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. 

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.

Andina, 1 Redchurch Street, London, E2 7DJ

Andina, 1 Redchurch Street, London, E2 7DJ

20/07/2014

www.andinalondon.com

She said: We remain in love with Peruvian food since out trek last year. So, Andina was always going to be a target. Close to what was once little Bangladesh but now almost fully morphed into Trendland, Andina has a neighbourhood feel with its corner setting and casual, cramped interior. The menu offered an original, tempting range of dishes, and with this being a weekend, some interesting brunch options. We stuck with the regular section of the menu and ordered a selection of dishes in line with the ever increasing need for restaurants to encourage you to share their petite offerings rather than make a regular portion for one regular person. The food was amazing. The Cerviche dishes were the highlight. The only disappointment was the corn cake which was relatively bland. We did see giant portions of brunch dishes being escorted to different tables if you did want something with more bulk but I must say, there was a real authenticity to Andina which was highly satisfying. On my trip to the loo downstairs I discovered a larger, more open seating area. I think the brightness of upstairs makes the squeeze worth it but good to know there are more seats if cramp if not your thing.

He said: Someday you will read a bad Peruvian review here, but not today. We came close a little while ago when, following a recommendation, we checked out the Peruvian in London Bridge which has been opened much longer that the wave of recent openings. Lucky for us the Chef was late coming that day, so it wasn’t fully opened when we walked in, smelled the horror and walked right out. Peruvian food is all about fresh zingy flavours. So the rank atmosphere of a pub on a Sunday morning before clean-up is not the way to get in the mood. That was a close call. So, in my imagination all Peruvian food remains magic. And Andina was definitely par for the course; lots of delicious ceviche, and things not called ceviche that look like it. This is the kind of place where you want to install yourself for a while and try lots of dishes and guzzle lots of equally interesting mixed drinks. Speaking of which I can’t really recommend the Bloody Andina, which is made with Pisco, the flavour of which is too intense for tomato. And now that the negativity genie is out of the bottle, I will also say that the most expensive thing we ordered was grilled salmon skewers which were nice, but not a patch on all the more typical things. I’m definitely looking forward to going back, this is a great hang out spot, but if I have to pick a favourite Peruvian in London it’s still Ceviche in Soho.

Chiltern Firehouse, Chiltern Street, London W1U 7PA

Chiltern Firehouse, Chiltern Street, London W1U 7PA

14/04/2014

http://www.chilternfirehouse.com/

She said: You can’t open a magazine without Chiltern Firehouse being raved about. When our old Fire brigade was turned into ‘the place to be’ and every celebrity seemed to have passed through in its first week, I was apprehensive about booking this latest local addition. But for the greater good of Adventures in Scoffing I called, booked the first table available (a month away), put on a pretty frock and heels and walked down the road and into this now unrecognisable, gorgeous building. I was expecting pretension, affected service and food, being given the ‘oh, you’re nobody’ table and feeling like a spectator at someone else’s party. So I was delighted and elated to find that from the moment I booked to bidding the uniformed doorman good night, Chiltern Firehouse was absolutely lovely. Service was friendly, efficient and professional. The food was original, good portions and reasonably priced for such a joint (£100 for two including drinks). The table we were given was a good one, at the heart of the main eating area, with cosy cushioned corner seating. The room itself was interesting. For me, the rustic-cum-industrial feel didn’t quite do it in the glamour stakes. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a bright, smart, comfortable room and I love that it avoids the deafening chatter that so many spaces generate whilst still being buzzy but the ceiling looked like exposed insulation and it had a refurbished stable feel. But that’s probably just me. More importantly  the food. All the reviews go on about the crab donuts; the praise is well deserved. My mushroom and courgette risotto was a deep, electrifying green and just amazing. The dark chocolate tart to die for. I even chose well in the cocktail department with a sweet, citrus martini. Yes there were a few ‘names’ dining but all very understated and looking around, it was nice to see a mix of people enjoying a Monday night out. I did ponder why I had not seen any of these faces in my neighbourhood and how many were destination diners versus locals. But looking forward to coming back when the weather warms up to enjoy the stunning outdoor, enclosed terrace.

He said: Objectively there is nothing to dislike about the Firehouse, starting with the nicest bouncer imaginable and finishing with a very reasonable bill given, the quality and the location. To pick-off a few negatives [since there’s plenty of gushing praise out there anyways] the bar area is a little cramped, and the entrance into the dining room is an awkward dog-leg leaving you unsure whether to turn right or left. Otherwise it’s pretty much all good. The handsome design cleverly hints at the building’s past (ceiling detail made of chopped-up firehose, etc.) and makes the room feel open, like an extension of the fantastic outside terrace which will definitely be the place for sundowners this summer. And there’s a whole variety of tables to suit every need and personality quirk, including a long counter along the open kitchen for the Masterchef fanatics, and a row of actual tables overlooking the magic a little distance away for the more sensible foodies [where I will book next] who want the buzz of the kitchen but also to talk to each other. The food is faultless, as you’d expect of top perro Nuno Mendes, ditto the cocktails, and the service is very efficient without being hurried: no-one was nudging us to turn-over the table at the end. So why did I leave silently ruminating, as if solving quadratic equations in my head? I’ve never been to a restaurant before where I so clearly got the vibe that this was the place to be; everyone there obviously knew it too. Firehouse is a spit away from where I’ve lived for 10 years, but it’s so slick, and the hipness so palpable that I felt thousands of miles away: it felt much more powerhouse L.A. than laid-back Marylebone. But that shouldn’t stop you booking: this place is great. 

Ergon, 19 Picton Place, London W1U 1BP

Ergon, 19 Picton Place, London W1U 1BP

30/03/2014

www.ergonproducts.gr

She said: His mum was in town and we wanted somewhere close as she’d hurt her ankle. We opted for Ergon, a relatively new Greek restaurant just off the crazy, tourist-ridden St. James Street. Ergon has two floors with a deli in the basement and the restaurant at ground level. The space is modern and bright and when we went, busy but not noisy. The menu was great; lots of choice of small, creative plates so we ordered a mix of seven. The food didn’t disappoint, every dish was full of flavour including juicy grilled shrimps, oozing cheese pies, a creamy goats cheese and lentil salad and a roasted aubergine spread that you wanted to keep scooping up. But there is a but…The portions. For £16 I was expecting our salmon to be a main course and not the single, tiny (though tasty) strip that sat lonely on the plate. For £13 I think we got 6-8 shrimp; and cheekily they charge £3 for bread (whereas half a mile down the road any Middle Eastern restaurant on Edgware Road will include a bucket of bread with every order. Shame really as Ergon is a lovely place with great food. There are reasonably priced mezzes on the menu so I would still recommend Ergon but maybe stick with the veggie options. 

He said: The Real Greek did a hell of a lot to upgrade the knackered image of Greek food this side of the Balkans, and Ergon has now raised the game a few more notches. The only things Greek here you can either eat or drink. No balalaikas nailed to the wall, or blue-and-white stripy anything. From the outside you can’t really tell what you’re getting yourself into – it just looks like a nice, inviting, modern joint. So I walked in with no expectations, but I walked out really impressed. The food had the fresh, healthy zing of classic Mediterranean food, which Ergon delivered with a modern twist. And the drinks were really impressive too, like the excellent Rouzo cooler, and the martini made with grapa. I liked every dish and would gladly go back again and again. The only false note was that when ordering a dip, like the delicious roasted aubergine, bread is charged separately for an extra £3. If you’re going to charge for it then the bread had better be the best damned bread, which this definitely was not. Otherwise it comes across very Ryanair, really desperate and stingy. So just include it and charge more for each plate. Pricing is maybe a touch high, but this is W1 and the quality is very high. Ergon’s a hit with me.

Keepers House, Peyton & Byrne, Royal Academy, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD

Keepers House, Peyton & Byrne, Royal Academy, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD

25/02/2014

www.keepershouse.org.uk

She said: When I heard of a dedicated vegetarian menu every Tuesday at the Royal Academy’s new restaurant I immediately booked a table for the opening night. The sensation of walking through the Academy courtyard long after the galleries have closed is truly magical. A modest door to the side of the main entrance and a trip down an inconspicuous flight of stairs revealed a warren of rooms including a buzzing, cosy bar and a sleek, contemporary dining space. We were shown to our table and presented with a glass of champagne each which got me very excited about the culinary wonders to come. The vegetarian set menu, at £35 per head, was essentially a series of six small plates with mostly earthy tasting vegetables presented as works of art. The food did indeed look beautiful and tasted very fresh and I really liked the fact it wasn’t soaked in oils or powdered with salt which so many other places do. We were able to take our time over each course and enjoy the setting. I did enjoy the experience but at the same time don’t think I would go back. Each course was interesting, enjoyable and contrasted nicely between them; the service was good; the price okay for the setting and specialist nature of the evening but it didn’t blow me away. These days, vegetarian food does blow your mind and there was something just a bit too purist about the food here. It’s a bit like watching a technically brilliant ballet dancer but not connecting with the story she’s telling. Anyway, in short, check it out once.

He said: The waiter should only ever approach my table with small plates of cutesy nosh when it’s Chef sending it for free to keep us calm between courses. If it’s actually meant to be one of the courses then my mood blackens instantly, just like the skies over Wimbledon on an English summer’s day. That kind of refinement (‘my cooking is so amazing that you only need a spoonful because it will knock you off your chair and you won’t be able to eat more once you’re on the floor’) is entirely lost on me. Maybe I’m just a brute. Or maybe years of eating spicy curry and chugging whisky has numbed my taste buds to anything but slap-you-in-the-face flavours. Whatever it is, there is nothing I dislike more in a restaurant than tiny portions. All that alchemy from Keeper’s House, the heirloom carrots, the foamy this and that’s, might have been genius, but the first thing on my mind is not that Chef is the Caravaggio of Carrots, but that some miserly bean-counter has decreed that for the business to succeed each diner must be served no more than 127 micrograms of potatoes and one iota of polenta. For me going out to eat is as much about the generosity, the devil-may-care abundance, as it is about the skill. I want to go in hungry, and I want to come out satiated; obviously I’d like to experience awesome flavours, etc. but the priorities will forever be in that order. There are some good things about Keeper’s House, and the cooking might be one of them, but you’ll have to read what She said to find out about that. I did like the location of Keeper’s House, and that it offers a veggie tasting menu. But if eating at the Royal Academy I will always opt for the much more interesting space of The Restaurant and its more laid back, more generous cooking.

Chotto Matte, 11-13 Frith Street, London W1D 4RB

Chotto Matte, 11-13 Frith Street, London W1D 4RB

02/11/2013

www.chotto-matte.com/

She said: Not sure why but he seemed to be veering away from trying this Japanese-Peruvian in Soho but I would not have any of it. I was pleased with my resolve. Chotto Matte is an impressive space occupying a large corner in Soho. There is a trendy downstairs bar and cool, bright, confident upstairs restaurant with lots of dark wood, a long piece of graffiti art along one wall and an open kitchen. The menu offers a large choice of fusion foods for sharing. I found it difficult to choose but we settled on seven dishes that we both liked the sound of. The first four dishes came relatively quickly and were just delicious. This included a seabass ceviche which was shamefully small, yummy mushroom salad, a rather oily but tasty spring roll and impressive corn fritters. There was a respectable gap in service allowing us to prepare ourselves for a second round which again was superb and included a juicy aubergine dish that had a perfect sweet-tangy combination, succulent salmon picante and the only underwhelming dish, a plain courgette…Cutting to the chase – I loved my meal at Chotto Matte. The food was creative and moreish. Presentation and setting impressive. Service good. Prices were on the slightly higher than necessary side given the portions (making sharing best between people who know each other more intimately!) and with some dishes portion size really was just stingy. But I would come back – both for food and also to sample the great range of cocktails on offer.

He said: Chotto Matte is seriously stylish. You walk in and you feel like the coolest cat in town, and it’s in Soho: so easy to find! No need to get stressed running the gauntlet passed Dalston crack dens. For a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant there is something very New York about it: must be all that graffiti, black light, and urbane hipness. I loved all the food, but there was so little of it! The size of these sharing plates was so small that, if there’s more than two people at your table, then you had better bring your protractor and scales to figure our the sharing. Having said that, if I wasn’t thinking about cost then I wouldn’t give a damn, because it was all very tasty, and very pretty to look at. And, for once, there was a lot of choice for vegetarians. Drinks were imaginative, distinctive, and not too expensive. The ground-floor bar is a great place to hang out and knock back a few. So I would certainly come back, but my favourite Peruvian is still Ceviche, which I love as much for its food as for its no pretentious bullshit approach – a rare trait on London’s Peruvian scene.

Aqua Shard, Level 31, The Shard 31 St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY

Aqua Shard, Level 31, The Shard  31 St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY

29/08/2013

www.aquashard.co.uk

She said: We picked Europe’s tallest tower as an appropriate venue to mark the lofty milestone of mum turning 77. Wow. This was an amazing experience. After reading poor reviews about snooty service and high prices in Oblix the floor above, I decided to book Aqua on the 31st floor of the Shard. From the second we arrived we were greeted with enthusiasm. The first impression is breathtaking: a vast, open space with floor to ceiling windows and double height ceiling draws you into Aqua with a bar area on one side and dining on the other. We decided to have cocktails in the bar first and were seated by a window with spectacular views of London. The cocktail menu offered great choice at the higher (but not crazy) prices you would expect for the location at around £12. We then moved to the smart, contemporary dining area where further stunning views greeted us. The set menu at £28 for three courses was fantastic value and the food faultless. I started with the cured-wild seabass which was light with subtle flavours and followed this with a delicious barley risotto which I held back from finishing to allow room for dessert. I’m glad I did as dessert was an irresistible chocolate millefeuille. The service was friendly, personable and attentive and included a birthday plate with candle for mum which added to this special experience. I cannot imagine picking anywhere better to celebrate edging closer to 80 and the whole dining party were full of praise and smiles. I loved Aqua and am looking forward to going back – again and again. This place will suit any occasion, work or play.

He said: This was a very, very pleasant surprise. And I don’t mean because of the view, or the incredibly large, uniquely un-London room, both of which have got the X Factor in spades. No, I mean the food. This will sound horribly ungrateful, but most fine dining is so paint-by-numbers, so samey-samey, that you don’t even notice it – like some Norman Foster airport or office block: you kind of remember it, but you’re not too sure where or what. Aqua Shard could easily have dished out the same ol’ international slop; their proposition is so unique that the room would have been just as full as when we went. But no: Aqua Man clearly cares: each of my plates had it all: great ingredients, presentation, textures, flavours, and, not least, man-sized portions. I had the carrot salad (three varieties: yellow, purple, and familiar orange) with its mellow pesto dressing and ricotta; then the barley risotto; then the chocolate mille-feuille, all of which I would gladly have again. I am soooo glad that these guys didn’t go down the lazy route. You might think that’s because the rent is so eye-poppingly high that they have to deliver to pay the man; but in fact, cynical reader, at £28 my à la carte was great value, and a bargain compared to most places with much less to offer but much more attitude. Really the only negative about Aqua Shard is the strange, gastroenteritis-sounding name. You should go: it’s definitely the top table in London at the moment.