Latest reviews for Restaurants in Farringdon, London, United Kingdom

Smiths of Smithfield - Reasonable food, awful customers by bagpuss72

bagpuss72 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:22:54 +0000

Review by bagpuss72

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7251 7950

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

This is one of those places which satisfies the need of the modern urban dweller to "do something" with their breakfast time at the weekend in case they are overcome with feelings of having missed a trick. Unfortunately, the type of people who eat here are a very good reason for avoiding a repeat visit. Yes, there are groups of foreign students and tourists. Yes there are the yummy mummys along with their gormless hubbies. Worst of all though are those London types we all love to hate; shouting, braying, constantly bellowing on their mobiles, an over-inflated sense of their own self-importance. Guaranteed to send a shudder down the spine of any self-respecting individual.

The food on the other hand is better, though without a doubt, extremely overpriced. Posher sausages, bacon and eggs are still just sausage, bacon and eggs. Cheap meat and eggs. Presentation is good, portions are small, service is appalling and the tables are jammed so close together you can tell the brand of deoderant your neighbours are wearing.

If you can stand the people, the crush, the couldn't-care-less staff and the feeling of being fleeced when the bill comes then by all means enjoy the reasonable quality food. If you have even a little bit of self-respect, go elsewhere.This is one of those places which satisfies the need of the modern urban dweller to "do something" with their breakfast time at the weekend in case they are overcome with feelings of having missed a trick. Unfortunately, the type of people who eat here are a very good reason for avoiding a repeat visit. Yes, there are groups of foreign students and tourists. Yes there are the yummy mummys along with their gormless hubbies. Worst of all though are those London types we all love to hate; shouting, braying, constantly bellowing on their mobiles, an over-inflated sense of their own self-importance. Guaranteed to send a shudder down the spine of any self-respecting individual.

The food on the other hand is better, though without a doubt, extremely overpriced. Posher sausages, bacon and eggs are still just sausage, bacon and eggs. Cheap meat and eggs. Presentation is good, portions are small, service is appalling and the tables are jammed so close together you can tell the brand of deoderant your neighbours are wearing.

If you can stand the people, the crush, the couldn't-care-less staff and the feeling of being fleeced when the bill comes then by all means enjoy the reasonable quality food. If you have even a little bit of self-respect, go elsewhere.

Tinseltown 24 Hour Diner - 24 hour food which is rare in London by hammerhead

hammerhead — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:24:52 +0000

Review by hammerhead

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7689 2424

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

Tags: american, lively, bar

US style dinner near Old Street (all Halal food as well including halal bacon made from veal for the all day breakfast), an essential stop if your looking for decent food at anytime including early mornings! The main attraction here is the milkshakes which are massive US style with all sorts of toppings like Oreo Cookies and Coke Floats so pretty unique and many people go there just for the desserts. The main food is pretty good and wide ranging, from the US burger style (fills you up) and noodle dishes as well (which I was impressed with) so I give a thumbs up on the food. The decor is diner style but I find the tables a bit grubby as are the toilets. Waitress style service is good and some people may like the MTV huge LCD screens everywhere as it makes it lively but I'm no such a big fan. Can be queues on fri and sat nights as can get very busy, try Hampstead one as may be better from what I have heard.US style dinner near Old Street (all Halal food as well including halal bacon made from veal for the all day breakfast), an essential stop if your looking for decent food at anytime including early mornings! The main attraction here is the milkshakes which are massive US style with all sorts of toppings like Oreo Cookies and Coke Floats so pretty unique and many people go there just for the desserts. The main food is pretty good and wide ranging, from the US burger style (fills you up) and noodle dishes as well (which I was impressed with) so I give a thumbs up on the food. The decor is diner style but I find the tables a bit grubby as are the toilets. Waitress style service is good and some people may like the MTV huge LCD screens everywhere as it makes it lively but I'm no such a big fan. Can be queues on fri and sat nights as can get very busy, try Hampstead one as may be better from what I have heard.

Dans Le Noir - What an experience! by baks162

baks162 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:31:53 +0000

Review by baks162

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7253 1100

Website: http://www.danslenoir.com

Tags: lively, restaurant, romantic

This restaurant is more for the experience rather than the food.

A bunch of us went there a couple of months back after reading about it. It didnt dissapoint. When you arrive, you are given lockers to put all your belongings in (you arent allowed to take your mobile phones, watches, etc to the dining area) and then led by a blind waiter into the dark dining area. And trust me, it is dark and you cant see a thing!

We ordered the vegetarian surprise dish - it tasted average but it was exciting trying to figure out what was on the plate! Woudl recommending not ordering any wine - if you miss the glass in the dark...!!

By the end of the evening, I mused to myself - how important is our sight.This restaurant is more for the experience rather than the food.

A bunch of us went there a couple of months back after reading about it. It didnt dissapoint. When you arrive, you are given lockers to put all your belongings in (you arent allowed to take your mobile phones, watches, etc to the dining area) and then led by a blind waiter into the dark dining area. And trust me, it is dark and you cant see a thing!

We ordered the vegetarian surprise dish - it tasted average but it was exciting trying to figure out what was on the plate! Woudl recommending not ordering any wine - if you miss the glass in the dark...!!

By the end of the evening, I mused to myself - how important is our sight.

St. John - The Bar at St. John by kristainlondon

kristainlondon — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:56:36 +0000

Review by kristainlondon

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7251 0848

Website: http://www.stjohnrestaurant.com/

Tags: british, lively, expensive

I love the bar at St. John more than anything. I like its no-frillsness. The service is always informed and friendly, and I like how over the years, I generally have seen the same few people over and over again.

When I'm in the bar, I normally just get a pint of Greenwich Meantime and a slice of Welsh Rarebit. The Welsh Rarebit is deliciously unctuous, cheesy, and spicy. You should order one. Soon.I love the bar at St. John more than anything. I like its no-frillsness. The service is always informed and friendly, and I like how over the years, I generally have seen the same few people over and over again.

When I'm in the bar, I normally just get a pint of Greenwich Meantime and a slice of Welsh Rarebit. The Welsh Rarebit is deliciously unctuous, cheesy, and spicy. You should order one. Soon.

Club Gascon - Club Gascon - 06 June 2008 by Food_Snob

Food_Snob — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:06:57 +0000

Review by Food_Snob

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7796 0600

Website: http://www.clubgascon.com

Tags: french, expensive, business

Full Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/category/restaurant-reviews/club-gascon-restaurant-reviews/

The menu here, although characteristic of the rich and hearty cuisine of Gascony, features classic dishes interlaced with modern and exotic twists, for example, confit of organic salmon, violet tea & citrus chutney and asparagus coulis, eucalyptus jelly & baby lobster. Furthermore, it is difficult to find a review not written in overwhelming praise; the inventiveness and skill of Pascal Aussignac (previously of Guy Savoy and CarrÃ© des Feuillants) is lauded and the foie gras dishes branded the best London has to offer.

Having eagerly made reservations a few days prior, I arrived promptly at seven, salivating in anticipation of what was to follow; expectations were high. The â¬Üreceptionistâ¬" greeted me warmly and showed me to my table. The restaurant was deserted, but it was still early. Soon K and D, two friends who would be joining me, arrived and our charming serveuse handed around menus, explaining how one was to order; reports of the notoriously â¬Üchaoticâ¬" and â¬Ücomplicatedâ¬" menu proved, in my opinion, unfounded. The dishes, broken down into five categories, la route de sel, le potager, lâ¬"oceane, les foies gras and les pasturages, are served tapas style and generally become heavier as you move down through the sections. Three dishes each were suggested as sufficient.

Such a wide selection meant it took a while to â¬Ümutuallyâ¬" decide on what to order. I quickly found my initial (selfish) joy at being able to try more dishes dining as a group replaced by the sour disappointment of how much our tastes diverged e.g. one friend is not fond of game and another, apparently, cannot mix red meat and white during the same dinner. Once dishes were finally agreed upon, I was somewhat miffed: one dish I had had my eye on since initial inspection of the menu, glazed black cod, lillet & coconut, smoked salt, was chosen by BOTH friends: I did not mind so much that someone else had ordered â¬Ümyâ¬" dish, but why break that cardinal rule and order the same dish twice? I realise full well that it is a little pathetic, but I cannot help it, I have my â¬Üprinciplesâ¬" (chronic OCD sufferer) and I was not happy. Whatever! Needless to say, I tried to be as obliging as possible so that we might all share freely.

During the well earned rest that followed ordering, I asked about photographing the food, but was informed, after that the chef, would be appreciated it if I refrained from this. Quelle deception!

It took the arrival of the bread basket, offering a selection of cereal, raison and fennel, rye or white baguette, to raise my spirits. I like bread, but I adore hot bread and at CG, it is baked on site and served piping hot. I tried each variety, of course, and found rye a clear winner.

An amuse bouche of eucalyptus granitÃ©, melon and salsify followed; this did not really work for me and was instantly forgettable. Our starters looked good, were interestingly presented and the portions were of standard starter size, except for my generous duck carpaccio, spring truffle & crispy artichoke. Unfortunately, this looked better than it tasted; the flavour was distinctive and the idea of carpaccio of duck was new to me, so though I am glad I tried it, I would not order it again. Additionally, the artichoke came sliced in the form of large â¬Ücrispsâ¬", which I did not at all care for. My companions did not seem especially impressed either. After sampling each otherâ¬"s dishes, K decided the texture of her abalone & razor clams fricassee, velvety parsnip & seaweed tartare was rather putting her off, thus setting in motion a mini merry-go-round that ended with K having Dâ¬"s aligot, juicy mousserons & wild garlic, D my duck and me the abalone and razor clams, well, just razor clams (K had already eaten the single small abalone morsel). I was pleased with this result; the fat clams were delightful, whilst the consistency of the aligot was, in my opinion, a little â¬Üplasticâ¬", though the juicy mousserons floating within were indeed moreish.

Next came embers grilled artichokes, barigoule & diablo sauce for K and two foie gras dishes, ouzo foie gras delight and pressed duck foie gras, king crab & hot tomato jus for D and me, respectively. This time, I thought the portions were relatively stingy. The barigoule consisted of three mini artichoke heads; the ouzo delight was a small brick of pÃ¢tÃ©, similar sized brioche slice and dice-sized cube of ouzo jelly; and the foie gras and crab comprised small slivers of terrine and four scrawny crab claws (the absence of actual crab meat on them suggests they were there just for decoration). Further, it came on a craggy stone slab, inhibiting me from safely pouring out the tomato sauce (initially incorrectly served with Kâ¬"s dish). Taste-wise, I found the barigoule quite bland and maybe a little overcooked, the foies gras were both smooth and flavoursome, but the combinations on either dish did not thrill me. Actually, this is not a fair comment as the lack of crab and impracticality of the tomato mix meant I was left with a serving of â¬Üstraightâ¬" foie gras. The ouzo jelly was the star of this course.

With the final course due, I was dissatisfied and desperate for things to improve. And they did, a little. The black cod, served differently to reviews, came in a bowl with the fish immersed in a white froth. My seared loin veal, sea urchin jus, milla fritter looked nice, if again not plentiful; a couple of slices of pink meat with some milla fritters (these turned out to be basic and boring potato croquettes). The veal was overcooked for me, preferring it to melt in my mouth; the fritters were dull; and the powerful, sharp sea urchin jus did not successfully link the dishâ¬"s flavours together. Nevertheless, I would not describe the dish as bad, just lacklustre. The cod was the mealâ¬"s highlight for both K and D; I was unable to try the fish together with the dishâ¬"s supporting ingredients, but the scraps I did sample, though I have had better elsewhere, were well cooked.

A pre-dessert/palate cleanser of rhubarb sorbet, balsamic vinegar and celery followed. This was the most pleasant surprise of the meal with the diverse and distinct flavours delivering a cool sharp zing.

Dessert, my favourite course, was still to come. We ordered the choco bar, red hot chilli berries and white chocolate boule, lime & pineapple. By this stage, the restaurant had indeed filled out with a well-dressed crowd of young professionals â¬ not surprising given the proximity to the City â¬ and this crowd was probably why we had to wait so long for desserts. Uncomfortably long. When they finally arrived, they were, as pudding ought to be, a feast for the eyes. The boule, an egg of white chocolate, came with a warm pineapple jus served Ã la Ducasse that melted the head of the egg revealing the precious, sweet and acidic lime and pineapple within. It was a nice combination. The choco bar, a chocolate sponge served with coffee ice cream and dark chocolate syrup, though decent, lacked that one characteristic essential to all good, especially good chocolate, desserts â¬ indulgence. Puddings should be guilty pleasures, naughty extravagances and this sponge was wanting of any real depth or luxury. The red hot chilli berries looked most impressive; a raspberry millefeuille with a raspberry sorbet, still within the ladle, and, I think, red pepper gel alongside. The raspberries were amazingly fresh; this is unfortunately the best I have to say about this dish. The sorbet was refreshing, but spoilt by a few hard lumps of ice and the gel was devoid of any genuine punch, which was what I was looking for from RED HOT CHILLI berries.

I would rather not mention the petit fours â¬ one chocolate dusted almond each and some chocolate raisons â¬ but I have, for the record of course (:P).

Overall, the food was not actually bad, but it was not great, not good, just decent and failed to justify its hefty price (Â£227.00 for three, including service and a Â£42.00 bottle of wine). The service was decent and contrary to what I have read, polite and friendly, if at times a little sloppy and inefficient (dropping of cutlery, wrong dishes to wrong diner, requested butter not delivered) and deteriorated as the night wore on. One personal annoyance was that the waiter explaining our dishes mumbled every description in a barely audible whisper. Further, though I did not see the wine list myself, I was told there was a dearth of more reasonably priced wines. I was also let down by the absence of many of what I thought were signature dishes e.g. foie gras ice cream, foie gras popcorn, duck confit, smoked eel croustillant and (amazing) frites (I know what you are thinking â¬ stop reading so many reviews!).

The experience fell way short of what I wanted and what I expected from this Michelin starred restaurant, but in writing this critique, I may have been severe. Many of those glowing reviews that elevated my hopes so high were indeed a little old, so maybe the kitchen is becoming complacent or maybe it was just a bad nightâ¬¦another dish, another day, things could have been different. There were other dishes I would have liked to sample and considering that the menu is updated monthly and ordering le marche (four course set menu for Â£42.00) is pretty good value, I do believe I would consider returning. After all, everyone deserves a second chance.

57 West Smithfield, London, EC1A 9DS
tel: 020 7796 0600
nearest tube: Barbican, Farringdon
www.clubgascon.com

Full Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/category/restaurant-reviews/club-gascon-restaurant-reviews/

The menu here, although characteristic of the rich and hearty cuisine of Gascony, features classic dishes interlaced with modern and exotic twists, for example, confit of organic salmon, violet tea & citrus chutney and asparagus coulis, eucalyptus jelly & baby lobster. Furthermore, it is difficult to find a review not written in overwhelming praise; the inventiveness and skill of Pascal Aussignac (previously of Guy Savoy and CarrÃ© des Feuillants) is lauded and the foie gras dishes branded the best London has to offer.

Having eagerly made reservations a few days prior, I arrived promptly at seven, salivating in anticipation of what was to follow; expectations were high. The â¬Üreceptionistâ¬" greeted me warmly and showed me to my table. The restaurant was deserted, but it was still early. Soon K and D, two friends who would be joining me, arrived and our charming serveuse handed around menus, explaining how one was to order; reports of the notoriously â¬Üchaoticâ¬" and â¬Ücomplicatedâ¬" menu proved, in my opinion, unfounded. The dishes, broken down into five categories, la route de sel, le potager, lâ¬"oceane, les foies gras and les pasturages, are served tapas style and generally become heavier as you move down through the sections. Three dishes each were suggested as sufficient.

Such a wide selection meant it took a while to â¬Ümutuallyâ¬" decide on what to order. I quickly found my initial (selfish) joy at being able to try more dishes dining as a group replaced by the sour disappointment of how much our tastes diverged e.g. one friend is not fond of game and another, apparently, cannot mix red meat and white during the same dinner. Once dishes were finally agreed upon, I was somewhat miffed: one dish I had had my eye on since initial inspection of the menu, glazed black cod, lillet & coconut, smoked salt, was chosen by BOTH friends: I did not mind so much that someone else had ordered â¬Ümyâ¬" dish, but why break that cardinal rule and order the same dish twice? I realise full well that it is a little pathetic, but I cannot help it, I have my â¬Üprinciplesâ¬" (chronic OCD sufferer) and I was not happy. Whatever! Needless to say, I tried to be as obliging as possible so that we might all share freely.

During the well earned rest that followed ordering, I asked about photographing the food, but was informed, after that the chef, would be appreciated it if I refrained from this. Quelle deception!

It took the arrival of the bread basket, offering a selection of cereal, raison and fennel, rye or white baguette, to raise my spirits. I like bread, but I adore hot bread and at CG, it is baked on site and served piping hot. I tried each variety, of course, and found rye a clear winner.

An amuse bouche of eucalyptus granitÃ©, melon and salsify followed; this did not really work for me and was instantly forgettable. Our starters looked good, were interestingly presented and the portions were of standard starter size, except for my generous duck carpaccio, spring truffle & crispy artichoke. Unfortunately, this looked better than it tasted; the flavour was distinctive and the idea of carpaccio of duck was new to me, so though I am glad I tried it, I would not order it again. Additionally, the artichoke came sliced in the form of large â¬Ücrispsâ¬", which I did not at all care for. My companions did not seem especially impressed either. After sampling each otherâ¬"s dishes, K decided the texture of her abalone & razor clams fricassee, velvety parsnip & seaweed tartare was rather putting her off, thus setting in motion a mini merry-go-round that ended with K having Dâ¬"s aligot, juicy mousserons & wild garlic, D my duck and me the abalone and razor clams, well, just razor clams (K had already eaten the single small abalone morsel). I was pleased with this result; the fat clams were delightful, whilst the consistency of the aligot was, in my opinion, a little â¬Üplasticâ¬", though the juicy mousserons floating within were indeed moreish.

Next came embers grilled artichokes, barigoule & diablo sauce for K and two foie gras dishes, ouzo foie gras delight and pressed duck foie gras, king crab & hot tomato jus for D and me, respectively. This time, I thought the portions were relatively stingy. The barigoule consisted of three mini artichoke heads; the ouzo delight was a small brick of pÃ¢tÃ©, similar sized brioche slice and dice-sized cube of ouzo jelly; and the foie gras and crab comprised small slivers of terrine and four scrawny crab claws (the absence of actual crab meat on them suggests they were there just for decoration). Further, it came on a craggy stone slab, inhibiting me from safely pouring out the tomato sauce (initially incorrectly served with Kâ¬"s dish). Taste-wise, I found the barigoule quite bland and maybe a little overcooked, the foies gras were both smooth and flavoursome, but the combinations on either dish did not thrill me. Actually, this is not a fair comment as the lack of crab and impracticality of the tomato mix meant I was left with a serving of â¬Üstraightâ¬" foie gras. The ouzo jelly was the star of this course.

With the final course due, I was dissatisfied and desperate for things to improve. And they did, a little. The black cod, served differently to reviews, came in a bowl with the fish immersed in a white froth. My seared loin veal, sea urchin jus, milla fritter looked nice, if again not plentiful; a couple of slices of pink meat with some milla fritters (these turned out to be basic and boring potato croquettes). The veal was overcooked for me, preferring it to melt in my mouth; the fritters were dull; and the powerful, sharp sea urchin jus did not successfully link the dishâ¬"s flavours together. Nevertheless, I would not describe the dish as bad, just lacklustre. The cod was the mealâ¬"s highlight for both K and D; I was unable to try the fish together with the dishâ¬"s supporting ingredients, but the scraps I did sample, though I have had better elsewhere, were well cooked.

A pre-dessert/palate cleanser of rhubarb sorbet, balsamic vinegar and celery followed. This was the most pleasant surprise of the meal with the diverse and distinct flavours delivering a cool sharp zing.

Dessert, my favourite course, was still to come. We ordered the choco bar, red hot chilli berries and white chocolate boule, lime & pineapple. By this stage, the restaurant had indeed filled out with a well-dressed crowd of young professionals â¬ not surprising given the proximity to the City â¬ and this crowd was probably why we had to wait so long for desserts. Uncomfortably long. When they finally arrived, they were, as pudding ought to be, a feast for the eyes. The boule, an egg of white chocolate, came with a warm pineapple jus served Ã la Ducasse that melted the head of the egg revealing the precious, sweet and acidic lime and pineapple within. It was a nice combination. The choco bar, a chocolate sponge served with coffee ice cream and dark chocolate syrup, though decent, lacked that one characteristic essential to all good, especially good chocolate, desserts â¬ indulgence. Puddings should be guilty pleasures, naughty extravagances and this sponge was wanting of any real depth or luxury. The red hot chilli berries looked most impressive; a raspberry millefeuille with a raspberry sorbet, still within the ladle, and, I think, red pepper gel alongside. The raspberries were amazingly fresh; this is unfortunately the best I have to say about this dish. The sorbet was refreshing, but spoilt by a few hard lumps of ice and the gel was devoid of any genuine punch, which was what I was looking for from RED HOT CHILLI berries.

I would rather not mention the petit fours â¬ one chocolate dusted almond each and some chocolate raisons â¬ but I have, for the record of course (:P).

Overall, the food was not actually bad, but it was not great, not good, just decent and failed to justify its hefty price (Â£227.00 for three, including service and a Â£42.00 bottle of wine). The service was decent and contrary to what I have read, polite and friendly, if at times a little sloppy and inefficient (dropping of cutlery, wrong dishes to wrong diner, requested butter not delivered) and deteriorated as the night wore on. One personal annoyance was that the waiter explaining our dishes mumbled every description in a barely audible whisper. Further, though I did not see the wine list myself, I was told there was a dearth of more reasonably priced wines. I was also let down by the absence of many of what I thought were signature dishes e.g. foie gras ice cream, foie gras popcorn, duck confit, smoked eel croustillant and (amazing) frites (I know what you are thinking â¬ stop reading so many reviews!).

The experience fell way short of what I wanted and what I expected from this Michelin starred restaurant, but in writing this critique, I may have been severe. Many of those glowing reviews that elevated my hopes so high were indeed a little old, so maybe the kitchen is becoming complacent or maybe it was just a bad nightâ¬¦another dish, another day, things could have been different. There were other dishes I would have liked to sample and considering that the menu is updated monthly and ordering le marche (four course set menu for Â£42.00) is pretty good value, I do believe I would consider returning. After all, everyone deserves a second chance.

57 West Smithfield, London, EC1A 9DS
tel: 020 7796 0600
nearest tube: Barbican, Farringdon
www.clubgascon.com

Barcelona Tapas Bar & Restaurant - SO GOOD by wkent

wkent — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:58:42 +0000

Review by wkent

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7329 5111

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

Tags: tapas, toptable, vegetarian dishes

Had a great experience here, really good food and a great ambiance. Also really enjoyed the cured meats and cheeses. I definitely recommend this restaurant! Had a great experience here, really good food and a great ambiance. Also really enjoyed the cured meats and cheeses. I definitely recommend this restaurant!

Tart Restaurant & Bar - Fantastic find by lenalouise

lenalouise — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:45:28 +0000

Review by lenalouise

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7253 3003

Website: www.tartbar.co.uk

Tags: lively, french, romantic

After reading that itâ¬"d be 50% off food at lunchtime for the first month of opening, I quickly rocked on down to Tart with my eating buddy as the website made it look like an interesting place. I was intrigued by the promise of naughty pictures anyway! It is located about 5 minutes away from Farringdon station and fairly easy to find. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a very warm welcome from the French waiter (he might have been the manager, not sure) and seated halfway into the restaurant. Itâ¬"s quite narrow but goes far back into the building. The bar is situated near the front of the restaurant with a very glamorous looking chandelier hanging near to the entrance. Halfway through the restaurant were a couple of tables with very colourful, funky seats which is where we were sitting. Further on is another dining room with the toilets downstairs.

The lunchtime menu had a good choice of dishes. Usually, I find that with lunchtime deals, itâ¬"s more difficult to find something that you havenâ¬"t tried anywhere else. We decided to go for a starter and main each. I had wood pigeon, beetroot puree and pancetta with a chocolate reduction. Sam had a ham hock terrine with pickles and pear chutney. My pigeon was perfectly cooked, still pink and tender in the middle. I was curious as to how the chocolate reduction would work with the dish but the flavours went really well. The sauce was only slightly chocolaty but combined with the deep gamey flavours of the pigeon and the slightly sour flavour of the beetroot, it was just unbelievable! I just love it when you go and eat somewhere and get something where all the things on the plate unite and work perfectly well with each other. It worked texture-wise as well. You have the slightly crispy skin of the pigeon, the tenderness of the meat, the smoothness of the beetroot, the crunch of the salad. Iâ¬"d say itâ¬"s in my top 10 restaurant dishes that Iâ¬"ve had ever. Samâ¬"s terrine was pretty good too, it was fairly moist (for a terrine) which was nice and I especially liked the pear chutney that came with it.

Almost forgot, the bread was pretty unique. It was a sweet potato bread that they make themselves and it was refreshing to be given a bread that is a bit different. I gobbled it up pretty quickly and I think they realised how much we loved it and gave us a second helping, yay!

Now the mainsâ¬¦ I had a slow roasted belly of pork served with cocotte potatoes and roast vegetables. Sam had a chicken breast with mushroom risotto. I think I was slightly disappointed with the mains at the time as the starters we just had were so fantastic but I did enjoy it. Iâ¬"ve had quite a few belly of pork dishes now so itâ¬"s difficult to top the best ones and I think Iâ¬"m a bit bored of having seasonal vegetables/potatoes with dishes. Itâ¬"s just a bit too easy isnâ¬"t it? Lol. Samâ¬"s chicken with risotto was perfectly cooked but nothing special.

The service is really good here. The French guy was obviously so passionate about his food and came over and recommended things and explained some of the dishes. He was raving on about the Tartinis which are cocktails that taste like desserts. We couldnâ¬"t resist and ended up trying two of themâ¬¦.the Lemon Meringue tartini and the Apple Tarte Tatin one. Both delicious and highly alcoholic! They do actually taste like their respective desserts aswell. My favourite was the tarte tatin which came with an apple crisp. The only thing missing is the flaky pastry! Somehow they managed to incorporate the deep caramel flavours and spices into the drink. If you do come here, you have to try one!

With the 50% off, our meal turned into a bargain as the food and drink was very high quality. I think the tartinis alone were Â£7 for each one. With a starter and a main each, everything came to only Â£45 which is awesome. Iâ¬"d definitely come back again but maybe for a treat rather than making it a regular place. Hopefully after reading this review, more people will try it out as I want them to do well!
After reading that itâ¬"d be 50% off food at lunchtime for the first month of opening, I quickly rocked on down to Tart with my eating buddy as the website made it look like an interesting place. I was intrigued by the promise of naughty pictures anyway! It is located about 5 minutes away from Farringdon station and fairly easy to find. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a very warm welcome from the French waiter (he might have been the manager, not sure) and seated halfway into the restaurant. Itâ¬"s quite narrow but goes far back into the building. The bar is situated near the front of the restaurant with a very glamorous looking chandelier hanging near to the entrance. Halfway through the restaurant were a couple of tables with very colourful, funky seats which is where we were sitting. Further on is another dining room with the toilets downstairs.

The lunchtime menu had a good choice of dishes. Usually, I find that with lunchtime deals, itâ¬"s more difficult to find something that you havenâ¬"t tried anywhere else. We decided to go for a starter and main each. I had wood pigeon, beetroot puree and pancetta with a chocolate reduction. Sam had a ham hock terrine with pickles and pear chutney. My pigeon was perfectly cooked, still pink and tender in the middle. I was curious as to how the chocolate reduction would work with the dish but the flavours went really well. The sauce was only slightly chocolaty but combined with the deep gamey flavours of the pigeon and the slightly sour flavour of the beetroot, it was just unbelievable! I just love it when you go and eat somewhere and get something where all the things on the plate unite and work perfectly well with each other. It worked texture-wise as well. You have the slightly crispy skin of the pigeon, the tenderness of the meat, the smoothness of the beetroot, the crunch of the salad. Iâ¬"d say itâ¬"s in my top 10 restaurant dishes that Iâ¬"ve had ever. Samâ¬"s terrine was pretty good too, it was fairly moist (for a terrine) which was nice and I especially liked the pear chutney that came with it.

Almost forgot, the bread was pretty unique. It was a sweet potato bread that they make themselves and it was refreshing to be given a bread that is a bit different. I gobbled it up pretty quickly and I think they realised how much we loved it and gave us a second helping, yay!

Now the mainsâ¬¦ I had a slow roasted belly of pork served with cocotte potatoes and roast vegetables. Sam had a chicken breast with mushroom risotto. I think I was slightly disappointed with the mains at the time as the starters we just had were so fantastic but I did enjoy it. Iâ¬"ve had quite a few belly of pork dishes now so itâ¬"s difficult to top the best ones and I think Iâ¬"m a bit bored of having seasonal vegetables/potatoes with dishes. Itâ¬"s just a bit too easy isnâ¬"t it? Lol. Samâ¬"s chicken with risotto was perfectly cooked but nothing special.

The service is really good here. The French guy was obviously so passionate about his food and came over and recommended things and explained some of the dishes. He was raving on about the Tartinis which are cocktails that taste like desserts. We couldnâ¬"t resist and ended up trying two of themâ¬¦.the Lemon Meringue tartini and the Apple Tarte Tatin one. Both delicious and highly alcoholic! They do actually taste like their respective desserts aswell. My favourite was the tarte tatin which came with an apple crisp. The only thing missing is the flaky pastry! Somehow they managed to incorporate the deep caramel flavours and spices into the drink. If you do come here, you have to try one!

With the 50% off, our meal turned into a bargain as the food and drink was very high quality. I think the tartinis alone were Â£7 for each one. With a starter and a main each, everything came to only Â£45 which is awesome. Iâ¬"d definitely come back again but maybe for a treat rather than making it a regular place. Hopefully after reading this review, more people will try it out as I want them to do well!

Anexo - Decent Spanish cuisine by Rhydster

Rhydster — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:45:38 +0000

Review by Rhydster

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7250 3401

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

Tags: bar, mediterranean, spanish

I went here for a birthday meal once and it wasn't a bad experience.

The good: the tables were ready for all the numbers and we had our own TV screen, as there was an important football match on. The food was decent Spanish tapas, with the menu offering various pork and cheese appetisers as well as a variety of Paellas.

The table service is friendly and attentive, offering you a wide variety of drinks from the bar. It's relatively well priced for a London Spanish restaurant (some of which make you think itâ¬"s better value to take a Ryan Air flight to Spain for a day of eating out).

Whilst Ternmills was open you could get a discount entry if you had eaten here first.

The bad: Paella was a bit too salty.
I went here for a birthday meal once and it wasn't a bad experience.

The good: the tables were ready for all the numbers and we had our own TV screen, as there was an important football match on. The food was decent Spanish tapas, with the menu offering various pork and cheese appetisers as well as a variety of Paellas.

The table service is friendly and attentive, offering you a wide variety of drinks from the bar. It's relatively well priced for a London Spanish restaurant (some of which make you think itâ¬"s better value to take a Ryan Air flight to Spain for a day of eating out).

Whilst Ternmills was open you could get a discount entry if you had eaten here first.

The bad: Paella was a bit too salty.

Santore - Great food by tanzanitelilac

tanzanitelilac — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:28:34 +0000

Review by tanzanitelilac

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7812 1488

Tags: italian, family & home feel, good value

Having decided on an impromptu supper, we were deciding where to go when we chanced upon Santore's pre-theatre menu. Although the price of this lovely Italian restaurant put it out of my reach for more than a very special occasion, this was an offer not to be missed and we were not disappointed. The starters were standard fare, but beautifuly executed but it was the lovely pizzas, light and with an authentic choice of topping that was truly great. I have recommended this restaurant to friends, something I do not often do what with there being so many restaurants to choose from in London, but I will definitely be back.Having decided on an impromptu supper, we were deciding where to go when we chanced upon Santore's pre-theatre menu. Although the price of this lovely Italian restaurant put it out of my reach for more than a very special occasion, this was an offer not to be missed and we were not disappointed. The starters were standard fare, but beautifuly executed but it was the lovely pizzas, light and with an authentic choice of topping that was truly great. I have recommended this restaurant to friends, something I do not often do what with there being so many restaurants to choose from in London, but I will definitely be back.

Vinoteca - Just avoid the sherry by chrisp

chrisp — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:55:25 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7253 8786

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

Tags: bar, crowded

Nipped into Vinoteca last night for an aperitif before my meal at St. John over the road. I ordered a glass of dry Manzanilla, which arrived far too warm. A following glass of Australian Chardonnay was much nicer, and the house bread and olive oil made a decent snack. I will probably revisit and have a more substantial meal at some point in the future, as judging by its popularity Vinoteca is doing something right.Nipped into Vinoteca last night for an aperitif before my meal at St. John over the road. I ordered a glass of dry Manzanilla, which arrived far too warm. A following glass of Australian Chardonnay was much nicer, and the house bread and olive oil made a decent snack. I will probably revisit and have a more substantial meal at some point in the future, as judging by its popularity Vinoteca is doing something right.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese - Full of history. And people. by chrisp

chrisp — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:01:51 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7353 6170

Website: http://www.yeoldecheshirecheese.com

Tags: cosy, traditional pub, english

A fascinating place, with caverns that go right underground and supposedly one of the oldest pubs in London. Consequently it hosts a mix of curious tourists (Zagats in hand) and city workers, although the vibe is generally friendly if loud.A fascinating place, with caverns that go right underground and supposedly one of the oldest pubs in London. Consequently it hosts a mix of curious tourists (Zagats in hand) and city workers, although the vibe is generally friendly if loud.

Portal Restaurant & Bar - Smart and light and airy by amandaharrison

amandaharrison — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:03:37 +0000

Review by amandaharrison

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7253 6950

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

Tags: lively, crowded, expensive

Was lucky enough to be taken here this week. It used to be Cafe Lazeez. The restaurant is a fantastic space, with gorgeous light coming through and a glass wall looking onto bamboo. Assorted tables offer intimate or more sociable dining. Food, just great. I had wonderful hake. Not cheap, but then where is anywhere in London these days that is halfway decent? Great for a treat or if someone else is paying!Was lucky enough to be taken here this week. It used to be Cafe Lazeez. The restaurant is a fantastic space, with gorgeous light coming through and a glass wall looking onto bamboo. Assorted tables offer intimate or more sociable dining. Food, just great. I had wonderful hake. Not cheap, but then where is anywhere in London these days that is halfway decent? Great for a treat or if someone else is paying!

Comptoir Gascon - Mais, c’est fantastique by sokratis

sokratis — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:57:10 +0000

Review by sokratis

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7608 0851

Website: http://www.comptoirgascon.com

Tags: french, good value, cosy

Blink and youâ¬"ll miss the Comptoir Gascon. That would be a shame though, as this little bistro in one of the best, hidden gems in Farringdon. The place is tiny, with probably 25-30 covers that can be served at any one time and serves as a deli as well.
Itâ¬"s frequently very busy. However, if you find yourself with another person and have not booked then ask the staff if you can eat at the bar, which is most often free. It makes for a much more intimate, romantic setting if thatâ¬"s what youâ¬"re there for or a fantastic place to catch up with a friend over some hearty, French food, beautiful wine and a relaxed setting.
I had the oysters with chipolatas to start, which exploded with flavour, although Iâ¬"d skip the chipolatas next time as they take away some of the freshness of the oyster. We shared some foie gras and as the Cooksister suggest it was superb. Seriously one of the best Iâ¬"ve tried.
For mains we both had the Beef Onglet with Bordelaise sauce. I was intrigued by the name of the sauce and immediately thought of French debauchery and some interesting background about a Madame offering a special sauce for her clients. However, after a bit of research it turns that (rather disappointingly) Bordelaise refers to someone/thing that originates from the area of Bordeaux. The origin may be mundane, but I assure you the flavour is not. Bordelaise is made with red wine, bone marrow (a chunk of which was also present on the dish), shallots and a rich brown sauce called demi-glace (thank you Wikipedia). Itâ¬"s rich, intense and will make you pause for a couple of seconds after youâ¬"ve put a bite in your mouth to really enjoy all those endorphins having a party in your brain. The meat was expectedly cooked a perfect medium-rare and was full of flavour.
Finally, I have to make a special mention for the chips, or French fries in this case. They were excellent, but the true superstar of the show was the ketchup. Apologies. Ketchup is too demeaning. This is the best chilly, 5-start, A+tomato sauce you can find. Itâ¬"s Basque and called â¬ÜBiPiA, Euskal Ketxupa, Bazkâ¬" Onaâ¬" . I have taken a picture of it, which you can see above and Iâ¬"d strongly recommend trying it. Even if youâ¬"re not hungry go to Comptoir Gascon and order chips with ketchup.
Minor gripe about the place is that there is only one toilet for boys and girls and itâ¬"s a little bit too close to the dining area. Iâ¬"m sure they would have changed that if they could, but the space does seem to be at a premium.
Next time you find yourself in Farringdon do try this place out. In fact make sure that you find yourself in Farringdon so that you do.

Blink and youâ¬"ll miss the Comptoir Gascon. That would be a shame though, as this little bistro in one of the best, hidden gems in Farringdon. The place is tiny, with probably 25-30 covers that can be served at any one time and serves as a deli as well.
Itâ¬"s frequently very busy. However, if you find yourself with another person and have not booked then ask the staff if you can eat at the bar, which is most often free. It makes for a much more intimate, romantic setting if thatâ¬"s what youâ¬"re there for or a fantastic place to catch up with a friend over some hearty, French food, beautiful wine and a relaxed setting.
I had the oysters with chipolatas to start, which exploded with flavour, although Iâ¬"d skip the chipolatas next time as they take away some of the freshness of the oyster. We shared some foie gras and as the Cooksister suggest it was superb. Seriously one of the best Iâ¬"ve tried.
For mains we both had the Beef Onglet with Bordelaise sauce. I was intrigued by the name of the sauce and immediately thought of French debauchery and some interesting background about a Madame offering a special sauce for her clients. However, after a bit of research it turns that (rather disappointingly) Bordelaise refers to someone/thing that originates from the area of Bordeaux. The origin may be mundane, but I assure you the flavour is not. Bordelaise is made with red wine, bone marrow (a chunk of which was also present on the dish), shallots and a rich brown sauce called demi-glace (thank you Wikipedia). Itâ¬"s rich, intense and will make you pause for a couple of seconds after youâ¬"ve put a bite in your mouth to really enjoy all those endorphins having a party in your brain. The meat was expectedly cooked a perfect medium-rare and was full of flavour.
Finally, I have to make a special mention for the chips, or French fries in this case. They were excellent, but the true superstar of the show was the ketchup. Apologies. Ketchup is too demeaning. This is the best chilly, 5-start, A+tomato sauce you can find. Itâ¬"s Basque and called â¬ÜBiPiA, Euskal Ketxupa, Bazkâ¬" Onaâ¬" . I have taken a picture of it, which you can see above and Iâ¬"d strongly recommend trying it. Even if youâ¬"re not hungry go to Comptoir Gascon and order chips with ketchup.
Minor gripe about the place is that there is only one toilet for boys and girls and itâ¬"s a little bit too close to the dining area. Iâ¬"m sure they would have changed that if they could, but the space does seem to be at a premium.
Next time you find yourself in Farringdon do try this place out. In fact make sure that you find yourself in Farringdon so that you do.

Piada - Piadines by walid

walid — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:17:39 +0000

Review by walid

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7253 0472

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

Tags: italian, crowded, good value

As littlevegemite's review explains, paidines are filled flatbread which with the right ingredients taste delicious. I've been there before and today had the chance to have another bite at one of their famous Piadines. They have 16 different varieties of piadines. Piadine zero for example has salame milanese and stracchine cheese, piadine nove has bresaola and parmesan and the one I had today is the piadine uno which comes with prosciutto and mozzarella. Whatever piadine you take you can pretty much guaranteed that the filling ingredients are quite fresh and tasty.

Prices are reasonable and vary between Â£4.10 and Â£5.00. If you find yourself in the area and want a little something different then try out Piada.As littlevegemite's review explains, paidines are filled flatbread which with the right ingredients taste delicious. I've been there before and today had the chance to have another bite at one of their famous Piadines. They have 16 different varieties of piadines. Piadine zero for example has salame milanese and stracchine cheese, piadine nove has bresaola and parmesan and the one I had today is the piadine uno which comes with prosciutto and mozzarella. Whatever piadine you take you can pretty much guaranteed that the filling ingredients are quite fresh and tasty.

Prices are reasonable and vary between Â£4.10 and Â£5.00. If you find yourself in the area and want a little something different then try out Piada.

The Clerkenwell Dining Room & Bar - Comical Service in Clerkenwell by sue

sue — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:14:00 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7253 9000

Website: www.theclerkenwell.com

Tags: business, international, british

I really wanted to like The Clerkenwell Dining Room. Friends had enjoyed it, the menu sounded good, and I am a fan of their sister restaurant, The Chancery. I think I should have stuck to The Chancery.

Ok, it wasn't all bad. For example, the starters were nice. We had the Octopus Carpaccio, braised baby octopus, squid, lemon and rosemary dressing; and the Crab chowder, crab dumplings, sweet corn and basil oil. The octopus was very well received, and the chowder was good but under-seasoned.

Main courses we had were the Sea bass, scallop ravioli, artichokes, asparagus, tomato consommÃ©; the Lamb Rump, provencal vegetables, samossas and balsamic jus; and the Rabbit saddle, potato puree, baby leeks, wild mushrooms and herb sauce. The lamb was really deliciousâ¬¦ unfortunately I didn't order it. I had the sea bass which was disappointing - it sounded good on paper, but the tomato consommÃ© was bland and watered down all the other flavours. Dessert was almost a success - the Lemon curd tart, lemon confit and coconut sorbet was nicely presented, but the tart was a little too gooey. Did like the sorbet though.

While most of the food we had was nice, the service really put a dampener on the evening. There were about 6 staff racing about, all apparently serving the same tables which lead to confusion and duplications, not to mention endlessly annoying water top-ups. Many of the staff didn't appear to understand English, and stared blankly at us when a request was made. We were all irritated more and more as the meal progressed.

But the biggest mistake was when they gave the remainder of our wine to another tableâ¬¦ They had the white wine from all tables sitting in coolers to one side - I noticed them trying to write our table number on the label of our wine initially, but their system fell apart and our wine disappeared. At one stage they mistakenly bought over a couple of new glasses and then a half-finished bottle of someone else's wine. When we told them it wasn't ours they then took it to another table and started pouring.

When the manager bought over our bill she asked how our meal had been. We then mentioned the issue with the wine and she looked shocked. She hurried off and we dug out cash/cards to pay the bill and prepared to leave. The manager returned with glasses of champagne for all of us by way of apology. To be honest I was horrified. Ok, it may have been a nice gesture, but we had finished our meal, and just wanted to pay and get out of there. Only one of us valiantly forced down a half glass of champers... I really wanted to like The Clerkenwell Dining Room. Friends had enjoyed it, the menu sounded good, and I am a fan of their sister restaurant, The Chancery. I think I should have stuck to The Chancery.

Ok, it wasn't all bad. For example, the starters were nice. We had the Octopus Carpaccio, braised baby octopus, squid, lemon and rosemary dressing; and the Crab chowder, crab dumplings, sweet corn and basil oil. The octopus was very well received, and the chowder was good but under-seasoned.

Main courses we had were the Sea bass, scallop ravioli, artichokes, asparagus, tomato consommÃ©; the Lamb Rump, provencal vegetables, samossas and balsamic jus; and the Rabbit saddle, potato puree, baby leeks, wild mushrooms and herb sauce. The lamb was really deliciousâ¬¦ unfortunately I didn't order it. I had the sea bass which was disappointing - it sounded good on paper, but the tomato consommÃ© was bland and watered down all the other flavours. Dessert was almost a success - the Lemon curd tart, lemon confit and coconut sorbet was nicely presented, but the tart was a little too gooey. Did like the sorbet though.

While most of the food we had was nice, the service really put a dampener on the evening. There were about 6 staff racing about, all apparently serving the same tables which lead to confusion and duplications, not to mention endlessly annoying water top-ups. Many of the staff didn't appear to understand English, and stared blankly at us when a request was made. We were all irritated more and more as the meal progressed.

But the biggest mistake was when they gave the remainder of our wine to another tableâ¬¦ They had the white wine from all tables sitting in coolers to one side - I noticed them trying to write our table number on the label of our wine initially, but their system fell apart and our wine disappeared. At one stage they mistakenly bought over a couple of new glasses and then a half-finished bottle of someone else's wine. When we told them it wasn't ours they then took it to another table and started pouring.

When the manager bought over our bill she asked how our meal had been. We then mentioned the issue with the wine and she looked shocked. She hurried off and we dug out cash/cards to pay the bill and prepared to leave. The manager returned with glasses of champagne for all of us by way of apology. To be honest I was horrified. Ok, it may have been a nice gesture, but we had finished our meal, and just wanted to pay and get out of there. Only one of us valiantly forced down a half glass of champers...

Bleeding Heart Bistro - Buzzy French Bistro by sue

sue — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:29:09 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7242 2056

Website: http://www.bleedingheart.co.uk/bistro/index.php

Tags: lively, french, unusual

If you are in the city looking for a place with a lively atmosphere where the waiters speak more French than English and the food is pretty decent then the Bleeding Heart Bistro may be the venue for you.

We dined mid-week with friends and the bistro was buzzing. Tables were fairly close together, though the high ceilings meant it wasn't too loud in there and we could still chat comfortably. Service was just like being back in Paris.

To start we had the Artichoke, Potato and Gruyere Terrine with mache salad, which wasn't quite as tasty as it sounded, but it looked great. Main courses were the Grilled Rib-eye with pommes frites and sauce bÃ©arnaise; the Blanquette of Lamb with spring vegetables and new potatoes; and SautÃ©ed Escalope of Tuna with aubergine and ratatouille, basil jus. All meals had good quality, well cooked ingredients, and great flavours.

For dessert we had the Tarte Tatin of Caramelised Pears with cream; and the Chocolate Macaroon with white chocolate mousse and strawberry. I shared the Macaroon and it was very nice indeed... I don't recommend sharing it!If you are in the city looking for a place with a lively atmosphere where the waiters speak more French than English and the food is pretty decent then the Bleeding Heart Bistro may be the venue for you.

We dined mid-week with friends and the bistro was buzzing. Tables were fairly close together, though the high ceilings meant it wasn't too loud in there and we could still chat comfortably. Service was just like being back in Paris.

To start we had the Artichoke, Potato and Gruyere Terrine with mache salad, which wasn't quite as tasty as it sounded, but it looked great. Main courses were the Grilled Rib-eye with pommes frites and sauce bÃ©arnaise; the Blanquette of Lamb with spring vegetables and new potatoes; and SautÃ©ed Escalope of Tuna with aubergine and ratatouille, basil jus. All meals had good quality, well cooked ingredients, and great flavours.

For dessert we had the Tarte Tatin of Caramelised Pears with cream; and the Chocolate Macaroon with white chocolate mousse and strawberry. I shared the Macaroon and it was very nice indeed... I don't recommend sharing it!

The Zetter Restaurant & Rooms - Make Me Happy by Litro_K

Litro_K — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:47:59 +0000

Review by Litro_K

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7324 4444

Website: http://www.thezetter.com

Tags: restaurant, room service, bar / lounge bar

This is a stylish and unpretentious place to have a drink and a bite to eat in a funky area. A group of colleagues and I went last night with the express intention of taking advantage of their 6-7 half-price Pimms offer, as part of the London Festival of Architecture, and we were not disappointed with the ambience of the place or the service we received. It was, surprisingly, very uncrowded and we sat in a great spot in the light-filled restaurant and bar at the front of the building.

Â£2.50 will get you a large glass of Pimms every Mon-Fri 6-7pm while the LFA is running (until the 20th July), so get yourself down there to sample that, as well as some of their other excellent cocktails and light bites. The 'Make Me Happy' cocktail, an uber-mojito that my friend described as 'liquid gold in a glass', is worth the trip alone!This is a stylish and unpretentious place to have a drink and a bite to eat in a funky area. A group of colleagues and I went last night with the express intention of taking advantage of their 6-7 half-price Pimms offer, as part of the London Festival of Architecture, and we were not disappointed with the ambience of the place or the service we received. It was, surprisingly, very uncrowded and we sat in a great spot in the light-filled restaurant and bar at the front of the building.

Â£2.50 will get you a large glass of Pimms every Mon-Fri 6-7pm while the LFA is running (until the 20th July), so get yourself down there to sample that, as well as some of their other excellent cocktails and light bites. The 'Make Me Happy' cocktail, an uber-mojito that my friend described as 'liquid gold in a glass', is worth the trip alone!

Hix Oyster & Chop House - A welcome addition to Smithfield and London by gastro1

gastro1 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 15:54:15 +0000

Review by gastro1

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7017 1930

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

Tags: lively, british, good value

Mark Hix has opened a little beauty of a restaurant with great food simply prepared and served.

I ate Seasonal steamed Asparagus followed by Hanger Steak with Roast Bone Marrow followed by Strawberries and Rasberries with clotted cream.

I would have prefered my Hanger Steak aka Onglet with a la bordelaise - the roast bone marrow served on the bone was por and over salted - if you serve bone marrow with any steak it should in my view be floating on the meat or in a good reduction.

The pots of hollandaise sauce for the asparagus and clotted cream for the berries was a joke and I can only think Mark Hix bought them for a doll house.

ix has created a British Bistro full of charachter and good solid food created from well sourced ingredients.

Bravo please don't create a chain though :-)

Mark Hix has opened a little beauty of a restaurant with great food simply prepared and served.

I ate Seasonal steamed Asparagus followed by Hanger Steak with Roast Bone Marrow followed by Strawberries and Rasberries with clotted cream.

I would have prefered my Hanger Steak aka Onglet with a la bordelaise - the roast bone marrow served on the bone was por and over salted - if you serve bone marrow with any steak it should in my view be floating on the meat or in a good reduction.

The pots of hollandaise sauce for the asparagus and clotted cream for the berries was a joke and I can only think Mark Hix bought them for a doll house.

ix has created a British Bistro full of charachter and good solid food created from well sourced ingredients.

Bravo please don't create a chain though :-)

The Larder - Safe bet for any occasion by Sarah_baldry

Sarah_baldry — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:53:36 +0000

Review by Sarah_baldry

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7608 1558

Website: http://www.thelarderrestaurant.com/

Tags: lively, business, expensive

The food at the larder is quite traditional and unfussy. However, it is cooked REALLY well. All the bread is baked on site and everything is fresh and nicely thought through. The interior is simply furnished in a "could be seen as posh could be chilled" way so it is a good place for a fairly relaxed client lunch. Service is excellent.The food at the larder is quite traditional and unfussy. However, it is cooked REALLY well. All the bread is baked on site and everything is fresh and nicely thought through. The interior is simply furnished in a "could be seen as posh could be chilled" way so it is a good place for a fairly relaxed client lunch. Service is excellent.