Heddon Street Kitchen, 3–9 Heddon St, London W1B 4BE

Heddon Street Kitchen, 3–9 Heddon St, London W1B 4BE
www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/heddon-street-kitchen/
04/07/2015

She said: I’d been wanting to go here since the opening was trailed but he had decided he didn’t like Ramsay so I was surprised when we walked in for a pre-theatre dinner on my birthday – especially after a slap-up birthday lunch. I’m pleased to report – he was wrong and admitted he was wrong to be anti-Ramsay. Having replaced a previously unforgettable noisy drinking/dinng spot in the foodie Heddon Street, Ramsay’s space is an open, smart but relaxed dining room with cosy banquette seating. The menu offers a good range of options but with limited time we went straight to mains. My fish was succulent and delicious and I wasn’t about to pass up the chance to have a second desert on my birthday so ordered the chocolate tartlet which was just amazing. There was a lovely gesture when staff brought out a second chocolate tartlet with a candle and birthday greeting for me; I’m not sure why they hadn’t just done this with the first tart and even for me another round of pudding wasn’t going to succeed in staying down if I were to try to hoover it up so staff obliged with a doggie bag which he clung to for me during a less satisfying West End ‘comedy’. Heddon Street, very much like Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen in St Paul’s, is a great spot for great food at expected prices for an eatery of this calibre and somewhere I will definitely go back to. Yum.

He said: She'd wanted to try this Ramsay joint for a really long time so, on a special day, I chose to display my legendary thoughtfulness, park my irrational antipathy for Ramsay, and treat her to a surprise visit. But I was definitely more surprised than she was: I actually liked this one, despite starting from a very low base of expectations. I suppose that in previous expeditions, foraging through Ramsay's vast food empire, I'd liked the food well enough, but found the portions stingy and the vibe generally too wannabe sophisticated. Two words you'd never use to define the English character are 'miserly' or 'aspirational', so I never really clicked with the Ramsay thing. But Heddon Street knocks out good portions of really good, interesting British food that's not over-elaborate, in a sexy (is that British?!) and cool but comfortable setting, at a fair price - what more do you want?! The location is also very convenient, being tucked away in a little oasis of calm just off Regent Street. Heddon Street may not be the flashiest Ramsay gaff, but it's definitely my favourite. By the way the cocktails are excellent and under a tenner, so this is a good all-rounder!

Percy and Founders, 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BT

Percy and Founders, 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BT
www.percyandfounders.co.uk
18/04/2015

She said: Gutted to miss the soft launch 50% off by a day (a rare exercise of poor planning) we headed to this new fancy pub/restaurant in the once vast Middlesex Hospital near Goodge Street. The space is impressive – a fancy All-Bar One-like interior but with designer furniture. They were only doing a brunch menu when we went so I opted for a salmon salad with a martini both of which were very good. The prices are fine for where we are and what they do but more importantly, this is a great new hangout space for a relaxed meal and drinks in a trendy but comfortable setting. I can already see this being a fantastic Christmas spot and a see-and-be-seen space in the Summer.

He said: Percy and Founder was genetically-engineered to be successful. The space is vast, which is still rare for that part of London, and hits the boho-chic mark right on the head. It’s central yet off the main drag, so you get that feeling of discovery. Cocktails are under £10, and the food is British-ish, and really well executed. The only false note is that one of my dishes was served on something goofy, not a slate or a rock (I can’t quite remember) but something other than a plate, which is trying a little too hard and so last decade. I really enjoyed the vibe there, and pretty much everything else. This would be a great place to hang out with a bunch of mates. But, dear readers, now is the time to go; don’t delay! P&F is inside a really expensive new development, with offices and apartments about to be handed-over. It might not be long ‘til it’s teeming with blowhards, so go there while the going’s good, and I’ll see you there!

Michael Nadra, 42 Gloucester Avenue, London NW1 8JD

Michael Nadra, 42 Gloucester Avenue, London NW1 8JD
www.restaurant-michaelnadra.co.uk/primrose

14/02/2015

She said: We first noticed this place during a morning walk along the Regent’s Canal; though not on the water, Nadra occupies a large corner plot tucked just behind the canal in Primrose Hill. Giving up on waiting for a sunny day, we wondered in for a weekend lunch. Though there is a lovely walled terrace for when it’s warm enough, inside is a series of charming caverned rooms and we were seated in the one at the back facing an inviting fireplace. The set menu seemed good value at two courses for £21 and provided an excellent range of options. Nadra also has a dedicated Martini menu (my favoured poison) so I could not resist a lychee martini and could easily have had several. The warm bread was delicious and compulsive. For my starter I ordered the tuna tartar and salmon ceviche which was absolute perfection and my choice of main was the halibut which came with a combination of flavours that blew me away. This place is food heaven. I envied the folk of Primrose Hill for having such an amazing local. And indeed it did feel local, with couples and families having a relaxing lunch, clearly familiar with this place. But yet Nadra has a classy, contemporary and exquisite feel. The service was friendly and engaging. The puddings didn’t call to me on this occasion but with the menu changing regularly I would expect that to change next time – because there will be a next time.

He said: As She will gladly confirm, no doubt, being married to me is like Valentine’s Day every day. So as a matter of principle we avoid the commercial bandwagon of Love. The last time we did was many moons ago,  in the early days of our fairytale courtship, at a Bella Pasta, I think. But there are few things in life as good as a surprise (unless it’s sprung by your doctor) and so we took a romantic walk along the canals to Michael Nadra’s. Going at lunch, in daylight, meant that the walk was romantic rather than like a spooky episode of Prime Suspect; and also that we avoided all the cringey, goo-goo ga-ga forced romance thing. The maitre d’ told us that the previous year there had been three proposals that night, including one that sounded like a real car crash. We kicked things off with an excellent martini each – Nadra mixes excellent cocktails – and followed with a starter and main, thinking we’d catch a desert somewhere else. The food, of the pan European variety, was excellent, well-prepared and presented. My main of tagliolini was a generous portion, which was a very pleasant surprise; the way these are rationed in some places (eg Ramsey) you’d think they were the last vial of antibiotics in the First Aid tent at Glastonbury festival. The only mistake was skipping desert; these actually described really well, and would have crowned an already very good meal – who knows, the chocolate high might have even compelled her to give her Valentine a smooch on the walk back. Nadra’s is actually a nice, hidden little gem, and kind of romantic whether or not it's Valentine’s Day. I definitely recommend it, especially on a spring or summer’s evening, when you can also sit in the courtyard and knock back some very good cocktails.

Inamo, 4-12 Regent St, London SW1Y 4PE

Inamo, 4-12 Regent St, London SW1Y 4PE
12/07/2014
www.inamo-stjames.com

She said: This place is cool! There are some who may think it gimmicky and prefer waiters and table cloth but come on: you order from a projected menu on your table, the food is amazing and menu huge and prices reasonable. There’s also a great cocktail list. What’s not to like? The technology doesn’t stop with the menu, you can pick a projected table cloth, add more food as you please and even ask for individual bills which is great for groups of friends who spend ages trying to split the thing at the end of a meal. Food was quick to arrive, though individually so it won’t work for people wanting to have dishes as the same time but I quite liked the gaps which allowed time for digesting. In a world of standard dining, Inamo offers something different without compromising on food. Will definitely be back.

He said: Like an old Uncle that bores everyone with the same anecdotes over, and over, and over, I must have told She a dozen times that if I was ever asked to design the ultimate restaurant I would install call bells to get service at will, especially after desert, when you want the bill and staff is studiously ignoring you in favour of customers still ordering and spending money. Genius, right? Bob Bob Ricard does it, with a button you’re meant to press when you want more champagne; technically you could abuse that to get the bill too. But Inamo goes one better: your table is a whizzy ordering system connected to the kitchen, and you can get everything, and the bill, without having to scan the room and pounce, leopard-like, on a passing waiter. So you can imagine my delight when She booked Inamo for my birthday; not only can I order as many gyoza as I want without talking to a humanoid but evidently, even after years of marital bliss, she still listens to my boring rants! Beyond the gimmick the food is very good, and the imaginative mixed drinks very well priced at about £7 each. What’s not to like?!