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.

Rum Kitchen, Kingly Court, London Carnaby Street, W1B 5PW

Rum Kitchen, Kingly Court, London Carnaby Street, W1B 5PW

13/12/2013

www.therumkitchen.com

She said: We tried going to the Notting Hill site a few months ago for lunch only to be told they don’t serve lunch, so were excited to learn we could satisfy our Caribbean lunch-cravings at the new Soho site. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Rum Kitchen sits atop the Kingly Court courtyard and is done up to look like an ocean-side chic-shack with lots of colourful lights and nostalgia on display. The bar is a throwback to the same with a chilled-out barman happily pouring his own-defined generous measures into various concoctions. I was excited before even sitting down. I ordered a Bloody Mary which had a super spicy kick but was strangely addictive…For food I ordered some salted fish fritters to start which were indeed salty, juicy and tasty. For mains I chose the pumpkin, coconut and chic pea curry which came on a bed of roti. The portion was huge and after eating as much as I could the plate looked untouched (until he helped out). The curry was full of flavour and definitely hit the spot. Service was friendly and the waiter asked if we were full which if the first time I remember a waiter ever checking I was appropriately stuffed. I loved this place. Prices are very reasonable and yes the fact that I had a 50% Rum Kitchen discount helped but quality and value stand up on their own. This is a great place for food, to socialise and to just have a relaxed, decent meal. Definitely going back.

He said: My knowledge of Caribbean cuisine begins and ends with Jamaican patties, and rice & peas, so I can't really comment on the authenticity of the food. But what we ordered I liked, especially Her curried veggie stew. What I liked most about Rum Kitchen is the no-nonsense, keep-it-simple principle: a short menu of classics well executed. It's because of this streamlined menu that I ordered the swordfish burger. That's a fish I've avoided ever since being told by someone whose job it is to know that you'll be hard-pressed to find more parasites in any other of neptune's denizens. Still, in for a penny, in for a pound, it was delish and I gobbled it up. The service was friendly and efficient, and the portions generous. You know a place's MO when the waitress asks you at the end: 'did that fill you up honey?' Drinks were tasty and potent, mixed as they were with free pours - something I have not seen I years in London, and one of the few things that I miss about America. The brains behind Rum Kitchen are visibly genuinely keen for every punter to walk out satiated and happy.  It has all the hallmarks, funky decor included, of a future franchise roll-out (though I really hope not). There is nothing not to like about Rum Kitchen. I'm going back next week with the guys.

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.

Ceviche, 17 Frith Street, London W1D 4RG

Ceviche, 17 Frith Street, London W1D 4RG

27/05/2013

www.cevicheuk.com

She said: My preconceptions of an ‘affected’ trendy, over-hyped Soho joint were blown away following our meal at Ceviche. On entering a slightly pokey space with dining tables at a bar we passed into a bright, open and colourful dining space at the rear of the restaurant. The menu contained a fantastic choice of south American tapas making it a challenge to contain ourselves to what we could actually eat. After he said I should choose three and he would do the same we were presented with a series of mouth-watering dishes that were absolute perfection. This ranged from a juicy wasabi ceviche with excellent quality seabass to a potato cake layered avocado and ginger to a delicious wok cooked vegetable quinoa unlike anything I’ve had before. We’ve done the rounds of quite a few south American places recently and Ceviche is my favourite for overall quality and originality of food, friendly and efficient service in a welcoming dining space at a reasonable price - £50 excluding drinks. Will be back for more.

He said: sometimes you should believe the hype. There’s been a lot of chatter about Ceviche, and that, combined with the fact that it’s in Soho, was enough to keep it far down our list of places to hit. What a mistake! I can’t wait to go back already. There’s something inherently winning about Peruvian food (as we know it here, anyways) – the novelty of the flavours and ingredients would thrill even the most jaded foodie. But Ceviche adds to this an informality and authenticity that I haven’t felt in the other places, which tend to pitch this cuisine as something deluxe. But I’m guessing that a lot of these dishes are everyday things for Joe Lima. We’ll find out, as we’re off to Peru soon. It also helps that Ceviche is quite a bit cheaper than the others.

Social Eating House, 58 Poland Street, London W1F 7NR

Social Eating House, 58 Poland Street, London W1F 7NR

18/05/2013

www.socialeatinghouse.com

She said: I thought we’d make it three for three and booked the third in the Atherton Social series. This time in Soho behind a modest, vintage frontage we entered into a smart, trendy yet down-to-earth brasserie. The front half near the bar has larger red banquette seating and the rear half has the greater concentration of seating with mustard coloured banquettes and a more industrial feel. The menu was impressively inventive. I opted for the prix fixe for my starter and main – both fish dishes: the salt cod fishcake to start was delicious but as per the name, salty; the Silver Mullet bouillabaisse I had for my main course was underwhelming due to its simplicity and felt something more was needed. I picked my dessert from the a la carte – a chocolate mouse with chocolate éclair. Again this was disappointing in that it didn’t match up to the sophistication of his dishes and dishes at the Social’s sister restaurants: it felt more like  a diner dessert with a lump of sweet mouse in an ice cream dish with a chunky piece of dry pastry (the éclair) stuffed with salty caramel ice cream that just clashed with what I had hoped would be a delicate, fluffy, chocolate éclair. Given my comments on my food, it may therefore surprise that I actually loved Social Eating House and would definitely come back. At £18 for two courses from the Prix Fixe it’s good value; the service was great as was the setting and atmosphere. It’s about picking well. He picked well and I picked at his selection well – I’ll let him have his say but he chose much better than me and every one of his courses was perfection, including an alcoholic milkshake. It averaged out at £30 each for three courses, drinks and coffees. A welcome addition to the rather mixed Soho world of dining.

He said: Having already gushed about the other two Socials I’m a little worried about sounding like a deranged fan who would gobble-up even Atherton’s toenail clippings. So I won’t say much other than I really liked it, again. From afar the Social group’s success might looked like inexplicable voodoo or mad alchemy, but it’s really pretty simple: equal parts of quality, laid-back vibe, and fair pricing. Blindingly obvious really, so it’s baffling that Atherton seems to be one of the few headliners to have seen the light. This incarnation is the most informal of the three, although the studied coolness of the boho-chic décor might be a little too hip for some. It’s so ‘on trend’ that there was even a boozy milkshake on special (it was awesome). The menu shows the trademark joyful experimentation, which made the classic comfort food even more irresistible to me: I just had to find out what spin Social would put on mushroom on toast, and mac & cheese. Well, let me tell you: the mushrooms had  been cooked in a sealed bag (cut open at your table) with cep puree which delivered a really deep, intense flavour. Mushrooms with a capital m, underlined, and highlighted. Wow. I will go back just for that. As for the mac & cheese, plenty of others have tried to ponce-up this student staple before, which invariably seems like gilding a turd; the toxic yellow, powdered cheese version might be crap but it’s still usually best. But not today, Social’s version was a real winner: no tsunami of cheesy sludge here; instead the pasta was coated with just enough of a thin yet intensely rich sauce. I have no idea what the kitchen did here, but it worked really well. £18 had never been better spent on two course before. Desert was a delicious almond sponge soaked in London honey (such a thing exists: walking home last night I saw two dudes in bee-suits bringing a hive down a ladder, on Wigmore Street!) – it was delicious. I said that I wouldn’t gush, so let me highlight a huge fault: She wouldn’t keep her fork out of my plates the whole bloody meal. Damn you, Social!

Tonkotsu, 63 Dean Street, London W1D 4QG

Tonkotsu, 63 Dean Street, London W1D 4QG

05/01/13

www.tonkotsu.co.uk

She said: I was caught in a rare mood for some noodles and so we headed to the new ‘trendy’ Tonkotsu which had been receiving good reviews. It’s a small restaurant in Soho, basic in design with shared tables. No great initial impression other that this place will be about the food. But alas, the rave was greater than the reality. I ordered a mushroom miso (the only vegetarian main dish on a very small menu) which took forever to come – maybe 30 minutes for a bowl of noodles…We also shared some mushroom Gyoza which he was upset about being all stuck together (five clumps) but which I found tasty if oily; the prawn in batter was good but waiting so long for my food increased expectations which – for the price (almost £40 for two with one soft drink) was not met. I would suggest opting for the cheaper ramen chains which may not be as refined in the ‘quality’ of their miso broth but to be honest – unless you were a ramen connoisseur, you would not know the difference.

He said: The first thing that strikes you about Tonkotsu is the very pleasant smell of the rich stock bubbling away – definitely a good omen for a ramen joint. The space is cosy and done-up in a modern version of the familiar Japanese ‘wood everywhere’ décor. All very authentic. I was half expecting that incomprehensible greeting often shouted at you in Japanese restaurants when you walk in. The menu is very short: three types of ramen, and a handful of sides. We both went for the veggie ramen, and gyoza and prawn katsu. The sides were unremarkable and I would avoid them next time, but the ramen was delicious – the mushroom/miso stock had a depth of flavour that’s really scarce and a wonderful change from the thin and bland norm. Having said that more vegetables would have been nice to add greater texture and substance. I might go back in a while, when they’ve sorted out some of the glitches with the service and sides; meanwhile the search for the ultimate London ramen joint continues. There are not many covers, so plan on eating American style (ie early) if you don’t want to queue. 

10 Greek Street, London W1D 4DH

10 Greek Street, London W1D 4DH
16/06/2012
http://www.10greekstreet.com/

She said…Wow. I had read the glowing reviews but there have been many a glow for the barren, skinny looking dining rooms around Soho that have left me underwhelmed. But not 10 Greek Street which is absolutely deserving of its praise. Taking a chance on not reserving we turned up for an early lunch on a Saturday afternoon and found ourselves in a narrow but bright and chic space with industrial style décor. The menu was written on blackboards on either side of the room and prices were very reasonable – especially given the creativity and quality of everything we ate. The complimentary fresh bread was fresh and contained various mixes of herbs and fruits and I kicked off with mackerel which came with a blueberry jelly and horseradish sauce which I could spread on some toasted bread; the whole thing was bursting with flavour. To follow, I had the Hake which was a succulent piece of fish in a dish surrounded by fennel, dates and fresh, crunchy cucumber. All the flavours of this main dish complimented each other to create a unique tasting experience. Despite a lack of room I made way for a chocolate terrine accompanied by a pot of tea. The high quality chocolate was creamy and thick and melted in my mouth. I could not believe what a special place Greek Street turned out to be – the food is spectacular and the setting, though intimate (it was full when we were leaving) feels friendly and comfortable. One to come back to – especially given the changing menu. Ten out of ten.

He said... What a nice surprise this was. We'd been to enough of those trendy no-reservation Soho joints to know not to expect more than a lot of hot air. The aesthetic here is much the same, you know the kind: boho minimalism, tunes played through a turntable, etc. But there the similarities stop. The blackboard echoed the passion that was wafting out of the kitchen, and the vibe was genuine, mellow and warm. I kicked things off with a rigatoni with chili and crab, and followed with a really good hake. What can I say other than eat early, like an American, to make sure to get a table. This one really works, though I'm not sure how: it came to just £58 for three excellent course, and there are not many covers. You get a great sense of discovery eating here. Save it for one of your know-it-all friends and blow them away with your inside track on foodie London's beating heart

Cinnamon Soho, 5 Kingley Street, London W1B 5PF

Cinnamon Soho, 5 Kingley Street, London W1B 5PF
05/05/12

http://www.cinnamon-kitchen.com/soho-home

She said…I was craving some Indian food and had been looking forward to the Cinnamon experience since reading the menu online. Having read a review I knew beforehand that the plates would be small so to order a good mix of dishes. We arrived via the Kingley Street entrance though later realised there is another ‘main’ entrance which is prettier from Kingley Court. We didn’t pay much attention to the setting as we were both starving and so got stuck in ordering a mix of 5 small dishes which consisted of crab and vegetable balls, tandoori salmon, mushroom on toast and mathri with a roasted aubergine dip. Except for the mathri (which were essentially corn-like fatty snacks with a mis-matched sweet and rather chunky dip) and the vegetable balls which were ok, the other plates were fantastic: soft crab in a crispy batter with a perfect sauce, succulent salmon which melts in the mouth and a sort of curried mushroom that was over too soon. For ‘mains’ I went for a pea and cauliflower kichri but they got the order wrong and brought me a fish one instead. I didn’t want to wait for the correct order so took the fish one which was lovely – and was pleasantly surprised when they did not charge me for this on the bill for getting it wrong, exemplifying their already excellent customer service. I recommend the sweet lassi to drink which complimented the whole meal. It was only when we had digested our food that I took a proper look around the room and did wonder why a bit more effort didn’t go into the design. The dining room is fairly stark and lacks personality with dark wooden furniture and generic art in frames; a little more style would have been the icing on an already delicious, Anglo-Indian cake. Prices? Mmm, bit steep given the size of the dishes but worth it.

He said… If I didn’t know that this was part of the Cinnamon Club Group then I probably would not have tried this excellent restaurant. It doesn’t have much of a street presence, and the space is small and dark and really quite dull. But its daddy has a big reputation, so I was excited when I stumbled across this place on a walk around town. There are a lot of Indian restaurants in London (most of them Bangladeshi, it turns out), and some of them serve-up incredibly good food at an unbelievably low price. But Cinnamon is one of the few that does something really distinctive. The basic premise here is the best of British fused with the best of Asian. Not since the 60s would you see an Indian menu that included ‘safe’ options like mushroom on toast, or seafood pie. Except that here they’re not a concession to fearful diners, but instead a chance to reinvent and even improve on classics, bringing them bang-up-to-date for kids raised on exotica, like tamarind or garam masala. You will never eat a better mushrooms on toast than you will here. And that’s the reason to come to Cinnamon; the space may be uninspiring, the prices seemingly high, but you can’t get this kind of inspiring cooking in many other places. The portions are on the small side, so order more than the usual one starter one main.

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.