Latest reviews for Restaurants in Marylebone, London, United Kingdom

The Rajdoot - Best Indian food in London by pauljaymes

pauljaymes — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:25:24 +0000

Review by pauljaymes

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7486 2055

Tags: indian, good value, family & home feel

There's no faulting the consistent quality of the food at the Rajdoot. It doesn't matter what you order, it always arrives a perfectly tasting dish. The staff are friendly and the prices are very friendly too. The only astonishing thing is that it's not much busier.There's no faulting the consistent quality of the food at the Rajdoot. It doesn't matter what you order, it always arrives a perfectly tasting dish. The staff are friendly and the prices are very friendly too. The only astonishing thing is that it's not much busier.

Zayna - Serious Indian by bellaphon

bellaphon — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:02:44 +0000

Review by bellaphon

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7723 2229

Website: http://www.zaynarestaurant.co.uk/index.html

Tags: indian, business, romantic

This new high end Indian is equidistant from where I work and the rather gimmicky La Porte des Indes. This part of Mayfair (yes it technically is, well at least the broken heel of it) is also rather ambitiously known as the Portman Village (where for years theyâ¬"ve been trying to emulate Marylebone Village to little or no avail). Itâ¬"s also an area thatâ¬"s close to one of the busiest KFC restaurants in the world, lost bewildered tourists and millions of Primark customers collectively championing the two words â¬Üwhat recession?â¬"

Zayna is probably the third incarnation of Indian restaurants occupying the premises within ten years or so. Attentive details to the interiors suggest this is a comfortable and stylishly under-lit dining room, designed to reflect the haute dining nature as well as a well-heeled retreat from Oxford Street. Service, as you might expect from a place like this is attentive and thankfully not too over bearing.

As a way of testing the water I came here on my own for the â¬Üshould-be-calledâ¬" CC (credit crunch or congestion charge, call it what you may) set lunch. Just be forewarned that the set lunch is a bargain, however if you do come here for dinner, reckon on at least Â£35.00 a head to include wine. It maybe early days yet, but it was a bit of a dampener to see only one couple dining when I was there. My starter of Papi chana chat (small wheat crisp, spiced chickpeas, yoghurt, tamarind sauce and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds) looked more like a pudding. It was in fact a beautifully balanced and refreshing starter; the coolness of the yoghurt calming the spiciness of the chickpeas and the sweetness of the pomegranate countering the sourness of the tamarind. The chosen mains of Lahori Pusli (lamb chops marinated overnight in a combined fenugreek, pepper and garlic yoghurt sauce) was pretty much triumphant, perfectly pink and tender; pity there were only two chops. This dish was served with some perfectly cooked Pilau rice, dry veg curry and some of the best dhal Iâ¬"ve had.

I know it was only lunch that I had, but thereâ¬"s a strong inner belief that Iâ¬"ve tasted and sensed enough to indicate the potential is indeed there. Whilst not trying to speak too soon, I think the Chef/Proprietor is a star in the making.
This new high end Indian is equidistant from where I work and the rather gimmicky La Porte des Indes. This part of Mayfair (yes it technically is, well at least the broken heel of it) is also rather ambitiously known as the Portman Village (where for years theyâ¬"ve been trying to emulate Marylebone Village to little or no avail). Itâ¬"s also an area thatâ¬"s close to one of the busiest KFC restaurants in the world, lost bewildered tourists and millions of Primark customers collectively championing the two words â¬Üwhat recession?â¬"

Zayna is probably the third incarnation of Indian restaurants occupying the premises within ten years or so. Attentive details to the interiors suggest this is a comfortable and stylishly under-lit dining room, designed to reflect the haute dining nature as well as a well-heeled retreat from Oxford Street. Service, as you might expect from a place like this is attentive and thankfully not too over bearing.

As a way of testing the water I came here on my own for the â¬Üshould-be-calledâ¬" CC (credit crunch or congestion charge, call it what you may) set lunch. Just be forewarned that the set lunch is a bargain, however if you do come here for dinner, reckon on at least Â£35.00 a head to include wine. It maybe early days yet, but it was a bit of a dampener to see only one couple dining when I was there. My starter of Papi chana chat (small wheat crisp, spiced chickpeas, yoghurt, tamarind sauce and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds) looked more like a pudding. It was in fact a beautifully balanced and refreshing starter; the coolness of the yoghurt calming the spiciness of the chickpeas and the sweetness of the pomegranate countering the sourness of the tamarind. The chosen mains of Lahori Pusli (lamb chops marinated overnight in a combined fenugreek, pepper and garlic yoghurt sauce) was pretty much triumphant, perfectly pink and tender; pity there were only two chops. This dish was served with some perfectly cooked Pilau rice, dry veg curry and some of the best dhal Iâ¬"ve had.

I know it was only lunch that I had, but thereâ¬"s a strong inner belief that Iâ¬"ve tasted and sensed enough to indicate the potential is indeed there. Whilst not trying to speak too soon, I think the Chef/Proprietor is a star in the making.

Casa Becci - good by biggyz

biggyz — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:20:03 +0000

Review by biggyz

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7935 7031

Tags: italian, expensive, good value

I have lived in Marylebone for the last 40 years and casa becci is the last "trattoria" we have left

I eat at casa becci on average once a week and always find the atmosphere welcoming and the food consistent

I would recommend the calamari and the bruschetta to start, and the linguine lobster or veal milanese
I have lived in Marylebone for the last 40 years and casa becci is the last "trattoria" we have left

I eat at casa becci on average once a week and always find the atmosphere welcoming and the food consistent

I would recommend the calamari and the bruschetta to start, and the linguine lobster or veal milanese

deVille Restaurant - Love this place! by Iggy

Iggy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:13:25 +0000

Review by Iggy

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7935 5599

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

Tags: romantic, good value, british

Great service, relaxed but still elegant. Very reasonable in price. The decor is amazing. I have booked another table already
Great service, relaxed but still elegant. Very reasonable in price. The decor is amazing. I have booked another table already

Giusto Restaurant - The best pizza - really by mlbresident

mlbresident — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:26:33 +0000

Review by mlbresident

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7486 7340

Website: http://www.giustorestaurant.com/

Tags: italian, lively, delicious

I have not had a better pizza in London (and most pizza in Italy is not this good). Proper wood-burning oven, the man working it knows what he is doing, and they have some delicious regional specialties you v. rarely see - like the Attunale (with lardo & potato slices). It's not cheap - expect to pay Â£35/head for pizza, a delicious salad, and half-bottle of good wine - but for the quality of the food in this part of town, it is good value.I have not had a better pizza in London (and most pizza in Italy is not this good). Proper wood-burning oven, the man working it knows what he is doing, and they have some delicious regional specialties you v. rarely see - like the Attunale (with lardo & potato slices). It's not cheap - expect to pay Â£35/head for pizza, a delicious salad, and half-bottle of good wine - but for the quality of the food in this part of town, it is good value.

Occo - The best rose petal martinis in London by nat08

nat08 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:33:40 +0000

Review by nat08

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7724 4991

Tags: good value, romantic, moroccan

Pretty intense statement - but it's true! I first discovered this amazing bar/restaurant two years ago and promptly recommended it to everyone I met! It's centrally located but not slap bang in the middle of the craziness that is London town. The manager Sam is a real pro and the people who come along know how to enjoy themselves - it's very friendly.

Food is nice but I really visit this place for the gorgeous rose petal martinis....zipping across town just to sip these beautifully presented and mouth watering martinis.....

The decor is stunning and it's a fantastic venue for any event. Pop along to sample a martini - and tell me what you think!Pretty intense statement - but it's true! I first discovered this amazing bar/restaurant two years ago and promptly recommended it to everyone I met! It's centrally located but not slap bang in the middle of the craziness that is London town. The manager Sam is a real pro and the people who come along know how to enjoy themselves - it's very friendly.

Food is nice but I really visit this place for the gorgeous rose petal martinis....zipping across town just to sip these beautifully presented and mouth watering martinis.....

The decor is stunning and it's a fantastic venue for any event. Pop along to sample a martini - and tell me what you think!

Ishtar - Yummy food by Angella

Angella — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:11:42 +0000

Review by Angella

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7224 2446

Website: http://www.ishtar-restaurant.com

Tags: turkish, romantic, bar

This place did catering for the Turkish stand at the World Travel Market. The serving staff were delightful.

I only tasted three items but they were all good. The meat balls (without the usual tomato sauce because they were on a bar as a free-for-all with cocktail sticks) were satisfying.

The lentil balls were great - lovely new experience - a cross between couscous and sesame seeds. Excellent for vegetarians. And I liked them.

The teeny baklavas were just right. So often these turn out to be disappointing, made with cheap peanuts instead of good quality nuts - but these were great. Not over-sweet. Satisfyingly nutty. Pastry not too dry and flaky. Yummy.

Finally, Turkish coffee. What can I say - a small cup of strong coffee and after you drain it you want more.This place did catering for the Turkish stand at the World Travel Market. The serving staff were delightful.

I only tasted three items but they were all good. The meat balls (without the usual tomato sauce because they were on a bar as a free-for-all with cocktail sticks) were satisfying.

The lentil balls were great - lovely new experience - a cross between couscous and sesame seeds. Excellent for vegetarians. And I liked them.

The teeny baklavas were just right. So often these turn out to be disappointing, made with cheap peanuts instead of good quality nuts - but these were great. Not over-sweet. Satisfyingly nutty. Pastry not too dry and flaky. Yummy.

Finally, Turkish coffee. What can I say - a small cup of strong coffee and after you drain it you want more.

Cafe Helen - Kebab Mecca by claypole

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

Review by claypole

Rating: 4.00

Tags: lively, crowded, kebab

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Khabe - Khabe by jgcuk

jgcuk — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:07:26 +0000

Review by jgcuk

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7724 6565

Tags: lively, good value, indian

New Indian Restaurant: Fresh food,good service,comfortable surroundings at affordable prices, well done!New Indian Restaurant: Fresh food,good service,comfortable surroundings at affordable prices, well done!

Melur - Cool Place by bickley26

bickley26 — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:54:22 +0000

Review by bickley26

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7706 8083

Website: www.melur.co.uk

Tags: malaysian, romantic, good value

Staying at the Hilton Metropole we decided we would go out and find somewhere to eat.
After walking up and down Edgeware Rd and finding that most restaurants are of middle eastern flavour we decided to eat at Melur.
The waitress who greeted us was very friendly and sat us down at a table of our own choice and was only too helpful to let us know what drinks were on offer.
There was only probably about another 14 people in the restaurant which wasn't too bad for a Monday evening.
The Decor was very modern and the ambience provided a romantic backdrop.
We started with the satay meat skewers and spring rolls complimented with a glass each of Broken Rock Chenin Blanc which was very nice.
For mains we had the Char Kway teow and the the Chilli Chicken.
The Char Kway teow was filling with heaps of different meats and the chilli Chicken was served with a a generous serving of chilli which was hot but certainly wasn't burning hot.
All in all it was a good night and I highly recommend it.Staying at the Hilton Metropole we decided we would go out and find somewhere to eat.
After walking up and down Edgeware Rd and finding that most restaurants are of middle eastern flavour we decided to eat at Melur.
The waitress who greeted us was very friendly and sat us down at a table of our own choice and was only too helpful to let us know what drinks were on offer.
There was only probably about another 14 people in the restaurant which wasn't too bad for a Monday evening.
The Decor was very modern and the ambience provided a romantic backdrop.
We started with the satay meat skewers and spring rolls complimented with a glass each of Broken Rock Chenin Blanc which was very nice.
For mains we had the Char Kway teow and the the Chilli Chicken.
The Char Kway teow was filling with heaps of different meats and the chilli Chicken was served with a a generous serving of chilli which was hot but certainly wasn't burning hot.
All in all it was a good night and I highly recommend it.

Le Relais De Venise L'Entrecote - Food Poisoned by paulpaul

paulpaul — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:41:35 +0000

Review by paulpaul

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7486 0878

Website: http://www.relaisdevenise.com

Tags: french, crowded, lively

I was sick for a week with food poisoning after eating here - the fries were too deep fried and tasted like they were fried in the old, re-used oil, and our steaks were not cooked the way we wanted. The staff are rude and pushy, but I happily expected this at a French restaurant. I thought the idea behind the place was great, with a no-choice menu and a cult status behind the name, but what a nightmare!

I wrote them a letter complaining, and they replied saying it wasn't their fault cause no-one else was sick after eating that day. That really pissed me off.

Please don't fall for the gimmick. Go to a good French restaurant with choice, and where the chefs aren't feeding the same sludge to cattle and don't care about the food they make or to apologise or refund customers who were made ill by their food.I was sick for a week with food poisoning after eating here - the fries were too deep fried and tasted like they were fried in the old, re-used oil, and our steaks were not cooked the way we wanted. The staff are rude and pushy, but I happily expected this at a French restaurant. I thought the idea behind the place was great, with a no-choice menu and a cult status behind the name, but what a nightmare!

I wrote them a letter complaining, and they replied saying it wasn't their fault cause no-one else was sick after eating that day. That really pissed me off.

Please don't fall for the gimmick. Go to a good French restaurant with choice, and where the chefs aren't feeding the same sludge to cattle and don't care about the food they make or to apologise or refund customers who were made ill by their food.

The Golden Hind - Those mushy peas... by EvaToad

EvaToad — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:29:08 +0000

Review by EvaToad

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7486 3644

Tags: good value, lively, cheap eat

There's just something about them, eh? The portions here are quite generous, and everything was perfectly crispy and tasty. Not too greasy, but certainly fried.

Was surprised and pleased to find seating downstairs as well!There's just something about them, eh? The portions here are quite generous, and everything was perfectly crispy and tasty. Not too greasy, but certainly fried.

Was surprised and pleased to find seating downstairs as well!

Giraffe - Fun place to eat by RR123

RR123 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:00:16 +0000

Review by RR123

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7935 2333

Website: http://www.giraffe.net

Tags: international, crowded, good value

Last time I ate at the Marylebone Giraffe restaurant I did wonder quite how they managed to employ quite so many exceedingly lively and happy waiters. It did mean that nothing was too much trouble and they were very polite and helpful, so I guess that isn't something to complain about!

The food was tasty and we went there for dinner before 7pm and so got their Giraffe time menu, which is good value for money. It is quite limited though, so you wouldn't want to go there for that menu to often if you are looking for variety. The full menu is far more extensive and has a decent mix of dishes.

A pleasant place to eat, but it can get expensive if you don't keep an eye on the prices.Last time I ate at the Marylebone Giraffe restaurant I did wonder quite how they managed to employ quite so many exceedingly lively and happy waiters. It did mean that nothing was too much trouble and they were very polite and helpful, so I guess that isn't something to complain about!

The food was tasty and we went there for dinner before 7pm and so got their Giraffe time menu, which is good value for money. It is quite limited though, so you wouldn't want to go there for that menu to often if you are looking for variety. The full menu is far more extensive and has a decent mix of dishes.

A pleasant place to eat, but it can get expensive if you don't keep an eye on the prices.

Caffe Caldesi - Not really a caffe - more of an Italian bistro by Browners

Browners — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:44:29 +0000

Review by Browners

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7935 1144

Website: http://www.caffe.caldesi.com/

Tags: italian, brasserie, relaxed

Our table for 5 could barely support the weight of the contents of the entire anti-pasti menu! All 6 of their starters appeared on our table and were devoured with a combination of greed, starvation and foodie curiosity. As you'd expect all of the wonderful hams and cured beef were exemplary. But the joint stars of the show were the ball of mozerella and the cougette matchsticks with calamari - a sqeeze of lemon transforms them into little sticks of joy.

Main courses were good too. My haddock was fine, but the spinach and tomatoes stole the show. The skin on the fish could have been crispier and the flesh was well cooked but its integrity had been compromised - maybe it fell apart as it left the pan and was carefully reconstructed. It didn't affect the taste - but as we all know we do eat with our eyes.

The girls had linguine with tomato, chilli and cream which looked great. I've had it before and can testify to its depth and kick. Jess had a vast veal escalope which was large enough to feed the whole of Northern Italy. Tasty though.

My panacotta with passion fruit was perfect. I am a complete sucker for passion fruit. Handled correctly I fall head over heels for it. It wobbled sexily before disappearing inside my already bulging tummy. Yum and twice yum.

We probably didn't need any Calvados - but it added to the fun of the occasion and put me in the mood for the Pie Competition to follow!

Our only gripe was the lethargic service. They didn't get anything wrong. But they just took an age doing everything. And it didn't help that we were obviously all wearing our invisibility cloaks. Probably best not to wear them next time.Our table for 5 could barely support the weight of the contents of the entire anti-pasti menu! All 6 of their starters appeared on our table and were devoured with a combination of greed, starvation and foodie curiosity. As you'd expect all of the wonderful hams and cured beef were exemplary. But the joint stars of the show were the ball of mozerella and the cougette matchsticks with calamari - a sqeeze of lemon transforms them into little sticks of joy.

Main courses were good too. My haddock was fine, but the spinach and tomatoes stole the show. The skin on the fish could have been crispier and the flesh was well cooked but its integrity had been compromised - maybe it fell apart as it left the pan and was carefully reconstructed. It didn't affect the taste - but as we all know we do eat with our eyes.

The girls had linguine with tomato, chilli and cream which looked great. I've had it before and can testify to its depth and kick. Jess had a vast veal escalope which was large enough to feed the whole of Northern Italy. Tasty though.

My panacotta with passion fruit was perfect. I am a complete sucker for passion fruit. Handled correctly I fall head over heels for it. It wobbled sexily before disappearing inside my already bulging tummy. Yum and twice yum.

We probably didn't need any Calvados - but it added to the fun of the occasion and put me in the mood for the Pie Competition to follow!

Our only gripe was the lethargic service. They didn't get anything wrong. But they just took an age doing everything. And it didn't help that we were obviously all wearing our invisibility cloaks. Probably best not to wear them next time.

Chungs - Mr Chung - The Chinese James Bond by mitch260488

mitch260488 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:01:37 +0000

Review by mitch260488

Rating: 5.00Just returned from ANOTHER lovely lunch at Mr Chungs.
The Sweet and Sour was particulary delicious.
The star of the show is Mr Chung!
He said thank you 47 time today, is that a record?

Just returned from ANOTHER lovely lunch at Mr Chungs.
The Sweet and Sour was particulary delicious.
The star of the show is Mr Chung!
He said thank you 47 time today, is that a record?

Atari-Ya - Sublime sushi and sashimi in a central location by Niamheen

Niamheen — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:46:37 +0000

Review by Niamheen

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7491 1178

Tags: lively, central, japanese

When I returned from 10 days in Tokyo last year, I had a bit of a sashimi addiction. I wanted sashimi. I needed it. And I needed it to be every bit as good as that that I had been indulging in in Tokyo.

A tall order you might think, but not for Atari-Ya. They have several locations, but this little outpost off St Christopher's Place delivers. It's tiny with a thriving take away business. You can eat standing at the counter, or if you're lucky, at one of the two small tables to the side of it. Service is quick and very friendly, every inch of the experience is authentically Japanese. It's also very reasonable.I can't resist it and frequently pop in for melt in the mouthy scallop sashimi and hamachi. I recommend that you do too!When I returned from 10 days in Tokyo last year, I had a bit of a sashimi addiction. I wanted sashimi. I needed it. And I needed it to be every bit as good as that that I had been indulging in in Tokyo.

A tall order you might think, but not for Atari-Ya. They have several locations, but this little outpost off St Christopher's Place delivers. It's tiny with a thriving take away business. You can eat standing at the counter, or if you're lucky, at one of the two small tables to the side of it. Service is quick and very friendly, every inch of the experience is authentically Japanese. It's also very reasonable.I can't resist it and frequently pop in for melt in the mouthy scallop sashimi and hamachi. I recommend that you do too!

Galvin Bistrot de Luxe - Got to stop reviewing French places... by up_shiraz

up_shiraz — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:31:58 +0000

Review by up_shiraz

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7935 4007

Website: http://www.galvinrestaurants.com

Tags: french, expensive, good value

There's something so comforting about this place. If you could use GPS to triangulate the position of well-dressed, Guerlain-infused, elderly French madames, then i would. And then i'd eat where they were eating. Or i could save a trip to the Dragon's Den and just come here instead.

The steak tartare was text-book, and in my GCSE text-book, this dish appears at the top of the contents list in the section "Dishes a French brasserie should be judged on". And judging this one along those lines, it's an A* kinda effort. And that's in the early days of the A* classification....actually scrap that...the A* system has never really meant anything has it? But i digress. It's a beautifully formed mound of beef full of character and spice. The raw egg yolk on top is sublime.

On the wine front, it's true the list is quite pricey. We splashed out a bit on a beautiful Gigondas but it wasn't cheap at Â£38. The most fun though was to be had with the sommelier and the bizarre couple at the next table. The exceedingly rich man had brought a bottle of Comte de Vogue Musigny from 1990. His younger companion looked like she'd have preferred a bottle of WKD Blue. So half the bottle just sat there quietly until they left...and with some minor prompting, the sommelier happily shared it out with us. It was like some kind of wine porn moment - brilliant. Love this place.There's something so comforting about this place. If you could use GPS to triangulate the position of well-dressed, Guerlain-infused, elderly French madames, then i would. And then i'd eat where they were eating. Or i could save a trip to the Dragon's Den and just come here instead.

The steak tartare was text-book, and in my GCSE text-book, this dish appears at the top of the contents list in the section "Dishes a French brasserie should be judged on". And judging this one along those lines, it's an A* kinda effort. And that's in the early days of the A* classification....actually scrap that...the A* system has never really meant anything has it? But i digress. It's a beautifully formed mound of beef full of character and spice. The raw egg yolk on top is sublime.

On the wine front, it's true the list is quite pricey. We splashed out a bit on a beautiful Gigondas but it wasn't cheap at Â£38. The most fun though was to be had with the sommelier and the bizarre couple at the next table. The exceedingly rich man had brought a bottle of Comte de Vogue Musigny from 1990. His younger companion looked like she'd have preferred a bottle of WKD Blue. So half the bottle just sat there quietly until they left...and with some minor prompting, the sommelier happily shared it out with us. It was like some kind of wine porn moment - brilliant. Love this place.

Chungs Chinese - by ceedoubleu

ceedoubleu — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:08:01 +0000

Review by ceedoubleu

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7935 8992

Tags: chinese, vegetarian dishes

Good no frills Cantonese restaurant just a short walk from Oxford Street and St Christophers Place. The food is freshly prepared and comes in generous portions.Good no frills Cantonese restaurant just a short walk from Oxford Street and St Christophers Place. The food is freshly prepared and comes in generous portions.

Wagamama - improvments by eatmeat

eatmeat — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:18:51 +0000

Review by eatmeat

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7409 0111

Website: http://www.wagamama.com

Tags: japanese, cheap eat, lively

Was very quiet the first time I went. Maybe because of this, but the place looked immaculate. From entering, the staff was very attentive and welcoming. The food was delivered very quickly, and was piping hot, I was glad for this as it was such a cold day! Our waiter constantly checked on us, and I also thought the prices were quite reasonable considering the location of the restaurant. I would like to see a little for quality injected in to their restaurants, perhaps then it could be used for the quiet evening meal, currently it seems to be targeting value of money.Was very quiet the first time I went. Maybe because of this, but the place looked immaculate. From entering, the staff was very attentive and welcoming. The food was delivered very quickly, and was piping hot, I was glad for this as it was such a cold day! Our waiter constantly checked on us, and I also thought the prices were quite reasonable considering the location of the restaurant. I would like to see a little for quality injected in to their restaurants, perhaps then it could be used for the quiet evening meal, currently it seems to be targeting value of money.

Eat and Two Veg - Looks nice, but that's about it. by messydesk

messydesk — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:51:33 +0000

Review by messydesk

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7258 8595

Website: http://www.eatandtwoveg.com/

Tags: vegetarian, good value, american

I love Marylebone High Street,I know I shouldn't because it's dead wanky and overpriced, but I just can't help myself. I usually find myself working in the area about twice a month so I was really pleased when Eat and Two Veg opened a few years ago.

Eat and Two Very really looks lovely inside and I've gone back and back over the years primarily for that reason. There's cafe tables in the window (often full though), a canteen style table down the middle of the room and booths along the edges, they're all comfortable and the staff never squish you too close to other diners on the canteen table. The design is an odd mixture of American Diner and Art-Deco but, as I say it works really well and is just lovely. It's restful and tasteful, but still interesting and unusual.

Unfortunately, the food is really quite average and is most certainly over-priced. The menu seems pretty wide and interesting when you're choosing from it, but the quality of the cooking is often very poor and the taste can be bland and uninspiring. Another gripe is the speed of the service. All the waiters and waitresses are informed and helpful but there's simply not enough of them, when you finally do get to order, the food takes a long time to arrive, especially considering how underwhelming it often is. Have to admit though, the cocktails are ace.

I think I could forgive Eat and Two Veg the food and just have the vege burger, enjoy the atmosphere and treat it like a snack place if it were not so fearfully expensive. I had a halloumi sandwich there once that cost me eight quid and wasn't even very good. For that, I'll get a sandwich from tesco and drink in the design and atmosphere by sitting on the opposite side of the road and looking in.
I love Marylebone High Street,I know I shouldn't because it's dead wanky and overpriced, but I just can't help myself. I usually find myself working in the area about twice a month so I was really pleased when Eat and Two Veg opened a few years ago.

Eat and Two Very really looks lovely inside and I've gone back and back over the years primarily for that reason. There's cafe tables in the window (often full though), a canteen style table down the middle of the room and booths along the edges, they're all comfortable and the staff never squish you too close to other diners on the canteen table. The design is an odd mixture of American Diner and Art-Deco but, as I say it works really well and is just lovely. It's restful and tasteful, but still interesting and unusual.

Unfortunately, the food is really quite average and is most certainly over-priced. The menu seems pretty wide and interesting when you're choosing from it, but the quality of the cooking is often very poor and the taste can be bland and uninspiring. Another gripe is the speed of the service. All the waiters and waitresses are informed and helpful but there's simply not enough of them, when you finally do get to order, the food takes a long time to arrive, especially considering how underwhelming it often is. Have to admit though, the cocktails are ace.

I think I could forgive Eat and Two Veg the food and just have the vege burger, enjoy the atmosphere and treat it like a snack place if it were not so fearfully expensive. I had a halloumi sandwich there once that cost me eight quid and wasn't even very good. For that, I'll get a sandwich from tesco and drink in the design and atmosphere by sitting on the opposite side of the road and looking in.