Latest reviews for Restaurants in London, United Kingdom

Le Relais De Venise L'Entrecote - Go Once and You'll Go Back! by Jimbo

Jimbo — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:03:17 +0000

Review by Jimbo

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7486 0878

Website: http://www.relaisdevenise.com

There's not much to add, really. The only reason I'm keeping one of the stars for myself is their "slightly" high prices.

Like I said in my review of their Paris branch, I'd be fooling myself if I disagree with their "come once and you'll come back" tagline.There's not much to add, really. The only reason I'm keeping one of the stars for myself is their "slightly" high prices.

Like I said in my review of their Paris branch, I'd be fooling myself if I disagree with their "come once and you'll come back" tagline.

Barcelona Tapas Bar & Restaurant - Barcelona This Is Not by Litro_K

Litro_K — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:53:57 +0000

Review by Litro_K

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 8693 5111

Website: http://www.barcelona-tapas.com

Tags: spanish, toptable

On the last night of the (sadly missed) hot weather this week, I had a sudden craving when I got home from work and stared feebly at the cooker. It came to me as a vague memory of being in a hot land, once, before I moved to England, and eating something lovely outside, watching the sunset. Ah! Tapas, I thought. Little morsels of deliciousness. Easy on the waistline. Fun to share. Easy on the wallet. All washed down with a nice cold cerveza, I thought. Que bueno.

A quick flick through my Time Out Cheap Eats guide found our nearest tapas bar, Barcelona. It said they did a good Sunday buffet, but I figured we wouldn't have much, and we could just check it out for the next time we felt like a Sunday all-you-can-eat tapas buffet. (!) So off we went on the bus.

The first disappointing thing I noticed was that the bar had some great big red umbrellas, which would have been a nice place to sit and watch the sun go down, but that they were awfully close to the main road (the upper end of Lordship Lane is not that attractive). Then we got inside, and although the decor was cute and the tables well-spaced, the place was empty, bar two sullen-looking couples who looked like they wished they'd turned around and gone home.

I kind of wished we had, too. But a strange politeness comes over me in restaurants. I watched as the podgy elderly Spanish gentleman waiter came to greet us. He looked so excited! So happy! He had customers! So we sat, and looked through the vast (seemingly authentic) menu. There was lots of offal on offer. Mmm.

In the end, we lazily decided to order the set tapas menu at Â£10.99 per person. It included albondigas, chorizo, patatas bravas, chipirones, champignones and bread. We had some olives on the side and a 100ml bottle of Mahou. Nothing was outstanding. The chorizo was oily and tough, the squids also tough and nearly inedible.

We paid Â£35 for this delightful evening (the restaurant empied very soon after we arrived). I really, really wanted to like it there. I wanted to like the podgy waiter, who smiled sweetly at us as we stumbled over ordering in Spanish. I even tried to imagine his history asked him where he was from, tried to imagine how a man from Galicia ended up in this sorry place in Dulwich. I tried, really I did.

Next time, I'm going to Brindisa.On the last night of the (sadly missed) hot weather this week, I had a sudden craving when I got home from work and stared feebly at the cooker. It came to me as a vague memory of being in a hot land, once, before I moved to England, and eating something lovely outside, watching the sunset. Ah! Tapas, I thought. Little morsels of deliciousness. Easy on the waistline. Fun to share. Easy on the wallet. All washed down with a nice cold cerveza, I thought. Que bueno.

A quick flick through my Time Out Cheap Eats guide found our nearest tapas bar, Barcelona. It said they did a good Sunday buffet, but I figured we wouldn't have much, and we could just check it out for the next time we felt like a Sunday all-you-can-eat tapas buffet. (!) So off we went on the bus.

The first disappointing thing I noticed was that the bar had some great big red umbrellas, which would have been a nice place to sit and watch the sun go down, but that they were awfully close to the main road (the upper end of Lordship Lane is not that attractive). Then we got inside, and although the decor was cute and the tables well-spaced, the place was empty, bar two sullen-looking couples who looked like they wished they'd turned around and gone home.

I kind of wished we had, too. But a strange politeness comes over me in restaurants. I watched as the podgy elderly Spanish gentleman waiter came to greet us. He looked so excited! So happy! He had customers! So we sat, and looked through the vast (seemingly authentic) menu. There was lots of offal on offer. Mmm.

In the end, we lazily decided to order the set tapas menu at Â£10.99 per person. It included albondigas, chorizo, patatas bravas, chipirones, champignones and bread. We had some olives on the side and a 100ml bottle of Mahou. Nothing was outstanding. The chorizo was oily and tough, the squids also tough and nearly inedible.

We paid Â£35 for this delightful evening (the restaurant empied very soon after we arrived). I really, really wanted to like it there. I wanted to like the podgy waiter, who smiled sweetly at us as we stumbled over ordering in Spanish. I even tried to imagine his history asked him where he was from, tried to imagine how a man from Galicia ended up in this sorry place in Dulwich. I tried, really I did.

Next time, I'm going to Brindisa.

Spa Fish Bar - Mr Roland by Tanky

Tanky — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:30:31 +0000

Review by Tanky

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 72312728

Tags: lively, business, turkish

Spa fish bar is a brilliant little number. Everything is freshley cooked to order,staff are wonderfull and well presented and customer service is top notch. I make make it a point to dine there at least three times a week and have recomended it to all my friends.

So if the manager of spa fish bar reads this keep up the good work.Spa fish bar is a brilliant little number. Everything is freshley cooked to order,staff are wonderfull and well presented and customer service is top notch. I make make it a point to dine there at least three times a week and have recomended it to all my friends.

So if the manager of spa fish bar reads this keep up the good work.

New Tayyabs - Tired of being hassled on Brick lane? by nopstar

nopstar — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:03:37 +0000

Review by nopstar

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: indian, lively, crowded

If you find yourself near brick lane, then keep walking another few blocks. Youâ¬"ll find yourself at the doorstep of Tayyabs. Itâ¬"s a tasty Indian restaurant; oh for our Muslim friends Tayabs is also halal.

Make reservations! I made a reservation and was shuttled passed the 20+ person queue... I was aghast by how packed this place was. Normally when you see a place this packed itâ¬"s only full of tourists, it was reassuring to see loads of Indian people filling up on the food.

As the other reviews state, the service is ridiculously fast... they food is inexpensive so they need to make it up in turn over. Youâ¬"ll be rushed, but donâ¬"t take it personally their just trying to get in as much business as possible.

The lamb chops for a started are pretty good. They came out suspiciously fast though, like theyâ¬"ve got dozenâ¬"s already on the grill. , The Chicken Tikka was dry... order the seek kebab really hard to mess those up. Skip the Mango Lassi, itâ¬"s tasted more like sherbert lassi...

The place is packed and itâ¬"s loud. Youâ¬"re not going to be able to hold a substantive conversation as the place is roaring. Youâ¬"re also packed in pretty tight, but then again youâ¬"re there to enjoy the eats right?
If you find yourself near brick lane, then keep walking another few blocks. Youâ¬"ll find yourself at the doorstep of Tayyabs. Itâ¬"s a tasty Indian restaurant; oh for our Muslim friends Tayabs is also halal.

Make reservations! I made a reservation and was shuttled passed the 20+ person queue... I was aghast by how packed this place was. Normally when you see a place this packed itâ¬"s only full of tourists, it was reassuring to see loads of Indian people filling up on the food.

As the other reviews state, the service is ridiculously fast... they food is inexpensive so they need to make it up in turn over. Youâ¬"ll be rushed, but donâ¬"t take it personally their just trying to get in as much business as possible.

The lamb chops for a started are pretty good. They came out suspiciously fast though, like theyâ¬"ve got dozenâ¬"s already on the grill. , The Chicken Tikka was dry... order the seek kebab really hard to mess those up. Skip the Mango Lassi, itâ¬"s tasted more like sherbert lassi...

The place is packed and itâ¬"s loud. Youâ¬"re not going to be able to hold a substantive conversation as the place is roaring. Youâ¬"re also packed in pretty tight, but then again youâ¬"re there to enjoy the eats right?

Katana @ The International - Boring Food, Great Location by mangoeater

mangoeater — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:01:19 +0000

Review by mangoeater

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7655 9810

Website: http://www.theinternational.uk.com

Tags: thai, business, asian

I recently took a client for lunch. This is a well-decorated (modern clean lines) place in a lovely location. But if you love Thai food, this is not the place for you. This is where you can take friends who usually dont eat foreign food. I can't beleive there is actually a chef here, because the food was gloppy, overly sweet, and uninventive.

The appetisers all came with sauces that looked and tasted like thousand island dressing- thick, creamy, too sweet, and gloppy. This included the chicken satay. The actual chicken was tenderly grilled, but flavorless, and the sauce ruined it. The chickpea patty appetiser was actually decent.

The curries had no real flavor, other than way too much coconut milk and too much sweetener. You'll find the same curries for half the price in any high street Thai restaurant. The "inventive" duck red curry with lychees tasted like a dessert, with no real flavor.

The service was very polite and well intentioned, but quite new (we had to go and ask to have our water refilled; and our appetiser plates cleared).

The bar below seemed quite trendy. I'd recommend this restaurant only if you need someplace sophisticated but not overpriced in the Trafalgar Square area. If you are looking for brilliant cuisine, skip this place.I recently took a client for lunch. This is a well-decorated (modern clean lines) place in a lovely location. But if you love Thai food, this is not the place for you. This is where you can take friends who usually dont eat foreign food. I can't beleive there is actually a chef here, because the food was gloppy, overly sweet, and uninventive.

The appetisers all came with sauces that looked and tasted like thousand island dressing- thick, creamy, too sweet, and gloppy. This included the chicken satay. The actual chicken was tenderly grilled, but flavorless, and the sauce ruined it. The chickpea patty appetiser was actually decent.

The curries had no real flavor, other than way too much coconut milk and too much sweetener. You'll find the same curries for half the price in any high street Thai restaurant. The "inventive" duck red curry with lychees tasted like a dessert, with no real flavor.

The service was very polite and well intentioned, but quite new (we had to go and ask to have our water refilled; and our appetiser plates cleared).

The bar below seemed quite trendy. I'd recommend this restaurant only if you need someplace sophisticated but not overpriced in the Trafalgar Square area. If you are looking for brilliant cuisine, skip this place.

Italia Mania - Authentic thin crust pizzas in Soho by Niamheen

Niamheen — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:07:04 +0000

Review by Niamheen

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 0181

Tags: italian, cheap eat, lively

Fantastic thin crust pizzas in Soho. Authentic italian, although, a Neapolitan friend (that recommended Italia Mania originally) was keen to point out that while they were good they should be using a wood oven.

It's cheap, quick, and well sourced. I am extremely fussy about pizza butn these guys delivered - good sauces, base and toppings.

You can order pre-cooked from large trays of pizza or have them made fresh. Pasta also available. Pizza slices from Â£2.75, fresh pizzas from Â£4.50 and pasta from Â£4.65. Juices available but no alcohol, although I believe you can bring your own.

It's a cafe, so not a place for a romantic meal, but for a quick cheap bite in Soho, or a sociable bite with friends it's perfect. Very quirky too, the pizza's are prepared on a a large wooden board that's inside half a Fiat 500. Gotta love the Fiat 500! I'd go for that alone ;-)Fantastic thin crust pizzas in Soho. Authentic italian, although, a Neapolitan friend (that recommended Italia Mania originally) was keen to point out that while they were good they should be using a wood oven.

It's cheap, quick, and well sourced. I am extremely fussy about pizza butn these guys delivered - good sauces, base and toppings.

You can order pre-cooked from large trays of pizza or have them made fresh. Pasta also available. Pizza slices from Â£2.75, fresh pizzas from Â£4.50 and pasta from Â£4.65. Juices available but no alcohol, although I believe you can bring your own.

It's a cafe, so not a place for a romantic meal, but for a quick cheap bite in Soho, or a sociable bite with friends it's perfect. Very quirky too, the pizza's are prepared on a a large wooden board that's inside half a Fiat 500. Gotta love the Fiat 500! I'd go for that alone ;-)

Dalchini Hakka - Chinese food with an Indian spice! by srahman

srahman — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:05:38 +0000

Review by srahman

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8947 5966

Website: http://www.dalchini.com/

Tags: indian, oriental, great service

a delightful meal.. went to this small, unassuming restaurant in south wimbldedon during the week. very accomodating and didn't mind us waiting for more guests to arrive. the menu has a wide vegetarian selection whilst also providing halal meat, which for me is a necessity. if meat for starters is not your thing, i'd recommend the hong kong paneer. the main has an array of typically chinese dishes with an indian twist. alot of them were spicy. the hakka chilli chicken was almost like traditional ginger chicken with spring onions but with more flavour and sauce. awesome.. finished with having traditional masala tea. altogether per person bill came to Â£19 per person which is reasonable. no alcohol was consumed. heavily recommended. very close to wimbledon park station, pop in for a bite.a delightful meal.. went to this small, unassuming restaurant in south wimbldedon during the week. very accomodating and didn't mind us waiting for more guests to arrive. the menu has a wide vegetarian selection whilst also providing halal meat, which for me is a necessity. if meat for starters is not your thing, i'd recommend the hong kong paneer. the main has an array of typically chinese dishes with an indian twist. alot of them were spicy. the hakka chilli chicken was almost like traditional ginger chicken with spring onions but with more flavour and sauce. awesome.. finished with having traditional masala tea. altogether per person bill came to Â£19 per person which is reasonable. no alcohol was consumed. heavily recommended. very close to wimbledon park station, pop in for a bite.

Viet Garden - good value summer food by katen

katen — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:10:25 +0000

Review by katen

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7700 6040

Website: http://www.vietgarden.co.uk/

Tags: vietnamese, good value, cheap eat

The bun or noodle salad is fantastic and hits the spot during the summer. Fresh flavours and a satisfying amount of spice. Stay away from the fried food and you won't be disappointed. The staff are really friendly and we always get served quickly which means that it is a great choice either before a movie or a play at the Almeida. The bun or noodle salad is fantastic and hits the spot during the summer. Fresh flavours and a satisfying amount of spice. Stay away from the fried food and you won't be disappointed. The staff are really friendly and we always get served quickly which means that it is a great choice either before a movie or a play at the Almeida.

Best Mangal - You can’t rush a good thing. by nopstar

nopstar — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:34:05 +0000

Review by nopstar

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7610 1050

Tags: turkish, kebab, good value

Iâ¬"ve just recently moved into the neighbourhood, and I have to say that best mangal is the only good thing going down in West Kensington.

Itâ¬"s hands down the best kebab/grill place Iâ¬"ve been to in London. The place isnâ¬"t much to look at, seating is a little tight and the waiters a little to flirty... When Iâ¬"m eating kebab, I almost always stay away from chicken, time and time again it comes out dry and bland. The chicken kebabs at Best Mangal are moist, well marinated and flavourful.

All of their meat is well marinated; and grilled in front of you. You canâ¬"t really go wrong with the Mixed Grill, or the Special House Doner.
Well worth the trip... if you going on the weekend book ahead or be prepared to wait.
Iâ¬"ve just recently moved into the neighbourhood, and I have to say that best mangal is the only good thing going down in West Kensington.

Itâ¬"s hands down the best kebab/grill place Iâ¬"ve been to in London. The place isnâ¬"t much to look at, seating is a little tight and the waiters a little to flirty... When Iâ¬"m eating kebab, I almost always stay away from chicken, time and time again it comes out dry and bland. The chicken kebabs at Best Mangal are moist, well marinated and flavourful.

All of their meat is well marinated; and grilled in front of you. You canâ¬"t really go wrong with the Mixed Grill, or the Special House Doner.
Well worth the trip... if you going on the weekend book ahead or be prepared to wait.

Giraffe - Went downhill as it got busier by anise

anise — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:32:45 +0000

Review by anise

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 3116 2000

Website: http://www.giraffe.net

Tags: lively, good value, crowded

My goodness the staff here are chirpy - one wonders what they put in their coffee. We went here for dinner on a balmy Tuesday evening in May because we were too lazy to go home and cook. The starters were nice enough (chicken and vegetable dumplings and potato wedges were popular) - fairly predictable for this kind of venue but they arrived hot and fairly promptly. The waitress also worked out immediately that we were going to share them around generally, rather than each 'own' a plate and she offered to go and get us side plates, so that was great (I am used to going to the branch of Canteen next door where you may, on a bad day, need to ask for a knife to spread the butter onto your toast. That is if they remembered to give you butter. But that's another story.).

We ordered hamburgers for the main course and this was where it started to go wrong. The accompanying onion rings were cold and the burgers were dry. Not that they had been cooked to death (in fact they were nicely pink), it was just that the meat was not juicy at all. The dryness also extended to the buns. To add insult to injury, the presentation made the burgers so tall they were impossible to eat so we had to dismantle them - taking out the tomato slice and (optional extra) mushroom just to be able to give our poor aching jaws a chance of biting into them. All a bit disappointing really as the point of optional extras is that you want them to be part of the burger. The chips were fine though.My goodness the staff here are chirpy - one wonders what they put in their coffee. We went here for dinner on a balmy Tuesday evening in May because we were too lazy to go home and cook. The starters were nice enough (chicken and vegetable dumplings and potato wedges were popular) - fairly predictable for this kind of venue but they arrived hot and fairly promptly. The waitress also worked out immediately that we were going to share them around generally, rather than each 'own' a plate and she offered to go and get us side plates, so that was great (I am used to going to the branch of Canteen next door where you may, on a bad day, need to ask for a knife to spread the butter onto your toast. That is if they remembered to give you butter. But that's another story.).

We ordered hamburgers for the main course and this was where it started to go wrong. The accompanying onion rings were cold and the burgers were dry. Not that they had been cooked to death (in fact they were nicely pink), it was just that the meat was not juicy at all. The dryness also extended to the buns. To add insult to injury, the presentation made the burgers so tall they were impossible to eat so we had to dismantle them - taking out the tomato slice and (optional extra) mushroom just to be able to give our poor aching jaws a chance of biting into them. All a bit disappointing really as the point of optional extras is that you want them to be part of the burger. The chips were fine though.

Feng Sushi - Okay... but you get what you pay for. by nopstar

nopstar — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:43:08 +0000

Review by nopstar

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7727 1123

Website: http://www.fengsushi.co.uk

Tags: japanese, takeaway, crowded

Iâ¬"ve recently moved to London from San Francisco, and Iâ¬"ve been craving Sushi. I though the prices were fine bordering on inexpensive. The quality of the fish particularly the salmon was better than I was expecting.

I packets of wasabi and ginger have to go though... I understand offering that to your take out customers but your eat in clientele deserve better.

My major complaint was with the sushi rice... maybe it was a bad batch, but then they shouldnâ¬"t have been serving it. The consisitency was too soft and mushy. It was as if they had overcooked the rice and didnâ¬"t bother with the rice vinegar.

If youâ¬"re in the mood for sushi and youâ¬"re already in the neighbourhood I would say stop by.
Iâ¬"ve recently moved to London from San Francisco, and Iâ¬"ve been craving Sushi. I though the prices were fine bordering on inexpensive. The quality of the fish particularly the salmon was better than I was expecting.

I packets of wasabi and ginger have to go though... I understand offering that to your take out customers but your eat in clientele deserve better.

My major complaint was with the sushi rice... maybe it was a bad batch, but then they shouldnâ¬"t have been serving it. The consisitency was too soft and mushy. It was as if they had overcooked the rice and didnâ¬"t bother with the rice vinegar.

If youâ¬"re in the mood for sushi and youâ¬"re already in the neighbourhood I would say stop by.

Med Kitchen - Not bad for relaxed eating by amandaharrison

amandaharrison — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:14:46 +0000

Review by amandaharrison

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7240 4748

Website: http://www.medkitchen.co.uk/B8_Location.htm

Tags: burgers, salads, fries

Quite impressed. Light and airy on the corner of busy Cambridge Circus, outside tables also available. I had prawns in tomato sauce for starters, which was fine; then a good lamb burger. For cheapish eats with mates this is a good place to come. Service a bit slow and hassled though.Quite impressed. Light and airy on the corner of busy Cambridge Circus, outside tables also available. I had prawns in tomato sauce for starters, which was fine; then a good lamb burger. For cheapish eats with mates this is a good place to come. Service a bit slow and hassled though.

Memories Of India - Never disappoints by SachisMum

SachisMum — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:13:31 +0000

Review by SachisMum

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7589 6450

Tags: indian, takeaway, good value

Used to be my local Indian - never disappoints - good food, fair prices for a posh neighbourhood and great service.Used to be my local Indian - never disappoints - good food, fair prices for a posh neighbourhood and great service.

Maggie Jones - I adore Maggie Jones by SachisMum

SachisMum — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:08:59 +0000

Review by SachisMum

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7937 6462

Tags: lively, good value, romantic

I have been a huge fan of this reaturant for over 10 years!! Classic English food with some twists, never disapointing, great way to serve wine (huge magnums and they measure the bottle before and after - you don't have to finish the whole thing - you pay for what you drink), huge portions, friendly and kind waitstaff, great, romantic decor. A real winner for locals and tourists alike!!! I have been a huge fan of this reaturant for over 10 years!! Classic English food with some twists, never disapointing, great way to serve wine (huge magnums and they measure the bottle before and after - you don't have to finish the whole thing - you pay for what you drink), huge portions, friendly and kind waitstaff, great, romantic decor. A real winner for locals and tourists alike!!!

Market - A great place to have a special evening ruined. by natashajohnson

natashajohnson — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:31:39 +0000

Review by natashajohnson

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7267 9700

Tags: expensive, pretentious

Hoping to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday in peace, I asked ahead whether it would be ok to bring our own cake (made by my mother), to which the response was 'yes'.

So far so good.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a slightly neurotic woman, possibly the manager. It later transpired that she was actually the owner, though the staff were reluctant to give us her name (turns out it was 'Denise').
At first her neurotic behaviour seemed to contribute to her efficient manner.

Twenty minutes into the evening we were asked whether we were ready to order drinks, though no one had bothered to bring us the drinks menu. And that's on a Tuesday night when the restaurant was half empty anyway (something to consider as well).

The food was decent, nothing special ('no frills' as described by the restaurant's website). The prices were not horrendous but not as reasonable as suggested considering the food.

The wines--where do I start? Not only were they out or almost out of every decent bottle, our white wine was left unchilled without a bucket for at least twenty minutes, in spite of our numerous requests.

The cake was brought out as requested and we were left with four large pieces which we asked that they kindly pack (separately). Our waitress seemed to have no problem with this.

The manager/owner (Denise) then brought the cake out as one piece, slamming it on the table and snapped 'you'll have it as one piece, as you brought it'.

That was really the last straw. Not that we minded their inability to pack the cake, the attitude was really rude and unpleasant at the end of what should have been a lovely birthday dinner. All that was needed was a 'sorry guys, we can't do that for you due to lack of staff and/or materials'. After slapping us with a Â£300 bill (including a Â£30 'optional' service charge) for what can only be described as mediocre food and service, I was truly shocked at 'Denise's' unprofessional behaviour.

Spend your hard earned cash elsewhere!

Hoping to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday in peace, I asked ahead whether it would be ok to bring our own cake (made by my mother), to which the response was 'yes'.

So far so good.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a slightly neurotic woman, possibly the manager. It later transpired that she was actually the owner, though the staff were reluctant to give us her name (turns out it was 'Denise').
At first her neurotic behaviour seemed to contribute to her efficient manner.

Twenty minutes into the evening we were asked whether we were ready to order drinks, though no one had bothered to bring us the drinks menu. And that's on a Tuesday night when the restaurant was half empty anyway (something to consider as well).

The food was decent, nothing special ('no frills' as described by the restaurant's website). The prices were not horrendous but not as reasonable as suggested considering the food.

The wines--where do I start? Not only were they out or almost out of every decent bottle, our white wine was left unchilled without a bucket for at least twenty minutes, in spite of our numerous requests.

The cake was brought out as requested and we were left with four large pieces which we asked that they kindly pack (separately). Our waitress seemed to have no problem with this.

The manager/owner (Denise) then brought the cake out as one piece, slamming it on the table and snapped 'you'll have it as one piece, as you brought it'.

That was really the last straw. Not that we minded their inability to pack the cake, the attitude was really rude and unpleasant at the end of what should have been a lovely birthday dinner. All that was needed was a 'sorry guys, we can't do that for you due to lack of staff and/or materials'. After slapping us with a Â£300 bill (including a Â£30 'optional' service charge) for what can only be described as mediocre food and service, I was truly shocked at 'Denise's' unprofessional behaviour.

Spend your hard earned cash elsewhere!

Maze - Very easy to navigate by sokratis

sokratis — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:45:30 +0000

Review by sokratis

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7107 0000

Website: http://gordonramsay.com/maze/

Tags: french, expensive, lively

I had to make a play on the word there, but the title is accurate. Maze felt effortless and Iâ¬"ll expand on why below.

A friend was visiting recently and we went on â¬ÜTrustedâ¬" tour of London. Sampled some of the best pubs, bars, nightclubs, small restaurants, pub food, but of course we had to visit a Gordon Ramsey place for the experience to be complete. Naturally, there had been very little planning before my friend arrived, so getting a table at Maze for Tuesday at 8pm when you call at 3pm on that usually unlikely. But hereâ¬"s a tip. Itâ¬"s hard to book a table at the restaurant, but you can still eat (very well) at the bar. And because most people donâ¬"t know that, the bar usually has some free space even you just walk-in.

Note: there is a â¬Ühelpfulâ¬" button below this review that was specifically designed to reward such generous sharing of insider knowledge.

Now back to Maze and the fact it was effortless. Firstly, the menus. We had to go for the tasting menu, as there are simply too many very seductive tastes on offer to exhaust in one visit. At Â£55 per head itâ¬"s not cheap, but hey you wonâ¬"t be going there every day. The thing that impressed me was that despite the amount of choice, going through the different options was simple and quick. Two pages only with excellent line spacing and some beautiful fonts made the process fast and pleasurable.

The staff was very friendly, with Mr Atherton being at the door when we arrived and dispensing a warm hello and welcome. I think he was there working on the seating plan with the reception staff. The barman was excellent and in general the whole place had an air of quiet efficiency, without being at all overbearing or stiff. Mr Ramsey himself made an appearance later greeting the diners at the restaurant across the room, although not stopping to chat at us on his way to the kitchen. For some reason he was also wearing his kitchen apron, although I donâ¬"t know if heâ¬"s still cooking while there. He may beâ¬¦Seemed like a very nice guy and you could sense the slight, extra alertness on the part of the staff while he was around.

Ah and finally letâ¬"s talk about food. The tasting menu is split between small courses (starter equivalent), some more substantial ones and finally desserts. I wonâ¬"t go through all eight of the courses we had, but the ones that really stood out for me were the â¬ÜBeef â¬Ütongue â¬Ünâ¬" cheekâ¬" caper raisin and ginger carrotsâ¬" â¬ with â¬Ütongue and cheekâ¬" being a literal reference. I love a cowâ¬"s tongue and cheek, so combining the two was exceptional, but perhaps a bit heavy for a full course. I loved the artichoke veloute with braised duck leg and although the deconstructed pain au chocolat, required a small intro on how to eat, it was definitely worth it.

After a two hour experience we both felt fantastically satisfied and not the least bit overeaten. The bill did approach the cost of a bargain flight to New York, but whoâ¬"s got the time to fly there anyway? Plus with the way airports are these is much easier to just pop over to Grosvenor Square.
I had to make a play on the word there, but the title is accurate. Maze felt effortless and Iâ¬"ll expand on why below.

A friend was visiting recently and we went on â¬ÜTrustedâ¬" tour of London. Sampled some of the best pubs, bars, nightclubs, small restaurants, pub food, but of course we had to visit a Gordon Ramsey place for the experience to be complete. Naturally, there had been very little planning before my friend arrived, so getting a table at Maze for Tuesday at 8pm when you call at 3pm on that usually unlikely. But hereâ¬"s a tip. Itâ¬"s hard to book a table at the restaurant, but you can still eat (very well) at the bar. And because most people donâ¬"t know that, the bar usually has some free space even you just walk-in.

Note: there is a â¬Ühelpfulâ¬" button below this review that was specifically designed to reward such generous sharing of insider knowledge.

Now back to Maze and the fact it was effortless. Firstly, the menus. We had to go for the tasting menu, as there are simply too many very seductive tastes on offer to exhaust in one visit. At Â£55 per head itâ¬"s not cheap, but hey you wonâ¬"t be going there every day. The thing that impressed me was that despite the amount of choice, going through the different options was simple and quick. Two pages only with excellent line spacing and some beautiful fonts made the process fast and pleasurable.

The staff was very friendly, with Mr Atherton being at the door when we arrived and dispensing a warm hello and welcome. I think he was there working on the seating plan with the reception staff. The barman was excellent and in general the whole place had an air of quiet efficiency, without being at all overbearing or stiff. Mr Ramsey himself made an appearance later greeting the diners at the restaurant across the room, although not stopping to chat at us on his way to the kitchen. For some reason he was also wearing his kitchen apron, although I donâ¬"t know if heâ¬"s still cooking while there. He may beâ¬¦Seemed like a very nice guy and you could sense the slight, extra alertness on the part of the staff while he was around.

Ah and finally letâ¬"s talk about food. The tasting menu is split between small courses (starter equivalent), some more substantial ones and finally desserts. I wonâ¬"t go through all eight of the courses we had, but the ones that really stood out for me were the â¬ÜBeef â¬Ütongue â¬Ünâ¬" cheekâ¬" caper raisin and ginger carrotsâ¬" â¬ with â¬Ütongue and cheekâ¬" being a literal reference. I love a cowâ¬"s tongue and cheek, so combining the two was exceptional, but perhaps a bit heavy for a full course. I loved the artichoke veloute with braised duck leg and although the deconstructed pain au chocolat, required a small intro on how to eat, it was definitely worth it.

After a two hour experience we both felt fantastically satisfied and not the least bit overeaten. The bill did approach the cost of a bargain flight to New York, but whoâ¬"s got the time to fly there anyway? Plus with the way airports are these is much easier to just pop over to Grosvenor Square.

Coco Noodle Bar - Nasty food with nasty service! by LilyDae88

LilyDae88 — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:41:05 +0000

Review by LilyDae88

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 8840 8525

Tags: chinese, cheap eat, expensive

This place was just to laugh at with the service, I've been to restaurants around the world, and this one took the cake for bad food! Don't go there expecting to get the right service! Very unpleasant people throwing plate on your table and hurrying you out the door. I later Googled the place to make a complaint and not to my surprise. The CoCo Noodle bar was hit with a fine and lawsuit for having RATS live in there kitchen. Disgusting people need to be put out of business instead of hit with a fine! Don't eat there it's not worth it, your better off with KFC or Mc Donald's (or even that sandwich from the gas station)! I give this restaurant NO STARS!!!!! It doesn't deserve to be rated at all...........This place was just to laugh at with the service, I've been to restaurants around the world, and this one took the cake for bad food! Don't go there expecting to get the right service! Very unpleasant people throwing plate on your table and hurrying you out the door. I later Googled the place to make a complaint and not to my surprise. The CoCo Noodle bar was hit with a fine and lawsuit for having RATS live in there kitchen. Disgusting people need to be put out of business instead of hit with a fine! Don't eat there it's not worth it, your better off with KFC or Mc Donald's (or even that sandwich from the gas station)! I give this restaurant NO STARS!!!!! It doesn't deserve to be rated at all...........

Ristorante Semplice - sophisticated Italian by ProfMagellan

ProfMagellan — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:01:46 +0000

Review by ProfMagellan

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7495 1509

Website: http://www.ristorantesemplice.com/

Tags: italian, expensive, friendly

This relatively nerw and modern restaurant is quite hard to find: be warned. Blenheim Street is a tiny turning off Bond Street, just near its junction with Oxford Street.
I lunched there with a leading investment banker, a gentleman of infinite taste and refinement, who chose this place.
So I knew that I would not be disappointed. And I was not.
This was excellent Italian food, in a professionally-run,
sophisticated setting. I enjoyed my main course of rare roast beef with beans and a salad. My pudding, a sort of apple fritter with a delicious, creamy sauce was worth every
calorie. My host had a veal concoction which he seemed to enjoy.
Perhaps the tables were a little close together; so I would not recommend it for a first date. But for old chums to get together this is a nice a place as any in London's West End.
But expect to pay West End prices.
The service was faultless.This relatively nerw and modern restaurant is quite hard to find: be warned. Blenheim Street is a tiny turning off Bond Street, just near its junction with Oxford Street.
I lunched there with a leading investment banker, a gentleman of infinite taste and refinement, who chose this place.
So I knew that I would not be disappointed. And I was not.
This was excellent Italian food, in a professionally-run,
sophisticated setting. I enjoyed my main course of rare roast beef with beans and a salad. My pudding, a sort of apple fritter with a delicious, creamy sauce was worth every
calorie. My host had a veal concoction which he seemed to enjoy.
Perhaps the tables were a little close together; so I would not recommend it for a first date. But for old chums to get together this is a nice a place as any in London's West End.
But expect to pay West End prices.
The service was faultless.

Ichiban - The best restaurant in Leytonstone by George48

George48 — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:33:55 +0000

Review by George48

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8556 7591

Tags: japanese, family & home feel, good value

I agree with jimitaylor - Ichiban is fantastic, fresh, delicious food that is so reasonably priced it's amazing. BYO with no corkage, service is lovely and it's nice to see it so busy. If you want great food, great prices, great service then go there immediately (well, evenings on Wed-Sat). If you want fancy surroundings but exorbitant prices, mediocre food and indifferent service then don't come here. I agree with jimitaylor - Ichiban is fantastic, fresh, delicious food that is so reasonably priced it's amazing. BYO with no corkage, service is lovely and it's nice to see it so busy. If you want great food, great prices, great service then go there immediately (well, evenings on Wed-Sat). If you want fancy surroundings but exorbitant prices, mediocre food and indifferent service then don't come here.

Skylon - Impressive Views but OK Food by walid

walid — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:45:10 +0000

Review by walid

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7654 7800

Website: http://www.danddlondon.com/restaurants/skylon/home

Tags: south bank, expensive, british

This is a really difficult one to rate, on one side the service was a 2 star, the venue a 5 star, and the food 3 star... ok so overall a 3 star.

Found on top of the Royal Festival Hall, Skylon has a restaurant and brasserie section. My friends and I sat in the brasserie section as we starred at the beautiful view of the south bank. With its incredibly high ceilings Skylon feels very airy and with its candles at night would probably be romantic.

The food is ok at best, I had the Merguez Couscous which wasn't very exciting in terms of taste and texture. What this place has going is that the food is reasonably priced. See picture of the menu.

The disappointment came with the quality of the service. Whilst there was an abundance of waiters it was quite difficult to get their attention and when you did the service was slowish. Additionally I overheard at least 4 times dishes / glasses being dropped by the staff.

In spite of the above issues I would recommend you give this place a try, if not for the food do it for the great views and superb airy atmosphere.
This is a really difficult one to rate, on one side the service was a 2 star, the venue a 5 star, and the food 3 star... ok so overall a 3 star.

Found on top of the Royal Festival Hall, Skylon has a restaurant and brasserie section. My friends and I sat in the brasserie section as we starred at the beautiful view of the south bank. With its incredibly high ceilings Skylon feels very airy and with its candles at night would probably be romantic.

The food is ok at best, I had the Merguez Couscous which wasn't very exciting in terms of taste and texture. What this place has going is that the food is reasonably priced. See picture of the menu.

The disappointment came with the quality of the service. Whilst there was an abundance of waiters it was quite difficult to get their attention and when you did the service was slowish. Additionally I overheard at least 4 times dishes / glasses being dropped by the staff.

In spite of the above issues I would recommend you give this place a try, if not for the food do it for the great views and superb airy atmosphere.