Latest reviews for Restaurants in Edgware Road, London, United Kingdom

Fatoush - One of Edgware Road's best! by AliZebu

AliZebu — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:09:31 +0000

Review by AliZebu

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7706 0725

Tags: middle eastern, lebanese, takeaway

Fatoush is one of the many Lebanese "Shawarma" (their spelling) joints on Edgware Road in London W2.

I went in here purely because it was near to the Tube Station and I was in a hurry to get to my destination.
I am glad I did because this place is rather good for a number of reasons.
The service was fast & friendly and the end "sandwich" was very good. The Lamb on the spit was good quality and well spiced. The bread was fine and the salad nice in that there was some capsicum peppers added which actually went quite well with this particular kebab. The Garlic sauce was good and the Chilli moderate in both heat & flavour.

The shop appearance is very clean and it was busy but the guy who seemed to be running things came up to greet me as soon as I went in and proceeded to make sure the server built the Scwarma to my exact specifications of Chilli & Garlic sauce.

RECOMMENDED!Fatoush is one of the many Lebanese "Shawarma" (their spelling) joints on Edgware Road in London W2.

I went in here purely because it was near to the Tube Station and I was in a hurry to get to my destination.
I am glad I did because this place is rather good for a number of reasons.
The service was fast & friendly and the end "sandwich" was very good. The Lamb on the spit was good quality and well spiced. The bread was fine and the salad nice in that there was some capsicum peppers added which actually went quite well with this particular kebab. The Garlic sauce was good and the Chilli moderate in both heat & flavour.

The shop appearance is very clean and it was busy but the guy who seemed to be running things came up to greet me as soon as I went in and proceeded to make sure the server built the Scwarma to my exact specifications of Chilli & Garlic sauce.

RECOMMENDED!

Minqala - Prejudiced and rude by zanzibar

zanzibar — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:05:20 +0000

Review by zanzibar

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7724 5131

Tags: middle eastern, good value, family & home feel

A friend and I went to Minqala restaurant on Thursday evening. When we arrived, there were a number of people eating in the restaurant and 3 or 4 empty tables. We were told by staff that there were no tables available for us. We went to the pub directly opposite where we were able to observe that no customers entered the restaurant or sat at the empty tables over the next half an hour or so. We feel that we were discriminated against and were not welcome in this restaurant.A friend and I went to Minqala restaurant on Thursday evening. When we arrived, there were a number of people eating in the restaurant and 3 or 4 empty tables. We were told by staff that there were no tables available for us. We went to the pub directly opposite where we were able to observe that no customers entered the restaurant or sat at the empty tables over the next half an hour or so. We feel that we were discriminated against and were not welcome in this restaurant.

Garfunkel's - appallingly overpriced for very low quality fare by tempuramental

tempuramental — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:39:59 +0000

Review by tempuramental

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7723 2770

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

Tags: expensive, american, air conditioning

i honestly don't know how anyone can give this place a good review. i went there recently in the hope of a decent hearty American-style meal while waiting for my train to leave from Paddington. the decor was underwhelming with no atmosphere whatsoever. i ordered the cheese omelette with jacket potato. the plate arrived with a stringy omelette unceremoniously presented alongside a bog-standard potato and a few randomly sliced bits of iceberg lettuce, which made the ensemble look particularly cheap. the flavours were incredibly bland, with no seasoning to the omelette or the potato, and not a whiff of dressing on the 'salad'. i've had better at your average greasy spoon. this culinary delight was priced at an eye-watering seven or eight quid. feeling unsatisfied, i decided to risk trying a dessert. i adore apple pie and was excited to discover that Garfunkel's offered the 'lattice' style, which is not often encountered outside of North America. i chose to have it warm with icecream. well the pie showed up on an enormous plate which only highlighted the virtual invisibility of the slice they had served. any American establishment would be ashamed to serve such a miniscule portion. a blob of icecream had been deposited alongside. again, no effort to make the dish presentable or pleasing to the eye in any way. the pie itself had the telltale mushy texture of having been defrosted in a microwave; the pastry had no crispness at all and was indistinguishable from the filling. again the flavour was remarkably bland. overall, an appallingly overpriced experience for very low quality fare.i honestly don't know how anyone can give this place a good review. i went there recently in the hope of a decent hearty American-style meal while waiting for my train to leave from Paddington. the decor was underwhelming with no atmosphere whatsoever. i ordered the cheese omelette with jacket potato. the plate arrived with a stringy omelette unceremoniously presented alongside a bog-standard potato and a few randomly sliced bits of iceberg lettuce, which made the ensemble look particularly cheap. the flavours were incredibly bland, with no seasoning to the omelette or the potato, and not a whiff of dressing on the 'salad'. i've had better at your average greasy spoon. this culinary delight was priced at an eye-watering seven or eight quid. feeling unsatisfied, i decided to risk trying a dessert. i adore apple pie and was excited to discover that Garfunkel's offered the 'lattice' style, which is not often encountered outside of North America. i chose to have it warm with icecream. well the pie showed up on an enormous plate which only highlighted the virtual invisibility of the slice they had served. any American establishment would be ashamed to serve such a miniscule portion. a blob of icecream had been deposited alongside. again, no effort to make the dish presentable or pleasing to the eye in any way. the pie itself had the telltale mushy texture of having been defrosted in a microwave; the pastry had no crispness at all and was indistinguishable from the filling. again the flavour was remarkably bland. overall, an appallingly overpriced experience for very low quality fare.

Jamuna Restaurant & Bar - fabulous food. by romeo0

romeo0 — Sat, 23 May 2009 23:01:40 +0000

Review by romeo0

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7723 5056

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

Tags: indian, lively, bar

Jamuna was recommended to me by a colleague so when i was in London on bussiness i thought i'd give it a try ,The food was fantastic and would recommend to all to try .
Jamuna was recommended to me by a colleague so when i was in London on bussiness i thought i'd give it a try ,The food was fantastic and would recommend to all to try .

Satay House - by fjordaan

fjordaan — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:43:02 +0000

Review by fjordaan

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7723 6763

Website: http://www.satay-house.co.uk

Tags: malaysian, good value, family & home feel

Ate here with an Asian food expert who recommended it. Had an excellent meal. Was particularly impressed by the grilled mackerel. Relaxed, quiet atmosphere in the evening (we sat downstairs).Ate here with an Asian food expert who recommended it. Had an excellent meal. Was particularly impressed by the grilled mackerel. Relaxed, quiet atmosphere in the evening (we sat downstairs).

Frontline Restaurant - Modern British cooking in Paddington by ProfMagellan

ProfMagellan — Sun, 10 May 2009 18:43:21 +0000

Review by ProfMagellan

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7479 8960

Website: http://www.thefrontlineclub.com

Tags: lively, british, good value

A media maven took me here a few weeks ago. The experience was so good that Mrs Magellan and I brought eight chums for dinner. We were not disappointed. I had a steak with great chips and shared a chocolate mousse. Others had fish pie, pork sausages and cottage pie. A nice French silky red completed the experience. All fairly priced. A happy evening.A media maven took me here a few weeks ago. The experience was so good that Mrs Magellan and I brought eight chums for dinner. We were not disappointed. I had a steak with great chips and shared a chocolate mousse. Others had fish pie, pork sausages and cottage pie. A nice French silky red completed the experience. All fairly priced. A happy evening.

Melur - Melur Redeems Itself with New 7.95 3-Course offer by samantha_tan

samantha_tan — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Review by samantha_tan

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7706 8083

Website: www.melur.co.uk

Tags: malaysian, romantic, expensive

Four months ago, I ate at Melur and absolutely hated it (see older review below). So much so that the first thing I did when I got home was come straight here to trustedplaces to type a scathing write-up! So imagine my surprise when last week, out of the blue, Melur proprietor Sam Wong sends me a message saying they have made some changes, introduced a new Chef's Special 3-course menu, and whether I and a friend would like to come and sample it for free.

I was a little taken aback by this. On one hand, I was impressed that she was ballsy enough to try and change the mind of someone who had nothing nice to say the first time round. That must mean they've really upped their game right? On the other hand, what if her confidence was misplaced and I still hated it? Surely I couldn't bring myself to eat for free and then write another damning review!

Well thankfully, I don't have to. As expected the service we received was exceptional given that all the staff knew they had to be nice to us, but it is the improvement in the flavour of the food that was most remarkable.

First off, A++ for the frothy teh tarik (sweet milky pulled tea) which my partner rates as one of the best he's tasted in London. As for the food, the new Chef's Special deal deserves 5-stars in my book simply because £7.95 for 3 courses (including full-size mains that already cost between £6.50-£7.80 on their own) is unbelievable value-for-money. I have no idea if their ala carte menu would rate as highly, but from what I could tell that too had been expanded to include more dishes so it looks promising.

From the 6 choices of starters we chose Popiah Goreng (fried spring rolls) and Ayam Goreng Berempah (spiced fried chicken), both of which were served piping hot with a sweet chilli dip. Delicious! The portion of two spring rolls had a nice crunch and were not too oily/stodgy, and props especially to the chef for keeping the strips of chicken breast moist in a light and crispy spiced batter.

For mains, the Nasi Lemak (coconut rice) came suitably fragrant, with all the typical accompaniments present and correct as well as achar (pickled vegetables) and a tasty piece of fried mackerel. This time round the waitress even offered to bring us extra sambal without us asking! (see my old review below for my previous experience requesting sambal. Dreadful). Strangely enough she came back with a dish of orangey chilli paste which was not the same sambal we had on the plate, but it still tasted good so no complaints there.

Char Kuay Teow (fried flat noodles) however, whilst tasty in its own right, was less of a hit with us. To be fair, it was spot-on if what you were after was a Malay style Kuay Teow Goreng (more moist and sweet), and is also much better than what Melur USED to serve, but most people who order Char Kuay Teow expect the Chinese hawker version which is typically dry and fiery with a smoky charred flavour (as perfectly demonstrated by Sedap restaurant (non-halal) on Old Street). Malaysians will know that despite both versions translating to mean "fried flat noodles", there are subtle differences which set them apart! Upon questioning, Sam explained that she has both a Malay and a Chinese chef in the kitchen who each cook it their own way, so the version you get depends largely on which chef makes it. Apparently "Jack is the Chinese cook" so ask for him if you are adamant about having the Chinese variety.

Also, a minor quibble about the garnish. I suppose it's down to personal taste, but a big pile of curly carrots (see picture) is truly a strange choice no? Perhaps a sprinkling of fried shallots or fresh spring onions would have worked better.

We were quite full by this point but decided to have dessert anyway. Pisang Goreng (banana fritters) and mango sorbet were our choices; both came pretty generic. Unlike the variety of starters and mains on offer, there were only 3 choices of desserts, the third being Kueh Dadar (coconut stuffed pancake) which was the only more adventurous attempt at presenting a classic Malay sweetmeat. Kudos for putting it there, but this being the Chef's Special menu, we would have liked to see other famous and uniquely Malaysian desserts such as ice kacang, sago gula melaka and cendol.

Nonetheless, despite my gripes about weird garnishes and unremarkable desserts, 3 courses for the crunch-busting price of £7.95 is still a fantastic bargain, especially given that the flavours now seem more authentic and no other Malaysian restaurant has yet come up with an offer to compete with this. What's more, the promotion applies all day Mon-Wed, and lunchtime every other day INCLUDING weekends!

Whilst I am sure my experience was heightened by the fact that I was a non-paying invited guest, it is evident that the people behind Melur have worked very hard in the past few months to fight the backlash and improve their offerings in a way that will please not just the unknowing foreigner but the critical Malaysian foodie too. For a restaurateur to swallow their pride, accept stinging criticism and revamp their menu entirely takes serious guts and humility, and for this I applaud Sam and her team.

There are improvements to be made still, but Melur is definitely on the right track to establishing themselves as a halal eatery worthy of Malaysian patronage. Well done and may you keep up the good work!

Four months ago, I ate at Melur and absolutely hated it (see older review below). So much so that the first thing I did when I got home was come straight here to trustedplaces to type a scathing write-up! So imagine my surprise when last week, out of the blue, Melur proprietor Sam Wong sends me a message saying they have made some changes, introduced a new Chef's Special 3-course menu, and whether I and a friend would like to come and sample it for free.

I was a little taken aback by this. On one hand, I was impressed that she was ballsy enough to try and change the mind of someone who had nothing nice to say the first time round. That must mean they've really upped their game right? On the other hand, what if her confidence was misplaced and I still hated it? Surely I couldn't bring myself to eat for free and then write another damning review!

Well thankfully, I don't have to. As expected the service we received was exceptional given that all the staff knew they had to be nice to us, but it is the improvement in the flavour of the food that was most remarkable.

First off, A++ for the frothy teh tarik (sweet milky pulled tea) which my partner rates as one of the best he's tasted in London. As for the food, the new Chef's Special deal deserves 5-stars in my book simply because £7.95 for 3 courses (including full-size mains that already cost between £6.50-£7.80 on their own) is unbelievable value-for-money. I have no idea if their ala carte menu would rate as highly, but from what I could tell that too had been expanded to include more dishes so it looks promising.

From the 6 choices of starters we chose Popiah Goreng (fried spring rolls) and Ayam Goreng Berempah (spiced fried chicken), both of which were served piping hot with a sweet chilli dip. Delicious! The portion of two spring rolls had a nice crunch and were not too oily/stodgy, and props especially to the chef for keeping the strips of chicken breast moist in a light and crispy spiced batter.

For mains, the Nasi Lemak (coconut rice) came suitably fragrant, with all the typical accompaniments present and correct as well as achar (pickled vegetables) and a tasty piece of fried mackerel. This time round the waitress even offered to bring us extra sambal without us asking! (see my old review below for my previous experience requesting sambal. Dreadful). Strangely enough she came back with a dish of orangey chilli paste which was not the same sambal we had on the plate, but it still tasted good so no complaints there.

Char Kuay Teow (fried flat noodles) however, whilst tasty in its own right, was less of a hit with us. To be fair, it was spot-on if what you were after was a Malay style Kuay Teow Goreng (more moist and sweet), and is also much better than what Melur USED to serve, but most people who order Char Kuay Teow expect the Chinese hawker version which is typically dry and fiery with a smoky charred flavour (as perfectly demonstrated by Sedap restaurant (non-halal) on Old Street). Malaysians will know that despite both versions translating to mean "fried flat noodles", there are subtle differences which set them apart! Upon questioning, Sam explained that she has both a Malay and a Chinese chef in the kitchen who each cook it their own way, so the version you get depends largely on which chef makes it. Apparently "Jack is the Chinese cook" so ask for him if you are adamant about having the Chinese variety.

Also, a minor quibble about the garnish. I suppose it's down to personal taste, but a big pile of curly carrots (see picture) is truly a strange choice no? Perhaps a sprinkling of fried shallots or fresh spring onions would have worked better.

We were quite full by this point but decided to have dessert anyway. Pisang Goreng (banana fritters) and mango sorbet were our choices; both came pretty generic. Unlike the variety of starters and mains on offer, there were only 3 choices of desserts, the third being Kueh Dadar (coconut stuffed pancake) which was the only more adventurous attempt at presenting a classic Malay sweetmeat. Kudos for putting it there, but this being the Chef's Special menu, we would have liked to see other famous and uniquely Malaysian desserts such as ice kacang, sago gula melaka and cendol.

Nonetheless, despite my gripes about weird garnishes and unremarkable desserts, 3 courses for the crunch-busting price of £7.95 is still a fantastic bargain, especially given that the flavours now seem more authentic and no other Malaysian restaurant has yet come up with an offer to compete with this. What's more, the promotion applies all day Mon-Wed, and lunchtime every other day INCLUDING weekends!

Whilst I am sure my experience was heightened by the fact that I was a non-paying invited guest, it is evident that the people behind Melur have worked very hard in the past few months to fight the backlash and improve their offerings in a way that will please not just the unknowing foreigner but the critical Malaysian foodie too. For a restaurateur to swallow their pride, accept stinging criticism and revamp their menu entirely takes serious guts and humility, and for this I applaud Sam and her team.

There are improvements to be made still, but Melur is definitely on the right track to establishing themselves as a halal eatery worthy of Malaysian patronage. Well done and may you keep up the good work!

Patogh - Simple but flavoursome food by rhoobarb

rhoobarb — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:29:15 +0000

Review by rhoobarb

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7262 4015

Tags: crowded, good value, middle eastern

Make what you will of it - a tiny place which gets packed full of Iranians/Persians with a smattering of others, enjoying simply cooked, fresh flavoursome meats like chicken and lamb, and bread, with fresh salad. The bread smells and looks divine and covers half the table! Generous portions with good value stamped all over it.

Go if you're hungry, don't mind too much about brusque service and simple decor. Go elsewhere if you want to be seen with prices to match.

Make what you will of it - a tiny place which gets packed full of Iranians/Persians with a smattering of others, enjoying simply cooked, fresh flavoursome meats like chicken and lamb, and bread, with fresh salad. The bread smells and looks divine and covers half the table! Generous portions with good value stamped all over it.

Go if you're hungry, don't mind too much about brusque service and simple decor. Go elsewhere if you want to be seen with prices to match.

Mandalay Burmese Restaurant - Okay I guess. by EugeneNyunt

EugeneNyunt — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:07:53 +0000

Review by EugeneNyunt

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7258 3696

Website: http://www.mandalayway.com/restaurant

Tags: burmese, good value, cheap eat

It's been yonks since I visited this place, although presumably the management remains the same. Located on a not very nice main road, the place is set back sufficiently for any visit to be worthwhile, since the food shouldn't set you back a bucket load either.
For those not used to/not having grown up with Burmese cuisine, this place is certainly worth a punt, but my own view together with those of family and friends who've gone there is that it doesn't really compare with Burmese home cooking. But then that's probably me having grown up in a unit which with near-universal unanimity were composed of the two best cooks in our community.It's been yonks since I visited this place, although presumably the management remains the same. Located on a not very nice main road, the place is set back sufficiently for any visit to be worthwhile, since the food shouldn't set you back a bucket load either.
For those not used to/not having grown up with Burmese cuisine, this place is certainly worth a punt, but my own view together with those of family and friends who've gone there is that it doesn't really compare with Burmese home cooking. But then that's probably me having grown up in a unit which with near-universal unanimity were composed of the two best cooks in our community.

Halal Of Marble Arch - by bahianoor

bahianoor — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:40:20 +0000

Review by bahianoor

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7723 2248

Tags: vegetarian dishes, egyptian

the worse experience ever.
been there with my mum, and ordered some rice, 2 kofta for he, and 1 kofta,and chiken with grilled veg for me.
the only nice thing we had was the salad.meat didnt look fresh as tasted like plastic, ice was dry like if 3 days old, and grilled vegs were socking oil.
we could smell the toilets from where we were siting//it was discusting.
i wont go there EVER AGAIN.the worse experience ever.
been there with my mum, and ordered some rice, 2 kofta for he, and 1 kofta,and chiken with grilled veg for me.
the only nice thing we had was the salad.meat didnt look fresh as tasted like plastic, ice was dry like if 3 days old, and grilled vegs were socking oil.
we could smell the toilets from where we were siting//it was discusting.
i wont go there EVER AGAIN.

Maroush III - Best Lebanese in town by sharon77

sharon77 — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:11:56 +0000

Review by sharon77

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7724 5024

Website: http://www.maroush.com

Tags: live music, lebanese, takeaway

This is hands down my favourite Lebanese restaurant in London and my favourite of all the Maroush group! I have been to this restaurant several times, and it never fails to impress me. The staff are always friendly, welcoming and attentive, striking a perfect balance between giving you space to peruse the menu and enjoy your meal, without making you feel as though you've been forgotten about. Nicely decorated and laid out, and very reasonably priced for its location.

Coming from mixed Middle Eastern roots myself I have a deep appreciation for Middle Eastern cuisine. I grew up with my grandmother's homemade cous cous, chulent and so on, so like to think I can recognise good authentically prepared middle eastern food, and this definitely fits the bill.

The mezze starters are a excellent, particularly the homous with pine nuts and lamb, meatballs, Lebanese salad, pickles... it's very easy to over order, but make sure you leave some room for your main as these are also very good. The shish taouk or the lamb or chicken shawarma are my particular favourites, and ending with traditional mint tea is a must.

This is a restaurant I happily go back to again and again.This is hands down my favourite Lebanese restaurant in London and my favourite of all the Maroush group! I have been to this restaurant several times, and it never fails to impress me. The staff are always friendly, welcoming and attentive, striking a perfect balance between giving you space to peruse the menu and enjoy your meal, without making you feel as though you've been forgotten about. Nicely decorated and laid out, and very reasonably priced for its location.

Coming from mixed Middle Eastern roots myself I have a deep appreciation for Middle Eastern cuisine. I grew up with my grandmother's homemade cous cous, chulent and so on, so like to think I can recognise good authentically prepared middle eastern food, and this definitely fits the bill.

The mezze starters are a excellent, particularly the homous with pine nuts and lamb, meatballs, Lebanese salad, pickles... it's very easy to over order, but make sure you leave some room for your main as these are also very good. The shish taouk or the lamb or chicken shawarma are my particular favourites, and ending with traditional mint tea is a must.

This is a restaurant I happily go back to again and again.

Maroush I - Good Quality Lebanese Restaurant Group by gastro1

gastro1 — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:06:39 +0000

Review by gastro1

Rating: 4.00Maroush is a chain of quality Lebanese restaurants part of the group that also owns Ranoush Juice and Beirut Express. There is also a deli on Edgeware road.

This is the original Maroush opened by Lebanese Druze Marouf Abouzaki over 20 years ago.

The menu is big with most of the well known Lebanese mezze and grills as well as home cooking type dishes like Lamb wth Okra and stuffed cabbage .

The shish taouk is excellent as are the many of the mezze including Taboule , Moutabal , Hoummus , Jaweneh , Soujuk , Kibbe , Falafel andFattoush salad.

The food is never going to be as good as in Lebanon or Syria where the ingredients especially the vegatbales have so much more flavor.

Anyway unike the Greeks who are a total disgrace the Lebanese tend to produce a much more representative form of their cooking outside their own country.

Maroush is a chain of quality Lebanese restaurants part of the group that also owns Ranoush Juice and Beirut Express. There is also a deli on Edgeware road.

This is the original Maroush opened by Lebanese Druze Marouf Abouzaki over 20 years ago.

The menu is big with most of the well known Lebanese mezze and grills as well as home cooking type dishes like Lamb wth Okra and stuffed cabbage .

The shish taouk is excellent as are the many of the mezze including Taboule , Moutabal , Hoummus , Jaweneh , Soujuk , Kibbe , Falafel andFattoush salad.

The food is never going to be as good as in Lebanon or Syria where the ingredients especially the vegatbales have so much more flavor.

Anyway unike the Greeks who are a total disgrace the Lebanese tend to produce a much more representative form of their cooking outside their own country.

Cafe Helen - Kebab Mecca by claypole

claypole — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:28:13 +0000

Review by claypole

Rating: 4.00

Tags: lively, kebab, crowded

London has a certain reputation as being a 24hr city, which for all intents and purposes is true. So at 3.30am on a Tuesday morning in central London, the simplest and most important of pleasures, the kebab, should be readily available right? Well... not exactly. So, if you find yourself heading west after a night out and the Edgware Road is en route or a short detour (being at the western end of Oxford St) then this little establishment is what you have been looking for...

Put simply this is a great place for Shawarma, Middle Eastern lamb or chicken kebabs, wrapped in lafa (a sweet, fluffy flatbread) with a good helping of garlic and chilli sauce. Closed during the day, CafÃ© Helen opens from 10 o'clock onwards (the sign outside says 24hr) and provides a perfect compliment to your high blood sugar induced hunger.

Importantly, this isn't some dodgy DÃ¶ner Kebab joint (though I have nothing against DÃ¶ner Kebabs!), Shawarma is made by placing strips of lamb or marinated chicken on a spit, then animal fat, with an onion or tomato placed at the top of the stack for flavouring. The meat is then slow roasted on all sides as the spit rotates in front of a flame for several hours. I'm no Shawarma expert, and I've had some lovely DÃ¶ner Kebabs in my time, but as kebabs go, these are excellent.

The place looks clean, is sensibly priced and is very small with a few high chairs at the back, and is always very busy, consisting mainly of Arab customers, no doubt on their way home to somewhere near Edgware Road! So, a Kebab Mecca indeed.London has a certain reputation as being a 24hr city, which for all intents and purposes is true. So at 3.30am on a Tuesday morning in central London, the simplest and most important of pleasures, the kebab, should be readily available right? Well... not exactly. So, if you find yourself heading west after a night out and the Edgware Road is en route or a short detour (being at the western end of Oxford St) then this little establishment is what you have been looking for...

Put simply this is a great place for Shawarma, Middle Eastern lamb or chicken kebabs, wrapped in lafa (a sweet, fluffy flatbread) with a good helping of garlic and chilli sauce. Closed during the day, CafÃ© Helen opens from 10 o'clock onwards (the sign outside says 24hr) and provides a perfect compliment to your high blood sugar induced hunger.

Importantly, this isn't some dodgy DÃ¶ner Kebab joint (though I have nothing against DÃ¶ner Kebabs!), Shawarma is made by placing strips of lamb or marinated chicken on a spit, then animal fat, with an onion or tomato placed at the top of the stack for flavouring. The meat is then slow roasted on all sides as the spit rotates in front of a flame for several hours. I'm no Shawarma expert, and I've had some lovely DÃ¶ner Kebabs in my time, but as kebabs go, these are excellent.

The place looks clean, is sensibly priced and is very small with a few high chairs at the back, and is always very busy, consisting mainly of Arab customers, no doubt on their way home to somewhere near Edgware Road! So, a Kebab Mecca indeed.

Sea Shell Of Lisson Grove - by toptripster

toptripster — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:54:20 +0000

Review by toptripster

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7224 9000

Tags: takeaway, seafood, vegetarian dishes

In an era of fish and chip shops that sell frozen fries and kebabs, the Sea Shell stands out as a bastion of "proper" Fish & Chips. Saying that, it is rather pricey and the portions aren't what they once were. Still the fishcakes are wonderful, the fish is always cooked to moist flaky perfection, and the chips are fat floury crisp and tasty. All in all you get what you pay for.In an era of fish and chip shops that sell frozen fries and kebabs, the Sea Shell stands out as a bastion of "proper" Fish & Chips. Saying that, it is rather pricey and the portions aren't what they once were. Still the fishcakes are wonderful, the fish is always cooked to moist flaky perfection, and the chips are fat floury crisp and tasty. All in all you get what you pay for.

Alpha Pizza - Avoid at all costs!!! by juyelle

juyelle — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:40:40 +0000

Review by juyelle

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7402 4002

Tags: pizzeria, cheap eat, vegetarian dishes

I paid online for food which didnt arrive. When I called up they pretended to be a taxi company. The manager was rude and cant speak english properly. They took the piss down the phone and laughed...they are obviously making so much money from ripping off customers that they dont need to work for it. WeÂ´ll see how long that lasts...I paid online for food which didnt arrive. When I called up they pretended to be a taxi company. The manager was rude and cant speak english properly. They took the piss down the phone and laughed...they are obviously making so much money from ripping off customers that they dont need to work for it. WeÂ´ll see how long that lasts...

Queen Of Sheba - Lovely lebanese food by t_moussa

t_moussa — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:42:59 +0000

Review by t_moussa

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7402 6667

Tags: lively, lebanese, good value

This restaurant is a small but quaint place with beautiful traditional style decor. There is a sofa seating area where one can drink tea whilst waiting for a table, and watch the arabic music channels that are forever playing on the small tv fixed onto the wall. The toilets have recently been renovated and are very clean, modern and beautifully tiled. The menu uses traditional names so it is worth asking what some dishes are in some cases.

I ordered the skewered lamb with rice costing Â£5. When your plate first arrives it doesn't seem like much but it tastes delicious and is harder to finish than first appears! During Ramadan they have an iftar buffet for around Â£12 with a wide variety of hot food, fruit and dessert to break your fast with.

Nice place with friendly people and good value for money.This restaurant is a small but quaint place with beautiful traditional style decor. There is a sofa seating area where one can drink tea whilst waiting for a table, and watch the arabic music channels that are forever playing on the small tv fixed onto the wall. The toilets have recently been renovated and are very clean, modern and beautifully tiled. The menu uses traditional names so it is worth asking what some dishes are in some cases.

I ordered the skewered lamb with rice costing Â£5. When your plate first arrives it doesn't seem like much but it tastes delicious and is harder to finish than first appears! During Ramadan they have an iftar buffet for around Â£12 with a wide variety of hot food, fruit and dessert to break your fast with.

Nice place with friendly people and good value for money.

Al Arez - Expensive food and rude staff by t_moussa

t_moussa — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:13:19 +0000

Review by t_moussa

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7262 4833

Tags: lebanese, expensive, pretentious

Previously more popular as a sheesha place, Al Arez also serves as a proper restaurant selling lebanese food. The decor is very stylish but I found that this was all it had going for it. When entering, we were largely ignored whilst several waiters scurried around. Finally after being seated we were given a menu but the prices I believe are quite extortionate for the portions we received. A mixed kebab came to about Â£10/11 where the portions of meat and chicken were very small. This did not come with any rice or bread which had to be ordered seperately.

The food itself was nothing special. The waiters however are nothing short of rude! They displayed a negative attitude, acting as if it was a chore to wait on us. Upon sending a drink back because a mistake the waiter had made, he muttered an insult in his language thinking that we would not understand and when confronted acted as if he didn't know what we were talking about.

In short, do not go here unless you want to be treated with disrespect and ripped off in the process. There are better places amongst in the Paddington area if you want Lebanese food.Previously more popular as a sheesha place, Al Arez also serves as a proper restaurant selling lebanese food. The decor is very stylish but I found that this was all it had going for it. When entering, we were largely ignored whilst several waiters scurried around. Finally after being seated we were given a menu but the prices I believe are quite extortionate for the portions we received. A mixed kebab came to about Â£10/11 where the portions of meat and chicken were very small. This did not come with any rice or bread which had to be ordered seperately.

The food itself was nothing special. The waiters however are nothing short of rude! They displayed a negative attitude, acting as if it was a chore to wait on us. Upon sending a drink back because a mistake the waiter had made, he muttered an insult in his language thinking that we would not understand and when confronted acted as if he didn't know what we were talking about.

In short, do not go here unless you want to be treated with disrespect and ripped off in the process. There are better places amongst in the Paddington area if you want Lebanese food.

Dinings - Dinings by bellaphon

bellaphon — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:32:56 +0000

Review by bellaphon

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7723 0666

Tags: japanese, good value, romantic

I've never been to Nobu, but...

The first paragraph is totally appropriate for this place, as the chef/owner of Dinings, being ex-Nobu, allowing us the chance to sample what the A-list celebs nibble on at reasonable prices and none of that 2 months' waiting time for a table. You don't come here to gawp at the celebrities nor for that matter to be gawped at. Fine food is simply what it's all about, you come here for the freshness of the ingredients, the glorious technique and cooking of the dishes, the well informed and friendly staff and finally the aftermath of the whole experience that can only suggest; ''I'm saving up for my next visit''.

My fifth visit with my daughter confirmed that consistency is still upheld. When visiting for the first time, always go for something on the blackboard for the daily specials. We're talking Japanese here, so they'll want to serve the freshest from Billingsgate. Most of the daily specials are somewhat fusioned, but they work; imagine Prawn Tempura Rolls with Taramasalata sauce or seared fatty tuna on wakame sauce; synergy! Other dishes ordered included King Crab that can be dangerously addictive and expensive, as well as the glorious Razor Clams. The noveau twist on the traditional dishes like sushi and sashimi is pretty much world class. One of the most memorable dishes was the Nasu Miso(Aubergine baked with sweet miso) recommended by our Spanish speaking waitress. Well the best tip to order this dish is towards the end, it was so unctously delicious and sweet, we declared it a pudding.

For solo diners or pairs, ask for table 1. Tis the the best.

The only qualm I had with this place was its location, tumbleweed alley seeking Paradise Lost.I've never been to Nobu, but...

The first paragraph is totally appropriate for this place, as the chef/owner of Dinings, being ex-Nobu, allowing us the chance to sample what the A-list celebs nibble on at reasonable prices and none of that 2 months' waiting time for a table. You don't come here to gawp at the celebrities nor for that matter to be gawped at. Fine food is simply what it's all about, you come here for the freshness of the ingredients, the glorious technique and cooking of the dishes, the well informed and friendly staff and finally the aftermath of the whole experience that can only suggest; ''I'm saving up for my next visit''.

My fifth visit with my daughter confirmed that consistency is still upheld. When visiting for the first time, always go for something on the blackboard for the daily specials. We're talking Japanese here, so they'll want to serve the freshest from Billingsgate. Most of the daily specials are somewhat fusioned, but they work; imagine Prawn Tempura Rolls with Taramasalata sauce or seared fatty tuna on wakame sauce; synergy! Other dishes ordered included King Crab that can be dangerously addictive and expensive, as well as the glorious Razor Clams. The noveau twist on the traditional dishes like sushi and sashimi is pretty much world class. One of the most memorable dishes was the Nasu Miso(Aubergine baked with sweet miso) recommended by our Spanish speaking waitress. Well the best tip to order this dish is towards the end, it was so unctously delicious and sweet, we declared it a pudding.

For solo diners or pairs, ask for table 1. Tis the the best.

The only qualm I had with this place was its location, tumbleweed alley seeking Paradise Lost.

Maroush IV - Quality Middle Eastern restaurant by Rhydster

Rhydster — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:25:02 +0000

Review by Rhydster

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7724 9339

Website: http://www.maroush.com

Tags: lebanese, expensive, middle eastern

The good: I've been to Maroush (or Maroush II, Cafe Maroush, other names and chains) various times and I can't get enough of the meaty dishes in particular or the whole spicy chicken! The decor is very nice and the Arabic ambience, too. Late at night you might catch some live entertainment.

You can receive a nice range of bread, olives and etc. before you even order your starter and the choice of non-alcoholic drinks is refreshingly large. Itâ¬"s located close to Marble Arch station, making it easy to get to.

The bad: sometimes can take a long time to wait for your food, but this might be Middle Eastern preparation times because I've experienced it at others. Itâ¬"s a bit pricey.
The good: I've been to Maroush (or Maroush II, Cafe Maroush, other names and chains) various times and I can't get enough of the meaty dishes in particular or the whole spicy chicken! The decor is very nice and the Arabic ambience, too. Late at night you might catch some live entertainment.

You can receive a nice range of bread, olives and etc. before you even order your starter and the choice of non-alcoholic drinks is refreshingly large. Itâ¬"s located close to Marble Arch station, making it easy to get to.

The bad: sometimes can take a long time to wait for your food, but this might be Middle Eastern preparation times because I've experienced it at others. Itâ¬"s a bit pricey.

Zonzo - Friendly, informal and delicious! by CarlySteven

CarlySteven — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:17:17 +0000

Review by CarlySteven

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7723 9777

Tags: italian, romantic, smoking

I eat here all the time with my boyfriend. The staff are really lovely and friendly. If I'm having pizza I always have Siciliana with extra tuna and spinach - salt fiend!

I often order off the menu and the kitchen is always accommodating. The staff make a real effort to ensure you're having a fun evening/afternoon.

Also, we've had some great Sicilian red wine here and good coffee.

Nice atmosphere, we're always made a fuss of - great local restaurant.I eat here all the time with my boyfriend. The staff are really lovely and friendly. If I'm having pizza I always have Siciliana with extra tuna and spinach - salt fiend!

I often order off the menu and the kitchen is always accommodating. The staff make a real effort to ensure you're having a fun evening/afternoon.

Also, we've had some great Sicilian red wine here and good coffee.

Nice atmosphere, we're always made a fuss of - great local restaurant.