Latest reviews in Isle of Dogs, London, United Kingdom

The Gun Public House - by CityCat

CityCat — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:09:59 +0000

Review by CityCat

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 0207 515 5222

Website: www.thegundocklands.com

Working in Canary Wharf, The Gun is the perfect little place to go for a drink after work, and get away from the hectic post-work scene on the Wharf itself.

I love old historical buildings.. especially ones that have great drinks menus.. Have emptied many a bottle of wine here. :)
Working in Canary Wharf, The Gun is the perfect little place to go for a drink after work, and get away from the hectic post-work scene on the Wharf itself.

I love old historical buildings.. especially ones that have great drinks menus.. Have emptied many a bottle of wine here. :)

Curve Restaurant - Shame! by rwilsher

rwilsher — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 12:10:27 +0000

Review by rwilsher

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7093 1000

Tags: bar, expensive, pretentious

Everyone involved with this towering monument to the worst restaurants in the UK should be ashamed of what they have managed to create and have the gall to maintain!
Seriously overpriced, second-rate food cooked by unmotivated chefs and served by half-hearted, badly trained waiting staff (it took three goes to be told they didn't have any English mustard, and for them to say the best they could do was a mild Dijon), in a venue reminiscent of the worst kind of modern motorway service area or cheap travelling salesman's hotel breakfast room.
Over £22 for a rib-eye steak and a handful of McCain's chips?!?! £12 for a starter of three limp scallops, a couple of slivers of hardly cooked bacon (purporting to be pork belly) and a smear of pea puree!?!? How dare they?
It was supposed to be a celebration of my wife's birthday - to make up I will now be taking her out to much nicer, better value places for the rest of the week.

Everyone involved with this towering monument to the worst restaurants in the UK should be ashamed of what they have managed to create and have the gall to maintain!
Seriously overpriced, second-rate food cooked by unmotivated chefs and served by half-hearted, badly trained waiting staff (it took three goes to be told they didn't have any English mustard, and for them to say the best they could do was a mild Dijon), in a venue reminiscent of the worst kind of modern motorway service area or cheap travelling salesman's hotel breakfast room.
Over £22 for a rib-eye steak and a handful of McCain's chips?!?! £12 for a starter of three limp scallops, a couple of slivers of hardly cooked bacon (purporting to be pork belly) and a smear of pea puree!?!? How dare they?
It was supposed to be a celebration of my wife's birthday - to make up I will now be taking her out to much nicer, better value places for the rest of the week.

Lotus Chinese Floating Restaurant - Great Dim Sum at Budget Prices by samantha_tan

samantha_tan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:16:06 +0000

Review by samantha_tan

Rating: 4.00

Tags: lively, chinese, good value

For full menu and details see:
http://www.lotusfloating.co.uk/

We live walking distance from Lotus and are so glad we have finally found a place for authentic cheap dim sum without needing to travel all the way to Chinatown! From its mundane unlit appearance in the afternoon and tinted windows which prevented us from seeing inside, we always assumed it was a novelty joint either failing miserably or completely abandoned, until we walked in last week at lunchtime and realised it was buzzing especially with the office crowd from Canary Wharf!

All the steamed dim sum classics are well executed- fluffy white char siew bao (BBQ pork buns), har gau (prawn dumplings), siew mai (pork dumplings), beef tripe with ginger etc, and we were surprised to find good Ma Lai Koh (Malay steamed sponge cake) on the menu too which is the first time I've encountered it in London! We ordered two varieties of cheong fun (steamed rice sheet rolls)- char siew and fried dough- and loved both, highly appreciating the fact that the sauce for the fried dough version was served in a separate saucer for dipping instead of drizzled over, to ensure the filling remained crispy.

The fried/baked dishes also got the thumbs up all round- gorgeous little egg custard tarts with a flaky pastry, light and not-too-greasy wu kok (yam puffs with meat filling) and crunchy salad har (fried prawn dumplings with salad cream).

The only thing we regretted ordering was the plate of dry-fried beef hor fun, which was rather bland and oily and not worth the £6.50 price tag. Although I haven't tried any of their other noodle dishes, I would say it's a safer bet to stick to the dim sum classics.

Service was typical of a Chinese restaurant (none too friendly, civil but indifferent), but with most of the dishes priced at £2 (the most expensive ones being £3.50) and a lovely waterfront view to boot, I will definitely be back at Lotus over and over to satisfy my dim sum cravings! :)
For full menu and details see:
http://www.lotusfloating.co.uk/

We live walking distance from Lotus and are so glad we have finally found a place for authentic cheap dim sum without needing to travel all the way to Chinatown! From its mundane unlit appearance in the afternoon and tinted windows which prevented us from seeing inside, we always assumed it was a novelty joint either failing miserably or completely abandoned, until we walked in last week at lunchtime and realised it was buzzing especially with the office crowd from Canary Wharf!

All the steamed dim sum classics are well executed- fluffy white char siew bao (BBQ pork buns), har gau (prawn dumplings), siew mai (pork dumplings), beef tripe with ginger etc, and we were surprised to find good Ma Lai Koh (Malay steamed sponge cake) on the menu too which is the first time I've encountered it in London! We ordered two varieties of cheong fun (steamed rice sheet rolls)- char siew and fried dough- and loved both, highly appreciating the fact that the sauce for the fried dough version was served in a separate saucer for dipping instead of drizzled over, to ensure the filling remained crispy.

The fried/baked dishes also got the thumbs up all round- gorgeous little egg custard tarts with a flaky pastry, light and not-too-greasy wu kok (yam puffs with meat filling) and crunchy salad har (fried prawn dumplings with salad cream).

The only thing we regretted ordering was the plate of dry-fried beef hor fun, which was rather bland and oily and not worth the £6.50 price tag. Although I haven't tried any of their other noodle dishes, I would say it's a safer bet to stick to the dim sum classics.

Service was typical of a Chinese restaurant (none too friendly, civil but indifferent), but with most of the dishes priced at £2 (the most expensive ones being £3.50) and a lovely waterfront view to boot, I will definitely be back at Lotus over and over to satisfy my dim sum cravings! :)

The City Pride - The City Pride by Magie

Magie — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:53:15 +0000

Review by Magie

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7987 3516

Website: http://www.citypride.co.uk/index.asp

Tags: traditional pub, excellent pub food

City Pride is indeed a very traditional English pub with traditional food and a great atmosphere. Me and my friends tried several plates such as the Chicken Caesar Salad and the Spicy Chicken Wings as starters and Sunday Roast, Homemade Rib Eye Steak Burger and Sword Fish Caprice as main courses.
The dishes were very tasteful and large and the pricing pretty reasonable. I didnâ¬"t have the chance to try the wine but my friends who tried it seemed very satisfied. The service was very friendly as well but what mostly made this pub distinguish from others weâ¬"ve been to, is its environment. There are several areas you can chose to sit depending on whether you want coffee, food or just a drink. We had the chance to sit in the main area which serves food. Being a smoker I really appreciated the spacious and friendly garden.
It was a good night-out, we really enjoyed our food and will definitely visit it again soon.
City Pride is indeed a very traditional English pub with traditional food and a great atmosphere. Me and my friends tried several plates such as the Chicken Caesar Salad and the Spicy Chicken Wings as starters and Sunday Roast, Homemade Rib Eye Steak Burger and Sword Fish Caprice as main courses.
The dishes were very tasteful and large and the pricing pretty reasonable. I didnâ¬"t have the chance to try the wine but my friends who tried it seemed very satisfied. The service was very friendly as well but what mostly made this pub distinguish from others weâ¬"ve been to, is its environment. There are several areas you can chose to sit depending on whether you want coffee, food or just a drink. We had the chance to sit in the main area which serves food. Being a smoker I really appreciated the spacious and friendly garden.
It was a good night-out, we really enjoyed our food and will definitely visit it again soon.

Waitrose Food & Home - Excellent food, impeccable service. by Dr_Mavenholm

Dr_Mavenholm — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:21:14 +0000

Review by Dr_Mavenholm

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7719 0300

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

Tags: delicatessen, rare finds, healthy food

Waitrose is an excellent supermarket, cannot recommend it enough. Much like the author of the appallingly written letter of complaint below me however, I do feel it unfair that if I stand at a clearly unoccupied till they do not stop serving customers queueing at the correct tills to serve me. My custom should be valued above all others!Waitrose is an excellent supermarket, cannot recommend it enough. Much like the author of the appallingly written letter of complaint below me however, I do feel it unfair that if I stand at a clearly unoccupied till they do not stop serving customers queueing at the correct tills to serve me. My custom should be valued above all others!

Mez Bar & Restaurant - Dissapointing evening. by Hasslah

Hasslah — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:50:35 +0000

Review by Hasslah

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 70050421

Website: http://www.mezrestaurant.com/

Tags: lively, turkish, live music

very disappoinmenting service,staff just werent paying any attention to us at all,we were a party of eight on valentin's day 09,well it wasn't an experience to remember at all, main dish was very nice but the place was freezing cold,we didn't get the welcome drink as it says on the menu we didn't get our staters neither and they played hip hop and rap music which we didn't expect from a turkish restaurant... when we complained about service to a member of staff, she tried to blamed it on the fact that some of us arriving late...we never been offered a compensation or tried to make up for the inveniences.
so I don't think we'll be going back there again, it's a shame because it's a nice restaurant.very disappoinmenting service,staff just werent paying any attention to us at all,we were a party of eight on valentin's day 09,well it wasn't an experience to remember at all, main dish was very nice but the place was freezing cold,we didn't get the welcome drink as it says on the menu we didn't get our staters neither and they played hip hop and rap music which we didn't expect from a turkish restaurant... when we complained about service to a member of staff, she tried to blamed it on the fact that some of us arriving late...we never been offered a compensation or tried to make up for the inveniences.
so I don't think we'll be going back there again, it's a shame because it's a nice restaurant.

Reebok Sports Club - reebok sports club by loser27

loser27 — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 23:16:33 +0000

Review by loser27

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7970 0900

Website: http://www.reeboksportsclublondon.com

Tags: yoga, massage, swimming indoor

This could have been good, but sadly isn't.

The building has potential and the pool is quite good. Unfortunately the staff attitude is awful. This place is all about making money from members, not about customer service. e.g. at time of writing another review beieves the notice policy to be 4 weeks notice at any time - not the case, it's actually one full calendar month, so you want to leave on 5th March, you need to give notice until the end of April i.e. the "no contract" approach in reality ends up sounding very contractual (and expensive).

Most of the duration of my membership there were warning notices in the changing rooms warning of an active locker room thief.

Another issue I had was the amount of dirty discarded towels strewn around the changing room - this was too bad for this kind of membership fee - the cleanliness in general is not exactly top class.

There is a typical busy period over lunch times and after work, but the main problem is down to management style and staff attitude i.e. arrogant and uncaring.

I would not recommend.This could have been good, but sadly isn't.

The building has potential and the pool is quite good. Unfortunately the staff attitude is awful. This place is all about making money from members, not about customer service. e.g. at time of writing another review beieves the notice policy to be 4 weeks notice at any time - not the case, it's actually one full calendar month, so you want to leave on 5th March, you need to give notice until the end of April i.e. the "no contract" approach in reality ends up sounding very contractual (and expensive).

Most of the duration of my membership there were warning notices in the changing rooms warning of an active locker room thief.

Another issue I had was the amount of dirty discarded towels strewn around the changing room - this was too bad for this kind of membership fee - the cleanliness in general is not exactly top class.

There is a typical busy period over lunch times and after work, but the main problem is down to management style and staff attitude i.e. arrogant and uncaring.

I would not recommend.

Memsaheb - Kwany good food guide by Seek1

Seek1 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:05:26 +0000

Review by Seek1

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7538 3008

Website: http://www.memsaheb.com

Tags: indian, romantic, good value

Really great feed, cheap cheerful, and a great atmoshere for family or a groupd of friends. Try and get the front of the house as you can see the world go by if you are planting there for a while.Really great feed, cheap cheerful, and a great atmoshere for family or a groupd of friends. Try and get the front of the house as you can see the world go by if you are planting there for a while.

Booty's Riverside Bar - Docklands pub by martylondon

martylondon — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:38:05 +0000

Review by martylondon

Rating: 5.00

Tags: jazz, live music, posh

Excellent riverside pub on Narrow Street with live music on Satuday nights to late. Website is www.bootysriversidebar.co.uk
Excellent riverside pub on Narrow Street with live music on Satuday nights to late. Website is www.bootysriversidebar.co.uk

The Narrow - Needs a visit from.....errr..........Gordon Ramsay by Bowgreave

Bowgreave — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:39:27 +0000

Review by Bowgreave

Rating: 2.00

Tags: independent pub, standard pub food, young professionals

This place rather brazenly calls itself 'The Narrow by Gordon Ramsay' (as opposed to, say 'The Narrow Armsâ¬" or whatever) thereby raising both its own profile and our expectations accordingly. It shouts Brand Ramsay at every opportunity so we expected (and were quite happy) to pay a premium for the best.
After several years watching him ruthlessly putting other peoples' houses in order, it came as a bit of a surprise to learn that he was missing a few tricks rather closer to home. Unlike other 'celebrity chefs', Ramsay has retained a reputation for keeping on top of venues bearing his name.
We recently booked in for a Sunday lunch, which my wife says thoroughly deserves a bad review. Now anybody with Â£25 million more than I have is only ever going to get an honest and objective review, but she's not entirely wrong.
The place itself is lovely and an attractive bar leads out to a huge glass conservatory, directly overlooking the Thames, which drinkers and bar snackers share with the restaurant overflow. Views are tremendous but, even allowing for Gordon having assembled East London's largest collection of freestanding calor gas heaters, it was still a bit cold.
We were given a premium window table in the restaurant/conservatory and given time to read through the attractive looking menu.
We didn't mind the wait because they were clearly busy but, when it did arrive, my crayfish, haddock and salmon fishcake tasted no different to any other deep-fried breaded fishcake I have ever eaten, whilst the accompanying tartar sauce lacked bite and was more like mayonnaise. My son really enjoyed his swede and honey soup though.
For mains, wifey and son went for the game pie special whilst I had the hake, chips and marrowfat peas.
Another longish wait and the pies arrived in small pots with a dollop of mash and nothing else on the plate; forgivable if the food had knocked their socks off, but it didn't. You could live with mash that was unremarkable and plain but not when it was only luke warm. There was plenty of gravy inside the pie pot but the game filling could have been any stewed meat. My fish was entombed in a thick layer of overcooked dark brown (rather than golden) batter although the chips and mushy peas were fine. My son's marshmallow brownie with white chocolate ice-cream was also served luke warm. As with the fishcake, the products failed to match up to their elaborate description on the menu and they could take a leaf out of the underplay-it manual used at the Anchor and Hope, a genuine gastropub.
Beers and wines were good and reasonably (albeit restaurant) priced and our bill for three just topped Â£100. Don't get me wrong, there were flaws but it wasn't a bad meal per se. It was an okay pub meal served in a lovely setting. The bar and restaurant, the view, the tempting menu, the Brand Ramsay expectations; they were all there yet the food fell short of them. It was the worst bit and that should never happen.
Would we return? Maybe for a drink and a bar snack......on a warmer day though.
This place rather brazenly calls itself 'The Narrow by Gordon Ramsay' (as opposed to, say 'The Narrow Armsâ¬" or whatever) thereby raising both its own profile and our expectations accordingly. It shouts Brand Ramsay at every opportunity so we expected (and were quite happy) to pay a premium for the best.
After several years watching him ruthlessly putting other peoples' houses in order, it came as a bit of a surprise to learn that he was missing a few tricks rather closer to home. Unlike other 'celebrity chefs', Ramsay has retained a reputation for keeping on top of venues bearing his name.
We recently booked in for a Sunday lunch, which my wife says thoroughly deserves a bad review. Now anybody with Â£25 million more than I have is only ever going to get an honest and objective review, but she's not entirely wrong.
The place itself is lovely and an attractive bar leads out to a huge glass conservatory, directly overlooking the Thames, which drinkers and bar snackers share with the restaurant overflow. Views are tremendous but, even allowing for Gordon having assembled East London's largest collection of freestanding calor gas heaters, it was still a bit cold.
We were given a premium window table in the restaurant/conservatory and given time to read through the attractive looking menu.
We didn't mind the wait because they were clearly busy but, when it did arrive, my crayfish, haddock and salmon fishcake tasted no different to any other deep-fried breaded fishcake I have ever eaten, whilst the accompanying tartar sauce lacked bite and was more like mayonnaise. My son really enjoyed his swede and honey soup though.
For mains, wifey and son went for the game pie special whilst I had the hake, chips and marrowfat peas.
Another longish wait and the pies arrived in small pots with a dollop of mash and nothing else on the plate; forgivable if the food had knocked their socks off, but it didn't. You could live with mash that was unremarkable and plain but not when it was only luke warm. There was plenty of gravy inside the pie pot but the game filling could have been any stewed meat. My fish was entombed in a thick layer of overcooked dark brown (rather than golden) batter although the chips and mushy peas were fine. My son's marshmallow brownie with white chocolate ice-cream was also served luke warm. As with the fishcake, the products failed to match up to their elaborate description on the menu and they could take a leaf out of the underplay-it manual used at the Anchor and Hope, a genuine gastropub.
Beers and wines were good and reasonably (albeit restaurant) priced and our bill for three just topped Â£100. Don't get me wrong, there were flaws but it wasn't a bad meal per se. It was an okay pub meal served in a lovely setting. The bar and restaurant, the view, the tempting menu, the Brand Ramsay expectations; they were all there yet the food fell short of them. It was the worst bit and that should never happen.
Would we return? Maybe for a drink and a bar snack......on a warmer day though.

The Conant Arms - CLOSED - The Conant Arms is no more by pwei34

pwei34 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:28:29 +0000

Review by pwei34

Rating: 5.00Sadly the Conant Arms has been closed down and replaced by a block of flats! This is far too common in the East End with our pub culture being hollowed out.Sadly the Conant Arms has been closed down and replaced by a block of flats! This is far too common in the East End with our pub culture being hollowed out.

1802 Bar, Lounge & Dining - 1802 - hidden gem in London docklands by Cooksister

Cooksister — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:22:08 +0000

Review by Cooksister

Rating: 0.001802 is the restaurant and bar (operated by the Searcy's group - but don't let that put you off!) attached to the Museum in Docklands and both are housed in the historic Gwilt sugar warehouses that line West India Quay in London's docklands. The name derives from the year that the warehouses were built, and the interior preserves the original brickwork and beautiful timber supports. The area is divided roughly into a bar area (with wonderful squishy leather sofas) and a dining area. The attractively backlit bar is very well stocked and very busy on weeknights. I suspect this rampant popularity as a drinking spot for off-duty or out of work!) Canary Wharf bankers is what makes people dismiss the restaurant: pop your head round the door on a Thursday night and it just looks like a hundred other packed docklands wine bars. But, as I have discovered, there is another side.

My first visit was in Spring, on a weekday lunchtime, with brother, sister-in-law and young nephew in tow. The menu is largely dictated by the fact that you are in the heart of a historic British area and sticks fairly closely to the Modern British idea. Seasonal produce treated carefully, reworked classics - you get the picture. But what sets it apart from many other places doing this, is the amount of love and care that has obviously gone into the sourcing of excellent ingredients, not messing with them too much, and the truly lovely plating of each dish. Here's what I had:

To start, I had the fantastic air-dried Cumbrian ham and truffled pecorino cheese on roasted cherry tomatoes and balsamic glazed baby onions. This dish knocked my socks off. Really. The ham could rival the best that Spain and Italy has to offer and was living proof that all is not lost for regional British specialities. My main was a beautiful seasonal dish pan-fried fillet of wild sea trout on crushed marjoram Jersey royals with a white asparagus veloute. The fish was cooked, but with a lovely crispy skin and the asparagus veloute tasted of spring without overpowering the fish.

My companions had the renowned 1802 lamb burger with tzatziki, lamby and flavourful and the tzatziki gives the whole thing a slightly Middle-Eastern twist. And we won't even start on the stacked chunky chips which were crisp outside, fluffy inside and as fresh as can be. For dessert, it had to be the chocolate creme brulee. I don't know whose evil mind thought this up, but bless their cotton socks. Eating this is like eating solid chocolate that has been thoughtfully pre-melted so as to soften it and spare your mouth the hard work.

My second visit was in the winter with a party of about 15 for a Saturday birthday brunch.

ll our friends turned up promptly at 12h30 and as soon as they identified themselves as part of our group our charming waitress Raphaele brought them a champagne cocktail each. Nick was extremely surprised to find them all there when we arrived 40 mins later, and the scene was set for a long and lazy afternoon of eating and drinking with good friends.

The menu over weekend is a brunch menu as opposed to the full a la carte available on weekdays, but there were still a good 5 or 6 starters and main courses to choose from. Best of all was the 2 or 3-course special price - a ridiculous Â£14 for 2 courses or Â£17 for three. At that price it would be churlish not to go the whole hog. Because it was a celebration, South African chef Gustav Leipoldt had prepared a little a pre-starter of Cape Malay prawn and chicken curry pictured below left. This was fantastic, and a voyage of discovery for the tastebuds of our friends who do not know South African cuisine that well. For my starter I ordered mushrooms on toast with a poached egg. The bread had all the sinful deliciousness of a giant crouton; the mushrooms were plentiful and drizzled liberally with truffle oil; and the poached egg was perfection personified.

For my main course I could not resist the lamb chop with a rosemary balsamic reduction, anchovy butter and lashings of garlic, with a giant portabello mushroom and spinach on the side. And I must say, seldom has so fabulous a piece of lamb graced a London plate. In effect, it was two conjoined lamb chops, thickly sliced so that it could remain demurely pink on the inside, while the outside could be grilled to perfection. The rosemary and balsamic reduction was spectacular, particularly as it mingled with the anchovy butter. And the mushroom was a meal in itself. Carnivore heaven. If I had one complaint it was the side order of chips that we ordered separately. These were soggy rather than crisp. For dessert I coould not tear myself away from the chocolate creme brulee, whch was as good as I remembered.

As I said, the brunch menu costs a ridiculous Â£17 for three courses, so if one of your criteria for a good restaurant is value for money, you will fall instantly in love with 1802. I, on the other hand, remain in love with the casually elegant room, the friendly and efficient service (our table of 15 all got our food at the same time, and hot, which seems to be an impossibility in some restaurants...), the excellent ingredients and the unfussy style of cooking. I maintain that it's the best kept value-for-money secret in the Docklands. But don't tell anybody. I'd hate the secret to get out ;-)

PS - I have also subsequently attended a canape party there and was very impressed with the quality of the East End themed canapes served.

1802 is the restaurant and bar (operated by the Searcy's group - but don't let that put you off!) attached to the Museum in Docklands and both are housed in the historic Gwilt sugar warehouses that line West India Quay in London's docklands. The name derives from the year that the warehouses were built, and the interior preserves the original brickwork and beautiful timber supports. The area is divided roughly into a bar area (with wonderful squishy leather sofas) and a dining area. The attractively backlit bar is very well stocked and very busy on weeknights. I suspect this rampant popularity as a drinking spot for off-duty or out of work!) Canary Wharf bankers is what makes people dismiss the restaurant: pop your head round the door on a Thursday night and it just looks like a hundred other packed docklands wine bars. But, as I have discovered, there is another side.

My first visit was in Spring, on a weekday lunchtime, with brother, sister-in-law and young nephew in tow. The menu is largely dictated by the fact that you are in the heart of a historic British area and sticks fairly closely to the Modern British idea. Seasonal produce treated carefully, reworked classics - you get the picture. But what sets it apart from many other places doing this, is the amount of love and care that has obviously gone into the sourcing of excellent ingredients, not messing with them too much, and the truly lovely plating of each dish. Here's what I had:

To start, I had the fantastic air-dried Cumbrian ham and truffled pecorino cheese on roasted cherry tomatoes and balsamic glazed baby onions. This dish knocked my socks off. Really. The ham could rival the best that Spain and Italy has to offer and was living proof that all is not lost for regional British specialities. My main was a beautiful seasonal dish pan-fried fillet of wild sea trout on crushed marjoram Jersey royals with a white asparagus veloute. The fish was cooked, but with a lovely crispy skin and the asparagus veloute tasted of spring without overpowering the fish.

My companions had the renowned 1802 lamb burger with tzatziki, lamby and flavourful and the tzatziki gives the whole thing a slightly Middle-Eastern twist. And we won't even start on the stacked chunky chips which were crisp outside, fluffy inside and as fresh as can be. For dessert, it had to be the chocolate creme brulee. I don't know whose evil mind thought this up, but bless their cotton socks. Eating this is like eating solid chocolate that has been thoughtfully pre-melted so as to soften it and spare your mouth the hard work.

My second visit was in the winter with a party of about 15 for a Saturday birthday brunch.

ll our friends turned up promptly at 12h30 and as soon as they identified themselves as part of our group our charming waitress Raphaele brought them a champagne cocktail each. Nick was extremely surprised to find them all there when we arrived 40 mins later, and the scene was set for a long and lazy afternoon of eating and drinking with good friends.

The menu over weekend is a brunch menu as opposed to the full a la carte available on weekdays, but there were still a good 5 or 6 starters and main courses to choose from. Best of all was the 2 or 3-course special price - a ridiculous Â£14 for 2 courses or Â£17 for three. At that price it would be churlish not to go the whole hog. Because it was a celebration, South African chef Gustav Leipoldt had prepared a little a pre-starter of Cape Malay prawn and chicken curry pictured below left. This was fantastic, and a voyage of discovery for the tastebuds of our friends who do not know South African cuisine that well. For my starter I ordered mushrooms on toast with a poached egg. The bread had all the sinful deliciousness of a giant crouton; the mushrooms were plentiful and drizzled liberally with truffle oil; and the poached egg was perfection personified.

For my main course I could not resist the lamb chop with a rosemary balsamic reduction, anchovy butter and lashings of garlic, with a giant portabello mushroom and spinach on the side. And I must say, seldom has so fabulous a piece of lamb graced a London plate. In effect, it was two conjoined lamb chops, thickly sliced so that it could remain demurely pink on the inside, while the outside could be grilled to perfection. The rosemary and balsamic reduction was spectacular, particularly as it mingled with the anchovy butter. And the mushroom was a meal in itself. Carnivore heaven. If I had one complaint it was the side order of chips that we ordered separately. These were soggy rather than crisp. For dessert I coould not tear myself away from the chocolate creme brulee, whch was as good as I remembered.

As I said, the brunch menu costs a ridiculous Â£17 for three courses, so if one of your criteria for a good restaurant is value for money, you will fall instantly in love with 1802. I, on the other hand, remain in love with the casually elegant room, the friendly and efficient service (our table of 15 all got our food at the same time, and hot, which seems to be an impossibility in some restaurants...), the excellent ingredients and the unfussy style of cooking. I maintain that it's the best kept value-for-money secret in the Docklands. But don't tell anybody. I'd hate the secret to get out ;-)

PS - I have also subsequently attended a canape party there and was very impressed with the quality of the East End themed canapes served.

Carluccio's - Good value Italian eating by foodbymark

foodbymark — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:35:45 +0000

Review by foodbymark

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7719 1749

Website: http://www.carluccios.com

Tags: italian, good value, takeaway

After a craving for pasta at work my girlfriend and I decided to meet up in Canary Wharf for dinner. Carluccio's being the simplest choice in the area. This Carluccio's like all the others we have visited is both a caffÃ© and a foodshop where you can have breakfast, lunch, coffee, dinner and pick up foodstuffs from their larders and prepared foods counters.

The menus across all Carluccio's are the same, with around 5-6 choices for each Italian course. Our choices of mains were the Pasta Con Funghi and Spaghetti Alle Vongole In Bianco. My Pasta Con Funghi comprised of a great selection of fresh mushrooms in a well balanced sauce with al dente egg pappardelle. The spaghetti with clams in a chilli, garlic sauce which is light and not over seasoned.

The tables needed another wipe and all the menus we were brought over were sticky. Our waitress was on her first night and clearly didn't know the menu but that was ok! The food is predictable but good and we continue to return.

(the original review with photos is on my blog)After a craving for pasta at work my girlfriend and I decided to meet up in Canary Wharf for dinner. Carluccio's being the simplest choice in the area. This Carluccio's like all the others we have visited is both a caffÃ© and a foodshop where you can have breakfast, lunch, coffee, dinner and pick up foodstuffs from their larders and prepared foods counters.

The menus across all Carluccio's are the same, with around 5-6 choices for each Italian course. Our choices of mains were the Pasta Con Funghi and Spaghetti Alle Vongole In Bianco. My Pasta Con Funghi comprised of a great selection of fresh mushrooms in a well balanced sauce with al dente egg pappardelle. The spaghetti with clams in a chilli, garlic sauce which is light and not over seasoned.

The tables needed another wipe and all the menus we were brought over were sticky. Our waitress was on her first night and clearly didn't know the menu but that was ok! The food is predictable but good and we continue to return.

(the original review with photos is on my blog)

Royal China - Authentic Dim Sum by foodbymark

foodbymark — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:02:29 +0000

Review by foodbymark

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7719 0888

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

Tags: chinese, expensive, lively

There are many places to eat Dim Sum in London and there have been for at least as long as I was a kid and my parents used to drive to China Town every weekend for Sunday Dim Sum with friends and family.

Royal China Westferry is part of the Hong Kong china of restaurants. In the same way as the others, it is perhaps one of the more dressed up Chinese restaurant establishments in London and as well as Dim Sum it does serve a full "A La Carte" menu with authentic dishes. Unlike the others, in the summer you also get the chance to dine Al Fresco and it is often quicker to get a table outside because being exposed on the riverside, it can get very windy and suddenly chilly.

Dim Sum here is fresh and as quick as it should be and all the standard six or seven dishes you might order for Dim Sum are good, although not great. The staff don't apply too much pressure for you to leave and it never seems to be quite as busy as those in central London.

Worth a Saturday or Sunday visit although be warned it is slightly more expensive than others, and yes as with all proper Chinese restaurants, Dim Sum is a brunch/lunch type meal and is not served in the evening.There are many places to eat Dim Sum in London and there have been for at least as long as I was a kid and my parents used to drive to China Town every weekend for Sunday Dim Sum with friends and family.

Royal China Westferry is part of the Hong Kong china of restaurants. In the same way as the others, it is perhaps one of the more dressed up Chinese restaurant establishments in London and as well as Dim Sum it does serve a full "A La Carte" menu with authentic dishes. Unlike the others, in the summer you also get the chance to dine Al Fresco and it is often quicker to get a table outside because being exposed on the riverside, it can get very windy and suddenly chilly.

Dim Sum here is fresh and as quick as it should be and all the standard six or seven dishes you might order for Dim Sum are good, although not great. The staff don't apply too much pressure for you to leave and it never seems to be quite as busy as those in central London.

Worth a Saturday or Sunday visit although be warned it is slightly more expensive than others, and yes as with all proper Chinese restaurants, Dim Sum is a brunch/lunch type meal and is not served in the evening.

Canary Wharf - Great shopping centre and places to eat by seconds

seconds — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:53:25 +0000

Review by seconds

Rating: 4.00Please note that this review is correct at the time of writing. (September 2008). However, I think Canary Wharf is a really great shopping area, and it will be interesting to see what happens if the local businesses continue to be affected by the current credit crunch.

For me, Canary Wharf is two great things â¬ a wonderful place to shop, and a lovely modern square where I can enjoy looking at the financial headlines and the Swiss Railway Watches mounted on poles around the square. The shopping really is excellent â¬ lots of niche shops, good places to eat (including Itsu), a Waitrose to stock up on the weekâ¬"s groceries, and all sited in a bright and modern environment.

One down side â¬ I had occasion to go with someone who is disabled, and the disabled lifts are located behind the scenes. What a contrast! Bare concrete and a very unwelcoming atmosphere. We returned to the hustle and bustle of the â¬Ürealâ¬" shopping centre as soon as we could, a little chastened.

Please note that this review is correct at the time of writing. (September 2008). However, I think Canary Wharf is a really great shopping area, and it will be interesting to see what happens if the local businesses continue to be affected by the current credit crunch.

For me, Canary Wharf is two great things â¬ a wonderful place to shop, and a lovely modern square where I can enjoy looking at the financial headlines and the Swiss Railway Watches mounted on poles around the square. The shopping really is excellent â¬ lots of niche shops, good places to eat (including Itsu), a Waitrose to stock up on the weekâ¬"s groceries, and all sited in a bright and modern environment.

One down side â¬ I had occasion to go with someone who is disabled, and the disabled lifts are located behind the scenes. What a contrast! Bare concrete and a very unwelcoming atmosphere. We returned to the hustle and bustle of the â¬Ürealâ¬" shopping centre as soon as we could, a little chastened.

Sri Nam - Thai food by numbers by Jongleur

Jongleur — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:05:54 +0000

Review by Jongleur

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7715 9515

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

Tags: thai, lively, expensive

One of Ken Homâ¬"s restaurants, Sri Nam is a Thai â¬Üand Pan Asianâ¬" located in the middle of Canary Wharf. Downstairs is a bar/cafe, and upstairs a restaurant, all largely populated by bankers and clients. A lot of people really rate this place but Iâ¬"ve never really seen it â¬ the service is impersonal and slow at peak times, the decor is generic (Thai for westerners).

Food is OK but doesnâ¬"t offer anything very exciting or new â¬ some options are quite spicy and the sticky rice is good, but in general it feels like East Asian food-by-numbers to me. With a celebrity chef in charge it would be nice to see some real fresh thinking or new versions of traditional dishes.
One of Ken Homâ¬"s restaurants, Sri Nam is a Thai â¬Üand Pan Asianâ¬" located in the middle of Canary Wharf. Downstairs is a bar/cafe, and upstairs a restaurant, all largely populated by bankers and clients. A lot of people really rate this place but Iâ¬"ve never really seen it â¬ the service is impersonal and slow at peak times, the decor is generic (Thai for westerners).

Food is OK but doesnâ¬"t offer anything very exciting or new â¬ some options are quite spicy and the sticky rice is good, but in general it feels like East Asian food-by-numbers to me. With a celebrity chef in charge it would be nice to see some real fresh thinking or new versions of traditional dishes.

Smollensky's - Excellent food in unfussy surroundings by Jongleur

Jongleur — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:43:49 +0000

Review by Jongleur

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7719 0101

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

Tags: american, live music, lively

I'm a big fan of this particular Smollensky's - I find the chain a bit variable but the Canary Wharf branch has uniformly good food at moderate prices. Service is pleasant and the decor is nice - the only disadvantage is that the glass windows look on to the giant scrolling news/stock price ticker on the Reuters building and it's hard to concentrate on your dining companions if you're the one sitting facing it!

Canary Wharf has a lot of fussy and pretentious restaurants but this is the one I turn to for straightforward food with good quality ingredients and an atmosphere that wonâ¬"t intimidate my mum.
I'm a big fan of this particular Smollensky's - I find the chain a bit variable but the Canary Wharf branch has uniformly good food at moderate prices. Service is pleasant and the decor is nice - the only disadvantage is that the glass windows look on to the giant scrolling news/stock price ticker on the Reuters building and it's hard to concentrate on your dining companions if you're the one sitting facing it!

Canary Wharf has a lot of fussy and pretentious restaurants but this is the one I turn to for straightforward food with good quality ingredients and an atmosphere that wonâ¬"t intimidate my mum.

Plateau Restaurant - Great business restaurant by Jongleur

Jongleur — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:36:04 +0000

Review by Jongleur

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7715 7100

Tags: expensive, business, lively

This restaurant is situated above Waitrose and below the Reebok Gym in Canary Wharf with a nice view over Canada Square. Itâ¬"s primarily a business restaurant and Iâ¬"ve never been there except with clients â¬ the food is good but pricey, portions are elegantly presented but small. Service is attentive and pleasant and I love the decor â¬ design classic chairs and tables. Thereâ¬"s also a small conservatory area to each side which can be hired for corporate events, and a bar/grill section which Iâ¬"ve never tried. I canâ¬"t say I would call this good value for a non-business visit but for entertaining clients itâ¬"s an excellent choice.This restaurant is situated above Waitrose and below the Reebok Gym in Canary Wharf with a nice view over Canada Square. Itâ¬"s primarily a business restaurant and Iâ¬"ve never been there except with clients â¬ the food is good but pricey, portions are elegantly presented but small. Service is attentive and pleasant and I love the decor â¬ design classic chairs and tables. Thereâ¬"s also a small conservatory area to each side which can be hired for corporate events, and a bar/grill section which Iâ¬"ve never tried. I canâ¬"t say I would call this good value for a non-business visit but for entertaining clients itâ¬"s an excellent choice.

Burger King - Burger King by piggyeater

piggyeater — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 18:40:05 +0000

Review by piggyeater

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7538 1486

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

Tags: burgers, seating area, vegetarian dishes

This is of course another of Burger King's countless chains of restaurants all over the country. The staff are all pretty young, probably part time over term time, or just finished GCSEs. All are courteous and greets you with a smile. Food and drinks are the usual Burger King fare. Taste pretty much the same as all the other branches that I have been to. Favourite of all is still the Chicken Royale which as far as I'm concerned beats all the other fast food establishment's chicken sandwich hands down. There is of course the onion ring to go with it; never fails to satisfy.This is of course another of Burger King's countless chains of restaurants all over the country. The staff are all pretty young, probably part time over term time, or just finished GCSEs. All are courteous and greets you with a smile. Food and drinks are the usual Burger King fare. Taste pretty much the same as all the other branches that I have been to. Favourite of all is still the Chicken Royale which as far as I'm concerned beats all the other fast food establishment's chicken sandwich hands down. There is of course the onion ring to go with it; never fails to satisfy.

Nando's Chickenland - Delicious chicken! by pindulgence

pindulgence — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:34:03 +0000

Review by pindulgence

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7513 2864

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

Tags: crowded, portuguese, good value

I love Nando's Chicken land! It has a great fun atmosphere and the staff seem to want to help you to have fun too! I've made lots of new friends here, its amazing how friendly they are! The memu is, well, not great for true vegetarians . . . check out the name before you come here! Chicken is most definately the dish of the day but there are some other dishes as well. They truly have mastered the art of cooking the chicken through, it is absolutely delicious and i thoroughly recommend you coming here! The price is also cheap so you have no excuses!I love Nando's Chicken land! It has a great fun atmosphere and the staff seem to want to help you to have fun too! I've made lots of new friends here, its amazing how friendly they are! The memu is, well, not great for true vegetarians . . . check out the name before you come here! Chicken is most definately the dish of the day but there are some other dishes as well. They truly have mastered the art of cooking the chicken through, it is absolutely delicious and i thoroughly recommend you coming here! The price is also cheap so you have no excuses!