Latest reviews in Bankside, London, United Kingdom

Leon - Great post-Tate pit stop by Litro_K

Litro_K — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:34:02 +0000

Review by Litro_K

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7620 0035

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

Tags: lively, international, cheap eat

This stylish Leon branch sits in a shiny new development right behind the Tate modern. Large, airy, and true to the best bits of the chain, it was a welcome pit stop after a recent trip to the gallery. Like all other Leons, the food if fast, healthy and fresh, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. I had the original superfoods salad and a lovely iced lemonade with ginger and mint. All very decent and came in at under Â£6. Service came with a smile and I'd happily return anytime!This stylish Leon branch sits in a shiny new development right behind the Tate modern. Large, airy, and true to the best bits of the chain, it was a welcome pit stop after a recent trip to the gallery. Like all other Leons, the food if fast, healthy and fresh, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. I had the original superfoods salad and a lovely iced lemonade with ginger and mint. All very decent and came in at under Â£6. Service came with a smile and I'd happily return anytime!

M Manze - Personality goes a very long way. by nopstar

nopstar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:22:00 +0000

Review by nopstar

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7407 2985

Tags: cheap eat, pie, british

Ever since I was kid living in the States Iâ¬"ve always been into diners. Even as a kid I think I realized these places were free of pretention. Just comfort foods enjoyed by all walks of life. Fast forward 25+ years I find myself in London searching for the same experience.

Today a friend of mine took me to a M. Manze a pie and mash shop which has been around since the late 1800â¬"s. Stepping into the shop you immediately get the feeling this place is the real deal. Old school bench seating and a menu thatâ¬"s so refreshingly simple, itâ¬"s kind of funny.

I ordered the 2 pies and 2 mash plate with a cup of hot Sarsaparilla. Yes Sarsaparilla! As my friend remarked it tasteâ¬"s â¬SOlde Timeyâ¬

Champor Champor - A brilliant pearl, hidden in an ugly area by Cedric

Cedric — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:36:43 +0000

Review by Cedric

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7403 4600

Website: http://www.champor-champor.com

Tags: romantic, thai, malaysian

This is definitely one of the best Asian restaurants that I have had the opportunity to eat at in London. The tiny front window with its low-key style could easily turn you down, but as soon as you enter the space, you are blown away: fragrances, carved-wood decorations, hanging masks, smiles on the staff faces... Simply great.

The food was also great, with an extensive selections of SE Asia specialities of different degree of spiciness, for all tastes: I opted for some Chicken serunding and plum tomato paneer and Thai basil salad as a starter, followed up by beef rendang with yellow rice and pineapple pajeri. And the desert? Fresh papaya cubes covered in a mango lassi and a scoop of lemongrass sorbet.

everything beautifully presented with a strong attention paid to details. The waiters are very helpful and do not hesitate to guide your choices, or to introduce the dishes with detailed descriptions.

The main drawback of this restaurant is its location... But that could reveal to be an advantage to protect it. Located a few minutes walk from London Bridge it is in a boring, lifeless area. For the better because it is quite small and require to book in advance to ensure a seat.

This is definitely one of the best Asian restaurants that I have had the opportunity to eat at in London. The tiny front window with its low-key style could easily turn you down, but as soon as you enter the space, you are blown away: fragrances, carved-wood decorations, hanging masks, smiles on the staff faces... Simply great.

The food was also great, with an extensive selections of SE Asia specialities of different degree of spiciness, for all tastes: I opted for some Chicken serunding and plum tomato paneer and Thai basil salad as a starter, followed up by beef rendang with yellow rice and pineapple pajeri. And the desert? Fresh papaya cubes covered in a mango lassi and a scoop of lemongrass sorbet.

everything beautifully presented with a strong attention paid to details. The waiters are very helpful and do not hesitate to guide your choices, or to introduce the dishes with detailed descriptions.

The main drawback of this restaurant is its location... But that could reveal to be an advantage to protect it. Located a few minutes walk from London Bridge it is in a boring, lifeless area. For the better because it is quite small and require to book in advance to ensure a seat.

Butlers Wharf Chop House - Fantastic location - not matched by the food by oogywawa

oogywawa — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:46:52 +0000

Review by oogywawa

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7403 3403

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

Tags: lively, crowded, expensive

On a balmy night in London overlooking Tower Bridge there can't be many better places to spend a couple of culinary hours. It's about as good as it gets and the newly gentrified Shad Thames area makes a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the well worn paths to the doors of West End eateries.

It trumpets itself as serving "British Classics" and sadly delivered "Carry On" food rather than Shakespeare...

On the night I eat recently, the food was not as good as I had a right to expect given that we paid around Â£70 per head in our group. Rather than cooking that demonstrated talent and verve, we got competence which was more than a little disappointing. Small things such a dry cardboard bread was not a good omen for what followed and whilst there was nothing heineously wrong with our food it just didn't excite. I had 4 small lamb cutlets, all bizarrely differently cooked - varying from rare to medium, the accompanying veg was overcooked, the steaks came as served and not one of our party was consulted as to how they wanted them - 2 were returned as one was blue and the other well done !!!

The desserts were all of Sara Lee standard and the cheese board came as advertised - Cheese with bread that had the consistency of Board...

Conran have taken this under their wing and much needs to be done to lift the food standard to befit the location. The much trailed surly service to be fair has disappeared and staff were bright & helpful, but Butlers Wharf's continued absence in any noteworthy food guides is some way off being remedied judging by this experience.On a balmy night in London overlooking Tower Bridge there can't be many better places to spend a couple of culinary hours. It's about as good as it gets and the newly gentrified Shad Thames area makes a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the well worn paths to the doors of West End eateries.

It trumpets itself as serving "British Classics" and sadly delivered "Carry On" food rather than Shakespeare...

On the night I eat recently, the food was not as good as I had a right to expect given that we paid around Â£70 per head in our group. Rather than cooking that demonstrated talent and verve, we got competence which was more than a little disappointing. Small things such a dry cardboard bread was not a good omen for what followed and whilst there was nothing heineously wrong with our food it just didn't excite. I had 4 small lamb cutlets, all bizarrely differently cooked - varying from rare to medium, the accompanying veg was overcooked, the steaks came as served and not one of our party was consulted as to how they wanted them - 2 were returned as one was blue and the other well done !!!

The desserts were all of Sara Lee standard and the cheese board came as advertised - Cheese with bread that had the consistency of Board...

Conran have taken this under their wing and much needs to be done to lift the food standard to befit the location. The much trailed surly service to be fair has disappeared and staff were bright & helpful, but Butlers Wharf's continued absence in any noteworthy food guides is some way off being remedied judging by this experience.

Shunt Vaults - My new favourite bar in London by rogoff

rogoff — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:48:31 +0000

Review by rogoff

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7378 7776

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

Tags: cool, friendly, theatre

I first went when there was a show called Tropicana here. We went through a little door in the wall of the tube station only to find ourselves in what looked like a London Transport staff room complete with Tube staff reading The Sun. From then on, the evening just got stranger and stranger as we were led into the vaults.

Anyway, that was the show and now there's the bar. I guess it's run by the same team who put on Tropicana because it's got the same quirky feel to it with quite a lot of the theatre too.

If you're looking for something fun and different then you won't find much better than this. Great space, great place.I first went when there was a show called Tropicana here. We went through a little door in the wall of the tube station only to find ourselves in what looked like a London Transport staff room complete with Tube staff reading The Sun. From then on, the evening just got stranger and stranger as we were led into the vaults.

Anyway, that was the show and now there's the bar. I guess it's run by the same team who put on Tropicana because it's got the same quirky feel to it with quite a lot of the theatre too.

If you're looking for something fun and different then you won't find much better than this. Great space, great place.

Giuseppe's - Great little Italian restaurant! by claudia_1

claudia_1 — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:05:04 +0000

Review by claudia_1

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7407 3451

Website: http://www.giuseppe-ristorante.co.uk/

Tags: italian, good value, lively

Giuseppe's is so much fun - imagine a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with great no-nonsense food. It's the kind of place where you go for a quiet meal and by the end of the night you have made friends with not only the waiting staff, but also the guys sat on the table next door. There is a live singer every night, and on Fridays the restaurant stays open to 2.30am for dancing!! A great night out...Giuseppe's is so much fun - imagine a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with great no-nonsense food. It's the kind of place where you go for a quiet meal and by the end of the night you have made friends with not only the waiting staff, but also the guys sat on the table next door. There is a live singer every night, and on Fridays the restaurant stays open to 2.30am for dancing!! A great night out...

Thames Express Supermarket - They will rip you off by kevnarr

kevnarr — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:43:52 +0000

Review by kevnarr

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7403 0211

This place sold me some Smirrnoff Vodka. It was actually full of dirty tap water. I went back to the shop and got a refund straight away. It was obvious that they were scamming people whom they thought were drunk or perhaps wouldn't come back.

Do NOT shop here.This place sold me some Smirrnoff Vodka. It was actually full of dirty tap water. I went back to the shop and got a refund straight away. It was obvious that they were scamming people whom they thought were drunk or perhaps wouldn't come back.

Do NOT shop here.

Livebait - Great food, crap staff by DanWilkinson

DanWilkinson — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:20:19 +0000

Review by DanWilkinson

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7928 7211

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

Tags: seafood, good value, lively

Post-theatre on a Friday night, the missus and I went here mainly as it was nearby, partly as the menu looked pretty good. The food was indeed brilliant, from the bread to the grilled tiger prawns (her) and a perfectly cooked seabass, both of which were beautifully fresh. The wine list, although as you might expect very heavy on the white side, was well-picked and relatively reasonably priced.

What let this place down, unfortunately, was the staff, doing that sort of mindlessly aimable incompetence that seems to be standard these days. They blotted their copybook early on by offering us (in a largely empty restaurant) a table right in the middle by the door, and although they accommodated our polite request to sit somewhere else, it doesn't really say 'welcome', does it? Moving on, my order of a pre-dinner martini was met with a blank look followed by a request for instructions on how to make it. I don't think I'm being unduly harsh here, but it's a pretty basic thing for a barman not to know and personally this is verging on the unforgivable. I had a Peroni instead.

Lastly, following the main course, the waitress who'd been ignoring the empty plates covering our table for some time, chose precisely the one moment when the missus and I were deeply involved in a bit of a heart to heart, holding hands over the table and sharing a kiss, to decide to barge in and clear our table. Way to ruin the moment. Given that we were one of only two other parties in the place, I can only guess that she'd actually been waiting for just the right time.

So there you go, possibly a bit harsh, but it doesn't take much to learn some basic manners and cocktails. Both of which are kind of important to me. Post-theatre on a Friday night, the missus and I went here mainly as it was nearby, partly as the menu looked pretty good. The food was indeed brilliant, from the bread to the grilled tiger prawns (her) and a perfectly cooked seabass, both of which were beautifully fresh. The wine list, although as you might expect very heavy on the white side, was well-picked and relatively reasonably priced.

What let this place down, unfortunately, was the staff, doing that sort of mindlessly aimable incompetence that seems to be standard these days. They blotted their copybook early on by offering us (in a largely empty restaurant) a table right in the middle by the door, and although they accommodated our polite request to sit somewhere else, it doesn't really say 'welcome', does it? Moving on, my order of a pre-dinner martini was met with a blank look followed by a request for instructions on how to make it. I don't think I'm being unduly harsh here, but it's a pretty basic thing for a barman not to know and personally this is verging on the unforgivable. I had a Peroni instead.

Lastly, following the main course, the waitress who'd been ignoring the empty plates covering our table for some time, chose precisely the one moment when the missus and I were deeply involved in a bit of a heart to heart, holding hands over the table and sharing a kiss, to decide to barge in and clear our table. Way to ruin the moment. Given that we were one of only two other parties in the place, I can only guess that she'd actually been waiting for just the right time.

So there you go, possibly a bit harsh, but it doesn't take much to learn some basic manners and cocktails. Both of which are kind of important to me.

Roast - Great Breakfast by jezirwin

jezirwin — Thu, 22 May 2008 21:58:09 +0000

Review by jezirwin

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7940 1300

Website: http://www.roast-restaurant.com

Tags: british, romantic, business

I visited 'Roast' for breakfast mid-week and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The location, overlooking the Borough markets makes for an excellent atmosphere.

I had the 'Full Borough' (bacon, eggs, sausages, mushroom and black pudding) which was, as expected - big, filling and tasty. My cousin and aunt had kippers which they enjoyed.

The service was excellent, while it wasn't cheap it wasn't exorbitant either, it cost about Â£35 for the three of us.I visited 'Roast' for breakfast mid-week and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The location, overlooking the Borough markets makes for an excellent atmosphere.

I had the 'Full Borough' (bacon, eggs, sausages, mushroom and black pudding) which was, as expected - big, filling and tasty. My cousin and aunt had kippers which they enjoyed.

The service was excellent, while it wasn't cheap it wasn't exorbitant either, it cost about Â£35 for the three of us.

Le Pont De La Tour - Conran Surprised Me by Hugo

Hugo — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:22:37 +0000

Review by Hugo

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7403 8403

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

Tags: french, expensive, terrace

I have never really been very interested in the idea of eating at a Conran restaurant because the quote of his saying "if you want good food then eat at home" just sticks in my mind - not sure when and where he said it though. The impression I had was one of form over function, with irritating trendy-ness winning out over any substance.

I was a bit non-plussed therefore when I heard that I was heading to Le Pont De La Tour for dinner, imagining I was going to get a serious grump on. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

I couldn't quite figure out the staff, at first I thought they were being masters of not being intrusive but by the end of the meal i felt it may have just been a noticeable shade of inefficiency. It almost spoilt the meal, especially when deserts seem to linger in the kitchen for a suspiciously long period of time. It was around 11pm and I suspect the chefs were on a cigarette break or something by that time.

Anyhow, back to the food, which was the sole reason that I have gone for 4 stars. I began with a simply delicious lobster bisque - it was far better than I was expecting. A small but frothy soupson of a dish that hit all the right spots. I can feel bad withdrawal pangs already and worry that I will have cravings for it. Then I had an excellent Monk fish dish with aubergine paste and ratatouille (see photo). The fish was perfectly cooked, moist, tender and quite delicious.

I was surprised by the decor, it was traditional, with table cloths and a piano playing in the bar. Quite pleasant and not at all trendy. I guess I had misconceptions.

The food was expensive but I think it was just about worth it, especially for the dishes that I had (I may have been lucky, looking around the table). Deserts looked ok, but for c.Â£14 I would have expected something a little more dazzling, maybe my fellow diners didn't see the best ones or the chef was peeved at our noticeable irritation at their slowness.
I have never really been very interested in the idea of eating at a Conran restaurant because the quote of his saying "if you want good food then eat at home" just sticks in my mind - not sure when and where he said it though. The impression I had was one of form over function, with irritating trendy-ness winning out over any substance.

I was a bit non-plussed therefore when I heard that I was heading to Le Pont De La Tour for dinner, imagining I was going to get a serious grump on. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

I couldn't quite figure out the staff, at first I thought they were being masters of not being intrusive but by the end of the meal i felt it may have just been a noticeable shade of inefficiency. It almost spoilt the meal, especially when deserts seem to linger in the kitchen for a suspiciously long period of time. It was around 11pm and I suspect the chefs were on a cigarette break or something by that time.

Anyhow, back to the food, which was the sole reason that I have gone for 4 stars. I began with a simply delicious lobster bisque - it was far better than I was expecting. A small but frothy soupson of a dish that hit all the right spots. I can feel bad withdrawal pangs already and worry that I will have cravings for it. Then I had an excellent Monk fish dish with aubergine paste and ratatouille (see photo). The fish was perfectly cooked, moist, tender and quite delicious.

I was surprised by the decor, it was traditional, with table cloths and a piano playing in the bar. Quite pleasant and not at all trendy. I guess I had misconceptions.

The food was expensive but I think it was just about worth it, especially for the dishes that I had (I may have been lucky, looking around the table). Deserts looked ok, but for c.Â£14 I would have expected something a little more dazzling, maybe my fellow diners didn't see the best ones or the chef was peeved at our noticeable irritation at their slowness.

Vinopolis World Of Wine - Whine by mazphd

mazphd — Thu, 08 May 2008 22:06:32 +0000

Review by mazphd

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7940 8333

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

Tags: wine, wine tasting

The corporate money driven not 'done for the love of it' atmosphere really shines through here. Yes you're given wine to taste, and yes its quite pleasant moving from Shiraz, through Merlot, with an empty glass to fill and re-fill at your leisure, but there lacks passion and any real depth of knowledge about the grapes or even how to taste. Not that 'taste' was the order of the day, more appropriate in this setting was the drink to get drunk quick style of wine tasting.

The so called 'champagne package' our party had opted for was not that exciting, and it is never a good sign if your knowledge is superior to your that of your supposed tour guide. Nor that this particular tour had the edifying experience of a corked bottle. YUK.

For real wine saviness I would avoid this particular 'world of wine'. But if your task is to 'get drunk' and drink as much as you like, then Vinopolis offers much for the less than discerning drinker, and much for the drunker 'consumer'.

The corporate money driven not 'done for the love of it' atmosphere really shines through here. Yes you're given wine to taste, and yes its quite pleasant moving from Shiraz, through Merlot, with an empty glass to fill and re-fill at your leisure, but there lacks passion and any real depth of knowledge about the grapes or even how to taste. Not that 'taste' was the order of the day, more appropriate in this setting was the drink to get drunk quick style of wine tasting.

The so called 'champagne package' our party had opted for was not that exciting, and it is never a good sign if your knowledge is superior to your that of your supposed tour guide. Nor that this particular tour had the edifying experience of a corked bottle. YUK.

For real wine saviness I would avoid this particular 'world of wine'. But if your task is to 'get drunk' and drink as much as you like, then Vinopolis offers much for the less than discerning drinker, and much for the drunker 'consumer'.

The Real Greak Souvlaki & Bar - Good idea, great location, but disappointing by Litro_K

Litro_K — Sun, 04 May 2008 20:39:03 +0000

Review by Litro_K

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7620 0162

Website: http://www.therealgreek.com

Tags: greek, lively, bar

I've come to this branch of The Real Greek a couple of times with friends who are visiting London- the Bankside location makes it a useful pitstop when showing people the river and walking between London Bridge/Borough/The Globe/Tate Modern.

So, you would think with such an excellent location would mean that the restaurant is geared up to cope with many visitors. Sadly, both my experiences here have confirmed this is not the case. There's usually a wait to get a table on weekends, not because the tables are all occupied, but because they ask you to wait to be seated and there is no-one to be seen at the front desk when you arrive.

Once seated, the food choices are excellent and always freshly cooked. There's no doubt that the menu is well thought-out and the quality of the dishes are good. Unfortunately the staff at this branch, at least, seem incapable of remembering your order properly, and four of our dishes at my last visit were promptly dropped on the floor on their way to us, resulting in the chef publicly bawling out the hapless waiter. Not fun for anyone.

Replacement dishes arrived not long afterwards, but getting the bill was another problem and a lengthy wait ensued. Once it came, the itemisation was wrong- extra dishes had been added, others left off. Once again the waiter disappeared for aeons. Tired of trying to flag down wait staff, we went to the counter ourselves, asked for the extra dishes to be removed, and quickly exited. It was all a bit of a shambles, so I won't be going back for a while.I've come to this branch of The Real Greek a couple of times with friends who are visiting London- the Bankside location makes it a useful pitstop when showing people the river and walking between London Bridge/Borough/The Globe/Tate Modern.

So, you would think with such an excellent location would mean that the restaurant is geared up to cope with many visitors. Sadly, both my experiences here have confirmed this is not the case. There's usually a wait to get a table on weekends, not because the tables are all occupied, but because they ask you to wait to be seated and there is no-one to be seen at the front desk when you arrive.

Once seated, the food choices are excellent and always freshly cooked. There's no doubt that the menu is well thought-out and the quality of the dishes are good. Unfortunately the staff at this branch, at least, seem incapable of remembering your order properly, and four of our dishes at my last visit were promptly dropped on the floor on their way to us, resulting in the chef publicly bawling out the hapless waiter. Not fun for anyone.

Replacement dishes arrived not long afterwards, but getting the bill was another problem and a lengthy wait ensued. Once it came, the itemisation was wrong- extra dishes had been added, others left off. Once again the waiter disappeared for aeons. Tired of trying to flag down wait staff, we went to the counter ourselves, asked for the extra dishes to be removed, and quickly exited. It was all a bit of a shambles, so I won't be going back for a while.

Borough Market - A food lover's paradise by JuliaParsons

JuliaParsons — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:54:20 +0000

Review by JuliaParsons

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7407 1002

Website: http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Tags: cheap, expensive, food

The variety of produce at Borough Market will astound you - you can get everything from ostridge steaks (and eggs) to pots of cassoulet brought over from France. You'll find big bunches of herbs that put the little packets in supermarkets to shame, quality fish and meat, oils, cheeses and truffles. The downside is that the market does get busy and can be pricey, but nethertheless it's well worth a visit.The variety of produce at Borough Market will astound you - you can get everything from ostridge steaks (and eggs) to pots of cassoulet brought over from France. You'll find big bunches of herbs that put the little packets in supermarkets to shame, quality fish and meat, oils, cheeses and truffles. The downside is that the market does get busy and can be pricey, but nethertheless it's well worth a visit.

Miller Of Mansfield - Not bad by qwghlm

qwghlm — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:56:21 +0000

Review by qwghlm

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7407 2690

Website: http://www.laurelpubco.com

Tags: live music, food, relaxed

Has a big screen, reasonable selection of Thai food and a good upstairs room with bands and live music. Has a big screen, reasonable selection of Thai food and a good upstairs room with bands and live music.

Tas Pide - Never again by Circassian

Circassian — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:58:38 +0000

Review by Circassian

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7928 3300

Website: http://www.tasrestaurant.com

Tags: turkish, live music, great food

I am curious to know in which part of Anatolia, traditionally people are supposed to have pide (turkish pizza) with sardines, apricot, artichoke and aubergine!!! A menu not only bizarre but also bland and tasteless. We had to wait for 1.5 hr for our main course, at the end we were faced with a pide that I am sure would have been thrown at their faces if it was served in Turkey. This place is a disgrace to Turkish pide culture. Any back street pide place in Hackney will offer more tasty food and with much cheaper prices. Spend what you save on a cab back home instead. Avoid this restaurant if you know anything about Turkish food or been to Turkey before, it will be a disappointment. I am curious to know in which part of Anatolia, traditionally people are supposed to have pide (turkish pizza) with sardines, apricot, artichoke and aubergine!!! A menu not only bizarre but also bland and tasteless. We had to wait for 1.5 hr for our main course, at the end we were faced with a pide that I am sure would have been thrown at their faces if it was served in Turkey. This place is a disgrace to Turkish pide culture. Any back street pide place in Hackney will offer more tasty food and with much cheaper prices. Spend what you save on a cab back home instead. Avoid this restaurant if you know anything about Turkish food or been to Turkey before, it will be a disappointment.

Tate Modern Restaurant - Blue pill or red pill? by Browners

Browners — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:33:57 +0000

Review by Browners

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7887 8888

Website: http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/eatanddrink/restaurant.htm

Tags: lively, good value, british

Swallow the blue pill and you emerge in a dungeon serving offal, greasy meat and portions so large you feel like you're in Las Vegas.

Choose the red pill and you're whisked off to a penthouse with a view like St Peter gets from his gates, serving delicate, feminine food in a venue steeped in culture.

We went to Tate Modern's private view of their Duchamp, Man Ray and Picabia exhibition. Our general feeling was that the three of them were essentially very witty, artistic commentators on the world of art and culture. They could almost be seen as the grand fathers of post-modernism. It's an exhibition full of clever parodies, knowing pastiches and inspired cultural commentary. We pottered upstairs to the buzzing restaurant to chat about all the ideas we'd had on our way round.

We had cured salmon and smoked duck for starter. The duck came with a chicory salad with a bitter orange dressing. It made for a dish full of clashing contrasts. Sweet, smokey duck punched in the face by the bitter salad... in a pleasing way.

Cowie's salmon was delicious. Cured in a lime dressing it was delicately balanced and as feminine as starters come. Tom Ilic's manly offal this was not! These starters oozed artistic, feline charm. Not the kind of food you want when you've just come back from rugby training. More the kind of grub you want to look at, inhale and not get fat! I swear you could eat these dishes all day and lose weight!

I had a Dover sole with a gorgeous caper butter sauce. the flesh teased away from the bone like only sole does. Soft, delicate and buttery, it was the perfect follow up to my bitter sweet duck. Cowie had an attractive piece of trout in a thin vegetable broth. Cowie was in heaven. It's the kind of meal that girls like Cowie crave. Light, interesting, attractive and well balanced. You get home not weighed down with the hefty fare you get at places like the Anchor and Hope and Tom Ilic.

The blue pill or the red pill... there's a time and a place for both.Swallow the blue pill and you emerge in a dungeon serving offal, greasy meat and portions so large you feel like you're in Las Vegas.

Choose the red pill and you're whisked off to a penthouse with a view like St Peter gets from his gates, serving delicate, feminine food in a venue steeped in culture.

We went to Tate Modern's private view of their Duchamp, Man Ray and Picabia exhibition. Our general feeling was that the three of them were essentially very witty, artistic commentators on the world of art and culture. They could almost be seen as the grand fathers of post-modernism. It's an exhibition full of clever parodies, knowing pastiches and inspired cultural commentary. We pottered upstairs to the buzzing restaurant to chat about all the ideas we'd had on our way round.

We had cured salmon and smoked duck for starter. The duck came with a chicory salad with a bitter orange dressing. It made for a dish full of clashing contrasts. Sweet, smokey duck punched in the face by the bitter salad... in a pleasing way.

Cowie's salmon was delicious. Cured in a lime dressing it was delicately balanced and as feminine as starters come. Tom Ilic's manly offal this was not! These starters oozed artistic, feline charm. Not the kind of food you want when you've just come back from rugby training. More the kind of grub you want to look at, inhale and not get fat! I swear you could eat these dishes all day and lose weight!

I had a Dover sole with a gorgeous caper butter sauce. the flesh teased away from the bone like only sole does. Soft, delicate and buttery, it was the perfect follow up to my bitter sweet duck. Cowie had an attractive piece of trout in a thin vegetable broth. Cowie was in heaven. It's the kind of meal that girls like Cowie crave. Light, interesting, attractive and well balanced. You get home not weighed down with the hefty fare you get at places like the Anchor and Hope and Tom Ilic.

The blue pill or the red pill... there's a time and a place for both.

Wine Wharf - Good for a glass of wine ... or two by CharlotteEvett

CharlotteEvett — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:07:00 +0000

Review by CharlotteEvett

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7940 8335

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

Tags: jazz, food, trendy

These guys know their wine, and the food isn't bad either. Great central place to go for a relaxed night out where you will be guaranteed a great selection of wines.These guys know their wine, and the food isn't bad either. Great central place to go for a relaxed night out where you will be guaranteed a great selection of wines.

Monmouth Coffee Company - Great coffee, great beans, great place by CharlotteEvett

CharlotteEvett — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:00:33 +0000

Review by CharlotteEvett

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7645 3562

Website: http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/ourshops.htm#theborough

Tags: amazing brew, lively, quick bite

Monmouth make seriously good coffee. One of a handful of places in london where you can get a decent latte. Sorry - no trim milk here they use non pasturised organic whole milk, but I'd happily be fat in exchange for the quality of their coffee. The food is pretty good too and you can visit the markets afterwards! For those that prefer to make coffee at home, they also have a great selection of beans.Monmouth make seriously good coffee. One of a handful of places in london where you can get a decent latte. Sorry - no trim milk here they use non pasturised organic whole milk, but I'd happily be fat in exchange for the quality of their coffee. The food is pretty good too and you can visit the markets afterwards! For those that prefer to make coffee at home, they also have a great selection of beans.

Black & Blue - NIce Steak in Borough Market by walid

walid — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:51:06 +0000

Review by walid

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7357 9922

Website: http://www.blackandblue.biz/

Tags: steak, american, lively

After nearly 3 months of not seeing some of my best friends we decided to have a boys all night out in London Bridge to go to Shunt Vaults. But being 3 hungry boys we went to Black & Blue to get our protein fix in the shape of juicy steaks. As Evi mentions, Black & Blue is a franchise with restaurants across London. From the outside B&B looks modern, clean, and even trendy. Without any reservations we were told the wait would be about 45 minutes. We ordered a few beers and let the conversations flow, and before we knew it our table was ready. We decided to skip starters and each go straight to a 280g of Sirlion steak. I ordered mine rare, the way meat is meant to be ate ;-) It was delicious, tender, tasty, and well cooked. The fries were chunky, tasty, and slightly crunchy.
The service was prompt and efficient. Now you may wonder why I'm not giving it 4 stars or even 5 stars. Well as mentioned the venue is modern and even trendy, the service was good, and the food quite tasty, but like most chains it lacked that distinct character that makes non-chain places unique. It was a great night, and we had loads of fun catching up and exchanging crazy stories... hope not too many people heard us ;-)After nearly 3 months of not seeing some of my best friends we decided to have a boys all night out in London Bridge to go to Shunt Vaults. But being 3 hungry boys we went to Black & Blue to get our protein fix in the shape of juicy steaks. As Evi mentions, Black & Blue is a franchise with restaurants across London. From the outside B&B looks modern, clean, and even trendy. Without any reservations we were told the wait would be about 45 minutes. We ordered a few beers and let the conversations flow, and before we knew it our table was ready. We decided to skip starters and each go straight to a 280g of Sirlion steak. I ordered mine rare, the way meat is meant to be ate ;-) It was delicious, tender, tasty, and well cooked. The fries were chunky, tasty, and slightly crunchy.
The service was prompt and efficient. Now you may wonder why I'm not giving it 4 stars or even 5 stars. Well as mentioned the venue is modern and even trendy, the service was good, and the food quite tasty, but like most chains it lacked that distinct character that makes non-chain places unique. It was a great night, and we had loads of fun catching up and exchanging crazy stories... hope not too many people heard us ;-)

Tas Restaurant - Perfect for privacy by Angella

Angella — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:00:10 +0000

Review by Angella

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7928 2111

Website: http://www.tasrestaurant.com

Tags: turkish, live music, vegetarian dishes

A great place for a leisurely Sunday lunch if you want to talk to an old or new friend.

Outside
Pleasantly decorated and understated. Not luxurious but green tubs either side of the door.

Food
Lamb is their speciality.

For my main course I chose chicken with ginger. Didn't really taste the ginger, but was happy enough. Ordered a side dish of couscous.

My companion's lamb (kebab - or a work like it - looked more like huge minced meat sausages) dish came with couscous but he changed that to rice.

Desserts
Baklava. I was told you accent the first syllable. Three pieces, really good nuts on top as well as inside, looked green like pistacchio. Not over-sweet and sickly. Just right.

Coffee
I had Turkish coffee. You have to specify how sweet you want it. It's really thick and sludgy, in a small cup, no room for milk. You don't need to add sugar as you've already specified medium or whatever.

Speed and Timing
Very leisurely. We arrived about 1.30 Sunday lunchtime, ad no starter, but were not rushed were able to sit chatting until about 4.30.

Decor
Slightly echoing. Able to absorb children without noise disturbing you. Upmarket spartan. White. Cloths.

Seating
Good, comfortable high back chairs. Plus a little seated waiting area in the window by the door. Tables for two by the far wall, well away from the nearest table, offering total privacy.

Staff
Foreign language staff efficient enough, no conversation.

Cleanliness
You can see them cooking at the back which is always fun and reassuring. Makes the place look bigger, too.

Drinks
My companion was driving and not drinking so I looked for a glass of wine.
Glass of champagne or I had a pink Zinfandel and lots of bottles.

Toilets
Neither wonderful nor awful. Large roomy one person toilet suitable for a wheelchair. Containing a private washbasin in the toilet which is always handy for washing, cleaning teeth, whatever you like, without other watching.

Location
Very convenient.
Next to Southwark station.
Or Waterloo. Bakerloo tube line or Northern. Only three to five minutes walk from the back left of Waterloo station (exit 4) near Marks and just beyond Tie Rack. From Waterloo The Old Vic theatre is on the corner. Cross the lights in front of the Old Vic and follow the sign to Southwark station and there it is on your right.

What else to do in the area? A few yards away is a theatre bookshop with performances and secondhand books downstairs.

Waterloo station has shops open on Sunday. I passed a musician playing a hurdy-gurdy which lots of people videoed as they passed before dropping a few coins in his hat. He was happy to explain how it worked to passers-by. He told me he was featured on the Waterloo station website.
A great place for a leisurely Sunday lunch if you want to talk to an old or new friend.

Outside
Pleasantly decorated and understated. Not luxurious but green tubs either side of the door.

Food
Lamb is their speciality.

For my main course I chose chicken with ginger. Didn't really taste the ginger, but was happy enough. Ordered a side dish of couscous.

My companion's lamb (kebab - or a work like it - looked more like huge minced meat sausages) dish came with couscous but he changed that to rice.

Desserts
Baklava. I was told you accent the first syllable. Three pieces, really good nuts on top as well as inside, looked green like pistacchio. Not over-sweet and sickly. Just right.

Coffee
I had Turkish coffee. You have to specify how sweet you want it. It's really thick and sludgy, in a small cup, no room for milk. You don't need to add sugar as you've already specified medium or whatever.

Speed and Timing
Very leisurely. We arrived about 1.30 Sunday lunchtime, ad no starter, but were not rushed were able to sit chatting until about 4.30.

Decor
Slightly echoing. Able to absorb children without noise disturbing you. Upmarket spartan. White. Cloths.

Seating
Good, comfortable high back chairs. Plus a little seated waiting area in the window by the door. Tables for two by the far wall, well away from the nearest table, offering total privacy.

Staff
Foreign language staff efficient enough, no conversation.

Cleanliness
You can see them cooking at the back which is always fun and reassuring. Makes the place look bigger, too.

Drinks
My companion was driving and not drinking so I looked for a glass of wine.
Glass of champagne or I had a pink Zinfandel and lots of bottles.

Toilets
Neither wonderful nor awful. Large roomy one person toilet suitable for a wheelchair. Containing a private washbasin in the toilet which is always handy for washing, cleaning teeth, whatever you like, without other watching.

Location
Very convenient.
Next to Southwark station.
Or Waterloo. Bakerloo tube line or Northern. Only three to five minutes walk from the back left of Waterloo station (exit 4) near Marks and just beyond Tie Rack. From Waterloo The Old Vic theatre is on the corner. Cross the lights in front of the Old Vic and follow the sign to Southwark station and there it is on your right.

What else to do in the area? A few yards away is a theatre bookshop with performances and secondhand books downstairs.

Waterloo station has shops open on Sunday. I passed a musician playing a hurdy-gurdy which lots of people videoed as they passed before dropping a few coins in his hat. He was happy to explain how it worked to passers-by. He told me he was featured on the Waterloo station website.