Latest reviews for Restaurants in Carnaby Street, London, United Kingdom

Spacca Napoli - La vita e bella by nat08

nat08 — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:03:39 +0000

Review by nat08

Rating: 4.00

I first discovered this restaurant about 10 years ago in its first incarnation as "Bella Napoli" - and what a true find it was! Thanks Miranda! It was the most traditional restaurant in Soho, as far as I could see, and it made a welcome difference to all the other places trying to be cool and trendy and not focusing on the main event - the food!!

It was such a gem that of course it's popularity grew and fans kept coming back for some wonderful food along with the personal touch that the owner Mimmo gives to each and every customer that walks through his door.

A facelift came but still his fans poured through the door each and every night. Food is wonderful and portions are big - just the way I like my Italian food! It's true comfort food at it's best - i love the Vitello Milanese - mouth-watering and just so tender and succulent - not chewy and bland as you can find many times with this dish.

Pizzas are great and if you are in a big party it makes sense to get it by the meter and share - such a great way of making food fun as well as delicious! And the atmosphere and service is first class. It's a great location too on Dean Street.

So why not mosey on down to Dean Street and say Ciao to Spacca Napoli....I first discovered this restaurant about 10 years ago in its first incarnation as "Bella Napoli" - and what a true find it was! Thanks Miranda! It was the most traditional restaurant in Soho, as far as I could see, and it made a welcome difference to all the other places trying to be cool and trendy and not focusing on the main event - the food!!

It was such a gem that of course it's popularity grew and fans kept coming back for some wonderful food along with the personal touch that the owner Mimmo gives to each and every customer that walks through his door.

A facelift came but still his fans poured through the door each and every night. Food is wonderful and portions are big - just the way I like my Italian food! It's true comfort food at it's best - i love the Vitello Milanese - mouth-watering and just so tender and succulent - not chewy and bland as you can find many times with this dish.

Pizzas are great and if you are in a big party it makes sense to get it by the meter and share - such a great way of making food fun as well as delicious! And the atmosphere and service is first class. It's a great location too on Dean Street.

So why not mosey on down to Dean Street and say Ciao to Spacca Napoli....

Wild Honey - delicious food in Mayfair by ProfMagellan

ProfMagellan — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:57:54 +0000

Review by ProfMagellan

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7758 9160

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

Tags: french, good value, romantic

Full marks to Wild Honey. A really good lunch. Nice modern room just south of Hanover Square (near Bond Street).
The service was very efficient and friendly and the menu
offered a wide variety of interesting dishes. The puds were especially good. We had an alcohol-free lunch so I cannot alas comment on the wine.
One gripe: there was a good value set lunch on offer but in tiny print buried at the bottom of the menu. Had I had a magnifying glass I might have seen it but it was only at the end of luncheon that I noticed it. I very much liked sister restaurant Arbutus
so my expectations were high and were well rewarded.
Not cheap - but good value as this was fine food in Mayfair.
A postscript: it was raining heavily as we were leaving. My (female) guest asked to borrow an umbrella and presto the maitre d provided one for her. That is the sort of positive attitude that makes one recommend Wild Honey
without reservation.Full marks to Wild Honey. A really good lunch. Nice modern room just south of Hanover Square (near Bond Street).
The service was very efficient and friendly and the menu
offered a wide variety of interesting dishes. The puds were especially good. We had an alcohol-free lunch so I cannot alas comment on the wine.
One gripe: there was a good value set lunch on offer but in tiny print buried at the bottom of the menu. Had I had a magnifying glass I might have seen it but it was only at the end of luncheon that I noticed it. I very much liked sister restaurant Arbutus
so my expectations were high and were well rewarded.
Not cheap - but good value as this was fine food in Mayfair.
A postscript: it was raining heavily as we were leaving. My (female) guest asked to borrow an umbrella and presto the maitre d provided one for her. That is the sort of positive attitude that makes one recommend Wild Honey
without reservation.

Ten Ten Tei - Ideal Japanese escape by Cedric

Cedric — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:25:05 +0000

Review by Cedric

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 1738

Tags: japanese, good value, crowded

TenTenTei is one of the great Japanese restaurant available to sushi and other nippon delicacy lovers. Ideally located off Piccadily Circus, it is a great place by the food, but small by the size. You might have to wait a bit to get served if it is packed...TenTenTei is one of the great Japanese restaurant available to sushi and other nippon delicacy lovers. Ideally located off Piccadily Circus, it is a great place by the food, but small by the size. You might have to wait a bit to get served if it is packed...

Laureate Restaurant - Let down in Laureate by QueenB

QueenB — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:21:30 +0000

Review by QueenB

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7437 5088

Tags: expensive, chinese, crowded

After going to the theatre across the street, we thought we'd grab some quick food before going on to a party.

Rather than go to our usual dim sum haunts in China town, we thought we'd try Laureate for a change.

From out side, it looked good - bright with a mix of customers and could be fun for people watching from the raised street windows.

To start we were refused a window seat as there was only a 4 seater available and there was only 2 of us.

Staff took a long time to take our order desipite being so many of them working and the place being only half full.When they did, they shouted across us in Chinese at other staff and didn't even look at us.
No nibbles like crackers or beans were offered while we were kept waiting.

We ordered the hot Hor dâ¬"Oeuvres to start, at Â£7.50 a head, which turned out to be very small portions.

Then we just got sizzling king prawns, egg rice and a portion of beef in green pepper and black bean sauce.
The prawns were chewy and very small the beef was ok.

To drink we had a bottle of sparkling water and one chinese beer, between us.

The bill was Â£49.50 which I think was well over priced and guess we were paying for location rather than quality.
What should of been a nice meal was bland and boring.

The restaurant itself has quite a cold and sterile feel to it. No music was played, just a low mummer of the customers chat and the staff shouting orders.

Sadly I wont be going back and would suggest you keep on walking if you happen to be near by.

After going to the theatre across the street, we thought we'd grab some quick food before going on to a party.

Rather than go to our usual dim sum haunts in China town, we thought we'd try Laureate for a change.

From out side, it looked good - bright with a mix of customers and could be fun for people watching from the raised street windows.

To start we were refused a window seat as there was only a 4 seater available and there was only 2 of us.

Staff took a long time to take our order desipite being so many of them working and the place being only half full.When they did, they shouted across us in Chinese at other staff and didn't even look at us.
No nibbles like crackers or beans were offered while we were kept waiting.

We ordered the hot Hor dâ¬"Oeuvres to start, at Â£7.50 a head, which turned out to be very small portions.

Then we just got sizzling king prawns, egg rice and a portion of beef in green pepper and black bean sauce.
The prawns were chewy and very small the beef was ok.

To drink we had a bottle of sparkling water and one chinese beer, between us.

The bill was Â£49.50 which I think was well over priced and guess we were paying for location rather than quality.
What should of been a nice meal was bland and boring.

The restaurant itself has quite a cold and sterile feel to it. No music was played, just a low mummer of the customers chat and the staff shouting orders.

Sadly I wont be going back and would suggest you keep on walking if you happen to be near by.

Lorelei - An Institution by stantoncarlisle

stantoncarlisle — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:04:01 +0000

Review by stantoncarlisle

Rating: 0.00

Phone: 020 7734 0954

Tags: italian, cheap eat, lively

This place is one of the heartbeats of old Boho Soho. Its always had that unfinished look, sandbags at the door and slightly rickety chairs - but the food is good homemade Italian fare. Smells excellent coming from the kitchen, and doesn't leave the wallet feeling like its been bled dry then thwapped repeatedly with a hammer. I remember one of my fussy Italian mates waffling on about its thin pizzas. He was right - they are good. As an extra plus you can bring your own wine in and they'll uncork it. Plain, unpretentious, no-frills - this is an escape from the hubbub of Soho and the doughy wastes of Pizzaland. Should have a Blue Plaque and a preservation order on it.This place is one of the heartbeats of old Boho Soho. Its always had that unfinished look, sandbags at the door and slightly rickety chairs - but the food is good homemade Italian fare. Smells excellent coming from the kitchen, and doesn't leave the wallet feeling like its been bled dry then thwapped repeatedly with a hammer. I remember one of my fussy Italian mates waffling on about its thin pizzas. He was right - they are good. As an extra plus you can bring your own wine in and they'll uncork it. Plain, unpretentious, no-frills - this is an escape from the hubbub of Soho and the doughy wastes of Pizzaland. Should have a Blue Plaque and a preservation order on it.

Kulu Kulu Sushi - London's best sushi by LKnight

LKnight — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:03:48 +0000

Review by LKnight

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7734 7316

Tags: japanese, good value, cheap eat

My favourite sushi place in London - excellent food, reasonable prices, and it feels very authentic. Thereâ¬"s a couple of other Kulu Kuluâ¬"s around, but I have found the Brewer St one is the best.My favourite sushi place in London - excellent food, reasonable prices, and it feels very authentic. Thereâ¬"s a couple of other Kulu Kuluâ¬"s around, but I have found the Brewer St one is the best.

Latium - A special birthday treat by Sarah_W

Sarah_W — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:56:35 +0000

Review by Sarah_W

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7323 9123

Website: http://www.latiumrestaurant.com

Tags: italian, good value, friendly

We came here a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my birthday as I'd seen a couple of good reviews. The reviews proved to be spot on - we had an excellent meal and a really nice evening.

The restaurant is a little off the beaten track, though only a stone's throw from trendy Charlotte Street. We liked the modern decor (though the old wardrobe by the door for customers' coats and bags is a nice touch) and got a friendly Italian welcome from the waiting staff. We ate fairly early so the restaurant was quiet when we arrived, but it soon filled up - however, it never got too noisy and we enjoyed the view of the bustling room from our table in the window.

The menu here is a set one, with a small number of choices for each course and a flat charge of Â£24.50 for two courses or Â£28.50 for three, which in my view is excellent value for the quality, especially when you add in the various extras. We enjoyed a wonderful selection of bread and rolls, eating far more of it than we normally would because of the variety (the parmesan flavoured slices were the stand-out but the walnut and rasin came a close second, and there were also sundried tomato and black olives rolls, and crispy Sicilan flat bread). This came with a dish of good olive oil for dipping. We were also given a plate of small canapes and a bowl of fantastic olives - Chris, who is a real olive fan, pronounced them among the best he has tasted! And this is all before we've even started on the food we'd ordered :-)

So on to the menu. Latium specialises in ravioli, and a whole page in the menu is devoted to it, with several choices for each course. We both sampled something from this, with me choosing the taleggio, Swiss chard and walnut starter and Chris the ricotta and lemon ravioli for his mains. His starter meanwhile was the beef tartar with wild rocket qualis' eggs and my main a lovely piece of salmon in a pumpkin sauce. Chris then indulged in the tiramisu and I had a wonderful dessert of wafer thin pineapple slices wrapped around indulgent lime semi-freddo. I can't pick a favourite out of this list - everything was really delicious! My only tiny complaint was that my pumpkin sauce was almost cold, but when I pointed this out the waitress was very apologetic and replaced it without question (and I am sure it was a new dish, not simply reheated).

We turned down coffee but they still brough a plate of gorgeous petits fours - the white chocolate truffle rolled in cinnamon was truly miraculaous, and luckily for me Chris doesn't like white chocolate ...

With water and a bottle of wine we paid about Â£85 which was really good value for such a wonderful meal. We will be back!We came here a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my birthday as I'd seen a couple of good reviews. The reviews proved to be spot on - we had an excellent meal and a really nice evening.

The restaurant is a little off the beaten track, though only a stone's throw from trendy Charlotte Street. We liked the modern decor (though the old wardrobe by the door for customers' coats and bags is a nice touch) and got a friendly Italian welcome from the waiting staff. We ate fairly early so the restaurant was quiet when we arrived, but it soon filled up - however, it never got too noisy and we enjoyed the view of the bustling room from our table in the window.

The menu here is a set one, with a small number of choices for each course and a flat charge of Â£24.50 for two courses or Â£28.50 for three, which in my view is excellent value for the quality, especially when you add in the various extras. We enjoyed a wonderful selection of bread and rolls, eating far more of it than we normally would because of the variety (the parmesan flavoured slices were the stand-out but the walnut and rasin came a close second, and there were also sundried tomato and black olives rolls, and crispy Sicilan flat bread). This came with a dish of good olive oil for dipping. We were also given a plate of small canapes and a bowl of fantastic olives - Chris, who is a real olive fan, pronounced them among the best he has tasted! And this is all before we've even started on the food we'd ordered :-)

So on to the menu. Latium specialises in ravioli, and a whole page in the menu is devoted to it, with several choices for each course. We both sampled something from this, with me choosing the taleggio, Swiss chard and walnut starter and Chris the ricotta and lemon ravioli for his mains. His starter meanwhile was the beef tartar with wild rocket qualis' eggs and my main a lovely piece of salmon in a pumpkin sauce. Chris then indulged in the tiramisu and I had a wonderful dessert of wafer thin pineapple slices wrapped around indulgent lime semi-freddo. I can't pick a favourite out of this list - everything was really delicious! My only tiny complaint was that my pumpkin sauce was almost cold, but when I pointed this out the waitress was very apologetic and replaced it without question (and I am sure it was a new dish, not simply reheated).

We turned down coffee but they still brough a plate of gorgeous petits fours - the white chocolate truffle rolled in cinnamon was truly miraculaous, and luckily for me Chris doesn't like white chocolate ...

With water and a bottle of wine we paid about Â£85 which was really good value for such a wonderful meal. We will be back!

Hung's - 50p for a pot of tea... by bellaphon

bellaphon — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:14:28 +0000

Review by bellaphon

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 6578

Tags: chinese, good value, cheap eat

First and foremost I would like to thank hollowlegs and CPaskell for their write-ups. This is one of the few restaurants left in Chinatown that hasnâ¬"t morphed into an â¬Üeat-all-you-can-for-a-fiverâ¬" buffet or a faux Japanese joint.

With the demise of my regular China China on Gerrard Street (another casualty of the buffet for a fiver phenomenon), Hungâ¬"s is at the very least a welcome addition. An acid test order of dishes was necessary to determine whether this place was worth coming back for. The first order of King Prawn Dumpling Soup (Shui Kow) was a huge and utterly delicious affair and shouldâ¬"ve been treated as a complete meal on its own. The equally large second order of Kon Low Mein (Dry noodles) with some fine duck pieces and yummy slices of garish orange boiled cuttlefish was more than all right in all. The delightful lady sitting on the same table as me prompted to stipulate that she religiously comes here once a week. She would always accomplish her usual undying order of tasty egg fried rice together with a huge dish of â¬Üwowâ¬" salt and pepper spare ribs (pronounced crispy on the outside and tender well-within); the apparent consistency of these dishes was enough to validate her weekly pilgrimage from Wimbledon. As for myself I'm pretty much satisfied and I shall be coming back.

Iâ¬"ve also been informed by one of the waitresses that the renamed Hungâ¬"s is effectively still in the same hands and management as the original Crispy Duck. The latter has only relocated to Gerrard Street where it now specialises in home made dim sum and a finer type of Cantonese cuisine.

OK, this place is inherently better than Wong Keiâ¬"s, but itâ¬"s still got that damn 10% service charge that latently and sinisterly appears on your final bill! Take heed and not go mad, the food is pretty good after all. And 50p for a pot of tea...!First and foremost I would like to thank hollowlegs and CPaskell for their write-ups. This is one of the few restaurants left in Chinatown that hasnâ¬"t morphed into an â¬Üeat-all-you-can-for-a-fiverâ¬" buffet or a faux Japanese joint.

With the demise of my regular China China on Gerrard Street (another casualty of the buffet for a fiver phenomenon), Hungâ¬"s is at the very least a welcome addition. An acid test order of dishes was necessary to determine whether this place was worth coming back for. The first order of King Prawn Dumpling Soup (Shui Kow) was a huge and utterly delicious affair and shouldâ¬"ve been treated as a complete meal on its own. The equally large second order of Kon Low Mein (Dry noodles) with some fine duck pieces and yummy slices of garish orange boiled cuttlefish was more than all right in all. The delightful lady sitting on the same table as me prompted to stipulate that she religiously comes here once a week. She would always accomplish her usual undying order of tasty egg fried rice together with a huge dish of â¬Üwowâ¬" salt and pepper spare ribs (pronounced crispy on the outside and tender well-within); the apparent consistency of these dishes was enough to validate her weekly pilgrimage from Wimbledon. As for myself I'm pretty much satisfied and I shall be coming back.

Iâ¬"ve also been informed by one of the waitresses that the renamed Hungâ¬"s is effectively still in the same hands and management as the original Crispy Duck. The latter has only relocated to Gerrard Street where it now specialises in home made dim sum and a finer type of Cantonese cuisine.

OK, this place is inherently better than Wong Keiâ¬"s, but itâ¬"s still got that damn 10% service charge that latently and sinisterly appears on your final bill! Take heed and not go mad, the food is pretty good after all. And 50p for a pot of tea...!

Misato Restaurant - Extremely good value by foxie

foxie — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:57:46 +0000

Review by foxie

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7734 0808

Tags: japanese, crowded, good value

In a very informal setting. The portions are generous and the prices are easy on the wallet. The staff aren't particularly friendly and it is *always* crowded - the tables are quite close together as well, so it is good to be considerate of your neighbors.

Still the food is definitely worth it.In a very informal setting. The portions are generous and the prices are easy on the wallet. The staff aren't particularly friendly and it is *always* crowded - the tables are quite close together as well, so it is good to be considerate of your neighbors.

Still the food is definitely worth it.

Satsuma - not for me by yeebi

yeebi — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:52:23 +0000

Review by yeebi

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7437 8338

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

Tags: japanese, lively, good value

Food are over priced and very small.
Not authentic.
A sashimi set dinner will have about 4 pieces of sashimi for the same price you can have 10 plate at yo sushi.
Service is quite poor. Staff are not always available when you want their attention.Food are over priced and very small.
Not authentic.
A sashimi set dinner will have about 4 pieces of sashimi for the same price you can have 10 plate at yo sushi.
Service is quite poor. Staff are not always available when you want their attention.

Cafe Emm - Good for pre-theatre food by Julesdit

Julesdit — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:05:10 +0000

Review by Julesdit

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7437 0723

Website: http://www.cafeemm.com

Tags: cheap eat, lively, crowded

We popped here for pre-theatre dinner before going to a show at Prince Edward Theatre. Although it was a busy Friday night we were seated quickly and we didn't have to wait long for food. The food was good, simple fayre and there was a good choice avaliable. I also found the staff friendly. Really good value for money, even for outside London.We popped here for pre-theatre dinner before going to a show at Prince Edward Theatre. Although it was a busy Friday night we were seated quickly and we didn't have to wait long for food. The food was good, simple fayre and there was a good choice avaliable. I also found the staff friendly. Really good value for money, even for outside London.

Arigato - Domo arigato by bellaphon

bellaphon — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:51:47 +0000

Review by bellaphon

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 1722

Tags: japanese, soho, sushi

An absolutely delightful nondescript Japanese supermarket in Soho.

As well as coming here to stock up on the ingredients for your Japanese do at home, the ready made bento box lunches are good value and as far as I can fathom, they are prepared and cooked authentically by the Japanese staff in the kitchen. The sushi and sashimi offered I felt were superior to the ones found at the over hyped Japan Centre in Piccadilly; for they were near perfect and less mass produced in taste. Other delicious and good value ready made options include tempura prawns, korokke and gyozas. But the usual standout for me at this place is the Chicken Karaage (simple soy sauce flavoured fried battered chicken pieces). This beats Chicken nuggets any day!

Arigato, domo arigato.
An absolutely delightful nondescript Japanese supermarket in Soho.

As well as coming here to stock up on the ingredients for your Japanese do at home, the ready made bento box lunches are good value and as far as I can fathom, they are prepared and cooked authentically by the Japanese staff in the kitchen. The sushi and sashimi offered I felt were superior to the ones found at the over hyped Japan Centre in Piccadilly; for they were near perfect and less mass produced in taste. Other delicious and good value ready made options include tempura prawns, korokke and gyozas. But the usual standout for me at this place is the Chicken Karaage (simple soy sauce flavoured fried battered chicken pieces). This beats Chicken nuggets any day!

Arigato, domo arigato.

Jerk City - Mmmmmmm.... by CristinaA

CristinaA — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:35:53 +0000

Review by CristinaA

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7287 2878

Tags: cheap eat, quick bite, crowded

Seriously good Caribbean food, I love this place. As soon as you step in it feels like carnival all year round. Itâ¬"s warm and vibrant atmosphere is a combination of the young and old enjoying themselves. Itâ¬"s not your glam eaterie but nobody really cares when the food is this good. Regular or first timer, youâ¬"ll be welcomed with a warm smile.

Seriously good Caribbean food, I love this place. As soon as you step in it feels like carnival all year round. Itâ¬"s warm and vibrant atmosphere is a combination of the young and old enjoying themselves. Itâ¬"s not your glam eaterie but nobody really cares when the food is this good. Regular or first timer, youâ¬"ll be welcomed with a warm smile.

Aurora Cafe - Great for a date... by CristinaA

CristinaA — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:28:47 +0000

Review by CristinaA

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7494 0514

Tags: romantic, italian, european

Aurora is definitely a find -- especially the secret garden dining at the back! The food is great, there's always a choice of chicken, meat and vegetarian, so something for everyone. Very cosy atmosphere, a great place for a date or for a great meal out with your friends.
Aurora is definitely a find -- especially the secret garden dining at the back! The food is great, there's always a choice of chicken, meat and vegetarian, so something for everyone. Very cosy atmosphere, a great place for a date or for a great meal out with your friends.

Bistro 1 - Lovely... by CristinaA

CristinaA — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:26:06 +0000

Review by CristinaA

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 1840

Tags: cheap eat, brasserie, mediterranean

Nice atmosphere, cosy, a real find in Soho. Set price menus for less than Â£10; the sea bream served on mash with a cream sauce and smoked salmon was a tasty supper, house white very drinkable, good service considering every table was filled with contented punters, keep it up!
Nice atmosphere, cosy, a real find in Soho. Set price menus for less than Â£10; the sea bream served on mash with a cream sauce and smoked salmon was a tasty supper, house white very drinkable, good service considering every table was filled with contented punters, keep it up!

La Trouvaille - Red, red wine... by CristinaA

CristinaA — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:20:07 +0000

Review by CristinaA

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 8488

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

Tags: romantic, french, good value

Iâ¬"m a little too fond of red wine for my liking, which is probably why I spend so much time in La Trouvaille. Tucked away and hidden from the hustle and bustle of Carnaby street, you'll find the wine list is sensational and the complimentary glass of Sangria you get when entering La Trouvaille started the evening with a bang! La Trouvaille is a great place, great food and atmosphere.Iâ¬"m a little too fond of red wine for my liking, which is probably why I spend so much time in La Trouvaille. Tucked away and hidden from the hustle and bustle of Carnaby street, you'll find the wine list is sensational and the complimentary glass of Sangria you get when entering La Trouvaille started the evening with a bang! La Trouvaille is a great place, great food and atmosphere.

Trattoria Da Aldo - Trattoria Da NO GO! by Foodies

Foodies — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:41:27 +0000

Review by Foodies

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7437 3985

Tags: italian, lively, good value

Dont be fooled by how many diners are in the restaurant as you walk by, after eating here I doubt any of these people are returning customers! The food was HORRIBLE, it certainly isn't restaurant quality, the menu doesnt describe meals correctly and the restaurant has the hide to charge an extra 10% service charge which isnt optional. The best thing we had here was the bottle of red wine. If you intend on eating here be prepared for dissapointment.
I would have given this restaurant no stars but web page wouldnt allow it.
Dont be fooled by how many diners are in the restaurant as you walk by, after eating here I doubt any of these people are returning customers! The food was HORRIBLE, it certainly isn't restaurant quality, the menu doesnt describe meals correctly and the restaurant has the hide to charge an extra 10% service charge which isnt optional. The best thing we had here was the bottle of red wine. If you intend on eating here be prepared for dissapointment.
I would have given this restaurant no stars but web page wouldnt allow it.

Barrafina - Fantastic tapas! by sulin

sulin — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:14:25 +0000

Review by sulin

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7813 8010

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

Tags: spanish, crowded, expensive

A good friend of mine happened to be in town last week and so we arranged to meet at Barrafina, one of his favourite restaurants in London and one that Iâ¬"d been meaning to try. We met there at noon on a Saturday and were the second and third people to grab seats at the bar. The place filled up within half an hour so it seems the best thing to do is to get there when it just opens (they donâ¬"t take bookings).

When I saw ham croquetas on the menu, I knew I had to have them! We ordered those while still perusing the menu. They were extremely creamy inside and crisp on the outside and exactly how I like my croquetas!

From the daily specials, we ordered the grilled razor clams with olive oil, garlic and parsley. These were probably cooked a la plancha and were not at all rubbery but tender and so flavourful. My friend recommended the grilled lamb cutlets from the regular menu and so they went into our order. Very soft and we got stuck in with our fingers here. Also from the specials was the cavolo nero, braised with olive oil and garlic. Beautiful! The cavolo nero still had a bite but was tender and had toasted patches that were wonderful. I just bought some cavolo nero at my farmersâ¬" market to try replicating it this week. Another special - this time it was grilled squid, stuffed with tomato and chorizo. Again, this dish was faultless.

We were starting to get full at this point and so focused our attention on desserts! I chose the chocolate tart while my friend ordered the fig salad with creme chantilly and toasted sliced almonds. Both were truly delicious. There was a bit of cream alongside my chocolate tart, which was rich and dense and a little of eating like eating dark chocolate ganache in a thin pastry shell. As for my friendâ¬"s fig salad, it was fresh ripe figs with a huge mound of creme chantilly (I originally mistook it for ice cream). I could have eaten a huge bowlful of this - the almonds and caramel sauce over top made it perfect.

It seems strange that we didnâ¬"t order any of their sliced jamon but though they had a leg prominently displayed on the counter, no one was having any. It was hot food all the way for everyone. Their tortillas looked fantastic too - little individual ones with soft innards - Iâ¬"ll definitely try one next time.

However, it wasnâ¬"t a cheap lunch. For all the food, one glass of wine and all the tap water we could drink, it was Â£50 for the two of us. However, even with the limited seating, we never once felt rushed and our waitress was happy for us to order one or two tapas at a time. Thereâ¬"s a small counter along the wall where you can wait with a drink and a small bite for a seat - but as I noticed above, itâ¬"s probably easiest if you show up when they just open. I canâ¬"t wait to return (after Iâ¬"ve saved up a bit)!

Photos at the blog: http://tamarindandthyme.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/a-tapas-lunch-at-barrafina/A good friend of mine happened to be in town last week and so we arranged to meet at Barrafina, one of his favourite restaurants in London and one that Iâ¬"d been meaning to try. We met there at noon on a Saturday and were the second and third people to grab seats at the bar. The place filled up within half an hour so it seems the best thing to do is to get there when it just opens (they donâ¬"t take bookings).

When I saw ham croquetas on the menu, I knew I had to have them! We ordered those while still perusing the menu. They were extremely creamy inside and crisp on the outside and exactly how I like my croquetas!

From the daily specials, we ordered the grilled razor clams with olive oil, garlic and parsley. These were probably cooked a la plancha and were not at all rubbery but tender and so flavourful. My friend recommended the grilled lamb cutlets from the regular menu and so they went into our order. Very soft and we got stuck in with our fingers here. Also from the specials was the cavolo nero, braised with olive oil and garlic. Beautiful! The cavolo nero still had a bite but was tender and had toasted patches that were wonderful. I just bought some cavolo nero at my farmersâ¬" market to try replicating it this week. Another special - this time it was grilled squid, stuffed with tomato and chorizo. Again, this dish was faultless.

We were starting to get full at this point and so focused our attention on desserts! I chose the chocolate tart while my friend ordered the fig salad with creme chantilly and toasted sliced almonds. Both were truly delicious. There was a bit of cream alongside my chocolate tart, which was rich and dense and a little of eating like eating dark chocolate ganache in a thin pastry shell. As for my friendâ¬"s fig salad, it was fresh ripe figs with a huge mound of creme chantilly (I originally mistook it for ice cream). I could have eaten a huge bowlful of this - the almonds and caramel sauce over top made it perfect.

It seems strange that we didnâ¬"t order any of their sliced jamon but though they had a leg prominently displayed on the counter, no one was having any. It was hot food all the way for everyone. Their tortillas looked fantastic too - little individual ones with soft innards - Iâ¬"ll definitely try one next time.

However, it wasnâ¬"t a cheap lunch. For all the food, one glass of wine and all the tap water we could drink, it was Â£50 for the two of us. However, even with the limited seating, we never once felt rushed and our waitress was happy for us to order one or two tapas at a time. Thereâ¬"s a small counter along the wall where you can wait with a drink and a small bite for a seat - but as I noticed above, itâ¬"s probably easiest if you show up when they just open. I canâ¬"t wait to return (after Iâ¬"ve saved up a bit)!

Photos at the blog: http://tamarindandthyme.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/a-tapas-lunch-at-barrafina/

Bodean's BBQ - Good Hangover Cure by hollowlegs

hollowlegs — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:22:18 +0000

Review by hollowlegs

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7267 6623

Website: http://www.bodeansbbq.com

Tags: american, lively, crowded

I've never been to Bodean's straight-headed; we always come here for hangover cures, grumbling "mmmeeeeeaaat!" in an almost animalistic way.

It gets seriously busy in the downstairs restaurant, especially on a Friday so we tend to dine early (12pm) or later to beat the lunchtime rush. I've never had anything other than the 'Pig Out For A Tenner' deal which includes baby back ribs, fries and coleslaw with a Coors Light Beer (probably the only thing I can handle in delicate conditions, but pretty tasteless) or a soft drink.

The ribs are good; tender and meaty and messy, exactly what you'd want from them. Back in the day they used to give you a little mound of pulled pork in this deal, but alas, this is no more. Fries are average, but the coleslaw is nice and not sickeningly claggy with mayonnaise. I like their sauces - ask for the extra hot one. The waiting staff are always pleasant.I've never been to Bodean's straight-headed; we always come here for hangover cures, grumbling "mmmeeeeeaaat!" in an almost animalistic way.

It gets seriously busy in the downstairs restaurant, especially on a Friday so we tend to dine early (12pm) or later to beat the lunchtime rush. I've never had anything other than the 'Pig Out For A Tenner' deal which includes baby back ribs, fries and coleslaw with a Coors Light Beer (probably the only thing I can handle in delicate conditions, but pretty tasteless) or a soft drink.

The ribs are good; tender and meaty and messy, exactly what you'd want from them. Back in the day they used to give you a little mound of pulled pork in this deal, but alas, this is no more. Fries are average, but the coleslaw is nice and not sickeningly claggy with mayonnaise. I like their sauces - ask for the extra hot one. The waiting staff are always pleasant.

Garlic & Shots - Let down by elytra

elytra — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:20:38 +0000

Review by elytra

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7734 9505

Website: http://www.garlicandshots.com

Tags: lively, crowded, good value

Excellent food let down by poor service indeed. Arrogant waiting staff, more willing to talk amongst themselves than serve you after seating, unwilling to accommodate to any of our requests and an indigent response when asked to take the two additional items of food we never ordered and the -optional- service charge that was wholly undeserved off the bill, stating that it's part of the meal and if we did not like it we should not come back.

The only tip I would leave is to avoid this restaurant and pick somewhere else in Soho instead.Excellent food let down by poor service indeed. Arrogant waiting staff, more willing to talk amongst themselves than serve you after seating, unwilling to accommodate to any of our requests and an indigent response when asked to take the two additional items of food we never ordered and the -optional- service charge that was wholly undeserved off the bill, stating that it's part of the meal and if we did not like it we should not come back.

The only tip I would leave is to avoid this restaurant and pick somewhere else in Soho instead.