Bonnie Gull, 21A Foley Street, London W1W 6DS

Bonnie Gull, 21A Foley Street, London W1W 6DS

23/10/2013

www.bonniegull.com/

She said: Bonnie Gull has the feel of a fine, local seaside eatery – quite an achievement given its Fitzrovia location. This ‘seafood shack’ is a smart, cosy, lightly nautical-themed space with a changing menu catering to seafood lovers (with the odd vegetarian option). I started with the beetroot salmon which was simple but clearly good quality and followed it with a cod that came with some sliced Brussels sprouts and raisins; the cod was again a simple dish (no sauce/’jus’ or other noticeable added flavours) but lukewarm. My dessert was pure chocolate goodness in the form of a chocolate brownie with a caramel salted ice cream. Although the starter and main was nothing to write home about, I really liked Bonnie Gull; I think because it’s refreshing to enjoy a relaxed, friendly, neighbourhood restaurant in the centre of town that has a simple, clear focus. This means you can sit down, order and get on with the joy of hanging out without feeling like ‘they’ need the table back or you’re part of a passing trend or latest ‘pop-up’! The only reality check that we’re in London not Southend was the £82 bill; but then again the fish is responsibly sourced…

He said: One day I will write the ultimate secret London guide, and indexed under ‘fish restaurant’ you will certainly find Bonnie Gull. Not that’s it’s hard to find – a quick Boris-bike ride to Fitzrovia is all it took; no three-hour traffic-chocked crawl to deepest Norfolk or Kent required. But once you get there the vibe is certainly the real Deal. A dozen or so tables are scattered about a cozy room brightly decorated in whites and blues, with windows on two sides letting-in the incomparable British skies and light. Service is chummy and efficient, and the place generally radiates a fine, aren’t-you-happy-we’re-here-instead-of-there atmosphere. I kicked things off with a nice mushroom consommé, and followed with pan-fried hake. Excellent stuff and, at about £20 per main, fairly priced given the quality and the fact that fish are basically nearly extinct. If you’ve grown bored of elbowing your way through throngs of clebs to commandeer your usual table at Scott’s then have a pop at Bonnie’s – I certainly can’t think of another fish place I’d rather hit.

Coya, 118 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NW

Coya, 118 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NW

02/03/2013

www.coyarestaurant.com

She said: He was treating me to a pre-birthday surprise and exceptionally uncovered a chic, romantic, eclectically-decorated, trendy South American restaurant that I knew nothing about. In the basement of a period building on Piccadilly, Coya serves up mostly tapas-style dishes that are perfectly flavoured with each leaving you wanting more. We shared five such dishes including a seabass cerviche, mushroom and monkfish anticuchos and the fish cazuela – all magnificent.  The service at Coya was friendly and attentive and this is clearly a professional Mayfair outfit in a stylish setting whilst managing to retain a casual atmosphere. At almost £100 for food plus two cocktails its an occasion restaurant for us but one that is worth finding an occasion for.

He said: Hyde Park Corner is, I imagine, like that No Man’s Land between North and South Korea, or Indian and Pakistani Kashmir – nice on either side but not somewhere you go to specifically. You normally just run through this giant traffic junction, unless you’re taking (way) out-of-towners to Hard Rock Café. But persevere, and walk down into Coya and savour some of that old school Mayfair glamour. Even armed with the receipt I won’t pretend that I can remember what everything was called. But it was exciting. And not just because of the novelty – there was a genuine freshness and buzz to every one of the many small plates brought out of this bang-on kitchen. And the drinks and the décor were both bred to win. With enough cash to splash this would be a hell of a place for a bash.

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

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

12/01/13

http://sushisamba.com/location/london

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

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

Hawksmoor, 5A Air Street, London W1J 0AD

Hawksmoor, 5A Air Street, London W1J 0AD

24/11/2012

www.thehawksmoor.com/airstreet

She said: I had previously known about Hawksmoor as a strictly meat-eater’s domain so when I heard that this new West End opening also specialised in fish I wanted to see what the whole Hawksmoor buzz was about. Sitting above Regent Street in a long horizontal Art Deco dining space, entered through an easy-to-miss side door on Air Street, Hawksmoor felt elegant, comfortable and smart. We were seated in a u-shaped banquette near the middle of the room so could survey the room and its diners comfortably. Service was attentive without being fussy. I went for the set menu at £25 for three courses. I had the shrimps on toast to start which was a juicy, garlic soaked concoction, followed by a whole Royal bream with a side of mushrooms which again was cooked to perfection and melted in the mouth. To finish I had the lemon tart which was perfect but also dug into his peanut butter shortbread with salted caramel ice cream which he ordered as my back-up! Overall I enjoyed the Hawksmoor experience. I thought the food, service and setting was good but it needs to be busy to have an atmosphere otherwise it could feel a little soulless and cold. I would certainly come back.

He said: What I like most about Hawksmoor is the back-to-basics feel to it; not to the space, which is distinctly opulent in that pared-back art deco way, but to the food. There is no over-elaboration; the menu is short, and every dish focused on simplicity, allowing each of the few ingredients involved to sing out. So my Caesar salad was the classic, without the modern bells and whistles, and my trout was visibly a trout, eyes and all, for me to hack away at. My only disappointment on the food front was stale/tough croutons in the salad, which is a major issue in a dish of just four ingredients (plus dressing). Service was easy-going but efficient, in keeping with the formula. For me the only false note was in the interior; I am a big sucker for art deco so, in theory, I should have loved this place, but the fluorescent light just killed the vibe. Before writing me off as a ponce you just go see for yourself. Like me you’ll probably walk away thinking ‘that was nice’, but with so many great restaurants in London it might be a while before a repeat visit. Somehow this recent opening is already on the map for tourists, so make sure to book.