Sketch, Lecture Room, 9 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XG

Sketch, Lecture Room, 9 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XG

www.sketch.uk.com

12/08/2014

She said: I had good news and wanted a special place to share and celebrate this good thing. Sketch Lecture Room had been on my radar for a while but his aversion to Sketch, which he thought was pretentious had kept it at bay. However, following his recent conversion after our afternoon tea in Sketch Gallery, and despite his initial push towards another destination, he suddenly favoured the two Michelin Star Lecture Room. In short, I was blown away. Let start with the room: pure luxury at every turn. Rich autumnal colours, velvety sheen, stunning glass dome letting in sunlight which threw further magic across the room. Just exquisite. It could be so easy in such a place for the service to be affected but it was quite the opposite; friendly, attentive and delivered in a way that made you feel so very special. The food the piece de la resistance. No write-up can do it justice – and we were ‘just’ having the Gourmet Rapide: three courses for £40 including coffee and petits fours. The food presentation was a work of art and the substance delicious if a bit petit (but that meant room for all the different bits we were presented with). I liked the recommendations of which order to have various bits of the starters in (they were presented in a set of three) and all the amuse bouche and fresh bread with citrus butter. I loved that when they brought me my sparkling apple juice, they presented the bottle to me like a rare vintage as I nodded politely. The three different desserts were equally appetising and the petit fours original (though I did miss that old crowd pleaser: chocolate). By the time we left the place was almost full. Sketch Lecture Room is a special place. A complete experience.

He said: The Lecture Room is the only place I can remember going to where the 12.5% service charge seems like an absolute bargain. From the second you arrive to the second you leave you feel like a prince, with a battalion of foot soldiers drilled to perfection to make you feel like you’re gliding through the clouds on your magic carpet. And they’re all French! If you ever wondered, on holidays, why the French are such bastards it’s because all the good ones also couldn’t take it there and moved to London instead, most of them working at The Lecture Room. And you can see why: the building is a pretty special place, very French, in its goofy, surreal maxiness; this is what I imagine the restaurant in Michel Gondry’s head looks like. The Lecture room is the more traditional of all the various spaces in this giant eating emporium (the biggest in London?) –more of the neoclassical vibe of the building comes through, but it’s still got some wild touches, like the very Goth bathroom. The tables are very widely spaced, which is good for your plutocratic self-image but also for the champagne trolley (!) to be wheeled-in moments after you sit down. We opted for the mini tasting menu, which meant 8 or so small plates, more than I can remember, but all very visually pleasing and tasty. This is definitely food which has been handled in the kitchen, literally; if this is one of your phobias (my jury is still out on this one) then you might be visualizing germs everywhere, which will impede your ability to appreciate how nice it all looks on the plate. The Lecture Room is a great place for a long, indulgent lunch or dinner. Another pleasant surprise from Sketch!

Casse-Croute, 109 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XB

Casse-Croute, 109 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XB

29/03/2014

www.cassecroute.co.uk

She said: What some might call cheesy I think of as classic. I’ve always had a soft spot for restaurants that evoke our stereotypical cultural ideas, without falling into the offensive: breadsticks and hanging waxed wine bottles in Italians: red lanterns and dragons in Chinese: and, as with Casse-Croute, red and white chequered table cloths, Bibendum posters and Brel in the background. Casse-Croute is definitely a throwback to a neighbourhood brasserie, complete with black and white family photos on the walls and a chalk board menu with the day’s classic French offerings. I was very excited and loved the cosy, relaxed feel of the room. I went for the Asparagus starter which was fine but essentially boiled Asparagus with a hollandaise sauce on the side which I had to remove bits of pig from (I’m guessing it was ham). The main was a mullet which was tasty, a good portion but a bit too buttery and salty for me. Being London (be it Bermondsey), prices were on the slightly high side at £50 for just the food but maybe I’ve just not kept up with the times and what may seem like a local is still in our nation’s capital and prices fit the neighbourhood. I liked Casse-Croute as a place but was hoping to be blown away by the food. It was just fine.

He said: Casse-Croute does a great job at emulating the typical neighbourhood restaurant you’ll find in just about every quartier up and down the pays. The food was satisfyingly and classically French: technical, lots of butter and no surprises at all – good ol’ comfort food and friendly, laid-back service. This will be a perfect place for me to visit once Alzheimer’s sets-in, and I can half remember memories I never had, tasting really familiar food, in a cardboard cut-out environment, served by smiling people who seem to know me. I really don’t know what else to say about Casse-Croute; it was nice, and I enjoyed it in the same way you might enjoy almost any good, unfussy French meal. I’m a little surprised by some of the gushing praise this restaurant has received. But I suppose that if you are a trend-surfer, then the ultimate novelty is getting good, straightforward food that doesn’t desperately try to impress. It’s no big deal for our French cousins, just business as usual. I guess for me that’s the trouble with French food: even when it’s good it’s always the same.

Truc Vert, 42 North Audley Street, W1K 6ZR

Truc Vert, 42 North Audley Street, W1K 6ZR

18/02/2014

www.trucvert.co.uk

She said: He often says ‘why don’t we ever go back to places we like’, Truc Vert is case and point. We visited this neighbourhood French restaurant a few years ago and absolutely loved it; beautifully presented food that was equally amazing to taste. We thought we’d found a winner. Fast forward to my discount restaurant card running out and picking Truc Vert because it accepts the card and it’s as if the Truc Vert we knew and loved had been replaced by an offensively poor impostor. I can only guess it has changed hands because from the second we walked in, something wasn’t right. The service was friendly which made if difficult to give genuine feedback when asked a number of times if everything was okay. I ordered a starter of crab cakes which I saw come out of the kitchen with two other starters that made their way as far as the reception; after a confused exchange between staff, it went back to the kitchen to reappear moments later with his starter. The crab cakes were really bad. A minced medley soaking up a runny, yellow, cream sauce that made my arteries uncomfortable just looking at it. No taste. My main was a white fish, which was a good portion but again very uninteresting, to the point that I am writing the review 24 hours later and cannot remember what it actually came with and cannot be bothered to try to find out because it just doesn’t matter. I can only mourn the loss of the original, wonderful Truc Vert and as Sade said: it’s never as good as the first time. That’s why I rarely go back to re-experience a great experience.

He said: all that I’m going to say about this one is don’t go. We had a good night there a while back, but since then the management has changed. Truc Vert is now nothing short of a train wreck. A train full of children. Total tragedy. It is only a matter of time until the new owner drives this one off the cliff. It’s the Mayfair equivalent of the short-lease pizza joints near Piccadilly: fleece as many customers as possible serving them the cheapest possible sludge for the highest possible price, and then shut and move on. On the plus side this is possibly the most appropriately named restaurant: it is indeed a Truc Vert, of the kind you find up your nose and flick away.

Boulestin, 55 St Jame’s Street, London SW1A 1EF

Boulestin, 55 St Jame’s Street, London SW1A 1EF

29/09/2013

www.boulestin.com

She said: We visited Boulestin when it had recently opened and before the run of newspaper reviews (which have since come out with all sorts of high falutin analyses). First impressions were good. You enter through a causal but inviting café which serves a selection of the restaurant dishes in a more informal setting and pass into an elegant, calm restaurant with green banquettes and crisp white tablecloths. A long skylight creates an open and bright space to the room. Service was friendly and attentive. The menu had a wide choice of dishes for all tastes and prices were reasonable for Mayfair. I ordered a mushroom risotto for main as I had my eye on a chocolate dessert. While we were waiting the maitre d’ chatted about the new space and expressed disappointment on some luke-warm reviews which he said had criticised the ‘concept’ which confused me as this place didn’t involve rocket science: dining room; food; service; price. Nothing profound to get your head round. Anyway, my risotto was fine. A decent serving but nothing to write home about. He pre-ordered the ‘Tarte legere aux pommes’ which takes 20-minutes which I ended up swapping my chocolate terrine with. The terrine was fine, a chequer-board of white and dark chocolate atop a chocolate sponge – it’s just I prefer less sponge and more chocolate. The apple tart was yummy. Boulestin is a lovely space with good service and an interesting menu but at £35 per head for a main and desert (and his main salad portion was tiny!) and the absence of a set lunch menu option, I’d need to think twice about coming back.

He said: Boulestin is the perfect St. James’s restaurant. Classic and classy but with none of that Wilton’s establishment thing, which is as passé as that grand dame is old. For an area which is authentically old school, it’s remarkable how few ‘proper’ restaurants there are in St. James’s. Maybe the old boys just like eating at the club better. Me, I have no club and a lot of meetings in the area, and I’m often stuck for somewhere that doesn’t have bondage photos on the walls  (Wheeler’s), is not in hotel, or is not incredibly noisy (most places). This is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but I love that Boulestin doesn’t play any muzak; sonic ambience has it’s time and place, but I do like being able to have an actual conversation with someone. Now the food: the bloody Mary was spot-on (no ice!); the main artichoke salad was so mean at £12.50 that I did wonder if it was physically possible to serve as smaller starter version; my tarte aux pommes was so exactly what I wanted that I ordered it with the main, except that I didn’t get it because She pounced on it. Woe betide the poor knave who is nearby when She has had a disappointing desert day! Since we’d only had two courses each, coffees, and drinks, I was actually surprised when the bill came in at £72. Lunch is currently Boulestin’s cash cow, so I can understand not discounting with a set lunch, but that’s a big mistake. Still, (small) warts and all, Boulestin is my favourite place in that neighbourhood.

Orrery, 55 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5RB

Orrery, 55 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5RB

02/09/2013

www.orrery-restaurant.co.uk

She said: the mother-in-law was in town and treating us so I wanted something chic, local and not too pricey. I was delighted to note the Menu du Jour on the Orrery website at £26 for three courses. Perfect. When we arrived at this D&D London-owned eatery on a beautiful summer’s evening and ascended to the smart, spacious dining room above the Conran furniture store, we were ecstatic to be offered a table on the stunning outdoor roof terrace. Our faces and moods descended at speed when we were presented with the menu which offered a choice of a £49 set menu for 3 courses or a £60 ‘Gourmand’ menu. I felt embarrassed knowing his mother would want to throw me off the roof for picking this place knowing she was paying. But after collecting myself and knowing I am always right, I signalled the waiter and asked about the £26 set menu. He wandered off and returned with this menu. When we asked why he had neglected to give us this menu (interjected by my mother-in-law saying ‘because he has been trained not to’) he muttered some nonsense about this offer being available through a partner promotion – despite me saying it was listed on the menu section of their own website. It then turned even more ‘Fawlty Towers’ when I asked if there was an a la carte menu to which the waiter pointed back to the £49 and £60 menu. ‘But these are set menus for 3 courses…what if I just want a main’ I innocently asked. ‘Yes you can have just a main’ he replied. ‘But how much are the main dishes – they are not individually priced’ I promoted. ‘Mmm, well you can say between £20 to £25 for mains and between £15 to £18 for starters’. As he left we all stared at each other in disbelief and burst out laughing wondering when we entered the Twilight Zone. The waiter returned to present a corked wine to ‘him’ and when ‘he said’ it smelt funny the waiter returned with a new wine and a sarcastic offering of ‘it wasn’t funny it was obviously corked’.  Setting aside the ridiculous charade above, the food, setting and price (as excruciating as it was to obtain) was fantastic. I ordered from the £26 menu (!) and had a mackerel starter, a Provencal stuffed vegetable main and roasted fig dessert. Good portions and flavours. The meal was interspersed with various amuse bouche including delicious chocolate truffles with our bill. The rooftop was wonderfully peaceful and atmospheric; it’s rare to find such a spot in London. Orrery really is a wonderful place. Don’t let the outrageous behaviour above put you off – just remember to ask for all the menus and give your wine a good sniff.

He said: another day another walk down memory lane. We’d tried this local years ago after a particularly bad day, figuring that every bad should be balanced by a good. This time the family was in town, which wasn’t so bad but still a nice meal was in order. The big draw of Orrery for me is the roof terrace, up a flight of stairs from the main room, and with seating just half dozen tables. This secluded spot with a view of tree tops and sky has got to be among the best in central London; no pickpockets, no junkies begging for a ‘fare home’, no irritating mime artists trying to break out of their damned box. Just peace, and tasty eats. The food was exactly what you’d expect; at the upper end and towards the French side of the Conran-style kitchen. Service was excellent, but the waiter had clearly been briefed by management to present only the degustation menu at £50-60. She’d done her homework and knew all about the great-value £26 set menu. Getting it, and more info on the mysteriously-price a la carte was pure comedy. Then the carafe of wine arrived, smelling so much of Mo Farah’s socks that no-one opening the bottle could’ve missed it was corked… It all started looking a lot like an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. This is not a place to go if you’ve just finished your anger management course. On principle I would never go back to Orrery just for that unforgivable fleece-the-punters stunt. But despite their best efforts we still had a really good meal at Orrery and I would recommend it – just keep calm.

Les Deux Salons, 40-42 William IV Street, London WC2N 4DD

Les Deux Salons, 40-42 William IV Street, London WC2N 4DD

20/04/2013

www.lesdeuxsalons.co.uk

She said: We were in the Covent Garden area and hungry when I remembered wanting to try Les Deux Salons but hadn’t until now as he never seemed enthusiastic about it. I must have caught him on an off-day as he agreed to dine here. Les Deux Salons is designed as a classic French brasserie – two floors with metro style lighting and brass railings, dark green banquettes and starched table cloths and the obligatory distressed mirrors. A glass ceiling is a central feature of the room. On entering a near empty room we were given a nice table in the centre on the ground floor. The menus and complimentary bread were quick to come but after sitting around for too long, surrounded by waiters nattering to each other and therefore oblivious to our gestures to place our order, he went up and got a waiter to come to our table. Thankfully, the food service was good. I had a beetroot salad which was light and tasty, followed by the fish pie which, for me was a bit thick on mash and light on juicy fish although he liked it. I quickly ordered a side of spinach to cut through the dryness of the fish pie which worked nicely – although the spinach was more salty than I would have liked. We had noticed a nice new cake place up the road so decided to skip dessert.

During the meal more customers arrived creating more of a buzz in this retro, smart room. The ground floor feels more classic and open although upstairs has a nice intimacy to it. In the heart of tourist-land Les Deux Salons is always going to attract more out-of-towners than locals which makes for a different atmosphere although the lack of a pre-theatre menu will take care of one segment of tourists. Les Deux Salons is a pleasant enough place with pleasant enough food and if you choose wisely, reasonable prices at £50 for two courses for two with soft drinks.

He said: push the door & you can skip the Eurostar – the atmosphere here is genuine Paris, including the sometimes indifferent service. A few things on the menu raised the eyebrow: hot dog & chips, and mac & cheese, for example; but hey, this is Convent Garden, and Billy-Bob and Marge need to eat too. Otherwise this is as convincingly ‘Brasserie’ as nearby Balthazar and Zedel. I chose the very tasty soupe du jour, priced at a democratic £2.50, followed by a kind of Gallic fish and chips: pan-fried cod, with mushy peas and potato boulangere. This was delicious but the portion of fish was a little mean, irrespective of collapsing fish stocks. Having resisted going there for so long, I had to admit reluctantly that she was right – Les Deux Salons is a very good bet for the area. I’ll definitely be trying the mac & cheese next.

Balthazar, 4-6 Russell Street, London WC2E 7BN

Balthazar, 4-6 Russell Street, London WC2E 7BN

www.balthazarlondon.com

01/04/2013

She said: I had been observing Balthazar’s development over the past few months each time I was in Covent Garden with builders and decorators transforming this great corner plot by the market. Balthazar is immediately impressive; vast ceilings, distressed, large mirrors everywhere, pristine table cloths and old-style service staff buzzing around with the array of delights on large trays on their shoulders. The bar is attractive, glistening with various bottles and glasses and the interior has an art-deco feel to it. I had requested a banquette seat when booking which they obliged in a great location in the middle of the room giving us good people-watching opportunities. We were a bit baffled when asked if we would like to order bread when we noticed other tables were being given it automatically and upon checking whether it was complimentary we were presented with a basked of delicious bread options.

The menu offers a wide choice of French-inspired dishes and I started with the goat cheese tart which was very good. To follow I had the lobster black truffle risotto which was a little too fishy and salty but good enough. I ordered the Tart Tatin for dessert but it lacked the sophistication of a true tatin with chunky, chewy apple on a thick base so I swapped with his Chocolate Rocher which was much better. That said, Balthazar offers a great setting and good enough food at okay prices (three courses and coffees for two and one cocktail came in at £78), making it somewhere I would come back to with friends and family alike.

He said: Walking out of Balthazar I overheard a lively Italian tourist telling one of his mates: ‘dis iz da ottesta tabel ina towna, Lettuce a sea iffa we canna geta ina’. The PR bods working for Balthazar clearly earned their crust – the place was barely out of soft-launch and already tourists had it on their radar. Balthazar ticks a lot of boxes: the room has the wow-factor, the location is good (if you don’t mind tourist-land) and the food works: I kicked-off with a kale salad, followed with an ‘eggplant’ sandwich – yes, this French brasserie is actually American – and topped things off with a chocolate rocher. I enjoyed it all, and the knowledge that I had ordered better than she, which is always nice but does mean that she swapped her so-so tarte tatin for my delish rocher. Balthazar also makes their bread on the spot; I confess, dear reader, to a major bread addiction. The killer bread display in the window is what actually made me want to come here first. I also enjoyed the fact that the bloody Mary had no ice in it – the only right way to make it. Things I didn’t like: the service was still very tentative, which you don’t expect from an American-run place; and the coat-check was really badly organized; we, and others were waiting by the door for a good 10 minutes waiting for our things, blocking the way while the girl evidently ran to a very far away place to fetch our things. But, on balance, these niggles can easily be sorted out. And no, Mario didn’t get a table, because Balthazar is a winner, and everybody already knows it.

Brasserie Blanc, 35 The Market, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8RF

Brasserie Blanc, 35 The Market, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8RF
17/08/2012
http://www.brasserieblanc.com/

She said… I heard that Monsieur Blanc had taken over the space where Chez Gerard used to be in Covent Garden market. I had never visited the previous space as I was fundamentally opposed to their charging a ‘cover price’ but since this was no longer in place and I was curious about the Blanc chain of restaurants, I thought the restaurant atop the market was a good one to try. Alas, expectations fell short. The room itself is pleasant although the outdoor terrace is probably the place to be on a pleasant day. The menu was promising with a wide selection of dishes to suit most palates. And the prices were what you think you should be paying but never do in such a place. I went for the set menu which offered two courses £14.99. I started with a leek, potato and egg salad which was tasteless and stodgy. I followed this with a gruyere and onion tart. With this being a French brasserie I was expecting a light, thin pastry base with juicy caramelised onions and a subtle creamy cheese. Instead, a thick quiche-like concoction which looked like it had been reheated. Again, stodgy and flavourless. I had been planning to have desert but decided to cut my losses and went with him to a new bakery on Chandos Street. I don’t know if the location means the tourist factor is in play (i.e. food for people you’ll never see again so screw quality) but I would have expected more from the Blanc brand.

He said… If no one had told you that Blanc had taken over this place from Gerard then you would never have know the difference.  Both are functional and nice enough, and priced well. But if a sudden craving for good, affordable French food came over you, then this would not be the first place you'd think of; for that see Zedel, below. The setting is pretty nice though, as it's on the upper level of Covent Garden, overlooking the opera house. The terrace space has got to be one of the best in London; I'm not too sure about the part that's glazed, which can feel like a greenhouse. I enjoyed lunch (the company was good) but the Blanc name does raise expectations. For instance, my pea soup made a good first impression, but I got bored with the too-thick, samey texture, and found myself wishing that the portion was smaller, which really doesn't happen often these days. But for £15 for two courses you really can't grumble. And if you avoid the weekends, and its swarms of day trippers, then Covent Garden is actually a nice, convenient place to meet for a sneaky, extended lunch on a sunny day.

Brasserie Zedel, 20 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED

Brasserie Zedel, 20 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED
09/08/2012
http://www.brasseriezedel.com/

She said… I visited this location many years ago when it was the Atlantic Bar and Grill so was intrigued to hear of it’s reopening as a French brasserie by the folk behind the Delaunay and Wolseley. The initial descent down to the basement is a bit off-putting, especially as on our arrival there was no sign of life upstairs and we guessed our way down the stairs to the restaurant lobby but everything changed when we entered the brasserie. The dining room is a stunning space with backlit stained-glass windows giving the impression of sunlight shining in, high ceilings, gold-leafed relief on towering columns and art-deco features such ceiling with its mix of frosted glass, and brown-gold light fittings. The layout is quintessential brasserie style with banquettes and chairs and starched table cloths in an open plan setting, with an eye-catching bar along one side and a charming boulangerie with ‘designer’  bread in a corner, complete with chef wearing large, pointy hat. What is a wonderful contrast to this glitz is the highly affordable menu which is packed with lots of choice. My starter remoulade for example was only £2.95 and yet a generous portion was presented. Many of the main courses are around the £10 mark (there is even a separate vegetarian menu where mains are below this price). We went for the sauerkraut with seafood which was for two people since it was a departure from the usual. A massive platter arrived which could easily feed four and alongside the picked cabbage contained salmon, haddock, prawns and seafood which I has asked them to hold off on but they forgot. There were also boiled potatoes and it all sat in a creamy sauce. It was delicious and despite it not looking like we’d eaten given the amount left in the platter after trying to ingest as much as possible, the drawback was that I had no room for the desserts I had been eyeing on the menu (which  again were a steal at around the £3.50 mark). We were so impressed by the setting, food, prices and service (good waiter to customer ratio) as well as a buzzy atmosphere of fellow diners that we are going to come back to celebrate mum’s birthday in a few weeks.

He said… This one is a winner. Since going with ‘she’, I have already been back once, and we're booked again for a lunch with the in-laws. That probably tells you all you need to know, but I'm guessing that a two-line review is not what you're looking for. Maybe you know this, but Zedel is on the site of the old Atlantic, a legend on the 90s London scene. As you walk down the stairs you see that a lot of the Deco design has been kept (it must be listed) even though it doesn't quite work with the turn-of-the-century vibe of the main room. I also remember the same strange, stale smell which the Atlantic stairway had; this is not the nicest opening to a meal, but I guess unavoidable being so far under ground, and not an issue once you reach the well-ventilated main room. This definitely has the wow factor - mainly because you don't expect such a large, opulent space so deep down, and because you do get the feeling of having been transported both in place and time. For me, it all had a strong, really pleasant echo of going out to eat when I was a kid in Brussels. Maybe it was the starter (celeriac remoulade) and the main (a seafood sauerkraut) but mainly it was the unfussy, accomplished professionalism of it all, which reminded me of that time when food was food, taken seriously but not a religion. Zedel pushes all my buttons:  my favourite restaurants have a distinctive vibe, and serve well-prepared food that doesn't necessarily rewrite all the rules, at a friendly price. Zedel ticks all the boxes, especially on the value front: though I don't mind spending money, I'm really a cheapskate at heart. Where else in Westminster can you get a starter for £3.50? I simply could not believe it, and had to ask the waiter if the pricing was introductory (it's not). This place is guaranteed to be full at every service, but luckily there's a good allocation for walk-ins. I can't wait to go again and again and work my way through the menu. By the way, Deco fans be sure to  grab a martini or negroni in the amazingly authentic American Bar; and night birds be sure to check out some of the acts in the cabaret.

Boundary, 2-4 Boundary Street, London E2 7DD

Boundary, 2-4 Boundary Street, London E2 7DD
04/07/2012
http://theboundary.co.uk/

She said… My birthday celebrations culminated in dinner at the Boundary, a basement French restaurant in a converted Victorian warehouse which forms part of a designer hotel development by the Conran empire. The restaurant space has an industrial, chic, smart and yet romantic feel; the combination of dark interior with splashes of colour work well. Although the room is open plan, more private seating areas are located around the room and we were seated at an intimate table in a recessed space towards the middle of the dining room whilst being able to look over the whole dining space. Having eaten my weight in cake earlier in the day I opted for the set menu kicking off with an artichoke salad which was full of flavour – perfect. I followed this with the sole which was less inspiring – it looked pretty - it was rolled up into parcels with designer vegetables around but I found the fish a bit chewy. Overall however, the Boundary restaurant is a lovely space with good service and with the right menu choice and a greater appetite, a smart, classy choice for an evening out. I would be keen to try the rooftop restaurant in the right weather and some tea and cake or a light lunch in the café on the ground floor – both of which also look good.

He said… Think of a Conran restaurant and your mind's eye will probably conjure one of the vast, buzzy places that made his reputation last millennium. Boundary is at the more intimate end of the spectrum - just the right place to wind down after a day full of activities to celebrate her birthday. Many moons ago Shoreditch celebrations used to involve warehouses full of happy people, and mind-blowing light shows. Now that Conran has colonised, you can eat from a tight, well-executed French menu in the basement, buy focaccia and gastro fare in the ground floor epicerie, grab a drink on the impressive roof terrace, and catch some zs in the hotel in between. The dining room is romantic in a way you would not expect from an East London basement: frescoes on the ceiling, smartly-dimmed lighting and under-street arches turned into  little alcoves. It all puts you in the right mood for your meal which for me is what this place is about. It's about the experience, the meal fitting  into the rest of your day exploring an interesting part of London, rather than the food which was the usual solid, Conran standard. Don't miss the roof terrace.

Cote, St Christpher’s Place, London W1U 1ND

Cote, St Christpher’s Place, London W1U 1ND
05/06/2012
http://www.cote-restaurants.co.uk/

She said…We noticed this new restaurant opening near us on our way to the Jubilee celebrations and discovered they were providing free dining as part of staff training before the restaurant formally opened so we booked for the next day ready to give our constructive feedback. The deal was, we could pick one main and one dessert and mine and his had to be different; we also got a flat bread with cheese and only had to pay for our drinks. We had the full a la carte to choose from. The flat bread was delicious – thin, perfectly cooked and juicy. For main I ordered the roasted seabass which came with braised fennel and a champagne butter and tomato ‘concasse’. The portion of fish was generous but the sauce was forgettable. The side of minted peas and glazed carrots were good accompaniments. For desert I got the chocolate fondue with vanilla ice cream along with a generous sized cup of latte. Cote passed the test of bringing dessert and coffee together as requested and the coffee was hot (not luke warm) as requested which was impressive since most restaurants fail in this test/request. My fondant was delicious – warm, tasty chocolate, soft and chewy sponge but I couldn’t help but keep shoving my spoon into his tarte tartin which was amazing – so we ended up ‘sharing’ our desserts (i.e. I ate much of his then mine). As for the trainee staff – service was good, attentive but not fussy. As we were responsible for providing feedback – maybe our plates could have been cleared more quickly and our table was right by the cash register, route to the toilets and where the food comes out so a bit busy but we will definitely be going back to this smart, value-for-money chain (even when not eating for free) which has something for everyone on the menu and great desserts. The seating in the front half of the restaurant with windows onto the passage by Christpher’s Place is particularly good. I do like this dine free for feedback concept!

He said... Chances are that there's a Cote not far from where you live, so I'm not going to say much about this one, other than go. If there's a high street chain restaurant out there better-value than Cote then I haven't been there yet. The setting, menu and price are all bang on. They could easily charge more for what they serve up, and still get away with it. The fish pie was as good as anything Sheekey's might serve up, and the tarte tatin is top notch.

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.