Soho's Secret Tea Rooms, 29 Greek Street London, UK W1D 5DH. 15/4/12

Soho's Secret Tea Room, 29 Greek Street London, UK W1D 5DH. 15/4/12
http://www.sohossecrettearoom.co.uk/



She said...Hidden on the first floor above the Coach and Horses pub (and entered by walking through the pub counter which is all very 'speakeasy' in feel) is a 40's-styled tea room, complete with vinyl record player turning out musical classics like the 'Singing in the Rain' soundtrack. There is fine bone china, frills, lace and floral dressing on display and when seated at our table for two, with crisp white table cloths, I felt a million miles away from the chaos of Soho. We opted for the full afternoon tea however, after the excitement of the setting, the tea was far from fulfilling. At £17.50 each, quite frankly it was a bit of a p***-take. My understanding and experience of afternoon tea at other venues is that you get free top ups of everything - tea, cakes and sandwiches but here is one round only. I may have been okay with this if what I had blew me away but instead of the fine, delicate pastries I've had at many other a tea room, here the offerings were heavy, stodgy sponges lacking either sophistication or nostalgia. You get a couple of sandwiches (egg, cucumber and salmon - two triangles of each), a thick, brick-like walnut cake slice and unmemorable fairy cake plus a fairly dry, luke-warm scone with a butter-like clotted cream and just enough jam. I had been really excited about this place as I am a tea and cake fiend but, given the other customers (mostly American), this one is clearly aimed at non-returning tourists. For a few pounds more, I would trade in the pursuit of the cute 40's room for a really classic English tea at the better known establishments.

He said: You've probably walked past this place a dozen times and never noticed it: it's right above legendary Soho boozer The Coach and Horses. But knowing where it is doesn't mean you're there yet: first you have to get passed the bar staff at The Coach, which on personal experience can vary from sweet to surly. Tell the barkeep you have a booking, he'll call upstairs to tell them you're here, and then tell you to get on with it, come behind the bar (nice!) and climb upstairs. Good start! All very 'speakeasy meets Ms Daisy'. The place certainly makes a good first impression: 33rpm croaking standards in the corner, lots of light pouring-in through the windows (you're on the first floor, after all, not all that common), doilies and mismatched china and table-wear everywhere. The atmosphere is spot-on, and contrasts delightfully with the sin and decadence raging outside on most nights. We both ordered the high tea. Cakes, sarnies and tea were all fine, nothing special really, but high tea is more about the ritual than the food, so I was keeping an open mind. My only bone with this place is that you only get one round of everything and at £17.50 a shot it's just too expensive for what you get. This place is on to something, and almost nailed it; extending some generosity that I'm sure most would not avail themselves of, would go a long way towards covering-up its flaws and making this a special spot.

Sofra, 18 Shepherd Street London, Greater London W1J 7JG. 9/4/12

Sofra, 18 Shepherd Street London, Greater London W1J 7JG.
9/4/12
http://www.sofra.co.uk/sofra_mayfair.htm

She said: We were off to see a movie at the Curzon Mayfair so wanted a nearby lunch spot and since I had a 2-for-1 main course deal at Sofra, we decided to hit this Turkish joint. Sofra sits in the lovely Shepherds Market and though the restaurant is small, it has a warm, smart and intimate feel. On arrival our table contained a charming note introducing our waiter and promising good service (which it was) and we had a lovely table by the window. I enjoyed listening in on a conversation between a couple on an adjacent table where the man was talking about 'his journey in life' while the woman held rosary beads...But that's an aside... The menu has a huge choice. I had trouble deciding. My warm goat cheese salad was a delicious starter and arrived promptly as did the main course of a spicy fish stew which was a compulsive and juicy mix of flavours and tender fish. I really wanted to choose one of the many tempting desserts but was already at full capacity so will have to go back another time when I have spaced-out courses better. Will definitely be returning here - and a second course being free was icing on a perfect cake.

He said: Easter Monday, in a state of sugar-coma and livers groaning from the strain of processing far too much chocolate, we just felt like something light. Food from the Near East is just perfect when you want to feel virtuous -- the produce is generally super fresh, and the food mysteriously light given how flavourful it all is; sometimes it's nice to get away from cream and butter sauces. And it's where our main man Jesus hails from, so a good choice on Resurrection Day. Sofra is an old stand by -- like arguments at Christmas or rain during Wimbledon week -- you always know what to expect. The food will be good, service efficient, the wallet will remain heavy in your pocket, and you will leave happy. Not ecstatic, but happy, which sometimes is all that you should really want. And you know you're going to like it right away, because the owner, Mr Ozer is quoted on the cover: ' if you don't like it, I will eat it myself'. What more can you ask? I kicked things off with a lentil soup, which in Turkey is with red lentils and like a very thin dhal, and one of these very simple dishes that can taste wildly different and hard to get just right without cheating with a ton of salt (which doesn't happen here). I followed with spinach and chick peas stew which deftly avoided the sludge-like fate of most stews: the spinach leaves were whole, the peas kept their bite, and a very delicate tomato-based sauce which allowed the two stars to keep centre stage. There was not a crumb left for Ozer.

Anar, 349 Portobello Road, London W10 5SA. 8/4/12

Anar, 349 Portobello Road, London W10 5SA. 8/4/12
http://www.anarpersiankitchen.co.uk/about.asp

She said: Having fallen in love with Persian food recently, I had frantically searched online for recommended restaurants in London and Anar in Notting Hill popped up so I booked it for a Sunday dinner. We rode our 'Boris' bicycles to the nearest docking bay at the top of Portobello Road expecting a short walk to dinner; I would have re-thought the walk if I knew we'd be going through the butt-end of town passing crazy people talking to themselves and shouting at each other forcing us into the road to avoid becoming part of the social mix. When we finally arrived at a pretty little converted corner pub and wandered into a stylish intimate room with exposed brick on one side and gold painted wall on the other, expectations were high. The service was friendly and there was a good range of vegetarian options but unfortunately the food was underwhelming. It was all a bit bland. The pomegranate salad lacked anything Persian about it (bare mixed salad with some bit of pomegranate); I had a courgette main dish but all I remember is that it just tasted like a fried courgette. I was then gutted to have paid a gratuity on the credit card machine when prompted ('do you want to add a gratuity') because the service was friendly and prompt - only to realise after the bill had included service - so watch out for that one. Shame really as this would have been a good find if the food was any good.

He said: we each grabbed a Boris Bike and as we pedalled along Hyde Park I was really psyched for our meal at Anar. We'd been to a few Persians in the last few months and liked each one more than the last. Anar is at the butt end of Portobello Road, far removed from any cycle ports; I guess Boris didn't want to chance the vandalism. The restaurant itself is like an oasis in a concrete desert; I guess pioneering gentrifiers will only go so far. The first impression is really great -- corner site, in old pub, front painted black with gilt lettering in Farsi, lots of windows, cool interior complete with statement wall paper, and typically Persian warm and welcoming staff. We got there early, only beaten by a gaggle of Iranian women for whom this was probably a late lunch, rather than dinner. The menu read well with a good mix of familiar and unfamiliar.  I had to have Ghormeh sabzi, a spinash stew here made with mushroom, and we shared kashkeh bademjan, borani, and anar salad. All of them were good enough, but kind of 'meh, nothing special': the stew lacked the vital sour note of limes, the kashkeh had almost no walnut kick, and the anar salad used really boring, hard cheese, not the creamy feta/goat cheese you'd expect. Let's remember that this salad shares its name with the restaurant (which mean Pomegranate, by the way) -- you'd think this would be the best dish in the joint. It's a shame, I really wanted to like this one. Unless you live nearby there's no reason to go out of your way.

La Petite Maison, 54 Brook's Mews, Londn W1K 4EG

La Petite Maison, 54 Brook's Mews, Londn W1K 4EG
7/04/12
http://lpmlondon.co.uk/

She said... I'd wondered past the unassuming outside many a time and wondered what all the fuss was about but 'he' said it was Sarkozy's favourite restaurant when he was in town and a highly rated French eatery so we finally made a booking for the Easter weekend. He was right. From start to finish it was perfection: The dining room sparkled with starched table cloths, shimmering cutlery, shiny mirrors at the bar, sunny yellow walls and smart waiters donning bow ties and striped aprons; the service was attentive without being intrusive; and the food was just perfect. I started with an onion tart which came on a thin, fine pastry that melted in my mouth. I followed this with a fillet of seabass which came with a crunchy artichoke topping and juicy cherry tomatoes. The side of broccoli was again the perfect accompaniment. Despite having 30 minutes to make it across town to the theatre, we had to order pudding; the only slight smudge on an otherwise shining experience is that I asked for my coffee to come at the same time as pudding (this is a recurring and ultimate test of mine for all restaurants - can they bring the pudding and coffee at the same time - after all, the bitterness of the coffee is always the best compliment to a sweet dessert) and unfortunately a delicious and large latte arrived when I had almost finished a heavenly warm chocolate mouse. However, even heaven must have it flaws. The bill (£136 for two) wasn't a bargain but I would come back here again and would recommend La Petite Maison for anyone wanting something special.

He said... I walk through Brook's Mews most days on the way to and from work, past the usually open door to La Petite Maison's kitchen, and see the gang prepping for service. It's amazing how many people you can fit into a small kitchen, and still nobody stabbing each other or similar Hell's Kitchen antics. Clearly as much space as possible was given over to the dining room, which is just as well: even on a Saturday lunch the place was packed to the gills, mostly with the well-heeled gang from far-flung lands that we hear about snapping up all of Mayfair and Belgravia. The vibe was very relaxed, no-one seemed out to prove anything about the size of their portfolio. And service was distinctly un-Gallic: attentive, genuine, and efficient. Reading the menu made me say a silent prayer that it could really all be as good as it looked on paper. It's always a good sign that you're planning your next visit before the first bite, but as most battle-hardened mothers love to say 'don't hope for too much and you won't be disappointed'. In the end I figured I'm in a Provencal restaurant, so let's see how they manage the old classic cod provencal, and I kicked things off with the beignets of courgette flowers with anchovies. These were just OK -- a little light on anchovies; I only found two. But the cod was just awesome: everyone of the component flavours was turned up to 11, intense tomato, olive, caper etc. flavours and just enough spice. I would have this dish again and again. Desert was an apple tarte fine, with the crust as described and the apples sliced very thinly. This was delicious but at £9.50 too expensive. My only gripe with the whole thing is the price, but you know that before going in, and so you go in with very high expectations which somehow these guys manage to match and even excede. I can't wait to go back. By the way, the tables are pretty tightly packed, which may not suit everyone, but this is not such a big deal now that anti-smoking law means you won't have clouds of Gauloise blown your way; there are one or two duff tables near the door.

York and Albany, 127-129 Parkway, London NW1 7PS

York and Albany, 127-129 Parkway, London NW1 7PS
6/4/12
http://www.gordonramsay.com/yorkandalbany

She said... Perched on a corner before the lovely Regent's Park, York and Albany is a gastro pub belonging to the Ramsay empire, so it was fair to expect a certain quality of cooking. Arriving at the unassuming facade around lunchtime via the cafe entrance, there was a lovely country feel with stone flooring and fresh breads on display. As we wondered into the pub again we were pleasantly surprised by a bright and open contemporary space which led into a smart dining room with a large skylight. On arrival there was just one couple already seated so when the waiter went to seat us right next to them and my husband noticed a baby's high chair ready to receive a screaming child next to where we were being seated we asked to move; at first we were told the rest of the empty restaurant was reserved but then he swapped us with a table that had not yet arrived. Service was 'relaxed' but then turned into absent with my husband having to get up every time we needed a waiter (or our food). We had to ask for the set menu which I had found out about online (only a la carte was given to customers suggesting the £18 set menu deal was being kept a secret). The starters got us excited about what was to come - I had perfectly cooked fishcakes with a fennel salad - just right. But disaster struck when I ordered the tagliatelle with mushrooms - the pasta was overcooked and drowning in a slop-like sauce. My heart sank - we skipped dessert. A restaurant with the Ramsay brand behind it should surely be able to cook pasta and not expect customers to have to jump up and find a waiter when they want to order or receive their food within a decent time. Won't be going back to this one.

He said... The time finally came to give this place a shot, having driven passed it countless times on the way through North London and wondered just as many times why anyone would open a restaurant in the middle of what is basically a traffic circle. Truth is the location makes a lot of sense when you consider that it's basically one bread roll's throw away from Regent's Park and a bunch of very expensive houses. Walking through the doors Y&A certainly makes a good first impression, especially if, as we did, you come in through the retail annexe where the pizza oven is roaring away. We settled-in fast, scanned a well-formed menu with something for everybody, from fussy rug-rats who will open their loveable gobs only for pizza and burgers, to dads used to work paying for lunch,  via unrepentant veggies. Ordering was a challenge, with waiters nowhere to be found, but when my starter arrived it really set the tone -- a mildly curried parsnip soup with a perfect onion bhaji on the side. I was really psyched for the rest and thought -- wow, maybe we hit paydirt here. Main was salmon on shredded celeriac, with some swiss chard or maybe it was spinach. It was meant to come with samphire, but judging by the three strands on evidence on my plate the harvest must have been apocalyptic. This dish was ok; I thought the pickling of the celeriac overpowered it, but it was alright. Wifey's pasta being overdone was totally ridiculous for a Ramsay joint, but my main gripe with the place was the service which was way too slack. Having said all that, I might go back - it is convenient, and could be really good, but I'll hit the less formal side near the bar which is a nicer room, and has more of a vibe.