Latest reviews for Restaurants in Old Street, London, United Kingdom

Carnevale - Vegetarian at its finest by blackpenwriter

blackpenwriter — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:16:42 +0000

Review by blackpenwriter

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7250 3452

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

Tags: vegetarian, mediterranean, good value

I totally agree with the previous review. I'm a meat eater and proud, however this place has opened my eyes to the delights of vegan and vegetarian meals. The place itself is absolutely tiny, miniscule, couldn't swing a cat, but they still manage to crap in quite a few people without it feeling too cramped and the intimacy is still there. A bit like the tardis! The menu is huge and lots to choose from and even meat eaters will find lots they would like to sample. Service is really good too, you never have to wait long to be served. I really do like it here!I totally agree with the previous review. I'm a meat eater and proud, however this place has opened my eyes to the delights of vegan and vegetarian meals. The place itself is absolutely tiny, miniscule, couldn't swing a cat, but they still manage to crap in quite a few people without it feeling too cramped and the intimacy is still there. A bit like the tardis! The menu is huge and lots to choose from and even meat eaters will find lots they would like to sample. Service is really good too, you never have to wait long to be served. I really do like it here!

Fifteen - Watch how you pour that bottle by up_shiraz

up_shiraz — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 09:39:27 +0000

Review by up_shiraz

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 0871 330 1515

Website: http://www.fifteenrestaurant.com

Tags: expensive, italian, lively

I'd been here once before this occasion, for dinner in the Trattoria which was an absolute 5 star experience. Great food, fabulous wines with real value available if you had a good look through the list. But what made it really stand out was the service. Great chat about the wines, different glasses for every style of wine we tried, genuine friendliness. This is what elevates a restaurant experience from great to supreme. Without it, 5 stars should be an impossible dream, no?

So it was with real excitement that we went back for the young lady's birthday breakfast. And the food was great, more than we could possibly eat actually. Muesli, pastries, high quality sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, refilled orange juice and coffee. A set menu for the table (though they did offer us a la carte if we wanted) at only Â£12 per head. Absolutely brilliant value, and a great space to get all the Aussie girlfriends nattering away raucously.

So far, so 5 stars. We ordered some Prosecco to celebrate the occasion with (this was actually more expensive than it needed to be). The main problem was that the server went round the table of 8 people and the bottle only got as far as number 7 before she had emptied it. Not clever, not even subtle. We had to order a 2nd bottle...which let's face it we would have done anyway...but the manner in which they tried to force this upon us is absolutely unacceptable - one of THE worst restaurant practices.

Such a shame. I do love this place: the decor, the big idea, the food, the atmosphere. But they blew it on this occasion and so missed out on the big prize.I'd been here once before this occasion, for dinner in the Trattoria which was an absolute 5 star experience. Great food, fabulous wines with real value available if you had a good look through the list. But what made it really stand out was the service. Great chat about the wines, different glasses for every style of wine we tried, genuine friendliness. This is what elevates a restaurant experience from great to supreme. Without it, 5 stars should be an impossible dream, no?

So it was with real excitement that we went back for the young lady's birthday breakfast. And the food was great, more than we could possibly eat actually. Muesli, pastries, high quality sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, refilled orange juice and coffee. A set menu for the table (though they did offer us a la carte if we wanted) at only Â£12 per head. Absolutely brilliant value, and a great space to get all the Aussie girlfriends nattering away raucously.

So far, so 5 stars. We ordered some Prosecco to celebrate the occasion with (this was actually more expensive than it needed to be). The main problem was that the server went round the table of 8 people and the bottle only got as far as number 7 before she had emptied it. Not clever, not even subtle. We had to order a 2nd bottle...which let's face it we would have done anyway...but the manner in which they tried to force this upon us is absolutely unacceptable - one of THE worst restaurant practices.

Such a shame. I do love this place: the decor, the big idea, the food, the atmosphere. But they blew it on this occasion and so missed out on the big prize.

Piya Piya - Tasty Thai by QueenB

QueenB — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:01:00 +0000

Review by QueenB

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 0845 475 1971

Website: http://www.piyapiya.net

Tags: lively, chinese, thai

How friendly can staff be?

Go here and you will forget all the nasty staff you have ver met in London!!!

Genuine, sweet, polite staff, quick service with a smile - you have to love it!

Happy hour for cocktails or if you have a TasteLondon card use it for 50% off the Thai/chinese food menu.
The sharing platter s are quite small for the original price but fine when you get the discount.

The yummiest cocktail that I could drink all night was the Nichilicious _ passion fruit vodka, honey, pomegranate, mint and lime juice! Toooooo tasty!

Chilled, relaxed and even the football on to keep the lads happy but discreet enough without it turning into a sports bar.

the food is nice enough but nothing amazing or overly authentic but tasty all the same.

I'd got back for an after work do or pre-club drink
How friendly can staff be?

Go here and you will forget all the nasty staff you have ver met in London!!!

Genuine, sweet, polite staff, quick service with a smile - you have to love it!

Happy hour for cocktails or if you have a TasteLondon card use it for 50% off the Thai/chinese food menu.
The sharing platter s are quite small for the original price but fine when you get the discount.

The yummiest cocktail that I could drink all night was the Nichilicious _ passion fruit vodka, honey, pomegranate, mint and lime juice! Toooooo tasty!

Chilled, relaxed and even the football on to keep the lads happy but discreet enough without it turning into a sports bar.

the food is nice enough but nothing amazing or overly authentic but tasty all the same.

I'd got back for an after work do or pre-club drink

Curry Leaf East - a bit expensive by mark56

mark56 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:42:49 +0000

Review by mark56

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7374 4842

When i came her to curry leaf about a month ago i had the marinaded lamb leg which was quite hot but small. It was served with pilau rice and a slice of nan. I had a couple of beers which probably wasn't a wise choice as the Air con at work is broken and it was not a great afternoon make!

Maybe it's an old one or a copy but I did spot a Banksey outside the restaurant.

The only bad thing about this place was that it was a very slow service. A main course plus drinks for 8 people averaged about Â£23 which is a bit pricey i think.When i came her to curry leaf about a month ago i had the marinaded lamb leg which was quite hot but small. It was served with pilau rice and a slice of nan. I had a couple of beers which probably wasn't a wise choice as the Air con at work is broken and it was not a great afternoon make!

Maybe it's an old one or a copy but I did spot a Banksey outside the restaurant.

The only bad thing about this place was that it was a very slow service. A main course plus drinks for 8 people averaged about Â£23 which is a bit pricey i think.

Cafe El Paso - just ok by richfair

richfair — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:00:20 +0000

Review by richfair

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7739 4202

Tags: lively, crowded, central

El Paso has okay Mexican food-- better than most Mexican food in London, but unfortunately I'm from Texas, where good Tex-Mex is everywhere, so I was inevitably disappointed with this food. The atmosphere is again okay... I felt they were trying to make it feel a little more lively than it was. There are much more lively and better quality places to eat in Shoreditch.

That said though, it was some of the best Mexican food I've had in London and the portions were generous. The staff was average, but like I said there are better places in Shoreditch so I probably won't be going back.El Paso has okay Mexican food-- better than most Mexican food in London, but unfortunately I'm from Texas, where good Tex-Mex is everywhere, so I was inevitably disappointed with this food. The atmosphere is again okay... I felt they were trying to make it feel a little more lively than it was. There are much more lively and better quality places to eat in Shoreditch.

That said though, it was some of the best Mexican food I've had in London and the portions were generous. The staff was average, but like I said there are better places in Shoreditch so I probably won't be going back.

Cay Tre - by joslyoung

joslyoung — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:31:04 +0000

Review by joslyoung

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7729 8662

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

Tags: vietnamese, lively, good value

Judging by the number of reviews, Cay Tre is a hidden gem no longer. Basically, the Old Street area is awash in Vietnamese restaurants, of which Cay Tre is the best. Unfortunately, on recent visits, it's also been the busiest, particularly at the weekends (then again, Old St is usually best avoided at weekends anyway for any reason if you're not into crowds of braying meeja folk). The food is very good indeed although not ALWAYS exceptional - there are some duff notes in the menu, which I suggest you avoid by steering away from the more predictable items. The point is that they do have interesting things on the menu that you might not see elsewhere, particularly by way of fish, and you can get in and out and extremely well fed and watered for under Â£20 a head. You really can't say fairer than that.Judging by the number of reviews, Cay Tre is a hidden gem no longer. Basically, the Old Street area is awash in Vietnamese restaurants, of which Cay Tre is the best. Unfortunately, on recent visits, it's also been the busiest, particularly at the weekends (then again, Old St is usually best avoided at weekends anyway for any reason if you're not into crowds of braying meeja folk). The food is very good indeed although not ALWAYS exceptional - there are some duff notes in the menu, which I suggest you avoid by steering away from the more predictable items. The point is that they do have interesting things on the menu that you might not see elsewhere, particularly by way of fish, and you can get in and out and extremely well fed and watered for under Â£20 a head. You really can't say fairer than that.

Hoxton Apprentice - Different league to 15 by joslyoung

joslyoung — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:29:17 +0000

Review by joslyoung

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7749 2828

Website: http://www.hoxtonapprentice.com

Tags: good value, british, business

They say that this place is 'like' Jamie Oliver's 15, on the grounds that it also employs unemployed youngsters and trains them in professional kitchens. But as far as I'm concerned, that's where the similarity ends.
Unlike Jamie's place nearby, the Hoxton Apprentice is unpretentious (it doesn't charge Â£26 a plate for food described variously as 'Pucka' and 'Wicked' on the menu, for example). The food varies each week, and can include anything from basic and retro, like chicken kiev and chips (very nice it was too) to a more inspired Osso Bucco for supper. The service can be a little patchy, but one suspects that might be because the waiting staff are not longstanding professionals any more than are the staff in the kitchen, but they're unfailingly friendly so you forgive them. Prices are competitive for the area and good for the quality of food received. All round worth a visit...They say that this place is 'like' Jamie Oliver's 15, on the grounds that it also employs unemployed youngsters and trains them in professional kitchens. But as far as I'm concerned, that's where the similarity ends.
Unlike Jamie's place nearby, the Hoxton Apprentice is unpretentious (it doesn't charge Â£26 a plate for food described variously as 'Pucka' and 'Wicked' on the menu, for example). The food varies each week, and can include anything from basic and retro, like chicken kiev and chips (very nice it was too) to a more inspired Osso Bucco for supper. The service can be a little patchy, but one suspects that might be because the waiting staff are not longstanding professionals any more than are the staff in the kitchen, but they're unfailingly friendly so you forgive them. Prices are competitive for the area and good for the quality of food received. All round worth a visit...

Great Eastern Dining Room - I don't know about the dining..... by sparklepants

sparklepants — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:43:16 +0000

Review by sparklepants

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7613 4545

Website: http://www.rickerrestaurants.com

Tags: lively, bar, chinese

...but the dancing was great!

I had a great evening at The Great Eastern, starting with some drinks (a great range and a very sleek set of bar men!) in the lovely yet simplistic surroundings of the bar, we then proceeded to the basement and had a good old boogie to a selection of funky house! There are also seating areas in the basement to rest those dancing feet, some of which are hidden behind some chain style blinds if you want a bit of privacy A good way to start an evening before moving on to somewhere else. Recommended....but the dancing was great!

I had a great evening at The Great Eastern, starting with some drinks (a great range and a very sleek set of bar men!) in the lovely yet simplistic surroundings of the bar, we then proceeded to the basement and had a good old boogie to a selection of funky house! There are also seating areas in the basement to rest those dancing feet, some of which are hidden behind some chain style blinds if you want a bit of privacy A good way to start an evening before moving on to somewhere else. Recommended.

Pham Sushi - best sushi in london by iktinos

iktinos — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:01:08 +0000

Review by iktinos

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7251 6336

Tags: japanese, good value, lively

always booked out...but worth doing. Try the crunchy tuna roll.always booked out...but worth doing. Try the crunchy tuna roll.

Sema Indian Balti Cuisine - Balti Magic by rigilbert

rigilbert — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:21:46 +0000

Review by rigilbert

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7253 2927

Tags: indian, good value, cheap eat

From the outside the Sema looks as run down as the shops and buildings that surround it. Go inside and it's much the same. The walls are covered in newspaper clippings of seemingly unrelated stories and photos.There are also maps and postcards from different parts of the world. The latter sent by former diners who, when in far-flung shores and in need of a good curry, have obviously longed for the Sema.

The tables and chairs are rickety and old: a legacy of the elderly landlady who, for some unknown reason, insists that they cannot be replaced, and who, for the last 15 years or so has only ever extended to the proprietors a lease of six months at a time. This has made life very difficult for them: they're not in a position to invest in smartening up the place because they are at the half-yearly whims of a miserly old crank who cares nothing for the livelihood of the people running the place and their faithful clientele.

Regardless of these difficulties, the Sema excels in its cooking. Not only is the food great, but the prices are cheap. The menu comprises the usual Indian dishes, from Chicken Tikka Masala through to fish curry to a range of biryani's. Whilst the menu is very much Curry House circa 1990, it's the quality of the food that attracts. It's damned good and consistently so. I've eaten here regularly since it first opened a decade and a half ago and have never had a bad meal. I recommend everything on the menu - it's all wonderfully flavoursome.

What's even better about the place - as if the wonderful food and great prices weren't enough - is the helpful nature of the people running the place. Want your curry made hotter or less fiery? No problem. Want to have your dish balti'd even though it's not on the menu? No problem. Want to substitute one of the dishes in the vegetarian or non-vegetarian thali for something else? No problem. If they can do it they will, and with a smile.

One down side here is the toilet. It's really not up to standard - never has been in the 15 years I've frequented the place. To flush you need to give a quick hard yank, sometimes two in quick succession. Don't let that put you off from coming here, though. The food is worth it.

The place is more cafÃ© than restaurant. It's also bring your own booze as they have no drinks licence. You'll be delighted to hear that they do not charge corkage! For convenience there's a supermarket and an off licence nearby, so you won't go thirsty. Some nights you can go in here and have the place to yourself. At other times it's heaving, in which case it'll be elbow to elbow or back to back. In every scenario you'll enjoy yourself.

The clientele are mixed. One night the heaving crowd can be made up of musicians (invariably classical) from the nearby Barbican Centre, at other times it'll be a few tourists interspersed with the loyal customers who, like me, have been frequenting the place for years.

In conclusion I have to say that the Sema is one of those secret finds that you hear people talk about. The exterior and interior might be a bit of a shambles, but this is all part of the charm of what for years has been my favourite curry house in London. Like all Indian restaurants they also do take-aways, which is great as sometimes you just can't get enough of a good thing! Ah, if only I hadn't moved to the Netherlands I wouldn't be missing a good curry from the Sema Balti Indian Cuisine. Perhaps it's time I sent them a postcard, too...From the outside the Sema looks as run down as the shops and buildings that surround it. Go inside and it's much the same. The walls are covered in newspaper clippings of seemingly unrelated stories and photos.There are also maps and postcards from different parts of the world. The latter sent by former diners who, when in far-flung shores and in need of a good curry, have obviously longed for the Sema.

The tables and chairs are rickety and old: a legacy of the elderly landlady who, for some unknown reason, insists that they cannot be replaced, and who, for the last 15 years or so has only ever extended to the proprietors a lease of six months at a time. This has made life very difficult for them: they're not in a position to invest in smartening up the place because they are at the half-yearly whims of a miserly old crank who cares nothing for the livelihood of the people running the place and their faithful clientele.

Regardless of these difficulties, the Sema excels in its cooking. Not only is the food great, but the prices are cheap. The menu comprises the usual Indian dishes, from Chicken Tikka Masala through to fish curry to a range of biryani's. Whilst the menu is very much Curry House circa 1990, it's the quality of the food that attracts. It's damned good and consistently so. I've eaten here regularly since it first opened a decade and a half ago and have never had a bad meal. I recommend everything on the menu - it's all wonderfully flavoursome.

What's even better about the place - as if the wonderful food and great prices weren't enough - is the helpful nature of the people running the place. Want your curry made hotter or less fiery? No problem. Want to have your dish balti'd even though it's not on the menu? No problem. Want to substitute one of the dishes in the vegetarian or non-vegetarian thali for something else? No problem. If they can do it they will, and with a smile.

One down side here is the toilet. It's really not up to standard - never has been in the 15 years I've frequented the place. To flush you need to give a quick hard yank, sometimes two in quick succession. Don't let that put you off from coming here, though. The food is worth it.

The place is more cafÃ© than restaurant. It's also bring your own booze as they have no drinks licence. You'll be delighted to hear that they do not charge corkage! For convenience there's a supermarket and an off licence nearby, so you won't go thirsty. Some nights you can go in here and have the place to yourself. At other times it's heaving, in which case it'll be elbow to elbow or back to back. In every scenario you'll enjoy yourself.

The clientele are mixed. One night the heaving crowd can be made up of musicians (invariably classical) from the nearby Barbican Centre, at other times it'll be a few tourists interspersed with the loyal customers who, like me, have been frequenting the place for years.

In conclusion I have to say that the Sema is one of those secret finds that you hear people talk about. The exterior and interior might be a bit of a shambles, but this is all part of the charm of what for years has been my favourite curry house in London. Like all Indian restaurants they also do take-aways, which is great as sometimes you just can't get enough of a good thing! Ah, if only I hadn't moved to the Netherlands I wouldn't be missing a good curry from the Sema Balti Indian Cuisine. Perhaps it's time I sent them a postcard, too...

The Real Greek & Mezedopolio - Real food by nispero

nispero — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:10:02 +0000

Review by nispero

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7739 8212

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

Tags: greek, good value, romantic

THis restaurant is located in Hoxton square and serves Greek food.
I have been several times in the Real Greek & Mezedopolio for dinner and always I have had a really good time there.
The restaurant is placed in an old building with high ceiling and the ambiance is really nice.
The food is also very good, especially the dishes for share (meze) that come in a tray with several levels. The vegetarian one is very good with the typical greek dishes (hoummus, taramasalata, etc...). The meat one is also very tasty as well.
They have some greek beers that are a good acompaniament to the food.
There are also a shared plate of dessert that is a good value for money.
The average price is very reasonable.
THis restaurant is located in Hoxton square and serves Greek food.
I have been several times in the Real Greek & Mezedopolio for dinner and always I have had a really good time there.
The restaurant is placed in an old building with high ceiling and the ambiance is really nice.
The food is also very good, especially the dishes for share (meze) that come in a tray with several levels. The vegetarian one is very good with the typical greek dishes (hoummus, taramasalata, etc...). The meat one is also very tasty as well.
They have some greek beers that are a good acompaniament to the food.
There are also a shared plate of dessert that is a good value for money.
The average price is very reasonable.

Tabernacle Bar Grill - Standard bar by chrisp

chrisp — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:24:05 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7253 5555

Website: http://www.tabernaclebargrill.com

Tags: lively, pretentious, bar

An only slightly pretentious (itself worth a mention in these parts), bog-standard bar/restaurant in the heart of Shoreditch. They do breakfast offers which don't look too bad, but I've only ever been for dinner with work, which was nice if nothing special. They have the usual competent bar staff serving decent cocktails, and it's usually pretty popular as an after-work drink spot, which means it's rammed from 5:30 to 7, then totally empty. Probably worth a shot, if you're in the area.An only slightly pretentious (itself worth a mention in these parts), bog-standard bar/restaurant in the heart of Shoreditch. They do breakfast offers which don't look too bad, but I've only ever been for dinner with work, which was nice if nothing special. They have the usual competent bar staff serving decent cocktails, and it's usually pretty popular as an after-work drink spot, which means it's rammed from 5:30 to 7, then totally empty. Probably worth a shot, if you're in the area.

The Hoxton Grille - Not great by chrisp

chrisp — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:35:19 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7739 9111

Website: http://www.hoxtonhotels.com

Tags: international, bar, pretentious

I've often remarked upon my cameraphone's unique ability to judge quality through the level of focus it applies to pictures, so there is only one image I need to show you today to sum up my feelings towards the Hoxton Grille:

Yes, the Hoxton Grille was pretty bad. And this is a shame because I actually wanted it to be good and went in with quite an open mind. Service was good enough too, although the place was nearly empty so allowing us to choose where we wanted to sit probably wasn't too much of an imposition. And we were also (initially) impressed by the budget pre-7pm menu, which had a choice of 7 dishes from the main menu for half price.

But oh dear, the food. The two of us ordered rump steak, one with peppercorn sauce and the other with bernaise. Of the two, the bernaise was the better - the peppercorn just tasted like slightly peppery milk, a horrible thin concoction. The steaks were cooked to the required medium-rare but were anaemic looking things, tough and stringy and quite a battle to eat, even with steak knives. Is it really that hard to cook a good steak? There must be more to it than I understand because of all the steaks I've ever had in London, only those at Hawksmoor and Santa Maria del Sur have been any good. Even my own Fox & Hounds can't really pull off a good rib eye. I have a sneaking suspicion it's all to do with the sourcing of the meat, and to make a profit on anything less than a Â£18 steak you have to sacrifice quality somewhere down the line. Hawskmoor steaks are expensive - about Â£18 for the rump from memory, much more for the sirloin - but they are drop dead gorgeous things and never disappoint. Is it really worth boasting a Â£7 steak and chips on your menu if it tastes bloody awful?

We paid up and left, the modest bill going some way to offset the disappointment. When I got home my sister had made chocolate covered strawberries, and the bitter memory of the Hoxton Grille faded away for good.

P.S. I have just gone through this post correcting the spelling of "Grille". A ridiculous bit of Hoxtony pretention but I suppose it's their call.I've often remarked upon my cameraphone's unique ability to judge quality through the level of focus it applies to pictures, so there is only one image I need to show you today to sum up my feelings towards the Hoxton Grille:

Yes, the Hoxton Grille was pretty bad. And this is a shame because I actually wanted it to be good and went in with quite an open mind. Service was good enough too, although the place was nearly empty so allowing us to choose where we wanted to sit probably wasn't too much of an imposition. And we were also (initially) impressed by the budget pre-7pm menu, which had a choice of 7 dishes from the main menu for half price.

But oh dear, the food. The two of us ordered rump steak, one with peppercorn sauce and the other with bernaise. Of the two, the bernaise was the better - the peppercorn just tasted like slightly peppery milk, a horrible thin concoction. The steaks were cooked to the required medium-rare but were anaemic looking things, tough and stringy and quite a battle to eat, even with steak knives. Is it really that hard to cook a good steak? There must be more to it than I understand because of all the steaks I've ever had in London, only those at Hawksmoor and Santa Maria del Sur have been any good. Even my own Fox & Hounds can't really pull off a good rib eye. I have a sneaking suspicion it's all to do with the sourcing of the meat, and to make a profit on anything less than a Â£18 steak you have to sacrifice quality somewhere down the line. Hawskmoor steaks are expensive - about Â£18 for the rump from memory, much more for the sirloin - but they are drop dead gorgeous things and never disappoint. Is it really worth boasting a Â£7 steak and chips on your menu if it tastes bloody awful?

We paid up and left, the modest bill going some way to offset the disappointment. When I got home my sister had made chocolate covered strawberries, and the bitter memory of the Hoxton Grille faded away for good.

P.S. I have just gone through this post correcting the spelling of "Grille". A ridiculous bit of Hoxtony pretention but I suppose it's their call.

Pinchito Tapas - You can do better, you can do worse by chrisp

chrisp — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:22:32 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7490 0121

Website: www.pinchito.co.uk

Tags: spanish, lively, tapas

Pinchito is barely a year old, but already has the atmosphere of practiced ease of a much more established restaurant. That's not to say everything about the place was great - it wasn't - but it feels "comfortable" in an almost indefinable way, as if it's been there for years. In fact it's strange the tapas revolution that seems to be sweeping London at the moment has taken so long to take hold, as the idea of nibbling away at a number of different plates of good quality ingredients cooked simply alongside a glass of chilled sherry should appeal to everyone. Well, it appeals to me.

The best compliment I can pay Pinchito is that it's at least as good as Barrafina and a little bit cheaper. The recommended Tio Pepe chilled sherry was lovely. The platter of cold meats, comprising chorizo along with a couple of other spanish salamis was very tasty. The Iberico ham however was a little disappointing - the red meat had a nice rich smokey flavour but there was too much fat through it and the overall effect was a little sick-making. And it was Â£12 a plate.

Tomato and bread turned out to be a bowl of tomato juice with crispy mini toasted bread, and was nice enough. Albondigas were meaty and satisfying, and the deep fried squid was delicate and moreish. We also enjoyed the pimentos - grilled peppers - even though they were quite heavily salted and the waiter even suggested loading them with even more salt at the table. We didn't, they were fine.

Service went through peaks and troughs; initially they were attentive and smiley but halfway through the meal a group of young Spaniards arrived and thereafter they seemed more interested in chatting to their mates than acknowledging my frantic silent requests for another half bottle of sherry. But this was a minor complaint, and they made up for it with the enthusaism of the presentation of the food and the drink. Everyone seemed genuinely excited about the produce on offer, which was marvellous.

All in all it was a very pleasant hour or so, and a perfect example of the kind of place that London seems to be churning out at a healthy rate these days - informal, friendly, enthusiastic and genuine.Pinchito is barely a year old, but already has the atmosphere of practiced ease of a much more established restaurant. That's not to say everything about the place was great - it wasn't - but it feels "comfortable" in an almost indefinable way, as if it's been there for years. In fact it's strange the tapas revolution that seems to be sweeping London at the moment has taken so long to take hold, as the idea of nibbling away at a number of different plates of good quality ingredients cooked simply alongside a glass of chilled sherry should appeal to everyone. Well, it appeals to me.

The best compliment I can pay Pinchito is that it's at least as good as Barrafina and a little bit cheaper. The recommended Tio Pepe chilled sherry was lovely. The platter of cold meats, comprising chorizo along with a couple of other spanish salamis was very tasty. The Iberico ham however was a little disappointing - the red meat had a nice rich smokey flavour but there was too much fat through it and the overall effect was a little sick-making. And it was Â£12 a plate.

Tomato and bread turned out to be a bowl of tomato juice with crispy mini toasted bread, and was nice enough. Albondigas were meaty and satisfying, and the deep fried squid was delicate and moreish. We also enjoyed the pimentos - grilled peppers - even though they were quite heavily salted and the waiter even suggested loading them with even more salt at the table. We didn't, they were fine.

Service went through peaks and troughs; initially they were attentive and smiley but halfway through the meal a group of young Spaniards arrived and thereafter they seemed more interested in chatting to their mates than acknowledging my frantic silent requests for another half bottle of sherry. But this was a minor complaint, and they made up for it with the enthusaism of the presentation of the food and the drink. Everyone seemed genuinely excited about the produce on offer, which was marvellous.

All in all it was a very pleasant hour or so, and a perfect example of the kind of place that London seems to be churning out at a healthy rate these days - informal, friendly, enthusiastic and genuine.

Bogayo - Bog off by chrisp

chrisp — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:41:47 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7012 1226

Tags: moroccan, international

I'm going to read out a list of dishes found on the lunch menu at Bogayo, and I'd like you to decide what kind of cuisine they serve there:

Penne served with red peppers and pesto sauce (Italian! Easy)
Merguez sausages and haricot beans cassoulet served with mash[sic] potato (Oh, er, Italian-French then. Mediterranean?)
Moules et frites (Is that Belgian?)
Cumberland sausages with mashed potato, onion and red wine jus (England!?)
Lamb Tagine: Lamb shank coated in Moroccan aromatic sauce with prunes, roasted almonds and sesame seeds (Help!)

That's right! You guessed it - in a city tired of the same old fusion experiments, Bogayo is forging a brave path with its revolutionary "Italian-French-Belgian-English-Moroccan" menu. To hell with centuries of culinary traditions across Europe, clearly what London has been waiting for all these years is a restaurant that attempts one dish from every corner of Europe and cooks them all equally poorly.

It's a menu that makes your heart sink just looking at it. What were they thinking? What kind of kitchen could possibly believe they could serve all these wildly different styles of cuisine to anything like an acceptable level? I should have made my excuses and left the moment its full horror was revealed to me, but with my adoring blog-reading public in mind (ha!) and With a due sense of extreme trepidation and dread I chose a halloumi sandwich and moules frites. The sandwich was dull as dishwater, the kind of thing any caff in the capital could rustle up in minutes, the salad coated in a dressing that tasted suspiciously like something out of a bottle - gloopy and sweet. Moules Frites, to be fair, weren't the worst in the world. They weren't fresh mussels - obviously - but the sauce was light and herby and the chips although not frites (they were big fat ones) had a good texture. But they were just so uninspiring. A friend's squid and chorizo dish was incredibly sweet and cloying - not pleasant at all.

I'm going to stop now because I'm determined not let the memory of Bogayo linger any longer than strictly necessary. It's a place so poorly conceived and serving such mediocre food I can't believe it's survived longer than a couple of days. But there it squats on Old Street, taking up valuable real-estate in an area of Shoreditch building an otherwise well-deserved reputation for gastronomic excellence (The Fox and The Princess are just round the corner). Do yourself and our great city a favour, and never ever go to Bogayo.I'm going to read out a list of dishes found on the lunch menu at Bogayo, and I'd like you to decide what kind of cuisine they serve there:

Penne served with red peppers and pesto sauce (Italian! Easy)
Merguez sausages and haricot beans cassoulet served with mash[sic] potato (Oh, er, Italian-French then. Mediterranean?)
Moules et frites (Is that Belgian?)
Cumberland sausages with mashed potato, onion and red wine jus (England!?)
Lamb Tagine: Lamb shank coated in Moroccan aromatic sauce with prunes, roasted almonds and sesame seeds (Help!)

That's right! You guessed it - in a city tired of the same old fusion experiments, Bogayo is forging a brave path with its revolutionary "Italian-French-Belgian-English-Moroccan" menu. To hell with centuries of culinary traditions across Europe, clearly what London has been waiting for all these years is a restaurant that attempts one dish from every corner of Europe and cooks them all equally poorly.

It's a menu that makes your heart sink just looking at it. What were they thinking? What kind of kitchen could possibly believe they could serve all these wildly different styles of cuisine to anything like an acceptable level? I should have made my excuses and left the moment its full horror was revealed to me, but with my adoring blog-reading public in mind (ha!) and With a due sense of extreme trepidation and dread I chose a halloumi sandwich and moules frites. The sandwich was dull as dishwater, the kind of thing any caff in the capital could rustle up in minutes, the salad coated in a dressing that tasted suspiciously like something out of a bottle - gloopy and sweet. Moules Frites, to be fair, weren't the worst in the world. They weren't fresh mussels - obviously - but the sauce was light and herby and the chips although not frites (they were big fat ones) had a good texture. But they were just so uninspiring. A friend's squid and chorizo dish was incredibly sweet and cloying - not pleasant at all.

I'm going to stop now because I'm determined not let the memory of Bogayo linger any longer than strictly necessary. It's a place so poorly conceived and serving such mediocre food I can't believe it's survived longer than a couple of days. But there it squats on Old Street, taking up valuable real-estate in an area of Shoreditch building an otherwise well-deserved reputation for gastronomic excellence (The Fox and The Princess are just round the corner). Do yourself and our great city a favour, and never ever go to Bogayo.

Cantaloupe - Thoroughly enjoyable night out by ilovelucy

ilovelucy — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:48:17 +0000

Review by ilovelucy

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7729 5566

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

Tags: cool, lively, brazilian

Came here last Friday night for dinner with my good friend Giselle. Really didnâ¬"t know what to expect as Iâ¬"d been to the bar many a time on a Friday night after a hard slog in the City but never tried the food. I guess the saying back then was â¬SEatingâ¬"s cheating!â¬

Rivington Grill Bar - Not rivetting by sokratis

sokratis — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:31:15 +0000

Review by sokratis

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7729 7053

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

Tags: british, lively, expensive

The Rivington Grill Bar is a place I wanted to visit for a while. A bit classier that the rest of the surrounding places and full of a buzzy crowd of the usual suspects for the area. Itâ¬"s perhaps that my expectations where high, but unfortunately the restaurants/bar failed to deliver.
We arrived without a booking on a very busy Friday, but the friendly staff was quick to find us a table for two. We settled on the sparse, but elegant environment (if you ingnore a couple of cables sticking out of the main wall) ordered a couple of glasses of wine and really enjoyed the freshly made bread that greeted us after minutes of sitting down. I wasnâ¬"t fussed at all about the fact they had run out of chips around 9pm on a Friday.
What I was fussed about (and Iâ¬"m generally quite easy going) was the fact the pear, chicory and Strathon blue salad, had enough cheese on it so that you could barely, technically get away with adding it on the menu, but it hardly featured on your mouth. The â¬Üdevilishlyâ¬" done kidneys (the devil there alluding to the hotness of the dish) were presented on a piece of toast with nothing but a very strong smell to accompany them and that was just a prelude of things to come.
The starters were minor annoyances, but the mains were really disappointing. My roast suckling pig arrived lukewarm and hard, which really took the flavor away from the meat and made it chewey. The mash potatoes were a few degrees away from cold too and the Black Gold medium-rare, rump steak came nowhere near the quality youâ¬"d expect from the Â£23.50 price tag (menu attached as pic).
We did not have time to re-order or stick around for desserts.
The staff were very professional and friendly throughout. They offered complimentary desserts, which we could not accept as we had to go. Unprompted, the waitress took two glasses of wine off the bill.
Which is nice and the main reason that I may venture to the Rivington again for drinks and maybe a quick bite, but I wonâ¬"t be booking any dinners any time soon.
The Rivington Grill Bar is a place I wanted to visit for a while. A bit classier that the rest of the surrounding places and full of a buzzy crowd of the usual suspects for the area. Itâ¬"s perhaps that my expectations where high, but unfortunately the restaurants/bar failed to deliver.
We arrived without a booking on a very busy Friday, but the friendly staff was quick to find us a table for two. We settled on the sparse, but elegant environment (if you ingnore a couple of cables sticking out of the main wall) ordered a couple of glasses of wine and really enjoyed the freshly made bread that greeted us after minutes of sitting down. I wasnâ¬"t fussed at all about the fact they had run out of chips around 9pm on a Friday.
What I was fussed about (and Iâ¬"m generally quite easy going) was the fact the pear, chicory and Strathon blue salad, had enough cheese on it so that you could barely, technically get away with adding it on the menu, but it hardly featured on your mouth. The â¬Üdevilishlyâ¬" done kidneys (the devil there alluding to the hotness of the dish) were presented on a piece of toast with nothing but a very strong smell to accompany them and that was just a prelude of things to come.
The starters were minor annoyances, but the mains were really disappointing. My roast suckling pig arrived lukewarm and hard, which really took the flavor away from the meat and made it chewey. The mash potatoes were a few degrees away from cold too and the Black Gold medium-rare, rump steak came nowhere near the quality youâ¬"d expect from the Â£23.50 price tag (menu attached as pic).
We did not have time to re-order or stick around for desserts.
The staff were very professional and friendly throughout. They offered complimentary desserts, which we could not accept as we had to go. Unprompted, the waitress took two glasses of wine off the bill.
Which is nice and the main reason that I may venture to the Rivington again for drinks and maybe a quick bite, but I wonâ¬"t be booking any dinners any time soon.

Eyre Brothers Restaurant - Size Matters by gogmagog

gogmagog — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:55:51 +0000

Review by gogmagog

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7613 5346

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

Tags: spanish, mediterranean, bar

There are a lot of very big things at Eyre Brothers. The portions, happily, seem to be one of them. Less good is that the prices are too. Are they justified, though? Well, the jury's still out on that one.

The atmosphere of the dining room when we entered was calm and relaxed, and the service was polite and attentive without ever being intrusive. The room itself wasn't to my taste - there is something of the 70s office block about it. With plate glass windows running along the whole of the longest wall and looking out onto the street this is definitely a place to see and be seen. It's a venue in which to do business not to romance someone - it's certainly not somewhere to go for an intimate meal.

The food itself seems to be rather at odds to the visual style of the place. They offer big, hearty Mediterranean peasant food: enormous octopi tentacles, the size of babies arms are delivered to our table, with some recipients being rather intimidated by them. Pigeon breasts are slightly more delicate in appearance but not so in flavour which is still a pleasing richness, although they could have been slightly more tender.

A main course of lamb was a huge hunk of meat on the bone, but was fantastically moist, flavoursome and perfectly cooked, with herbs clinging to it's sticky outside. The potatoes on which it stood were also done beautifully and complemented the meat well. Some vegetables with it would have been nice, but having already spent Â£11 on the pigeon and Â£24 on the lamb it seemed like an extravagance too far.

These are my only serious gripes with Eyre Brothers: the food would have suited a top notch gastropub, along with the prices to match. But as great as the cooking was, it never quite seemed to be able to justify the cost or sit very comfortably in its surroundings.There are a lot of very big things at Eyre Brothers. The portions, happily, seem to be one of them. Less good is that the prices are too. Are they justified, though? Well, the jury's still out on that one.

The atmosphere of the dining room when we entered was calm and relaxed, and the service was polite and attentive without ever being intrusive. The room itself wasn't to my taste - there is something of the 70s office block about it. With plate glass windows running along the whole of the longest wall and looking out onto the street this is definitely a place to see and be seen. It's a venue in which to do business not to romance someone - it's certainly not somewhere to go for an intimate meal.

The food itself seems to be rather at odds to the visual style of the place. They offer big, hearty Mediterranean peasant food: enormous octopi tentacles, the size of babies arms are delivered to our table, with some recipients being rather intimidated by them. Pigeon breasts are slightly more delicate in appearance but not so in flavour which is still a pleasing richness, although they could have been slightly more tender.

A main course of lamb was a huge hunk of meat on the bone, but was fantastically moist, flavoursome and perfectly cooked, with herbs clinging to it's sticky outside. The potatoes on which it stood were also done beautifully and complemented the meat well. Some vegetables with it would have been nice, but having already spent Â£11 on the pigeon and Â£24 on the lamb it seemed like an extravagance too far.

These are my only serious gripes with Eyre Brothers: the food would have suited a top notch gastropub, along with the prices to match. But as great as the cooking was, it never quite seemed to be able to justify the cost or sit very comfortably in its surroundings.

Shish Restaurant - Healthy(ish) fast food by QueenB

QueenB — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:23:55 +0000

Review by QueenB

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7749 0990

Website: http://www.shish.com

Tags: middle eastern, good value, free wifi

I've heard mixed reviews about Shish but I for one like it.
Last night my boyfriend and I, straight from work needed to eat before heading over the road to a night in Cargo.

Shish worked perfectly for us.
Friendly, attentive and quick to respond staff - you cant ask for more on that front.

There was a mixed crowd from after work groups, to Valentine diners, students and families. You can sit at a bar stool and watch the chefs at work while you eat or you can eat at a table - choice is yours. It has an informality of fast food chain without the 'mucky' feel.
It was clean, bright and welcoming.

Although they claim to be authentic, I think this is as feasibly close as they could get it in a restaurant of such a quick turn over and size.

We shared houmus drizzled with lemon juice and paprika with 2 warm fresh pittas, then a potion of the duck rolls and vegetable samosas which were sadly quite small and a bit bland.

For mains my partner had the Afghan Chicken wrap -
Chicken marinaded in yoghurt, garlic, lemon and spices. Wrapped in a pitta with courgette tzatziki and fresh salad leaves and a bowl of pickled veg (white cabbage and carrots).
I had the Teryaki Salmon kebab on a bed of white and brown rice with mixed pumpkin, sesame seeds and caramelised onions which I really enjoyed, it was filling without being heavy or greasy. The salmon was melt in the mouth and perfectly seasoned as to not over power the natural flavours.

I liked the choice of being able to select what your main is served with (rice, cous cous, chips or salad).

Although, we weren't drinking alcohol ourselves they had an alright mix of beers and wines available.

So with a couple of soft drinks and service, we paid about Â£35 and left feeling happily satisfied. Made a nice change from the normal quick offerings round town!

If I lived locally I would definitely use the take away service on offer also.I've heard mixed reviews about Shish but I for one like it.
Last night my boyfriend and I, straight from work needed to eat before heading over the road to a night in Cargo.

Shish worked perfectly for us.
Friendly, attentive and quick to respond staff - you cant ask for more on that front.

There was a mixed crowd from after work groups, to Valentine diners, students and families. You can sit at a bar stool and watch the chefs at work while you eat or you can eat at a table - choice is yours. It has an informality of fast food chain without the 'mucky' feel.
It was clean, bright and welcoming.

Although they claim to be authentic, I think this is as feasibly close as they could get it in a restaurant of such a quick turn over and size.

We shared houmus drizzled with lemon juice and paprika with 2 warm fresh pittas, then a potion of the duck rolls and vegetable samosas which were sadly quite small and a bit bland.

For mains my partner had the Afghan Chicken wrap -
Chicken marinaded in yoghurt, garlic, lemon and spices. Wrapped in a pitta with courgette tzatziki and fresh salad leaves and a bowl of pickled veg (white cabbage and carrots).
I had the Teryaki Salmon kebab on a bed of white and brown rice with mixed pumpkin, sesame seeds and caramelised onions which I really enjoyed, it was filling without being heavy or greasy. The salmon was melt in the mouth and perfectly seasoned as to not over power the natural flavours.

I liked the choice of being able to select what your main is served with (rice, cous cous, chips or salad).

Although, we weren't drinking alcohol ourselves they had an alright mix of beers and wines available.

So with a couple of soft drinks and service, we paid about Â£35 and left feeling happily satisfied. Made a nice change from the normal quick offerings round town!

If I lived locally I would definitely use the take away service on offer also.

Favela Chic - original favela from ... Paris by OrsoFilippi

OrsoFilippi — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:23:05 +0000

Review by OrsoFilippi

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7613 5228

Website: http://www.favelachic.com

Tags: cool, brazilian, friendly

Favela Chic was created in PAris many years ago. I 've been there many times, alone, with friends, with a girlfriend, looking for tenderness or for fun... Everytimes it was great. Good wine, good mojitos and big lates of food ... And the music is inventive, funky, DJ-global-nostalgic-romantic-kinky-magic-and-so-and-so...After those night I went in an hotel (different each night I spent in PAris) that I found on http://www.hoosta.com,a website with fabulous addresses of hotels, not all expensive, but all unforgettables;Favela Chic was created in PAris many years ago. I 've been there many times, alone, with friends, with a girlfriend, looking for tenderness or for fun... Everytimes it was great. Good wine, good mojitos and big lates of food ... And the music is inventive, funky, DJ-global-nostalgic-romantic-kinky-magic-and-so-and-so...After those night I went in an hotel (different each night I spent in PAris) that I found on http://www.hoosta.com,a website with fabulous addresses of hotels, not all expensive, but all unforgettables;