Latest reviews for Restaurants in Knightsbridge, London, United Kingdom

The Good Earth - by AliZebu

AliZebu — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:54:15 +0000

Review by AliZebu

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7584 3658

The Good Earth on Brompton Road remains one the better places for Chinese food in my experience.

I have only ever used this branch but if the others are similar I would say 'The Good Earth' group ia almost on a par with the 'Royal China' chain of restaurants but perhaps lacking such a large & varied menu and legendary Dim Sum.

The rice & noodles are always cooked just right and the Char siu is up there with the best I have had anywhere.
Chicken & Black Bean tends to be a little milder then I like but is still good.

Service is good and the atmosphere is pleasant.

I have used their delivery service a few times and although it takes longer to arrive (avg 45-60mins) the food was always hot enough.
That was a couple of years ago thoug as I am no longer in their delivery area.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!The Good Earth on Brompton Road remains one the better places for Chinese food in my experience.

I have only ever used this branch but if the others are similar I would say 'The Good Earth' group ia almost on a par with the 'Royal China' chain of restaurants but perhaps lacking such a large & varied menu and legendary Dim Sum.

The rice & noodles are always cooked just right and the Char siu is up there with the best I have had anywhere.
Chicken & Black Bean tends to be a little milder then I like but is still good.

Service is good and the atmosphere is pleasant.

I have used their delivery service a few times and although it takes longer to arrive (avg 45-60mins) the food was always hot enough.
That was a couple of years ago thoug as I am no longer in their delivery area.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Chicago Rib Shack - Return of the Onion Loaf! by AliZebu

AliZebu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:34:04 +0000

Review by AliZebu

Rating: 3.00

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

Tags: american, family & home feel, lively

I have been to the old Chicago Rib Shack many times, although my favourite place for BBQ Ribs in London was (now sadly defunct) a mini-chain called 'Texas Lone Star'. I preferred them because they did BEEF ribs but the pork ones were very similar to the ones served here.
On my first visit to the new location I was overjoyed to find CRS now have BEEF ribs on their menu. I was a little disappointed when they arrived because it was a measly portion for the price and fries were not included. The ribs themselves were quite good but lacked the rich & complex flavour that I remembered so fondly from 'Texas Lone Star'. Service was satisfactory on ALL levels but not outstanding in any way.
I had planned to go again, but the price kept me away somewhat AND then recently I learnt of a chain called 'Bodean's' that also do beef ribs so went there and got closer to what I was looking for at a cheaper price.
I will probably go back to CRS though at some point in the future.
Overall the NEW restaurant is not as good as the original, but it is a welcome return to have a decent BBQ eatery in Knightsbridge again.I have been to the old Chicago Rib Shack many times, although my favourite place for BBQ Ribs in London was (now sadly defunct) a mini-chain called 'Texas Lone Star'. I preferred them because they did BEEF ribs but the pork ones were very similar to the ones served here.
On my first visit to the new location I was overjoyed to find CRS now have BEEF ribs on their menu. I was a little disappointed when they arrived because it was a measly portion for the price and fries were not included. The ribs themselves were quite good but lacked the rich & complex flavour that I remembered so fondly from 'Texas Lone Star'. Service was satisfactory on ALL levels but not outstanding in any way.
I had planned to go again, but the price kept me away somewhat AND then recently I learnt of a chain called 'Bodean's' that also do beef ribs so went there and got closer to what I was looking for at a cheaper price.
I will probably go back to CRS though at some point in the future.
Overall the NEW restaurant is not as good as the original, but it is a welcome return to have a decent BBQ eatery in Knightsbridge again.

Mr Chow - avoid mr chow london! by tonygil

tonygil — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:19:24 +0000

Review by tonygil

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7589 7347

Website: http://www.mrchow.com

Tags: chinese, lively, trendy

avoid at all costs!

i was utterly abused and humiliated when i took my parents and sister to Mr chow in London. After fine experiences in LA and NY, i decided to try the London address a couple of weeks ago.

I never opened the menu. when the maitre d' came, i ordered crispy duck for four. The maitre d', Marcelo, said he would arrange some openers and bring my duck after that. instead, he forced 8 plates upon us, refused to take back the extra prawns and steak which i never ordered but he served nonetheless and gave me a doggy bag with my crispy duck (which i never touched, obviously).

terrible experience!avoid at all costs!

i was utterly abused and humiliated when i took my parents and sister to Mr chow in London. After fine experiences in LA and NY, i decided to try the London address a couple of weeks ago.

I never opened the menu. when the maitre d' came, i ordered crispy duck for four. The maitre d', Marcelo, said he would arrange some openers and bring my duck after that. instead, he forced 8 plates upon us, refused to take back the extra prawns and steak which i never ordered but he served nonetheless and gave me a doggy bag with my crispy duck (which i never touched, obviously).

terrible experience!

The Kensington Creperie - Mouthwatering crepes by mif

mif — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:56:19 +0000

Review by mif

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7589 8947

Tags: cute, takeaway, crowded

This unassuming little cafe just a stone's throw from South Kensington tube station offers the best and cheap crepes in London. There is an extensive range of savoury and sweet crisp crepes to choose from. My favourites are the sweet crepes - anything with Belgian chocolate folded in it! The beauty of being able to sit and eat at this cafe is that the crepe won't get soggy at the end which it does if you buy from a stall and eat standing. Great way to unwind on a Saturday afternoon after a busy bout of retail therapy... or any other time you feel like indulging!This unassuming little cafe just a stone's throw from South Kensington tube station offers the best and cheap crepes in London. There is an extensive range of savoury and sweet crisp crepes to choose from. My favourites are the sweet crepes - anything with Belgian chocolate folded in it! The beauty of being able to sit and eat at this cafe is that the crepe won't get soggy at the end which it does if you buy from a stall and eat standing. Great way to unwind on a Saturday afternoon after a busy bout of retail therapy... or any other time you feel like indulging!

Spaghetti House - Good Italian food by adiguy60

adiguy60 — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:37:28 +0000

Review by adiguy60

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7235 8141

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

Tags: italian, lively, good value

SPaghetti house is one of my favourite places to eat in London. Reasonably priced, really tasty and a really nice atmosphere. The deserts are also too tempting to pass up (much to the chagrain of my diet plans!)SPaghetti house is one of my favourite places to eat in London. Reasonably priced, really tasty and a really nice atmosphere. The deserts are also too tempting to pass up (much to the chagrain of my diet plans!)

Racine Restaurant - Great French Inspired Bourgeois Cooking by gastro1

gastro1 — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:50:09 +0000

Review by gastro1

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7584 4477

Tags: french, good value, business

Henry Harris is back as Chef Patron at Racine after a shortish stint as Executive Chef of the Soho House Group. I have eaten Henry's fine Bourgeois cooking for more years than I care to count going back to Hilare, Bibendum and 5h Floor at Harvey Nicholls.

It turns out that Henry also knows and worked with one of my best friends from University at The Old Ship in Brighton many moons ago. Strangely all this became apparent when Henry and I engaged on Twitter in a discussion on La Meranda in Nice.

Racine reminds me of several Paris restaurants that now fall into the category with a delightful room that has a wood floor, brown leather banquettes with mirrors above them and pale yellow walls.

Racine though is really about the food and as you can imagine when the Chef Patron has spent his formative years working with Simon Hopkinson you are most likely to be guaranteed well executed classic Bourgeois cooking.

John, Henryâ¬"s old colleague from Brighton and I had an exemplary lunch on Friday July 3rd 2009. The food and service was really top notch and as it turns out it was Henryâ¬"s last service before a well-earned holiday.

We were greeted by Henry who gave us some of his own home made delightful cured middle white proscuito .

I strated with Smoked duck, French bean and girolle salad which was really very good indeed. The beans were perfectly cooked â¬Sal denteâ¬ and the duck was succulent with the delightful small girolles complimenting the ensemble of ingredients.

John was delighted with his Lincolnshire smoked eel, salmon roe, watercress and horseradish salad.

To follow I had Filet au poivre made with a lovely piece of well hung Filet served with hand cut chips and simple mixed leaf salad. The sauce presumably made with a veal stock reduction was really delicious and worked well with the tenderest but not necessarily the most flavorful cut of beef.

John said his Breast of guinea fowl, peas, broad beans and tarragon was really outstanding.

We drank a half bottle of Gewurztraminer, Cote de Rouffach, Rene Mure and a chilled Brouilly, Chateau de la Perriere as well as â¬Sseveralâ¬ Marcâ¬"s de Bourgogne with our espressos; we were reay to full to be tempted by the classic deserts or cheeses from La Fromagerie.

Racine is a delightful restaurant with excellent service providing very good and well executed Bourgeois cooking based on well selected ingredients from top suppliers.

Henry Harris is back as Chef Patron at Racine after a shortish stint as Executive Chef of the Soho House Group. I have eaten Henry's fine Bourgeois cooking for more years than I care to count going back to Hilare, Bibendum and 5h Floor at Harvey Nicholls.

It turns out that Henry also knows and worked with one of my best friends from University at The Old Ship in Brighton many moons ago. Strangely all this became apparent when Henry and I engaged on Twitter in a discussion on La Meranda in Nice.

Racine reminds me of several Paris restaurants that now fall into the category with a delightful room that has a wood floor, brown leather banquettes with mirrors above them and pale yellow walls.

Racine though is really about the food and as you can imagine when the Chef Patron has spent his formative years working with Simon Hopkinson you are most likely to be guaranteed well executed classic Bourgeois cooking.

John, Henryâ¬"s old colleague from Brighton and I had an exemplary lunch on Friday July 3rd 2009. The food and service was really top notch and as it turns out it was Henryâ¬"s last service before a well-earned holiday.

We were greeted by Henry who gave us some of his own home made delightful cured middle white proscuito .

I strated with Smoked duck, French bean and girolle salad which was really very good indeed. The beans were perfectly cooked â¬Sal denteâ¬ and the duck was succulent with the delightful small girolles complimenting the ensemble of ingredients.

John was delighted with his Lincolnshire smoked eel, salmon roe, watercress and horseradish salad.

To follow I had Filet au poivre made with a lovely piece of well hung Filet served with hand cut chips and simple mixed leaf salad. The sauce presumably made with a veal stock reduction was really delicious and worked well with the tenderest but not necessarily the most flavorful cut of beef.

John said his Breast of guinea fowl, peas, broad beans and tarragon was really outstanding.

We drank a half bottle of Gewurztraminer, Cote de Rouffach, Rene Mure and a chilled Brouilly, Chateau de la Perriere as well as â¬Sseveralâ¬ Marcâ¬"s de Bourgogne with our espressos; we were really to full to be tempted by the classic deserts or cheeses from La Fromagerie.

Racine is a delightful restaurant with excellent service providing very good and well executed Bourgeois cooking based on well selected ingredients from top suppliers.

Borscht n' Tears - question by katarinka03

katarinka03 — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:08:03 +0000

Review by katarinka03

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7589 5003

Tags: russian, live music, lively

Do they have a website or something where I can have a look at what kind of russian food they serve before going there:)?Do they have a website or something where I can have a look at what kind of russian food they serve before going there:)?

Boisdale of Belgravia - The best burger IN THE WORLD (if you like truffles by NickR

NickR — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:46:13 +0000

Review by NickR

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7730 6922

Website: http://www.boisdale.uk.com

Tags: lively, live music, expensive

This is one of my favourites. What can be better than a Scottish whisky and cigar bar? Well this place also has great Jazz and excellent food. You can either eat in the fairly pricey, but worth it, restaurant. Or you can eat from the bar menu (there are actually two bars here. One is like a mini pub?).
I have to say that I have eaten and tried a lot of burgers in my life, but the truffle burger served at the bar here, is no less than "the greatest burger in the world" (assuming you like truffle!). The restaurant has never disappointed me, serving excellent food to the highest standards.
For the smokers amongst you, since the ban, they have created an upstairs terrace which is great...even in winter!
If you arrive later or stay later, they do often require a payment for the band. The Jazz is often extremely good and enjoyable and inishes the evening nicely.This is one of my favourites. What can be better than a Scottish whisky and cigar bar? Well this place also has great Jazz and excellent food. You can either eat in the fairly pricey, but worth it, restaurant. Or you can eat from the bar menu (there are actually two bars here. One is like a mini pub?).
I have to say that I have eaten and tried a lot of burgers in my life, but the truffle burger served at the bar here, is no less than "the greatest burger in the world" (assuming you like truffle!). The restaurant has never disappointed me, serving excellent food to the highest standards.
For the smokers amongst you, since the ban, they have created an upstairs terrace which is great...even in winter!
If you arrive later or stay later, they do often require a payment for the band. The Jazz is often extremely good and enjoyable and inishes the evening nicely.

The Greenhouse - by Agirlhastoeat

Agirlhastoeat — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:45:59 +0000

Review by Agirlhastoeat

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7499 3331

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

Tags: conservatory, business, british

http://agirlhastoeat.com/the-greenhouse-one-star-michelin-restaurant-review-mayfair

Although I have been to the one-star Michelin restaurant The Greenhouse before, this lunch was my first visit since it was refurbished in January 2008. My previous visit was at dinnertime, and my memory of the restaurant was that it was rather romantic. However, this time round, the dining room seemed a little more sombre. Perhaps my original impression was influenced by the volume of champagne I had drunk, or by the person I was dining with that evening. And being daytime, there was also no soft hue emitting from artificial lighting to provide a more seductive feel, instead there was a lovely, albeit slightly harsher, natural light pouring through the windows instead. Nor were there the lights that shimmer of an evening along the length of the pathway leading up to the entrance, and which also serve to illuminate the lovely landscaped garden. And rather than a clientele who might dine at night for the primary pursuit of culinary pleasure (or other pleasures), the lunchtime crowd appeared to have a more business focus. And my dining companion: he was just a very good, platonic friend.

To read the rest of the review, go to the link above.http://agirlhastoeat.com/the-greenhouse-one-star-michelin-restaurant-review-mayfair

Although I have been to the one-star Michelin restaurant The Greenhouse before, this lunch was my first visit since it was refurbished in January 2008. My previous visit was at dinnertime, and my memory of the restaurant was that it was rather romantic. However, this time round, the dining room seemed a little more sombre. Perhaps my original impression was influenced by the volume of champagne I had drunk, or by the person I was dining with that evening. And being daytime, there was also no soft hue emitting from artificial lighting to provide a more seductive feel, instead there was a lovely, albeit slightly harsher, natural light pouring through the windows instead. Nor were there the lights that shimmer of an evening along the length of the pathway leading up to the entrance, and which also serve to illuminate the lovely landscaped garden. And rather than a clientele who might dine at night for the primary pursuit of culinary pleasure (or other pleasures), the lunchtime crowd appeared to have a more business focus. And my dining companion: he was just a very good, platonic friend.

To read the rest of the review, go to the link above.

Helene Darroze at The Connaught - by Agirlhastoeat

Agirlhastoeat — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:42:51 +0000

Review by Agirlhastoeat

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 3147 7200

Website: http://www.the-connaught.co.uk/the_restaurant.aspx

http://agirlhastoeat.com/helene-darroze-one-star-michelin-restaurant-review

HÃ©lÃ¨ne Darroze is one of the leading female chefs in the world. Her restaurant in Paris, Restaurant HÃ©lÃ¨ne Darroze, holds two Michelin stars, and she gained a further star for her restaurant at The Connaught in 2009. This 41 year old single mum's career as a chef started later than that of many other chefs as Darroze never aspired to be a chef until her mid-twenties. Initially deciding to follow in her father's footsteps, she trained to become the general manager of their family-owned Relais & ChÃ¢teau hotel and restaurant in Villeneuve-de-Marsan in Southwest France. It wasnâ¬"t until 1990, when Darroze began working for Alain Ducasse at his three Michelin starred Le Louis XV in Monaco, that her path took a turn.

"There is a place for a girl in the world of gastronomy, and you are the one." - Alain Ducasse

To continue reading, go to the link above.http://agirlhastoeat.com/helene-darroze-one-star-michelin-restaurant-review

HÃ©lÃ¨ne Darroze is one of the leading female chefs in the world. Her restaurant in Paris, Restaurant HÃ©lÃ¨ne Darroze, holds two Michelin stars, and she gained a further star for her restaurant at The Connaught in 2009. This 41 year old single mum's career as a chef started later than that of many other chefs as Darroze never aspired to be a chef until her mid-twenties. Initially deciding to follow in her father's footsteps, she trained to become the general manager of their family-owned Relais & ChÃ¢teau hotel and restaurant in Villeneuve-de-Marsan in Southwest France. It wasnâ¬"t until 1990, when Darroze began working for Alain Ducasse at his three Michelin starred Le Louis XV in Monaco, that her path took a turn.

"There is a place for a girl in the world of gastronomy, and you are the one." - Alain Ducasse

To continue reading, go to the link above.

Foliage Restaurant - by Agirlhastoeat

Agirlhastoeat — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:40:18 +0000

Review by Agirlhastoeat

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7201 3723

Website: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/london

Tags: french, good value, good food

http://agirlhastoeat.com/foliage-one-star-michelin-restaurant-review-mandarin-oriental-hyde-park-london

The dining room at Foliage is a statement in geometry and symmetry. Designed by Adam Tihany, it combines rosewood wall paneling with dark wood chairs upholstered in butterscotch leather. Tihany wanted to â¬Übring the park into the restaurantâ¬" and for this purpose, layered between the glass wall panels, are 24,000 white silk leaves which are brought to life through the use of both clever natural lighting as their colours change in line with the seasons. Head chef is Chris Staines, who previously worked under Nico Ladenis and Marco Pierre White, and who took over at Foliage in March 2002.

To read more, go to the link above.http://agirlhastoeat.com/foliage-one-star-michelin-restaurant-review-mandarin-oriental-hyde-park-london

The dining room at Foliage is a statement in geometry and symmetry. Designed by Adam Tihany, it combines rosewood wall paneling with dark wood chairs upholstered in butterscotch leather. Tihany wanted to â¬Übring the park into the restaurantâ¬" and for this purpose, layered between the glass wall panels, are 24,000 white silk leaves which are brought to life through the use of both clever natural lighting as their colours change in line with the seasons. Head chef is Chris Staines, who previously worked under Nico Ladenis and Marco Pierre White, and who took over at Foliage in March 2002.

To read more, go to the link above.

Awana - Poor customer service ruined the food by Katiegi007

Katiegi007 — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:55:27 +0000

Review by Katiegi007

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7584 8880

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

Tags: malaysian, expensive, bar

I decided to go to Awana as it was my father's 65th birthday. I also ordered a birthday cake for my fatherâ¬"s 65th birthday by email. This was not acknowledged by any of the staff. When we first arrived we were early and sat at the bar. We were then promptly seated right at the front entrance. This table was in a poor location as people and the waiters/waitress were constantly walking past our table. Furthermore it was extremely cramped as people were continuously brushing past me and the waiters were always touching me when walking past.

On the whole the food was fine; however the seafood batter was too oily and had not been drained properly. The ayam berisi â¬ chicken with prawn was a strange combination and did not seem to work. The stuffed prawns inside the chicken were overcooked.

I was extremely unhappy with the service and atmosphere. I could not enjoy my food as the waiters/waitresses were constantly brushing past me and touching me. I felt that we had the worst table. The service was also rushed and somewhat clumsy, as plates and cutlery were dropped near us. I felt that I could not celebrate my fatherâ¬"s birthday in that sort of atmosphere. I do realise that Saturday is a busy day â¬ but when people are within touching distance of you whilst eating it is very unpleasant.

At the end of the meal, the waitress asked me if I enjoyed myself and was surprised when I said I was not happy at all. She quickly processed our bill and did not ask me why I was unhappy. I felt that this was not appropriate and did not demonstrate good customer service at all. We paid £140 for three people, which seemed excessive for the level of customer service. The website markets Awana as a fine dining experience. If I had wanted good food and inattentive customer service I would have gone to Chinatown instead. Oh well, at least I got my service charge money back.
I decided to go to Awana as it was my father's 65th birthday. I also ordered a birthday cake for my fatherâ¬"s 65th birthday by email. This was not acknowledged by any of the staff. When we first arrived we were early and sat at the bar. We were then promptly seated right at the front entrance. This table was in a poor location as people and the waiters/waitress were constantly walking past our table. Furthermore it was extremely cramped as people were continuously brushing past me and the waiters were always touching me when walking past.

On the whole the food was fine; however the seafood batter was too oily and had not been drained properly. The ayam berisi â¬ chicken with prawn was a strange combination and did not seem to work. The stuffed prawns inside the chicken were overcooked.

I was extremely unhappy with the service and atmosphere. I could not enjoy my food as the waiters/waitresses were constantly brushing past me and touching me. I felt that we had the worst table. The service was also rushed and somewhat clumsy, as plates and cutlery were dropped near us. I felt that I could not celebrate my fatherâ¬"s birthday in that sort of atmosphere. I do realise that Saturday is a busy day â¬ but when people are within touching distance of you whilst eating it is very unpleasant.

At the end of the meal, the waitress asked me if I enjoyed myself and was surprised when I said I was not happy at all. She quickly processed our bill and did not ask me why I was unhappy. I felt that this was not appropriate and did not demonstrate good customer service at all. We paid £140 for three people, which seemed excessive for the level of customer service. The website markets Awana as a fine dining experience. If I had wanted good food and inattentive customer service I would have gone to Chinatown instead. Oh well, at least I got my service charge money back.

Kwality Tandoori - by CharlieC

CharlieC — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:37:50 +0000

Review by CharlieC

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7589 3663

Tags: indian, takeaway, buffet

Beautiful restaurant, went in sat down and despite there being only one other table for 3 staff to attend to, it took them half an hour for them to come to our table and take our order, the waiter made the excuse that he was having a long conversation on the phone. My prawn madras arrived in good time, luke warm as though it had come straight out of the microwave (it also arrived in cheap microwavable bowls) the curry was like a cross between baby food and something that had been processed beyond description. it was watery, tasteless and not worth the energy it took to eat it. The rice was salty and dry. My peshwari naan was quite nice but all the food went cold very quickly despite the measly portions. Plates were being taken away from our table as we ate which i found very rude and made me feel as though i had to rush my meal. When we finally finished we waited half an hour for our bill whilst the waiters were shouting each other and busying themselves by rearranging tables. Our bill arrived with a 10% service charge added on which we refused to pay, the staff also attempted to charge us extra for items on our bill. When we expalined why we refused to pay the service charge, he shouted at us and told us the shouting was none of our business. We paid and walked out. Never will i grace that place with my presence again. Poor food and even poorer service.Beautiful restaurant, went in sat down and despite there being only one other table for 3 staff to attend to, it took them half an hour for them to come to our table and take our order, the waiter made the excuse that he was having a long conversation on the phone. My prawn madras arrived in good time, luke warm as though it had come straight out of the microwave (it also arrived in cheap microwavable bowls) the curry was like a cross between baby food and something that had been processed beyond description. it was watery, tasteless and not worth the energy it took to eat it. The rice was salty and dry. My peshwari naan was quite nice but all the food went cold very quickly despite the measly portions. Plates were being taken away from our table as we ate which i found very rude and made me feel as though i had to rush my meal. When we finally finished we waited half an hour for our bill whilst the waiters were shouting each other and busying themselves by rearranging tables. Our bill arrived with a 10% service charge added on which we refused to pay, the staff also attempted to charge us extra for items on our bill. When we expalined why we refused to pay the service charge, he shouted at us and told us the shouting was none of our business. We paid and walked out. Never will i grace that place with my presence again. Poor food and even poorer service.

El Pirata Of Mayfair - by neelmistry

neelmistry — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:55:52 +0000

Review by neelmistry

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7409 1315

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

Tags: spanish, romantic, friendly

Went to El Pirata with 2 friends on a Friday night. 30 minute wait for a table, such in the popularity of this place. When we finally got a table, I realised the wait was worthwhile. Speedy service, excellent food and great wine list. A perfect evening.Went to El Pirata with 2 friends on a Friday night. 30 minute wait for a table, such in the popularity of this place. When we finally got a table, I realised the wait was worthwhile. Speedy service, excellent food and great wine list. A perfect evening.

Motcombs Restaurant & Bar - Motcombs classic food by nibor

nibor — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:16:01 +0000

Review by nibor

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7235 6382

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

Tags: english, bar, european

I visited Motcombs with a regular who couldn't recommend this place enough, it was easy to see the appeal in this well-presented, warm and friendly basement restaurant.

From the menu I had a very delicate Mushroom Risotto for a starter and a good, cooked-to-order steak for a main. To accompany the meal we had a very nice rioja from the wine list.

The table service was very good, on-hand while discrete, exactly what we needed.

I look forward to visiting again and selecting a main dish from the specials.
I visited Motcombs with a regular who couldn't recommend this place enough, it was easy to see the appeal in this well-presented, warm and friendly basement restaurant.

From the menu I had a very delicate Mushroom Risotto for a starter and a good, cooked-to-order steak for a main. To accompany the meal we had a very nice rioja from the wine list.

The table service was very good, on-hand while discrete, exactly what we needed.

I look forward to visiting again and selecting a main dish from the specials.

O Fado - Portuguese traditions at O Fado by londonlover

londonlover — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:14:58 +0000

Review by londonlover

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7589 3002

Website: http://www.restauranteofado.co.uk/uk_version.html

Tags: portuguese, romantic, good value

I was born in Mozambique (a former Portuguese colony), raised in the UK. I do not have present memories of Portuguese food as my African mother does. Neither my English father. But since I found out this Portuguese restaurant, she is delighted every time I take her there, always excited explaining the dishes details as if she has cooked them herself. I gather from it that the dishes are as traditional as they were when she has once learnt them. They sure are as flavourful as my infancy meals. This restaurant has somehow given us very special family moments. So I subscribed for the Portuguese cuisine gastronomy the restaurant is promoting. And hope I manage to impress my children the same way.I was born in Mozambique (a former Portuguese colony), raised in the UK. I do not have present memories of Portuguese food as my African mother does. Neither my English father. But since I found out this Portuguese restaurant, she is delighted every time I take her there, always excited explaining the dishes details as if she has cooked them herself. I gather from it that the dishes are as traditional as they were when she has once learnt them. They sure are as flavourful as my infancy meals. This restaurant has somehow given us very special family moments. So I subscribed for the Portuguese cuisine gastronomy the restaurant is promoting. And hope I manage to impress my children the same way.

Little Japan - Hmm.... by Jenson

Jenson — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:54:04 +0000

Review by Jenson

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7591 0207

Tags: japanese, cheap, vegetarian dishes

Recommended by a friend (ex friend now). The worst Japanese I have eaten, if you can call it that. I have spent time in Japan and as an Australian have grown up eating very good, cheap Japanese food. So the issues...
:: Table service - Nup but at least make it clear when we walk in.
:: Sushi - The Tuna was green
:: Chicken Katsu Bento - Is not balsamic reduction with batter. Japanese mayonaise is not Kraft.
:: Pork Katsu Curry - Japanese Chow Mein? Yellow preservative based 'goo' with batter once more.

Little Japan is a perfect name....a 'little' the operative word.
Recommended by a friend (ex friend now). The worst Japanese I have eaten, if you can call it that. I have spent time in Japan and as an Australian have grown up eating very good, cheap Japanese food. So the issues...
:: Table service - Nup but at least make it clear when we walk in.
:: Sushi - The Tuna was green
:: Chicken Katsu Bento - Is not balsamic reduction with batter. Japanese mayonaise is not Kraft.
:: Pork Katsu Curry - Japanese Chow Mein? Yellow preservative based 'goo' with batter once more.

Little Japan is a perfect name....a 'little' the operative word.

One-O-One - It's Number One by chrisp

chrisp — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:58:53 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7290 7101

Website: http://www.oneoonerestaurant.com/

Tags: seafood, french, romantic

Never has the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" been more appropriate than when applied to One-O-One seafood restaurant in Knightsbridge. In this genteel part of town, over the road from the stately, baroque Mandarin Oriental and next door to the clean bright lines of Harvey Nichols department store, squats the ugly grey edifice of the Sheraton Park Tower hotel, its mould-stained pods stacked up like breeze blocks, blocking out the sun and casting a depressing dirty shadow over Hyde Park. It is largely this reason that I've taken so long to visit, because despite various excellent reviews by people who eat out much more than I do, it requires quite a leap of faith that anywhere could serve anything worth eating in such a hideous building. But if anyone can, self-confessed seafood obsessive and head chef Pascal Proyart can. Amazingly, Proyart joined One-O-One a full nine years ago, and yet it seems to be only very recently that the restaurant is being spoken about as a destination. And ever on the cutting edge of restaurant trends in London, I visited last Friday.

It is a blessed relief, not to mention more or less a requirement, that One-O-One is much, much prettier inside than out. You enter into a large, crescent-shaped bar with a fancy glass table centrepiece. To the right of the bar, containing plush comfy chairs and attractive spot lit wood-panelled walls, is the restaurant itself - by no means a large room but with well-spaced tables and the atmosphere of a luxury cruise liner. Service is almost perfect - friendly without being obsequious, efficient without being snooty. Our party, as is often the case due to a combination of the London traffic and London weather, arrived in drips and drabs before 7pm but this didn't faze the staff at all and everyone's food arrived at once despite the orders being staggered somewhat.

One-O-One does have a traditional 3-course A La Carte menu, but the done thing is to go for their 'Petits Plats' selection - you choose from 3 to 6 small courses (no prizes for guessing how many I went for) and, in a clever bit of organisation, it's possible for each person on the table to have a different number of courses. This is quite unusual for what amounts to a tasting menu, and yet I don't remember anyone ever obviously "sitting out" a course despite everyone ordering different numbers. Full marks to the front of house on this one.

House bread is served with a choice of normal unsalted butter and an extraordinary salty seaweed-infused butter that looked like a Walnut Whip. It seemed to split the diners on our table down the middle, with some people relishing in the fishy flavours and others being not so sure. I loved it.

Amuse was a rather forgettable fish mousse of some sort topped with salmon roe. Fine, but considering this is the only dish of the entire evening that the kitchen is pushing onto you without you asking for it, you'd think they'd have free reign to do something a bit experimental - after all if you don't like it you can hardly ask for your money back. As it turns out I need not have worried that chef Proyart was playing it safe, judging by what was to follow.

First of my selected petit plats was three cute little columns of the most unbelievably sweet and silky King Crab leg meat, served alongside a perfectly judged sharp hit of pickled winkles to cut through the crab. It was everything you'd want from a dish - honest, strong flavours from premium ingredients, cooked sensitively and with skill, and with a master's sense of balance of flavour. Full marks.

Next up, a little stack of lobster meat and celeriac (a great combination), a couple of presentations of apple, and a samosa (they called it a "pastilla") containing more of that gorgeous sweet crab meat. Amusingly, they first served this dish without the sorbet, and after I pointed it out whipped it away and brought it back con sorbet and rotated 180 degrees to try and make it look like a new plate of food. I didn't mind though, as the samosa was still hot and the service otherwise had been so superb. There were others who had this dish that evening who thought there was a bit too much going on here, what with the sorbet AND the jelly AND the hot samosa AND the lobster salad. But I thought it was just ambitious enough, and a very attractive plate of food to boot.

Pan-Fried Scottish Scallops were unfortunately slightly disappointing. The scallops themselves were tiny and although of high quality and sweet, there wasn't enough of them to cut through the big slabs of oily preserved truffle they were lumped with. Also the foie gras was quite dry and "liver-y", and although it may seem odd to criticize liver for being too "liver-y", proper seared foie should be buttery and sweet and rich and not taste like one half of liver and onions. A good dish conceptually, let down by ingredients and execution I think.

Slow Roasted Pheasant with (more) Foie Gras & Pancetta was much better. The pheasant had amazing texture, melt-in-your-mouth buttery-ness and great, deep flavour. A little accompanying endive charlotte topped with trompette mushrooms was slightly tough but had been cooked just enough to rid it of the bitterness without it turning into sludge, and a chestnut purÃ©e offset the whole thing quite nicely. A little messy in presentation perhaps but otherwise top notch Michelin cooking.

The last of the savoury courses, a medallion of beef fillet steak with a burgundy sauce, was again very good. The beef was clearly of very high quality and tasted strongly of cow (amazing how many don't), the rich sauce guiding and complimenting the meat instead of smothering it. More of those trompette mushrooms and a couple of cubes of roast potato provided vegetation. As with the King Crab and the pheasant, One-O-One knows when to let the superb ingredients shine through, and the star of the show in this dish was the meat.

Dessert was a very attractive bowl of day-glo apple sorbet and chunks of apple, served in a light pink blackberry froth. It tasted how you'd imagine apple and blackberry to taste - nice enough but little more than a glorified fruit salad. Very pretty though, isn't it?

A few very pleasant petit fours arrived to offset the shock of the bill. One-O-One is a proper haute-cuisine restaurant, and despite the 50% off the food offer (thank you Topable), I still managed to get through the best part of £100 just on my own. Having said that, we had plenty of very nice wine (the list is pretty eclectic), a glass of champagne to start and a lovely peaty Lagavullin 16 to finish, and I can honestly say that I felt the price I paid was very fair. Good food very rarely comes cheap, and these ingredients in particular - King Crab, lobster, black truffle (albeit preserved), foie gras - never do. And on top of these flashy ingredients you get sparkling service, glamorous surroundings and seven or eight superbly constructed courses of probably the best seafood in London. All you need to do is ignore the concrete monstrosity outside on top of it, and you'll have yourself a wonderful evening.Never has the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" been more appropriate than when applied to One-O-One seafood restaurant in Knightsbridge. In this genteel part of town, over the road from the stately, baroque Mandarin Oriental and next door to the clean bright lines of Harvey Nichols department store, squats the ugly grey edifice of the Sheraton Park Tower hotel, its mould-stained pods stacked up like breeze blocks, blocking out the sun and casting a depressing dirty shadow over Hyde Park. It is largely this reason that I've taken so long to visit, because despite various excellent reviews by people who eat out much more than I do, it requires quite a leap of faith that anywhere could serve anything worth eating in such a hideous building. But if anyone can, self-confessed seafood obsessive and head chef Pascal Proyart can. Amazingly, Proyart joined One-O-One a full nine years ago, and yet it seems to be only very recently that the restaurant is being spoken about as a destination. And ever on the cutting edge of restaurant trends in London, I visited last Friday.

It is a blessed relief, not to mention more or less a requirement, that One-O-One is much, much prettier inside than out. You enter into a large, crescent-shaped bar with a fancy glass table centrepiece. To the right of the bar, containing plush comfy chairs and attractive spot lit wood-panelled walls, is the restaurant itself - by no means a large room but with well-spaced tables and the atmosphere of a luxury cruise liner. Service is almost perfect - friendly without being obsequious, efficient without being snooty. Our party, as is often the case due to a combination of the London traffic and London weather, arrived in drips and drabs before 7pm but this didn't faze the staff at all and everyone's food arrived at once despite the orders being staggered somewhat.

One-O-One does have a traditional 3-course A La Carte menu, but the done thing is to go for their 'Petits Plats' selection - you choose from 3 to 6 small courses (no prizes for guessing how many I went for) and, in a clever bit of organisation, it's possible for each person on the table to have a different number of courses. This is quite unusual for what amounts to a tasting menu, and yet I don't remember anyone ever obviously "sitting out" a course despite everyone ordering different numbers. Full marks to the front of house on this one.

House bread is served with a choice of normal unsalted butter and an extraordinary salty seaweed-infused butter that looked like a Walnut Whip. It seemed to split the diners on our table down the middle, with some people relishing in the fishy flavours and others being not so sure. I loved it.

Amuse was a rather forgettable fish mousse of some sort topped with salmon roe. Fine, but considering this is the only dish of the entire evening that the kitchen is pushing onto you without you asking for it, you'd think they'd have free reign to do something a bit experimental - after all if you don't like it you can hardly ask for your money back. As it turns out I need not have worried that chef Proyart was playing it safe, judging by what was to follow.

First of my selected petit plats was three cute little columns of the most unbelievably sweet and silky King Crab leg meat, served alongside a perfectly judged sharp hit of pickled winkles to cut through the crab. It was everything you'd want from a dish - honest, strong flavours from premium ingredients, cooked sensitively and with skill, and with a master's sense of balance of flavour. Full marks.

Next up, a little stack of lobster meat and celeriac (a great combination), a couple of presentations of apple, and a samosa (they called it a "pastilla") containing more of that gorgeous sweet crab meat. Amusingly, they first served this dish without the sorbet, and after I pointed it out whipped it away and brought it back con sorbet and rotated 180 degrees to try and make it look like a new plate of food. I didn't mind though, as the samosa was still hot and the service otherwise had been so superb. There were others who had this dish that evening who thought there was a bit too much going on here, what with the sorbet AND the jelly AND the hot samosa AND the lobster salad. But I thought it was just ambitious enough, and a very attractive plate of food to boot.

Pan-Fried Scottish Scallops were unfortunately slightly disappointing. The scallops themselves were tiny and although of high quality and sweet, there wasn't enough of them to cut through the big slabs of oily preserved truffle they were lumped with. Also the foie gras was quite dry and "liver-y", and although it may seem odd to criticize liver for being too "liver-y", proper seared foie should be buttery and sweet and rich and not taste like one half of liver and onions. A good dish conceptually, let down by ingredients and execution I think.

Slow Roasted Pheasant with (more) Foie Gras & Pancetta was much better. The pheasant had amazing texture, melt-in-your-mouth buttery-ness and great, deep flavour. A little accompanying endive charlotte topped with trompette mushrooms was slightly tough but had been cooked just enough to rid it of the bitterness without it turning into sludge, and a chestnut purÃ©e offset the whole thing quite nicely. A little messy in presentation perhaps but otherwise top notch Michelin cooking.

The last of the savoury courses, a medallion of beef fillet steak with a burgundy sauce, was again very good. The beef was clearly of very high quality and tasted strongly of cow (amazing how many don't), the rich sauce guiding and complimenting the meat instead of smothering it. More of those trompette mushrooms and a couple of cubes of roast potato provided vegetation. As with the King Crab and the pheasant, One-O-One knows when to let the superb ingredients shine through, and the star of the show in this dish was the meat.

Dessert was a very attractive bowl of day-glo apple sorbet and chunks of apple, served in a light pink blackberry froth. It tasted how you'd imagine apple and blackberry to taste - nice enough but little more than a glorified fruit salad. Very pretty though, isn't it?

A few very pleasant petit fours arrived to offset the shock of the bill. One-O-One is a proper haute-cuisine restaurant, and despite the 50% off the food offer (thank you Topable), I still managed to get through the best part of £100 just on my own. Having said that, we had plenty of very nice wine (the list is pretty eclectic), a glass of champagne to start and a lovely peaty Lagavullin 16 to finish, and I can honestly say that I felt the price I paid was very fair. Good food very rarely comes cheap, and these ingredients in particular - King Crab, lobster, black truffle (albeit preserved), foie gras - never do. And on top of these flashy ingredients you get sparkling service, glamorous surroundings and seven or eight superbly constructed courses of probably the best seafood in London. All you need to do is ignore the concrete monstrosity outside on top of it, and you'll have yourself a wonderful evening.

Brompton Quarter Cafe - Great Dinner! by Pearl

Pearl — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:01:21 +0000

Review by Pearl

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7225 2107

Website: http://www.bromptonquarter.com/directory/?no_cache=1&tx_bqdirectory_pi1%5Bcat%5D=16&tx_bqdir

Tags: good value, romantic, mediterranean

Hi, I am just so happy to see such a brilliant concept in London, and even better in the heart of my favour neighbourhood. The food is exquisite, had dinner downstairs in this fabulous room, is called the Quarter Mundo, such an exotic Menu, the food was well executed. I read about Brompton Quarter in Vogue Magazine and theyâ¬"ve highly recommended the breakfast, so I will have to return and try it, as for dinner I would recommend it to any vogue reader.
Thanks!
Pearl
Hi, I am just so happy to see such a brilliant concept in London, and even better in the heart of my favour neighbourhood. The food is exquisite, had dinner downstairs in this fabulous room, is called the Quarter Mundo, such an exotic Menu, the food was well executed. I read about Brompton Quarter in Vogue Magazine and theyâ¬"ve highly recommended the breakfast, so I will have to return and try it, as for dinner I would recommend it to any vogue reader.
Thanks!
Pearl

Nobu - Consistently excellent... by oogywawa

oogywawa — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:03:39 +0000

Review by oogywawa

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7447 4747

Website: http://www.noburestaurants.com/

Tags: expensive, japanese, lively

It's always an invidious position when you're reviewing a place at the expense of others. Does the lack of a hit in the wallet at the end of the night blunt your critical faculties? Well hopefully not...

Unlike previous visits, on this occasion we had a private dining room for 20 and more significantly a selection of dishes from the whole menu. It's rare to get the chance to be able to objectively give a realistic overview such as this, mostly down to the breathtaking prices charged here or anywhere of this standard, as usually you have to make a judgement on a whole menu (and restaurant) based on just a couple of dishes.

For those in the party that had an aversion to raw fish, they needn't have worried as the menu was a real fusion of cultures and cuisines, with the South American influence to the fore. There were some real stars for me - the cultish Black Cod in miso really lived up to its reputation and tenderloin of Beef in wasabi pepper sauce was very well received by the non-piscetarians. The tempura dishes were light and dainty and the sashimi utterly fresh, the yellowtail being my favourite.

Service was faultless and unobtrusive and the whole affair actually benefited from having a bit of space away from the sometimes cramped, noisy and packed general dining area.
It's always an invidious position when you're reviewing a place at the expense of others. Does the lack of a hit in the wallet at the end of the night blunt your critical faculties? Well hopefully not...

Unlike previous visits, on this occasion we had a private dining room for 20 and more significantly a selection of dishes from the whole menu. It's rare to get the chance to be able to objectively give a realistic overview such as this, mostly down to the breathtaking prices charged here or anywhere of this standard, as usually you have to make a judgement on a whole menu (and restaurant) based on just a couple of dishes.

For those in the party that had an aversion to raw fish, they needn't have worried as the menu was a real fusion of cultures and cuisines, with the South American influence to the fore. There were some real stars for me - the cultish Black Cod in miso really lived up to its reputation and tenderloin of Beef in wasabi pepper sauce was very well received by the non-piscetarians. The tempura dishes were light and dainty and the sashimi utterly fresh, the yellowtail being my favourite.

Service was faultless and unobtrusive and the whole affair actually benefited from having a bit of space away from the sometimes cramped, noisy and packed general dining area.