Latest reviews for Restaurants in Fitzrovia, London, United Kingdom

Curry Leaf - Reliable Indian by kittylyst

kittylyst — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:31:25 +0000

Review by kittylyst

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7436 7402

Have been in a few times when in the area and needing food.

It's nothing amazingly special, but it's also never been terrible. The standard staples are well executed, and the staff seem happy to make dishes which are slightly off the menu. Veggies and vegans seem to be happy with the menu.

The wine list is the average of average, but by sticking to Old Reliable regions and varietals, it's possible to find a decent accompaniment for the food - but the prices are what you'd expect for somewhere in Bloomsbury - on the expensive side but not eye-watering.

Not somewhere I'd travel to eat dinner, but fine if you're in the area.Have been in a few times when in the area and needing food.

It's nothing amazingly special, but it's also never been terrible. The standard staples are well executed, and the staff seem happy to make dishes which are slightly off the menu. Veggies and vegans seem to be happy with the menu.

The wine list is the average of average, but by sticking to Old Reliable regions and varietals, it's possible to find a decent accompaniment for the food - but the prices are what you'd expect for somewhere in Bloomsbury - on the expensive side but not eye-watering.

Not somewhere I'd travel to eat dinner, but fine if you're in the area.

Shikara - by alexoliver

alexoliver — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:16:55 +0000

Review by alexoliver

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7636 6555

Tags: indian, takeaway

Great place to eat out!!! I even ordered online with
www.pizza.co.uk , rapid service!
ThanksGreat place to eat out!!! I even ordered online with
www.pizza.co.uk , rapid service!
Thanks

Latium - Do as the Romans Do by intoxicating

intoxicating — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:49:33 +0000

Review by intoxicating

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7323 9123

Website: http://www.latiumrestaurant.com

Tags: italian, good value, friendly

As I finally left â¬ÜLatiumâ¬", it dawned on me that I had failed to try their signature dish: the multi-coloured four fish ravioli. This was spectacularly remiss of me. Their potent little parcels are legendary and that dish won â¬Übest U.K. pasta plateâ¬". I blame my French companion for distracting me (and fellow diners) with lewd gestures...

Despite being founded by an important duo, Latium has mercifully few pretensions. The team seem content to get on with the business of serving keenly sourced ingredients remarkably reasonably, gathering a faithful following in the process. Its co-owners are Claudio Pulze, who went from being a bellboy to become one of Londonâ¬"s most powerful restaurateurs, and dynamic Roman Chef, Maurizio Morelli.

From the street, there are few hints at such pedigree. Office blinds cling plate glass; serious capitals state â¬ÜITALIAN RESTAURANTâ¬". Inside, the dining room is smartly minimal. Coal-coloured sofas and vivid, glossy photographs of flowers contrast with white walls and bright poinsettias. On the Friday lunchtime my friend and I visited, it was busy, even noisy.

Never underestimate the importance of bread to an Italian. Latiumâ¬"s selection, baked on site, was clearly superior to far too many wan rolls, unlovingly baked and chucked on plates. The basket featured: spinach and pecorino, sweet walnut and raisin, almost meaty sun dried tomato and light taupe coloured olive rolls. Brittle Sardinian flatbread from an artisan rather than an accountant in Nuoro represented possibly the only bought in, already prepared food. This was offered with a little saucer of organic Itranan olive oil from the limestone Lepini mountains in Latium, esteemed since Roman times.

I chose the Lingua di Vitello bollito to begin, a salad of moist, surprisingly flavoursome cross-sections of veal tongue with tuna sauce and baby leeks in vinegar. It felt like a stylish variation of tonnato, although inauthentic mayonnaise had been replaced by fresh Italian parsley sauce. Lettuce leaves were brisk and wiry; the jenga of leeks tense. A refreshing, appetising dish, it rendered me as speechless as the calfâ¬¦

For the primi piatti, perfectly seasoned Pappardelle con RagÃ¹â¬" di Lepre (hare) illustrated a hearty Tuscan influence (the Etruscans once dominated Latium). It was wholesome: richly animal in its musky, earthy, comforting perfume, which â¬Üputs everyone in a good moodâ¬" according to Morelli. Whilst the dish might seem simple, it in fact takes a lot of work. I am told that (like me) it is marinated in wine - for at least 24 hours - braised on the bone with vegetables, chopped by hand, then again gently cooked for a further two hours. The wide, silky homemade ribbons (cousin to the smaller tagliatelle) thickly bound everything together.

If the primi piatti was bucolic, the main course was more urban: Filetto di Merluzzo nero (black cod) on curled, part caramelised chicory with unadulterated bottle green worms of samphire and sweet, concentrated red wine must (unfermented grape juice). Rather than apply the pigeonhole principle and interpret the cod as being an Asian influence, I found out that this dish represents a â¬Ünew idea bound within a firm Italian structure,â¬" the result of â¬Üa young man who left Italy almost as a teenager and learned and discovered different tastes, textures and culinary cultures in a colourful London.â¬" The codâ¬"s top was a crisp shard under which the flesh was loose and tender.

My Mokarabia cafÃ© latte, prepared using an antique manual coffee machine, tasted like liquefied bitter chocolate and did not need sugar. Little chocolate truffles and biscotti were delightful, epecially the sphere coated in cinnamon.

The wine list, some of which is on display, is generally accessibly priced, although there is room for improvement on the list by the glass. It stars an intriguing and personal selection, from lesser-known grape anomalies such as Magliocco, Gaglioppo and Fallanghina to classic Brunellos, sleek Super Tuscans and a handful of posh Piedmontese.

Rather than vaguely amass the greatest hits of Italyâ¬"s twenty regions on a menu, Morelli delivers an authored snapshot of his home, developed without a focus on public expectation...

*

My thanks to â¬ÜEat Man Drink Womanâ¬" (http://eat-drink-man-woman-blog.blogspot.com/2008/02/latium.html) whose radiant reports inspired this booking.As I finally left â¬ÜLatiumâ¬", it dawned on me that I had failed to try their signature dish: the multi-coloured four fish ravioli. This was spectacularly remiss of me. Their potent little parcels are legendary and that dish won â¬Übest U.K. pasta plateâ¬". I blame my French companion for distracting me (and fellow diners) with lewd gestures...

Despite being founded by an important duo, Latium has mercifully few pretensions. The team seem content to get on with the business of serving keenly sourced ingredients remarkably reasonably, gathering a faithful following in the process. Its co-owners are Claudio Pulze, who went from being a bellboy to become one of Londonâ¬"s most powerful restaurateurs, and dynamic Roman Chef, Maurizio Morelli.

From the street, there are few hints at such pedigree. Office blinds cling plate glass; serious capitals state â¬ÜITALIAN RESTAURANTâ¬". Inside, the dining room is smartly minimal. Coal-coloured sofas and vivid, glossy photographs of flowers contrast with white walls and bright poinsettias. On the Friday lunchtime my friend and I visited, it was busy, even noisy.

Never underestimate the importance of bread to an Italian. Latiumâ¬"s selection, baked on site, was clearly superior to far too many wan rolls, unlovingly baked and chucked on plates. The basket featured: spinach and pecorino, sweet walnut and raisin, almost meaty sun dried tomato and light taupe coloured olive rolls. Brittle Sardinian flatbread from an artisan rather than an accountant in Nuoro represented possibly the only bought in, already prepared food. This was offered with a little saucer of organic Itranan olive oil from the limestone Lepini mountains in Latium, esteemed since Roman times.

I chose the Lingua di Vitello bollito to begin, a salad of moist, surprisingly flavoursome cross-sections of veal tongue with tuna sauce and baby leeks in vinegar. It felt like a stylish variation of tonnato, although inauthentic mayonnaise had been replaced by fresh Italian parsley sauce. Lettuce leaves were brisk and wiry; the jenga of leeks tense. A refreshing, appetising dish, it rendered me as speechless as the calfâ¬¦

For the primi piatti, perfectly seasoned Pappardelle con RagÃ¹â¬" di Lepre (hare) illustrated a hearty Tuscan influence (the Etruscans once dominated Latium). It was wholesome: richly animal in its musky, earthy, comforting perfume, which â¬Üputs everyone in a good moodâ¬" according to Morelli. Whilst the dish might seem simple, it in fact takes a lot of work. I am told that (like me) it is marinated in wine - for at least 24 hours - braised on the bone with vegetables, chopped by hand, then again gently cooked for a further two hours. The wide, silky homemade ribbons (cousin to the smaller tagliatelle) thickly bound everything together.

If the primi piatti was bucolic, the main course was more urban: Filetto di Merluzzo nero (black cod) on curled, part caramelised chicory with unadulterated bottle green worms of samphire and sweet, concentrated red wine must (unfermented grape juice). Rather than apply the pigeonhole principle and interpret the cod as being an Asian influence, I found out that this dish represents a â¬Ünew idea bound within a firm Italian structure,â¬" the result of â¬Üa young man who left Italy almost as a teenager and learned and discovered different tastes, textures and culinary cultures in a colourful London.â¬" The codâ¬"s top was a crisp shard under which the flesh was loose and tender.

My Mokarabia cafÃ© latte, prepared using an antique manual coffee machine, tasted like liquefied bitter chocolate and did not need sugar. Little chocolate truffles and biscotti were delightful, epecially the sphere coated in cinnamon.

The wine list, some of which is on display, is generally accessibly priced, although there is room for improvement on the list by the glass. It stars an intriguing and personal selection, from lesser-known grape anomalies such as Magliocco, Gaglioppo and Fallanghina to classic Brunellos, sleek Super Tuscans and a handful of posh Piedmontese.

Rather than vaguely amass the greatest hits of Italyâ¬"s twenty regions on a menu, Morelli delivers an authored snapshot of his home, developed without a focus on public expectation...

*

My thanks to â¬ÜEat Man Drink Womanâ¬" (http://eat-drink-man-woman-blog.blogspot.com/2008/02/latium.html) whose radiant reports inspired this booking.

Anwars - A local goodie by stantoncarlisle

stantoncarlisle — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:27:54 +0000

Review by stantoncarlisle

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7387 6664

Tags: indian, takeaway

This is a good eat and run place or an excellent rendezvous for a chat with an old friend. Food is good - with one downside, they microwave it - Urgh!. If your not hungry enough to hit the local Indian but still need to slip on the feedbag this could fit the bill. Quiet with its own atmosphere.This is a good eat and run place or an excellent rendezvous for a chat with an old friend. Food is good - with one downside, they microwave it - Urgh!. If your not hungry enough to hit the local Indian but still need to slip on the feedbag this could fit the bill. Quiet with its own atmosphere.

Hakkasan - they got everything right by missynm

missynm — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:11:40 +0000

Review by missynm

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7907 1888

Tags: expensive, lively, chinese

Yes its pretty pricey, but i'd say you definitely get what you pay for! An usual setting, Hakkasan is to be found down a side street of tottenham court road, very discreet. You are greeted at the door and make your way directly down steps into the basement of the building. Service is equally discreet but friendly and attentive. The way the restaurant is set out with decorative wooden screens separating the dining and bar areas work really well and even though the place is noisy (seating a couple of hundred people) the low lighting and choice of music creates a sense of privacy at your table. And the food completely matches up to the setting. The dim sum platters are great as is the clay pot poussin. I guess its possible some customers are pretentious types but if you pay attention to the environment that has been created rather than those sat at other tables i dont see why you wouldnt have a fabulous time. Perfect for a special occasion.Yes its pretty pricey, but i'd say you definitely get what you pay for! An usual setting, Hakkasan is to be found down a side street of tottenham court road, very discreet. You are greeted at the door and make your way directly down steps into the basement of the building. Service is equally discreet but friendly and attentive. The way the restaurant is set out with decorative wooden screens separating the dining and bar areas work really well and even though the place is noisy (seating a couple of hundred people) the low lighting and choice of music creates a sense of privacy at your table. And the food completely matches up to the setting. The dim sum platters are great as is the clay pot poussin. I guess its possible some customers are pretentious types but if you pay attention to the environment that has been created rather than those sat at other tables i dont see why you wouldnt have a fabulous time. Perfect for a special occasion.

Abokado - One of the best! by chuichi

chuichi — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:37:16 +0000

Review by chuichi

Rating: 5.00

Tags: lively, good value, japanese

This is one of the best places to go for lunch...for a quick bite inside, or for a quick take-away.

The range includes sushi, wraps, soup, and noodles. I absolutely love their sushi boxes and noodles!

This is not to be missed!

Prices are quite reasonable too, if you compare with other similar little cafes.This is one of the best places to go for lunch...for a quick bite inside, or for a quick take-away.

The range includes sushi, wraps, soup, and noodles. I absolutely love their sushi boxes and noodles!

This is not to be missed!

Prices are quite reasonable too, if you compare with other similar little cafes.

Josephine's Filipino Restaurant - Authentic philipine food recommended by elite chef by Ann_Henderson

Ann_Henderson — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:18:06 +0000

Review by Ann_Henderson

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7580 6551

Tags: good value, family & home feel, lively

Seeing all the reviews here, I thought it might be interesting to share the opinion by one of the culinary elites; Gordon Ramsayâ¬"s ProtÃ©gÃ©: Jason Atherton; about Josephineâ¬"s Restaurant:

â¬SMy favourite cuisine is Filipino, and you get the best Filipino food in the country at Josephineâ¬"s on Charlotte Street. My wife is loves it and sheâ¬"s from the Philippines, so it must be pretty authentic. Filipino dishes are an interesting mix between Spanish and Asian flavours. They use a lot of tamarind, fish sauce and sour mango, but their international dish is Paella, because of the influx of Spanish in the 18th Century. I go to Josephineâ¬"s for my regular fix of pork lechon, which is pork rubbed in herbs, roasted and served with garlic fried rice. Josephineâ¬"s is reasonably priced and traditionally designed with pictures of the Philippines. The owners make you feel really welcomed, so my advice is to get down there and try it.â¬

Jason Atherton, Executive Chef for Gordon Ramsayâ¬Üsâ¬SMazeâ¬
â¬SMazeâ¬ Restaurant was winner of Restaurant Magazineâ¬"s 2008 â¬SBest UK Restaurant Awardâ¬ and â¬SBest English Restaurant Awardâ¬
The BMW 1 SERIES GOOD FOOD RIDE. 101 GREAT BRITISH FOOD ADVENTURES

Based on that article, I was persuaded to go with some friends to Josephineâ¬"s e all had a wonderful time, staff were welcoming and friendly, and the food was full of flavour, varied and excellent. We had quite a lot of pork though and were quite stuffed, we waited about half an hour sipping port before going after the desserts!
Seeing all the reviews here, I thought it might be interesting to share the opinion by one of the culinary elites; Gordon Ramsayâ¬"s ProtÃ©gÃ©: Jason Atherton; about Josephineâ¬"s Restaurant:

â¬SMy favourite cuisine is Filipino, and you get the best Filipino food in the country at Josephineâ¬"s on Charlotte Street. My wife is loves it and sheâ¬"s from the Philippines, so it must be pretty authentic. Filipino dishes are an interesting mix between Spanish and Asian flavours. They use a lot of tamarind, fish sauce and sour mango, but their international dish is Paella, because of the influx of Spanish in the 18th Century. I go to Josephineâ¬"s for my regular fix of pork lechon, which is pork rubbed in herbs, roasted and served with garlic fried rice. Josephineâ¬"s is reasonably priced and traditionally designed with pictures of the Philippines. The owners make you feel really welcomed, so my advice is to get down there and try it.â¬

Jason Atherton, Executive Chef for Gordon Ramsayâ¬Üsâ¬SMazeâ¬
â¬SMazeâ¬ Restaurant was winner of Restaurant Magazineâ¬"s 2008 â¬SBest UK Restaurant Awardâ¬ and â¬SBest English Restaurant Awardâ¬
The BMW 1 SERIES GOOD FOOD RIDE. 101 GREAT BRITISH FOOD ADVENTURES

Based on that article, I was persuaded to go with some friends to Josephineâ¬"s and we all had a wonderful time, staff were welcoming and friendly, and the food was full of flavour, varied and excellent. We had quite a lot of pork though and were quite stuffed, we waited about half an hour sipping port before going after the desserts!

Roka - Roka n Rolla by Ann_Henderson

Ann_Henderson — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:12:50 +0000

Review by Ann_Henderson

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7580 6464

Website: http://www.rokarestaurant.com

Tags: lively, japanese, expensive

Gloriously delicious Japanese food of the highest order, we stuck with the Â£75.00 tasting menu and the food was met by huge smiles on our faces, before, during and after eating. Came here for my birthday and left with our taste buds buzzing, if I close my eyes, I can still taste the scallops!
Gloriously delicious Japanese food of the highest order, we stuck with the Â£75.00 tasting menu and the food was met by huge smiles on our faces, before, during and after eating. Came here for my birthday and left with our taste buds buzzing, if I close my eyes, I can still taste the scallops!

Olives Indian Cafe - Strange name, great food by gingerbeardman

gingerbeardman — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:10:36 +0000

Review by gingerbeardman

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7636 1813

Tags: indian, cheap eat, takeaway

A bit of bizarre name for an indian canteen, but don't let that put you off.

The food is great, service quick and polite. No frills decor and some great lunch deals.A bit of bizarre name for an indian canteen, but don't let that put you off.

The food is great, service quick and polite. No frills decor and some great lunch deals.

Niko Niko - Dependable, tasty by foxie

foxie — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:53:09 +0000

Review by foxie

Rating: 3.00

Tags: japanese, good value, laid back

This is one of our trusty favourites that has a particular specialty in bento boxes. Prices are reasonable, atmosphere is chilled (minus what can sometimes be very annoying music), and the food is dependably good. Nothing that will knock your socks off, but very good value for money in an area that can be either very pricy or quite disappointing. A definite keeper.This is one of our trusty favourites that has a particular specialty in bento boxes. Prices are reasonable, atmosphere is chilled (minus what can sometimes be very annoying music), and the food is dependably good. Nothing that will knock your socks off, but very good value for money in an area that can be either very pricy or quite disappointing. A definite keeper.

Siam Central - Halynca by halynca

halynca — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:21:48 +0000

Review by halynca

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7436 7460

Tags: thai, business, lively

I'm a regular to this place and can recommend it. I find the previous comment unfair. I know my Thai food as I spent a year there.

My favourite dish is the papaya salad with grilled chicken and sticky rice. It's a common misconception that the papaya in this dish is orange. Any Thai person would tell you the type used is the un-ripened type - hard, firm and crunchy in texture. It's actually not orange at all, but a very pale green colour. The rice served with this dish should be sticky, traditionally it's eaten using your hands.I'm a regular to this place and can recommend it. I find the previous comment unfair. I know my Thai food as I spent a year there.

My favourite dish is the papaya salad with grilled chicken and sticky rice. It's a common misconception that the papaya in this dish is orange. Any Thai person would tell you the type used is the un-ripened type - hard, firm and crunchy in texture. It's actually not orange at all, but a very pale green colour. The rice served with this dish should be sticky, traditionally it's eaten using your hands.

Vasis - by lightlines

lightlines — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:34:57 +0000

Review by lightlines

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7637 5283

Tags: takeaway

Amazing Amazing Amazing. Food, service & decor. You can actually have a conversation here. Downside is probably the price, but when you consider how freshly prepared everything is you simply cannot argue with it. Plus the proprietor is charm personified.Amazing Amazing Amazing. Food, service & decor. You can actually have a conversation here. Downside is probably the price, but when you consider how freshly prepared everything is you simply cannot argue with it. Plus the proprietor is charm personified.

Lotus Thai Restaurant - by lightlines

lightlines — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:33:25 +0000

Review by lightlines

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7580 7213

Tags: thai, family & home feel, good value

Lovely food, and the fact that they do takeaway is a massive bonusLovely food, and the fact that they do takeaway is a massive bonus

Pied a Terre - An exceptional table by gastro1

gastro1 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:03:04 +0000

Review by gastro1

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7916 0786

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

Tags: french, expensive, romantic

This is a great restaurant producing superb cuisine with excellent service.

It is in my view one of the best restaurants of it's type in the UK an equal to The Square and Gordon Ramsey at Royal Hospital Road.

One feels that each dish hs been carefully developed and constructed like a fine oil painting - everything on the plate has a purpose and contributes to the whole.

The wine list is vey well chosen with a particulary good selection of red BurgUndies.

This is a great restaurant producing superb cuisine with excellent service.

It is in my view one of the best restaurants of it's type in the UK an equal to The Square and Gordon Ramsey at Royal Hospital Road.

One feels that each dish hs been carefully developed and constructed like a fine oil painting - everything on the plate has a purpose and contributes to the whole.

The wine list is vey well chosen with a particulary good selection of red BurgUndies.

Pho - Ok for lunch, but a tad overhyped by DanWilkinson

DanWilkinson — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:08:15 +0000

Review by DanWilkinson

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7436 0111

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

Tags: vietnamese, lively, good value

First off, let me say that I rather enjoyed the lunch I had here earlier in the week. I wasn't really all that disappointed. In quality terms I'd probably put it somewhere around Wagamama, maybe a tiny notch above.

However, if you're alongside Wagamama in the quality stakes, it's probably not that wise to bang on about authenticity and stellar quality in your literature, taking a bit of a holier-than-thou approach and generally being all po-faced about it.

And so it was that, with my appetite for supersonic Vietnamese food truly whetted, and their loving descriptions of 'true' Pho ringing in my ears, I opted for the Pho Tai (beef fillet Pho), hoping to be transported to the far east in no time. Unfortunately, it turned out that I've made better Pho at home, using ingredients from Tesco and a recipe by Gordon Ramsay.

I'm no Pho expert, but I do profess to know stocks, and this was a disappointingly thin, un-beefy concoction, packed with spring onions and shreds of overcooked beef. I can't work out what the problem could be, as making stock is pretty simple really. Overdilution? Underseasoning? Made too quickly? Either way this was closer to flavoured water than proper, gutsy stock and was entirely lacking in flavour, except for the overwhelming burn of the spring onions.

Noodles lurking in the bottom of the bowl were... noodles. I'd eventually tipped the entire plate of accompanying garnish (coriander, mint, red chillis, beansprouts) into the bowl to try to coax some flavour out of it, but to no avail.

So I'm being harsh, because whilst it wasn't an unpleasant experience, and whilst I felt it in itself represented decent value and a pleasant lunchtime diversion, it's nowhere near as good as it says it is, and that really annoys me.First off, let me say that I rather enjoyed the lunch I had here earlier in the week. I wasn't really all that disappointed. In quality terms I'd probably put it somewhere around Wagamama, maybe a tiny notch above.

However, if you're alongside Wagamama in the quality stakes, it's probably not that wise to bang on about authenticity and stellar quality in your literature, taking a bit of a holier-than-thou approach and generally being all po-faced about it.

And so it was that, with my appetite for supersonic Vietnamese food truly whetted, and their loving descriptions of 'true' Pho ringing in my ears, I opted for the Pho Tai (beef fillet Pho), hoping to be transported to the far east in no time. Unfortunately, it turned out that I've made better Pho at home, using ingredients from Tesco and a recipe by Gordon Ramsay.

I'm no Pho expert, but I do profess to know stocks, and this was a disappointingly thin, un-beefy concoction, packed with spring onions and shreds of overcooked beef. I can't work out what the problem could be, as making stock is pretty simple really. Overdilution? Underseasoning? Made too quickly? Either way this was closer to flavoured water than proper, gutsy stock and was entirely lacking in flavour, except for the overwhelming burn of the spring onions.

Noodles lurking in the bottom of the bowl were... noodles. I'd eventually tipped the entire plate of accompanying garnish (coriander, mint, red chillis, beansprouts) into the bowl to try to coax some flavour out of it, but to no avail.

So I'm being harsh, because whilst it wasn't an unpleasant experience, and whilst I felt it in itself represented decent value and a pleasant lunchtime diversion, it's nowhere near as good as it says it is, and that really annoys me.

Busaba Eathai - The best chain for oriental food in London by mvk0016

mvk0016 — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:01:57 +0000

Review by mvk0016

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7299 7900

Website: http://www.busaba.com

Tags: thai, lively, crowded

Busaba Eathai is a very good quality chain of 3 restaurants, and the one in Store Street is in my opinion the best out of the 3. They offer simple food in a Wagamama-style setting (everyone shares a table and you are seating next to other people, sometimes with barely enough space for your plate to fit) although the decor is much nicer than Wagamama and more atmospheric. The dishes on offer vary from the everpresnt Thai curries (the duck curry and the pumpkin one are highly recommended) to more unique dishes of Chicken in Pandan leaf (a favorite for most, as you can see it in almost every table) and Thai calamari (a starter you shouldn't miss!) and some good noodle and stir-fry dishes. The hot and cold tea are all wonderful (hot tea comes in a little pot and is accompanied by coconut cookies) but unfortunately there are no desserts which is a surprise. The food is quite cheap (a tiny bit more expensive than Wagamama prices) and worth every penny of the money you will pay for it.Busaba Eathai is a very good quality chain of 3 restaurants, and the one in Store Street is in my opinion the best out of the 3. They offer simple food in a Wagamama-style setting (everyone shares a table and you are seating next to other people, sometimes with barely enough space for your plate to fit) although the decor is much nicer than Wagamama and more atmospheric. The dishes on offer vary from the everpresnt Thai curries (the duck curry and the pumpkin one are highly recommended) to more unique dishes of Chicken in Pandan leaf (a favorite for most, as you can see it in almost every table) and Thai calamari (a starter you shouldn't miss!) and some good noodle and stir-fry dishes. The hot and cold tea are all wonderful (hot tea comes in a little pot and is accompanied by coconut cookies) but unfortunately there are no desserts which is a surprise. The food is quite cheap (a tiny bit more expensive than Wagamama prices) and worth every penny of the money you will pay for it.

Ooze Risotto Bar - Creamy, silky risottos by mseckington

mseckington — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:17:57 +0000

Review by mseckington

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7436 9444

Website: http://www.ooze.biz

Tags: lively, good value, italian

I love Italian food, but I worship risottos. Every time I visit Italy I try to find restaurants with good risottos. Some time ago I was wondering why most Italian places here only serve pastas and pizzas. Just think about it: how many Italian restaurants do you know will serve risotto? A lot of pubs will, but actual Italian restaurants? Not that many.

I was telling this to my boyfriend, when discussing where we would go for our 5-year anniversary. Just for fun he typed in "risotto restaurant" in Google. Not even with 'London' added. And Ooze restaurant rolled out...

So we tried out Ooze. We had theatre tickets booked for 7, so came to the place quite early. It was (of course) still empty, but then we had the choice to sit anywhere we wanted. In the back there are nice comfy benches, but a bit too close all together. You're practically sitting in on somebody else's conversation!

The food though was perfect. We had bruschetta as a starter and it was the best brushetta I've had. Warm, crisp and crunchy and served with a yummy pesto, it's a great precursor to the rest of your meal.

For the main course, I had the Coda di rospo con zafferano - Pan fried monkfish and saffron. It was creamy and silky, exactly what you want from a risotto. My boyfriend had the Frutti di Mare and that too was great.

It was a bit on the pricy side though (about Â£60 for 2 people) and as students we can't really afford it for non-special occasions. Plus the place itself isn't as romantic and cosy as you'd expect it to be. The food though is great and if that's what you're mainly going for, you'll love this place.I love Italian food, but I worship risottos. Every time I visit Italy I try to find restaurants with good risottos. Some time ago I was wondering why most Italian places here only serve pastas and pizzas. Just think about it: how many Italian restaurants do you know will serve risotto? A lot of pubs will, but actual Italian restaurants? Not that many.

I was telling this to my boyfriend, when discussing where we would go for our 5-year anniversary. Just for fun he typed in "risotto restaurant" in Google. Not even with 'London' added. And Ooze restaurant rolled out...

So we tried out Ooze. We had theatre tickets booked for 7, so came to the place quite early. It was (of course) still empty, but then we had the choice to sit anywhere we wanted. In the back there are nice comfy benches, but a bit too close all together. You're practically sitting in on somebody else's conversation!

The food though was perfect. We had bruschetta as a starter and it was the best brushetta I've had. Warm, crisp and crunchy and served with a yummy pesto, it's a great precursor to the rest of your meal.

For the main course, I had the Coda di rospo con zafferano - Pan fried monkfish and saffron. It was creamy and silky, exactly what you want from a risotto. My boyfriend had the Frutti di Mare and that too was great.

It was a bit on the pricy side though (about Â£60 for 2 people) and as students we can't really afford it for non-special occasions. Plus the place itself isn't as romantic and cosy as you'd expect it to be. The food though is great and if that's what you're mainly going for, you'll love this place.

Soho Japan - Good food by hollowlegs

hollowlegs — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:43:39 +0000

Review by hollowlegs

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7323 4661

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

Tags: japanese, good value, business

I've only ever come here for a takeaway, but I ate in for lunch the other day. Gorgeous food - I had the sashimi lunch. A bowl of steamed rice, miso soup, and a great platter of sashimi with big slabs of tuna, salmon, snapper, yellowtail and a scallop. I finished off with a green tea and red bean ice cream which was also good. The only dud note was the cold spinach side - it tasted like it was dressed with a thin peanut butter which wasn't to my taste.

However, I called up recently to order a takeaway of chicken teriyaki, listed on the website at Â£6.50. When I got there, I was told I must pay Â£7.80 as the prices have changed. Fine, but when I pointed out that they should change their website-listed prices, I got a tirade: "The website is wrong! It's old! Don't look at the website, you shouldn't look at the website".

This really did get my goat; it's not my problem that they haven't updated the website. Given their attitude over this and the accusatory stares afterwards as if I were trying to fiddle them, I will not be returning no matter how good it is.I've only ever come here for a takeaway, but I ate in for lunch the other day. Gorgeous food - I had the sashimi lunch. A bowl of steamed rice, miso soup, and a great platter of sashimi with big slabs of tuna, salmon, snapper, yellowtail and a scallop. I finished off with a green tea and red bean ice cream which was also good. The only dud note was the cold spinach side - it tasted like it was dressed with a thin peanut butter which wasn't to my taste.

However, I called up recently to order a takeaway of chicken teriyaki, listed on the website at Â£6.50. When I got there, I was told I must pay Â£7.80 as the prices have changed. Fine, but when I pointed out that they should change their website-listed prices, I got a tirade: "The website is wrong! It's old! Don't look at the website, you shouldn't look at the website".

This really did get my goat; it's not my problem that they haven't updated the website. Given their attitude over this and the accusatory stares afterwards as if I were trying to fiddle them, I will not be returning no matter how good it is.

Bam-Bou - by joslyoung

joslyoung — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:49:13 +0000

Review by joslyoung

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7323 9130

Website: http://www.bam-bou.co.uk/

Tags: romantic, lively, vietnamese

S'funny, because years ago when I used to come here a lot (I had an expense account then - those were the days) this was always somewhere I thought of as quite expensive, and yet on a recent visit after a long absence, I was surprised to find that the prices were actually quite palatable. I suspect that that's because everywhere else has just caught up...!
The food at Bam Bou is excellent. It doesn't necessarily leap out at you from the menu as being different or better than any of the other asian restaurants that have proliferated around it in recent years, but what they do Bam Bou just simply does better. Its duck dishes are particularly good, and the salads (though it seems a little dour to order a salad with so many other mouthwatering dishes on offer) are really worth a go. They're unusual in flavour and really inspire you to try different flavour combinations at home in your own cooking - to me, a restaurant that inspires you to try and recreate dishes at home is absolutely on a winner.
The coconut rice, similarly, is the best I've ever had, and goes brilliantly with the poultry and ginger main meals on offer. The portions are not enormous but this is to be expected and isn't resented; Bam Bou is very far from the pile it high, sell it cheap philosophy of the Gerrard Street fare not too far away, and is all the better for it.S'funny, because years ago when I used to come here a lot (I had an expense account then - those were the days) this was always somewhere I thought of as quite expensive, and yet on a recent visit after a long absence, I was surprised to find that the prices were actually quite palatable. I suspect that that's because everywhere else has just caught up...!
The food at Bam Bou is excellent. It doesn't necessarily leap out at you from the menu as being different or better than any of the other asian restaurants that have proliferated around it in recent years, but what they do Bam Bou just simply does better. Its duck dishes are particularly good, and the salads (though it seems a little dour to order a salad with so many other mouthwatering dishes on offer) are really worth a go. They're unusual in flavour and really inspire you to try different flavour combinations at home in your own cooking - to me, a restaurant that inspires you to try and recreate dishes at home is absolutely on a winner.
The coconut rice, similarly, is the best I've ever had, and goes brilliantly with the poultry and ginger main meals on offer. The portions are not enormous but this is to be expected and isn't resented; Bam Bou is very far from the pile it high, sell it cheap philosophy of the Gerrard Street fare not too far away, and is all the better for it.

Archipelago - Unusual menu by misstravelbug

misstravelbug — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:23:59 +0000

Review by misstravelbug

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7383 3346

Tags: lively, romantic, expensive

This restaurant serves some crazy meats, definitely come here with an open mind as you may be tempted by peacock, gnu, beatles, scorpions. It's definitely an experience and with the kitschy decor and great service, it's a pretty cool experience.This restaurant serves some crazy meats, definitely come here with an open mind as you may be tempted by peacock, gnu, beatles, scorpions. It's definitely an experience and with the kitschy decor and great service, it's a pretty cool experience.