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.

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.

The Happenstance, 1a Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7AA

The Happenstance, 1a Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7AA

26/10/2013

www.thehappenstancebar.co.uk

She said: Hungry and in the City with the skies about to open we headed into The Happenstance, part of the Drake and Morgan chain of trendy bar-restaurants in the City. I’ve always had mixed feelings about the group. The settings are always inviting – modern, bright, impressive spaces with great cocktails but the food is always mediocre. I still remember abandoning my pasta at another of their joints (Refinery) when it was overcooked beyond recognition. Still, as a new addition to the group we thought we’d give it a go. I ordered a bruschetta with mushroom and pesto which was good but lukewarm. Foolishly I opted for the crab and crayfish linguini which was hot, edible but slightly overcooked and, as seems to be a theme in chains, the fish was being rationed. My rose martini cocktail was amazing and drink prices reasonable. In conclusion, I would recommend The Happenstance and its fellow venues for drinks and nibbles but move on to somewhere else for proper food.

He said: The Happenstance is, for me, the least memorable of the ‘pubs’ in this chain of gastros. The décor was typically bright, mismatched boho-chic, and the drinks were excellent. But my Thai curry was a let-down: the rice over-cooked, and the curry under-spiced and probably made from a jar. But even if the food seems like an after-thought, it’s worth coming here just for the mixed drinks, which are genuinely good, and very well priced [for London] at under £8 each. Some of the kitchen’s offerings might just do the trick to mop-up the booze and keep your head straight. But if you’re going to eat at The Happenstance, then you had better order something deep-fried.

Sushisamba, Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY

Sushisamba, Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY

12/01/13

http://sushisamba.com/location/london

She said: I needed a place for a super special occasion so opted for this recent addition to the 'impress' category of London dining and impress it did. SushiSamba is situated on the 38th floor of a city skyscraper with a dedicated lift that blasts you up as you stare out through the glass at the magnificent London skyline. You then enter a space of blonde wood and colourful lights and ceiling ornamentation which is a small bar space that winds into a vast open dining space with windows all around and a warmth and excitement set off by the furnishings inside. I had asked for a good table and was assured we had the best as we were seated overlooking breathtaking scenery beyond an outdoor terrace which, if it wasn't freezing outside, would be THE prime location to be (roll on summer).  Service was friendly and we were brought complimentary fizz to celebrate our special occasion which was a lovely gesture and set the standard for the rest of the meal which exceeded expectations. The menu is mostly a mix of tapas style dishes, offering South American and Japanese cuisine. Let's be clear, the prices here are special occasion or expense account prices (or for people with offshore accounts) but the quality of food, service and setting make it damn well worth it. We ordered three tapas style dishes and something from the 'large' dishes section (though in hindsight substituting this for more tapas would be better). The food was exquisite. The yellowtail taquitos were full of flavour as was the salmon ceviche. The corn tamales was okay as was the main dish of moqueca which was a sort of paella, I think I liked them more than he. The deserts were unique - I went for a chilli cholocate dish which looked beautiful and tasted heavenly but I felt the chilli! The tea could have been a bit more generous though I loved my espresso-like martini.  For a Saturday lunch the fact that the place was full when the 'city of london' is closed is a testament to just how good it is. At about £60+ per head no one seemed to be wincing and I see this place growing in success. What I loved is how unpretentious it was. It could easily have gone that route but staff were friendly, diners were dressed smart casual and we were able to take our time over three hours without feeling we were being hurried (so tired of restaurants saying 'we need the table back in 90 minutes'); folks, take a leaf out of this place which I hope to return to without needing a special occasion as an excuse...

He said: We all know it: eating out is as much about the place as it is about the food. Well, Captain Hook could count on one hand the number of restaurants in London with the wow factor of Sushisamba. It starts with getting there: step into the outdoors glass lift, strap a blindfold on anyone with vertigo, and push the ‘38’ button. Wow. None of London’s other high-rise restaurants (Paramount, Rhodes24, etc) can deliver that right now. The narrow hallway connecting the lift to the restaurant reels you in a bit, to set up another `Wow’ moment as you walk into the vast, glazed dining room, all its office-tower edges softened by a canopy consisting of a huge Yves Tanguy-style fishing net supported by bamboo poles. I can only describe the effect as `under-the-sea/meets above-the-clouds/meets Blade Runner’. By this point expectations are sky-high, but the food rises to the challenge.  The idea here is South American Japanese. It’s one of those combinations that sounds crazy at first, but then makes perfect sense. Can you name anywhere else in town that does that? Me neither. Yes, London is in the middle of ceviche fever, and yes Nobu spent some time in Peru; but nowhere else in London will you get your yellowtail ceviche served in crispy taquitos, overlooking the Gherkin, St Paul’s and everything else. I would happily have those for starter, main and desert. OK, OK, I might have another one of those killer cocktails for desert. I probably don’t need to tell you that this kind of unique doesn’t come cheap, though for me it was free. She’d booked the place for a special occasion, and definitely hit a home run with Sushisamba.