethan houses and, though the vibe is informal, the waiters are decked out in formal wear to honour the place's long history. Remarkably for this fairly remote and conservative part of the country the Mermaid actually has a parallel vegetarian menu, which goes to show how far things have come along for the much-ridiculed Veggie Fraternity. Perhaps this came about as a result of the battalions of slebs that have dined here over the years; the walls of the Mermaid are decked out with their portraits. The food was very nice, and if it lacked a little bit in finesse, this was more than made right by the excellent atmosphere. The Mermaid Inn is definitely the kind of place where you want to spend a couple of days, exploring the area and rewarding yourself with some fine grub.

L’Anima Café, 10 Appold St, London EC2A 2AP

L’Anima Café, 10 Appold St, London EC2A 2AP
www.lanimacafe.co.uk
11/10/2014

She said: It was one of those yucky, rainy London days and we were in the East End suit shopping for him. After some cultural adventures we were hungry and happened upon L’Anima Café which is next to the fancier restaurant which I have been wanting to go to for a while. The restaurant was closed for lunch but the café was welcoming so we went in. The café space is a large, warm, colourful place with a wood fire oven for pizza, clearly what you should really order here. But I wasn’t in the mood for pizza so ordered a cannelloni which was really delicious and great value at £8.50; in fact because of the price he got twitchy about me ordering it thinking it would be a tiny portion but alas he was wrong and I would have struggled to eat anything else – as proven by my failed plans to raid his pizza. I did squeeze one slice of pizza in which again was delicious. L’Anima was a good accidental find and worth coming to if in the Liverpool Street/Shoreditch area and prices are much better value than the restaurant next door and the atmosphere relaxed but chic – though I remain keen to compare.

He said: We stumbled into L’Anima somewhat by chance but next time I assure you it will be by design – I enjoyed pretty much everything about it. Given its location (at the foot of a brand new skyscraper in the city) you might guess that this isn’t going to be the candle-in-chianti-bottle variety of Italian. It’s bright, sleek, smart but laid-back, and modern; well, modern in design at least: Italians being fussier eaters than just about anyone else I’ve met, every dish is the survivor of generations of Italians bickering about its precise constituents and preparation. Lucky for us too: I had a delicious chick pea soup to start, followed by a garlic pizza which was exactly as advertised: with at least a whole head of garlic cloves, their heat mellowed by slow caramelizing. L’Anima is around the corner from its ritzier, fine-dining sibling, but being partial to big portions and small prices, I’d quite happy keep coming back here instead. The drinks list is good too; this would be an excellent choice for a night out with a bunch of people.

Brasserie Max, Covent Garden Hotel, Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9HB

Brasserie Max, Covent Garden Hotel, Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9HB
www.coventgardenhotel.co.uk

04/10/2014

She said: I booked the film club which offers three courses for £35 in the buzzing hotel brasserie plus a movie in the chic screening room. I was looking forward to the meal and had deliberately reduced my food intake for the day in anticipation. After struggling to get attention to place our order, we advised the waitress that we had booked the film club so needed to eat within 90 minutes (a reasonable time period for most restaurants). Her response was a very high pitch assertion that we were not the only film club people and we would be served in good time. The set menu looked appetising; I went for a tuna cerviche to start but alas, the tuna had no taste and was drowned in what tasted like orange juice. After about a 25 minute wait we checked on our mains (as customers who arrived after us were being served well before us); again a shrill voice said some words which amounted to ‘what are you complaining about, we know what we’re doing’. To add insult to injury, she had the cheek to say ‘well you asked us to make changes to your main so that’s caused the delay (this referred to my asking for spinach with my salmon instead of beans – not something I was warned would create a kitchen crisis)! Turns out the wait was not worth it; the salmon was fine, cooked as it should be but the spinach tasted gritty. The only saving grace was the chocolate brownie which was indeed a rich, lovely chocolate pudding in a toffee sauce. I would expect more from Brasserie Max, part of the Firmdale group which owns Ham Yard and the Charlotte Street hotels amongst others when what we got was more of a mid-range chain churning out standard, forgettable dishes for the Covent Garden tourist crowd knowing you’ll never see them again. Disappointing.

He said: It’s very unlikely that we would’ve gone to Max’s if it hadn’t been for the enticement of their Film Club package: who wants to venture into the epicentre of touristy London on a Saturday night? But with three courses and a movie for £35; how could you go wrong?! Turns out you can. Given the time of week (psychotic Saturday) you could count on service niggles, which we got in spades. But this is a Firmdale joint, and though it’s by no means at the cutting edge of the culinary arts, you certainly wouldn’t expect a bland cream sauce pappardelle, or barely cleaned, gritty spinach. It’s definitely time for head office to send the Quality Control gang to knock some heads together. Whoever’s managing Max’s just doesn’t care anymore. Given the location there are plenty of alternatives, so at the best of times there wouldn’t be any reason to go into Max’s; I hope I’ve given you one less.

Betty Blythe, 73 Blythe Road, London W14 0HP

Betty Blythe, 73 Blythe Road, London W14 0HP

www.bettyblythe.co.uk

28/09/2014

She said: I was so excited to visit this off-the-tourist track ‘vintage tea room’ in a quiet residential street in Kensington so was equally disappointed when it so horrendously failed to meet my expectations. These expectations were simple things like being served in a timely manner, the joy of seeing the tiered plates of cakes arranged beautifully on vintage china while wrestling with what order to eat my sugary treats in and spreading a thin layer of clotted cream and huge scoop of jam across a warm scone. Instead, the tea room was an uninspiring and very hot space with three tables squeezed in. Our tea arrived around 20 minutes before a plate of standard sandwiches (cucumber, egg and salmon). We then had another long wait before a plate of pre-spread scones were brought to us at which point we proceeded to scrape away the humongous lump of clotted cream plopped on the scone and try to make the most of the tiny spoon of jam atop. I’ve done my fair share of afternoon teas and this is the first time the scones have come pre-loaded with the cream and ration of jam. As the waitress removed our plates and noticed the scraped slabs of cream on the side, she commented ‘you don’t like cream’ to which I simply replied ‘not that much’…Still, I waited for the highlight, the tiered presentation of yummy cakes but instead came a mini brownie on a single plate. Hmm, okay, I ate this, it was good but what was going on? 15 minutes later one mini loaf of lemon drizzle on a plate which we cut in half and shared. Again fine. He thought this was it but I thought surely not…Another 10 minutes or so later we were offered a choice of macaroon flavours, I went for pistachio which again arrived on a single plate looking very lonely and tasting very sugary with little evidence of any nut flavour. And then we came to an end. A rather bizarre vintage tea experience. There were some attempts at fun, like the box of vintage hats we were encouraged to wear when we arrived but these all looked a bit manky and made me hot and itchy. It did make me reflect on how anyone can open a room, bake a few cakes, spread some sandwiches and brand it vintage but equally appreciate the few that get it right.

He said: In short Betty Blythe is over-rated. Perhaps people are excited because it’s in a random part of town (Earl’s Court) where there’s not that much going on, unless the dog grooming show, or the ideal home show are rocking the joint around the corner. Maybe a Time Out boffin lives nearby and has been busily tweeting about Betty’s. Don’t get me wrong: it’s fine, but there really ain’t much to write home about, or to go out of your way for. BB’s goes for a homely vibe, being set in the ground floor of a corner terraced house, with lots of knick-kacks to play with (feather boas, hats, etc.). But our first experience of it, having arrived a few minutes early, was a frosty reception; of course we couldn’t take our table early, despite nearly all of them being empty. It turns out that the ladies dunking the tea bags are actually French, so I gave them a pass; by Parisian standards we had got the star treatment. Everything was ok, but both food and drink were unmemorable, and served really slowly in dribs and drabs. The chuckle sisters just couldn’t cope with loading the pre-prepared goodies all at once on the three-tiered stand; so much for the traditional experience. I actually saw them turn away a bunch of people who walked in just wanting to order take away coffees. I guess they’re not in it for the money, but for the love of tradition. Don’t bother, unless you’re nearby.    

The Colony, Beaumont Hotel, 8 Balderton Street, London W1K 6TF

The Colony, Beaumont Hotel, 8 Balderton Street, London W1K 6TF
www.colonygrillroom.com

27/09/2014

She said: A brand new hotel opening on our doorstep with a restaurant from the folk who operate the Brasserie Zedel, so we had to have a try. The Colony can’t be missed with its central location almost immediately on entering through the art deco doors of The Beaumont. As I walked through the American Bar into the restaurant I was encouraged by the dark wood walls and red banquettes with photos and artwork working hard to create that jazz age era. This would have worked really well if some jazz had been playing but the absence of any sort of music left a slight emptiness in the atmosphere. I should confess, we were visiting on the last day of the soft launch so drills were still in the background no doubt dealing with last-minute snagging and waiters weren’t allowed to flambe at the table until the various regulatory requirements had been met. The service was clearly in the test phase with friendly French staff keen to help but sometimes having to double check what certain things on the menu were. Nevertheless, service was welcoming and professional. The menu offers a range of British-American dishes, nothing exceptional but all fine for such an establishment. Prices are on the high side for what you get. I ordered a kedgeree which was unlike any I’ve had before but in a positive sense. It had a strong curry flavour to it which worked for me though the portion could have been a little more generous. I hit jackpot ordering the chocolate marquise for dessert which was outstanding. Certainly can’t complaint about portion size here – a huge square of gianduja with a nutty ice cream. The tea came in a beautiful art deco silver pot which easily carried four cups so it seems it’s just the main dishes that are more carefully portioned out. I was actually enjoying my time at the Colony until he pointed out it felt dead. I normally leave it to him to say what he thought but once he pointed it out, I did sense something wasn’t working. The space had a slight old man feel to it (I think it’s going for the old school gentleman’s club vibe). I still think a bit of Nina Simone would have solved that concern. Still, given the price versus what you get and where you are, there are better options in town.

He said: On the day that we went I can’t say that I found much to get excited about by Colony. It’s, in effect, glorified diner food, or Classic American, if you’re feeling generous, and served in a grand-ish deco space. I don’t get it; who is this for? Is this a socially-acceptable alternative to McDonald’s for timid or home-sick American package holiday makers who can’t deal with jellied eels and other ‘authentic’ British delicacies? The silver-haired diners filling the room when we went definitely suggest people looking for comfort food; but maybe that’s the demographic to expect at brunch. It was lacking any buzz, and feeling awkward, like the jarring combination of food and setting. We went during soft-launch, which took the edge off; I would have been in a foul mood had I paid full price for my mac & cheese, mushroom & spinach hash, and baked Alaska. Still, given the location and the august backers, I’m sure Colony will fill up with Bright Young Things convinced that they are at the epicentre of gilded and ironic cool.

Lupita, 13-15 Villiers Street, London WC2N 6ND

Lupita, 13-15 Villiers Street, London WC2N 6ND

www.lupita.co.uk

21/09/2014

She said: We were on a busy schedule nosing around London’s Open House so we headed to Lupita for a Mexican lunch break. We had come across Lupita in Selfridges a few months ago where we sampled something cheesy and said we’d try their full restaurant experience. Tucked on a corner of the busy Villiers Street, Lupita is a fairly standard looking modern space but once you get a hold of the menu things change. There’s a huge array of dishes to choose from and overcome with hunger we picked a selection from various sections of the menu. Everything was amazing; great flavours, decent portions, creative dishes. I wouldn’t have the cactus again, simply because on my first taste I realised I don’t like cactus. I also thought the fish ceviche was not for me but a good portion and he seemed to enjoy it. We didn’t have time for desserts but they sounded worthwhile. Lupita is a good option of you want reasonably priced, tasty Mexican food with lots of healthy and chubby choices for everyone. Would definitely go back.

He said: We stepped into Lupita with few expectations, and these were easily surpassed! Mexican food has been the victim of Old El Paso-style chemical warfare for far too long, and it’s only with the likes of Wahaca (just) that the reputation of this much maligned cuisine has finally been burnished. You probably haven’t been to Mehico, and neither have I. But I’ve been to San Diego, which is as close as you can get without a border frisking, and where you can get genuinely, authentically knock-out Mexican food. Lupita is the first place I’ve been to in London that delivers that wonderful combination of heartiness, cut through with zingy spiciness. The menu is extensive, with something there for everyone, vegetarians included. My only gripe is that service was slow, which I’ll chalk up to Sunday slowness. And at that price point you might expect a slightly more comfortable space: Lupita was clearly shoe-horned into some Edwardian wreck of a building and on the chilly day we attended all the doors were propped open to ventilate the grills. But these are minor points to balance out an otherwise really good experience. Another day another favourite! 

Terre a Terre, 71 East Street, Brighton, BN1 1HQ

Terre a Terre, 71 East Street, Brighton, BN1 1HQ

www.terreaterre.co.uk

31/08/2014

She said: A couple of years ago we walked off the street having read an intriguing menu at this smart vegetarian but it was fully booked. Then in June I reserved a table in anticipation of a trip to Brighton which was cancelled due to pneumonia. So when the weather looked good for a day-trip, I hoped the third attempt would be lucky – which indeed it was. Terre a Terre is a deceptively large, contemporary space with a fantastic menu offering original, fresh vegetarian creations which took a while to choose from. Prices are mid-range but worth it. The starter was a heavenly sweetcorn cake unlike anything I have tasted before. I was excited for the next round and waited in anticipation; and waited, and waited and waited. The waitress came over and was proactive in apologising for the delay but promised the wait would not be much longer. However, close to an hour after arriving and seeing other couples who had arrived after us being served dessert he complained. The waitress sounded sincere in her apologies and then the mains arrived. I had ordered something called ‘Bonbon beets and bigarade’ which was good but essentially a roasted potato waffle with some pickled beetroot and some garnish in a tomato-like sauce (butter bean in actuality). Next time I would order something else – what he had was more interesting for example but he can tell you about that. The best was definitely saved for last. Dessert was outstanding. I ordered the chocolate pot and was like a little girl opening her Frozen doll when a trio of magic was presented on a plate: a mini brandy milkshake; a dark chocolate cup filled with crumbly chocolate and topped with a lemon cream; and a killer chocolate salted caramel truffle on a lolly stick. This truly was dessert heaven and the wait for the main was long forgiven. Terre a Terre is a classy, elegant, sophisticated diamond of a vegetarian in a country of one too many hungry hippie cafes that serve stodgy, stereotypical staples. This place is bang up to date and must have brought many a meat-eater into the light.  Although the food delay was not good, the waitress was gracious in automatically deducting the main courses from our bill while he wandered around the restaurant buying salted truffles. Bottom line: if you’re in Brighton, make this top of your hit list (but reserve first).

He said: What a bummer that Terre à Terre is an hour away on a fast train! If it was in London I would definitely make this a regular; it is my favourite of the vegetarians we tried, ahead of The Gate in W6. What gives this one the edge is the sheer inventiveness of the cooking: reading the menu is exciting stuff and choosing is actually a struggle, it’s all so well described. This place is not just about the thrill of cooking, it’s also about the thrill of eating: it’s not merely prettily arranged ‘art on a plate’. Terre à terre clearly gets that eating out is as much about showing off its wizardry as it is about punters walking away feeling happy. There was a minor bump in the road to happiness, with our food coming our rather late, but even that couldn’t stop us being blown away by the food. The stand-out dish for me was a delicious spin on Japanese slow-cooked aubergine. But pretty much anything on the menu is evidence of the kitchen’s passion for flavour, texture, colour and fun. There’s no mock meat of any sort, no apology made for anything, as though it’s a given that, of course, Vegetarian is the greatest cuisine of them all. In fact you could easily not notice that this place is veggie. But what sets Terre à terre apart from so many others, veggie or not, is that it really cares, which is all too uncommon these days of timed slots, and miserly portion control. If I had money to burn (if only) I would definitely bankroll a second opening somewhere in London.