Latest reviews in Oxford Circus, London, United Kingdom

The Green Man - used to be so great! Now, no longer :( by sflondongal

sflondongal — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:00:49 +0000

Review by sflondongal

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7479 7991

Tags: friendly, young professionals, traditional pub

This was my local for years - I loved it! A nice big pub, all good. New owners or new management mean the food quality has really gone down the hill - dreadful food now. And the last few times I have been there, there has been no soap in the women's bathroom, so I dread to imagine the female staff pulling pints and cooking food with unclean hands... yuck. One time no soap, OK, that's just bad luck. But four times? That's poor managment. It's Soho, so easy to find another pub nearby - avoid this one!This was my local for years - I loved it! A nice big pub, all good. New owners or new management mean the food quality has really gone down the hill - dreadful food now. And the last few times I have been there, there has been no soap in the women's bathroom, so I dread to imagine the female staff pulling pints and cooking food with unclean hands... yuck. One time no soap, OK, that's just bad luck. But four times? That's poor managment. It's Soho, so easy to find another pub nearby - avoid this one!

Wild Honey - Lovely little spot by Sami

Sami — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:39:15 +0000

Review by Sami

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7758 9160

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

Tags: french, good value, romantic

Went here last night with my flatmate and parents who were visiting from overseas - my parents are serious foodies and I wanted to find somewhere that would both appeal to myself and flatmate, and my parents.

The food was exceptional and I couldn't believe how well it was priced; it was cheap, considering how good our meals were. I had a beef tartare and a steak and the tarte tatin for dessert - unfortunately I don't remember what everyone else had as I was too busy eating my own dinner... but they were extremely pleased with their choices. My parents kept saying how much they liked it, which is always a good indication...

Lastly, the service was excellent; I find that service in this country can be lacking too often but our waiter was accommodating, helpful, and always available - even though the restaurant was packed.

Definitely, definitely recommended.Went here last night with my flatmate and parents who were visiting from overseas - my parents are serious foodies and I wanted to find somewhere that would both appeal to myself and flatmate, and my parents.

The food was exceptional and I couldn't believe how well it was priced; it was cheap, considering how good our meals were. I had a beef tartare and a steak and the tarte tatin for dessert - unfortunately I don't remember what everyone else had as I was too busy eating my own dinner... but they were extremely pleased with their choices. My parents kept saying how much they liked it, which is always a good indication...

Lastly, the service was excellent; I find that service in this country can be lacking too often but our waiter was accommodating, helpful, and always available - even though the restaurant was packed.

Definitely, definitely recommended.

Sacred Cafe - Great coffee a few steps from Regent St by pinotlover

pinotlover — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:22:26 +0000

Review by pinotlover

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 1415

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

Tags: cosy, quick bite, good brew

Why have Italians not discovered the flat white? This is the best way possible to do coffee with milk - a shot of espresso topped with textured, not frothed, milk.
Friendy service from mainly Kiwi staff and cosy ambience especially in the basement. For something different try the lolly cake... crushed malt biscuits and marshmallows bound together with butter and condensed milk and rolled in dried coconut. (tastes better than it sounds). Another Kiwi invention apparently.Why have Italians not discovered the flat white? This is the best way possible to do coffee with milk - a shot of espresso topped with textured, not frothed, milk.
Friendy service from mainly Kiwi staff and cosy ambience especially in the basement. For something different try the lolly cake... crushed malt biscuits and marshmallows bound together with butter and condensed milk and rolled in dried coconut. (tastes better than it sounds). Another Kiwi invention apparently.

Flat White - Service is Flat, But Coffee is More than Alwite by laissezfare

laissezfare — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:45:48 +0000

Review by laissezfare

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 0370

Website: http://www.flat-white.co.uk

Tags: amazing brew, quick bite, crowded

[This is part of a larger review of London coffee houses which can be found here: http://wp.me/pwXBH-or]

Although it is really a trek from my office to Flat White, Iâ¬"ve tried this Soho-based coffee house a number of times and almost think Iâ¬"ve walked into a funky little American coffee house on a college campus somewhere. There is always rock music on the radio, the staff sort of ignore you (at least me!) and I donâ¬"t really like the vibe all that much (itâ¬"s a bit up its own backside if you ask me), but the coffee drinks are pretty good. Here, I like the eponymous drink the best.[This is part of a larger review of London coffee houses which can be found here: http://wp.me/pwXBH-or]

Although it is really a trek from my office to Flat White, Iâ¬"ve tried this Soho-based coffee house a number of times and almost think Iâ¬"ve walked into a funky little American coffee house on a college campus somewhere. There is always rock music on the radio, the staff sort of ignore you (at least me!) and I donâ¬"t really like the vibe all that much (itâ¬"s a bit up its own backside if you ask me), but the coffee drinks are pretty good. Here, I like the eponymous drink the best.

Jerk City - I'll be back by ASMG

ASMG — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:37:44 +0000

Review by ASMG

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 2878

Tags: cheap eat, african & caribbean, quick bite

Relaxed Carribean cafÃ© within friendly staff and good food. Very good value.

The mutton roti was spicy and tender, just as it should be.Relaxed Carribean cafÃ© within friendly staff and good food. Very good value.

The mutton roti was spicy and tender, just as it should be.

St. Moritz Restaurant - wow - saddle of venison by chprime

chprime — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:44:22 +0000

Review by chprime

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7734 3324

Tags: family & home feel, expensive, good value

as it happens it seems to be Venison month at the St. Moritz restaurant and i was invited by a good friend for dinner to try the - as he put it 'very best venison dish ever' - - all i can say he did not lie - i want to have that saddle of vension everyday from now onwards....unfortunately the season only last during November but my friend said to try the cordon bleu next time which is as per Tom also world class. thanks Tomas it happens it seems to be Venison month at the St. Moritz restaurant and i was invited by a good friend for dinner to try the - as he put it 'very best venison dish ever' - - all i can say he did not lie - i want to have that saddle of vension everyday from now onwards....unfortunately the season only last during November but my friend said to try the cordon bleu next time which is as per Tom also world class. thanks Tom

Pho - by DylanDelivers

DylanDelivers — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:52:20 +0000

Review by DylanDelivers

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7436 0111

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

Tags: vietnamese, lively, good value

Utterly brilliant!! Love this place. So healthy, so tasty, so good.. The summer rolls are a definite every time, and the pho I mix up, it doesn't matter, they are all delicious.

Luckily, it doesn't take long to get served here, because you are salivating from the moment you walk in. Service is always good.

The great thing about Pho is that it focuses on a few things from Vietnamese cuisine, and does them extremely well. It's not a traditional Vietnamese restaurant with a massive menu. It is a pho cafe.

As for the noodle soups themselves - amazing. Bursting with flavours and aromas, and accompanied by a plate of fresh herbs to let you add the final hints to your suiting. A big inhalation, and then dive in...Utterly brilliant!! Love this place. So healthy, so tasty, so good.. The summer rolls are a definite every time, and the pho I mix up, it doesn't matter, they are all delicious.

Luckily, it doesn't take long to get served here, because you are salivating from the moment you walk in. Service is always good.

The great thing about Pho is that it focuses on a few things from Vietnamese cuisine, and does them extremely well. It's not a traditional Vietnamese restaurant with a massive menu. It is a pho cafe.

As for the noodle soups themselves - amazing. Bursting with flavours and aromas, and accompanied by a plate of fresh herbs to let you add the final hints to your suiting. A big inhalation, and then dive in...

Sketch Lecture Room & Library - sketch Lecture Room & Library � Gastronomic Theatr by laissezfare

laissezfare — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:22:26 +0000

Review by laissezfare

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 0870 777 4488

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

Tags: french, romantic, bar

[Non-Photo Review]

For full post (with pictures) see: http://wp.me/pwXBH-qk

Opening: Be transported into a surreal and magical world that is sealed off from the mundane trappings of the everyday world. You have ascended to the upper echelons of sketch, and you are here to be looked after. Let the food dazzle and delight; permit the grand surroundings mesmerize; allow your whims be catered for; and, most of all, enjoy every minute...because it donâ¬"t come cheap!

No ordinary townhouse

Let me preface this review by saying that I have been to sketch once before, so it wasnâ¬"t a complete shock to me when I walked in this time. One of our friends had somehow managed to secure one of the bars for her birthday drinks and Mrs. LF and I were introduced to the decadent, avant-garde madness that lies beyond this Georgian townhouseâ¬"s rather ordinary looking white facade. If youâ¬"ve never been and are planning to go, whichever part of sketch you decide to visit, do insist on visiting the bathrooms on the ground floor that lie through The Gallery dining room as they are certainly worth seeing.

Yes, sketch. A London institution that has somehow managed to retain its en vogue status since opening its doors six years ago, which is no mean feat given the constantly sprouting up competition. But we were not there to celebrity spot; we were there to eat some good food. And that meant stepping into the upper echelons of this mysterious and quirky little world. We were there for The Lecture Room and Library, the 1-starred Michelin dining room that is run under the close control of Pierre Gagnaire (who is apparently present every 4-6 weeks for a number of days), the acclaimed French chef whose iconoclastic modern fusion style of cooking seems rather well suited toward the raison dâ¬"Ãªtre of sketch.

No ordinary greeting

When we â¬Üchecked inâ¬" at the little reception desk, David, the tall and charmingly flamboyant Irish man who seemed to be in charge, became very animated when he learned we would be dining upstairs. He offered us a tour of the premises, to be carried out by his rather fetching assistant, but we opted to postpone this until the end of the evening. We also declined the offer of a cocktail in one of the downstairs bars as we had already had that pleasure at our friendâ¬"s birthday celebration. I should say that the cocktails at sketch are imaginative, fun and excellent â¬ but they are also probably the most expensive drinks Iâ¬"ve ever bought in a London bar. Mrs. LF told our host that weâ¬"d rather just go upstairs. He then informed us that, as we were the first guests to arrive, we could have the upstairs parlour to ourselves. Now that sounded like a plan.

While attempting to ascertain our knowledge of chef Gagnaire, he opened the roped-off stairs for us and with a grand gesture and bid us to follow him up the stairs. As we ascended, he informed us about all of the chefâ¬"s restaurants around the globe and gave us a potted biography of Mr. Gagnaire in his very pleasant but thoroughly OTT fashion. We noticed some of the intriguing artwork on the way up to our destination, and were indeed being made to feel like we were quite special guests at this most hoity-toity of establishments. But of course that felt very good.

When you reach the top of the stairs, there is a large doorway which remains sealed. Then, in his special way, our leader opened the vault, revealing what is probably the most striking dining room Iâ¬"ve ever had the pleasure of stepping foot into. Our photos, most other photos Iâ¬"ve seen, and even the professional video cameras from the recent episode of Masterchef: The Professionals simply donâ¬"t do the place justice. It is something to be seen in person, thatâ¬"s for sure. You really feel like youâ¬"ve entered an extremely exclusive and luxurious place that is sealed off from the rest of the world.

While Mrs. LF made her way back downstairs to powder her nose, I had the good fortune to meet the chef, Jean-Denis Le Bras, who recently took over the upstairs kitchen. He was very pleasant and clearly enthusiastic about his food. Upon her return, Mrs. LF and I walked through the main dining room (which I presumed to be the â¬ÜLecture Roomâ¬"), and the smaller ante-chamber (which I assumed to be the â¬ÜLibraryâ¬"), which led into a very beautiful little parlour area, replete with rich reds, fireplace and Moroccan style window hangings and light fixtures.

After downing my favorite sketch cocktail, whose name now escapes me but I think has something to do with Barry White, we were offered an array of canapÃ©s, which we decided to have in the parlour as it was so cosy and we were having such a nice time there.

Without going into laborious detail, it is suffice to say that this was a magnificent opening to our meal. Each element on the tray tasted every bit as good as it looked â¬ which is saying something â¬with the goatâ¬"s cheese tarts and yogurt with tandoori biscuits being our favourites. We already felt spoiled receiving an entire tray of canapÃ©s, and not just the usual little dainty plate with one or two morsels that you normally find in such high-end restaurants. 9/10.

After asking a lot of questions about the dishes on the main menu, and receiving very detailed answers from our waiter, we finally arrived at our decisions and it was time to finally make our way to the Lecture Room.

No ordinary meal

Our table in the main room was against one of the side walls and afforded us a great view of all the action. The first thing we noted was just how comfortable the well-cushioned chairs were. Once seated, they were quick in offering to place Mrs. LFâ¬"s bag on a little stool near our table so that it didnâ¬"t stoop to retire on the god-knows-how-much-this-costs-per-square-foot carpet.

Of the breads, we tasted the mini-baguettes, the white rolls and the brown chestnut rolls, all of which were very good, with the mini-baguettes standing out as the best with their crispy crusts and lovely chewiness. The butters were beautifully presented (see above), and we both loved the one with seaweed in particular given its slightly salty and rich umami flavor. 8/10.

Amuse bouche: Raw White Tuna, Cauliflower and Dried Bonito Cream & Salmon roe

The amuse bouche of tuna tartare was a very clever, refreshing and flavorsome dish, with all of the ingredients working together in concert. The clean taste of the raw fish was accentuated by salty salmon roe which was then toned down and rounded out by the bonito flakes which again possessed a lush umami flavor. The little chewy and crunchy pieces of cauliflower provided some much needed solid texture to offset the smoothness of the other ingredients. I really enjoyed this first â¬Üproperâ¬" course. 8/10.

Starter 1: Perfume of the Earth / Inspired by one of Pierre Gagnaireâ¬"s Favourite Perfumes 'Terre dâ¬"HermÃ¨s' (Â£39)

- Cocotte of Vegetables, Smoked Myrtle and Bay Laurel / Foie Gras Soup with Sarawak Pepper
- Chicory Fondue with Sake / Girolles Poached in Pig Jus / Culatello and Iberian Ham
- Almond Tart / White Beetroot PurÃ©e with Redcurrant / Red Beetroot Syrup / Purslane Salad
- FlambÃ© Reblochon with GÃ©nÃ©pi / Toast â¬STerre de Sienneâ¬ / Caramelised Black Olives (Mrs. LF substituted the Reblochon for Brillat-Savarin)

Mrs. LF said her cocotte of vegetables was light and delicious, apart from one vegetable, which could have been a turnip (but sheâ¬"s not sure), that didnâ¬"t have the sweetness of the other vegetables. 7/10.

Of the chicory fondue, she described it as a meaty and flavorsome dish with all the ingredients interacting beautifully together. 7/10.

The almond tart was â¬SInteresting in the way it looked and the way it tasted also. It tasted more like a dessert because of the white marzipan-tasting layer that enveloped the dish (not my favourite, but very different and unique for sure).â¬ 6/10.

The flambÃ© of Brillat-Savarin with gÃ©nÃ©pi was amazingly tasty as all of the ingredients used here came through somehowâ¬¦even the GÃ©nÃ©pi in a very subtle way. We were also so surprised and pleased to see gÃ©nÃ©pi on the menu as we love drinking in the alps at night after a hard day of skiing and had never seen it outside of the little region we normally go skiing in. 9/10.

Starter 2: Langoustines, Addressed in Five Ways (Â£44)

- Roasted in Chickpea Flour / Carrot Syrup and Chorizo
- Tartare / Hitcho Vodka Jelly / Sardinian Lemon Paste
- Spicy Jelly / Cockle MariniÃ¨re / Macco Artichoke Ice Cream
- Mousseline with Noilly Prat / Basmati Rice / Matcha Green Tea and Almond Paste Butter
- A la Plancha with Epine-Vinette and Lardo di Colonnata / Toast of Agria Potato

The most â¬Ünormalâ¬" of the langoustine quintuplets was arguably the best. It had been roasted beautifully and was still moist and succulent. It was resting on top of a deeply flavoured sauce, of which the strongest element was the chorizo (there were also chunks of the meat scattered around). The sausage made a surprisingly good companion to the langoustine and did not overpower the delicate, sweet flavor as I thought it might have. It was well seasoned, and I liked the addition of the thinly sliced chives on top. 9/10.

The tartare was probably my second-favorite dish and simply showed off the freshness of the crustacea. I donâ¬"t remember the vodka jelly, but I do remember the divine lemon paste, which was a perfect foil for the raw langoustine, and the crunchy slivers of cucumber also worked well. 8/10.

Although I did like all five of these mini-creations, my least favorite was probably the third one, which included a cockle mariniÃ¨re, although I did rather enjoy the artichoke ice cream. 6/10.

We were back on track with the little moussiline, which definitely had a subtle hint of vermouth, and went exceedingly well with the Japanese green tea soup, with the rice providing the necessary grip and bite. A mellow and subtle dish which I appreciated. 8/10.

Last up was a little sandwich of langoustine with some clever toast of extremely thin fried potato. The inherent sweetness of the langoustine was here matched with the quite sharp flavor of European barberries and the unctuousness of the little dabs of lard. 8/10.

What I loved about this starter was the sheer variety of ingredients â¬ both in terms of geography (from Italy to Japan) and typicity (alcohols to rarely used berries) â¬ and how they unearthed a variety of pleasing flavor duos (and trios) with the simple luxury of sweet langoustine. It was highly inventive, technically well cooked and thoroughly enjoyable.

Main Course 1: Pig (Â£32)

- Spanish Pork Fillet Marinated with Juniper
- Black Pudding and Rhubarb Ravioli
- Blackcurrant Sauce Diable / Thinly Sliced Turnips in Dark Beer

Of her trio of pork dishes, Mrs. LF reflected that the Spanish pork fillet had been perfectly cooked, and tasted exquisite. She felt that â¬SIt didnâ¬"t taste obviously porky, perhaps as it was accompanied with a reddish sauce and also marinated in juniper. Usually I have pork more with a white wine or white sauce. Anyway, the marinade gave an unusual twist to the pork, which I really liked.â¬ 8/10.

She said that the black pudding dish was â¬SQuite rich for my own personal taste, and I therefore appreciated the small portion as I couldnâ¬"t have stomached more than that. Having said that, if you are a black pudding lover, it is a perfect dish. The black pudding tasted great and suited its well-textured ravioli wrapping perfectly.â¬ 8/10.

Unfortunately, due to the amount of time that has elapsed since our visit and this review (and our lack of sufficient notes), neither of us can sufficiently recall the last dish (blackcurrant sauce diable and turnips) and therefore can provide no description/rating (shame on us!).

Main Course 2: Scallops & John Dory (Â£49)

- John Dory Fillet Poached in Citrus Butter / Paimpol Coco Bean VeloutÃ©
- John Dory Gravlax / Scallop Tartare with Gingerbread
- Oyster Hummus / Liebig Cucumber

I had opted for seafood again in my main course, which this time came on a trio of plates. The principal dish was my favorite. The fish had been skilfully poached and the butter flavor came through nicely. There was diced vegetal crunchiness and the unusual flavor of the white bean veloutÃ© was yet again another example of a rare ingredient (at least for me) providing a new flavor combination that worked well with the core element of the dish, the delicate and mildly flavored John Dory. 9/10.

I thought the prettiest plate by far was that of the raw fish. It didnâ¬"t pack that much of a flavor punch, although there was again evidence of Gagnaireâ¬"s hand in the use of three thin slices of crisp gingerbread underneath the fish and scallops, which I thought was a little stroke of genius. 7/10.

I must say that I am not an oyster person, having only had one or two in my life, and was sort of nervous about the last little dish. I went along with the waiterâ¬"s suggestion of swallowing it all in one go, and was actually pleasantly surprised. I think this was because the most dominant flavor by far was that of hummus. It was the familiar rich chickpea and a hint of cucumber that I could taste, and it was the slimy texture of the chewy oyster I could feel, so I managed to get through without too much pain. I would certainly like to learn to appreciate oysters, but as of now I am a total novice and just donâ¬"t get the fascination. 6/10.

Dessert: Nonette

- Saffron nonette with citrus and limoncello marmalade
- Traditional crÃ¨me caramel
- Confit grapefruit melon and watermelon

We were quite torn between a few of the dessert on the menu, but as we were feeling quite full by this point, we opted to split one of the lighter-sounding sweets. The nonette cake itself was the main component of the dessert. Although we were informed it was a traditional dessert from the Alsace region in France, it certainly did have its Middle Eastern influences with the main flavor elements being orange and saffron. The pain dâ¬"Ã©pice based cake was dense, sticky and packed with that sharp and sweet flavor of orange marmalade (here, more sweet than sharp), along with a subtle hint of saffron which was well infused throughout. It was okay, but didnâ¬"t knock our socks off. My favorite part of the dessert was actually the crÃ¨me caramel, which was excellent. It had the perfect consistency and very good depth of flavor. The citrus hit of the last pot was very refreshing and nice way to finish our last course. Overall, this was probably the weakest part of the meal, although we did shy away from some of the more ambitious sounding desserts and, given the renown of Gagnaireâ¬"s â¬ and his kitchenâ¬"s â¬ pastry skills (i.e. they make the good pastries at Fortnum & Mason), I am sure his Grand Dessert (at Â£27!) or his GÃ¢teau au Chocolat (Â£10) would have been mind-blowing. But our bellies were already blown and we just couldnâ¬"t stomach it. 6/10 for our little trio.

Petit Fours

- Dark chocolate with lemon syrup
- Blackcurrant and marzipan
- Turkish Delight with ginger

Saying that, thereâ¬"s always room for (some more) dessert. The little petit fours were all very nice and were given to us even though we didnâ¬"t order tea or coffee. The little chocolate discs and the dark chocolate with lemon syrup filling stand out as the best of the bunch in my memory.

No ordinary blue loo

I finally had my chance to nip off to the batrooms, and was eager to see what I might find inside (okay, that didnâ¬"t sound quite right). But given the insaneness of the sketchâ¬"s other toilets, I didnâ¬"t know what to expect. These were much more â¬Ünormalâ¬", except for the fact that they were black and neon blue, and that pretty[Non-Photo Review]

For full post (with pictures) see: http://wp.me/pwXBH-qk

Opening: Be transported into a surreal and magical world that is sealed off from the mundane trappings of the everyday world. You have ascended to the upper echelons of sketch, and you are here to be looked after. Let the food dazzle and delight; permit the grand surroundings mesmerize; allow your whims be catered for; and, most of all, enjoy every minute...because it donâ¬"t come cheap!

No ordinary townhouse

Let me preface this review by saying that I have been to sketch once before, so it wasnâ¬"t a complete shock to me when I walked in this time. One of our friends had somehow managed to secure one of the bars for her birthday drinks and Mrs. LF and I were introduced to the decadent, avant-garde madness that lies beyond this Georgian townhouseâ¬"s rather ordinary looking white facade. If youâ¬"ve never been and are planning to go, whichever part of sketch you decide to visit, do insist on visiting the bathrooms on the ground floor that lie through The Gallery dining room as they are certainly worth seeing.

Yes, sketch. A London institution that has somehow managed to retain its en vogue status since opening its doors six years ago, which is no mean feat given the constantly sprouting up competition. But we were not there to celebrity spot; we were there to eat some good food. And that meant stepping into the upper echelons of this mysterious and quirky little world. We were there for The Lecture Room and Library, the 1-starred Michelin dining room that is run under the close control of Pierre Gagnaire (who is apparently present every 4-6 weeks for a number of days), the acclaimed French chef whose iconoclastic modern fusion style of cooking seems rather well suited toward the raison dâ¬"Ãªtre of sketch.

No ordinary greeting

When we â¬Üchecked inâ¬" at the little reception desk, David, the tall and charmingly flamboyant Irish man who seemed to be in charge, became very animated when he learned we would be dining upstairs. He offered us a tour of the premises, to be carried out by his rather fetching assistant, but we opted to postpone this until the end of the evening. We also declined the offer of a cocktail in one of the downstairs bars as we had already had that pleasure at our friendâ¬"s birthday celebration. I should say that the cocktails at sketch are imaginative, fun and excellent â¬ but they are also probably the most expensive drinks Iâ¬"ve ever bought in a London bar. Mrs. LF told our host that weâ¬"d rather just go upstairs. He then informed us that, as we were the first guests to arrive, we could have the upstairs parlour to ourselves. Now that sounded like a plan.

While attempting to ascertain our knowledge of chef Gagnaire, he opened the roped-off stairs for us and with a grand gesture and bid us to follow him up the stairs. As we ascended, he informed us about all of the chefâ¬"s restaurants around the globe and gave us a potted biography of Mr. Gagnaire in his very pleasant but thoroughly OTT fashion. We noticed some of the intriguing artwork on the way up to our destination, and were indeed being made to feel like we were quite special guests at this most hoity-toity of establishments. But of course that felt very good.

When you reach the top of the stairs, there is a large doorway which remains sealed. Then, in his special way, our leader opened the vault, revealing what is probably the most striking dining room Iâ¬"ve ever had the pleasure of stepping foot into. Our photos, most other photos Iâ¬"ve seen, and even the professional video cameras from the recent episode of Masterchef: The Professionals simply donâ¬"t do the place justice. It is something to be seen in person, thatâ¬"s for sure. You really feel like youâ¬"ve entered an extremely exclusive and luxurious place that is sealed off from the rest of the world.

While Mrs. LF made her way back downstairs to powder her nose, I had the good fortune to meet the chef, Jean-Denis Le Bras, who recently took over the upstairs kitchen. He was very pleasant and clearly enthusiastic about his food. Upon her return, Mrs. LF and I walked through the main dining room (which I presumed to be the â¬ÜLecture Roomâ¬"), and the smaller ante-chamber (which I assumed to be the â¬ÜLibraryâ¬"), which led into a very beautiful little parlour area, replete with rich reds, fireplace and Moroccan style window hangings and light fixtures.

After downing my favorite sketch cocktail, whose name now escapes me but I think has something to do with Barry White, we were offered an array of canapÃ©s, which we decided to have in the parlour as it was so cosy and we were having such a nice time there.

Without going into laborious detail, it is suffice to say that this was a magnificent opening to our meal. Each element on the tray tasted every bit as good as it looked â¬ which is saying something â¬with the goatâ¬"s cheese tarts and yogurt with tandoori biscuits being our favourites. We already felt spoiled receiving an entire tray of canapÃ©s, and not just the usual little dainty plate with one or two morsels that you normally find in such high-end restaurants. 9/10.

After asking a lot of questions about the dishes on the main menu, and receiving very detailed answers from our waiter, we finally arrived at our decisions and it was time to finally make our way to the Lecture Room.

No ordinary meal

Our table in the main room was against one of the side walls and afforded us a great view of all the action. The first thing we noted was just how comfortable the well-cushioned chairs were. Once seated, they were quick in offering to place Mrs. LFâ¬"s bag on a little stool near our table so that it didnâ¬"t stoop to retire on the god-knows-how-much-this-costs-per-square-foot carpet.

Of the breads, we tasted the mini-baguettes, the white rolls and the brown chestnut rolls, all of which were very good, with the mini-baguettes standing out as the best with their crispy crusts and lovely chewiness. The butters were beautifully presented (see above), and we both loved the one with seaweed in particular given its slightly salty and rich umami flavor. 8/10.

Amuse bouche: Raw White Tuna, Cauliflower and Dried Bonito Cream & Salmon roe

The amuse bouche of tuna tartare was a very clever, refreshing and flavorsome dish, with all of the ingredients working together in concert. The clean taste of the raw fish was accentuated by salty salmon roe which was then toned down and rounded out by the bonito flakes which again possessed a lush umami flavor. The little chewy and crunchy pieces of cauliflower provided some much needed solid texture to offset the smoothness of the other ingredients. I really enjoyed this first â¬Üproperâ¬" course. 8/10.

Starter 1: Perfume of the Earth / Inspired by one of Pierre Gagnaireâ¬"s Favourite Perfumes 'Terre dâ¬"HermÃ¨s' (Â£39)

- Cocotte of Vegetables, Smoked Myrtle and Bay Laurel / Foie Gras Soup with Sarawak Pepper
- Chicory Fondue with Sake / Girolles Poached in Pig Jus / Culatello and Iberian Ham
- Almond Tart / White Beetroot PurÃ©e with Redcurrant / Red Beetroot Syrup / Purslane Salad
- FlambÃ© Reblochon with GÃ©nÃ©pi / Toast â¬STerre de Sienneâ¬ / Caramelised Black Olives (Mrs. LF substituted the Reblochon for Brillat-Savarin)

Mrs. LF said her cocotte of vegetables was light and delicious, apart from one vegetable, which could have been a turnip (but sheâ¬"s not sure), that didnâ¬"t have the sweetness of the other vegetables. 7/10.

Of the chicory fondue, she described it as a meaty and flavorsome dish with all the ingredients interacting beautifully together. 7/10.

The almond tart was â¬SInteresting in the way it looked and the way it tasted also. It tasted more like a dessert because of the white marzipan-tasting layer that enveloped the dish (not my favourite, but very different and unique for sure).â¬ 6/10.

The flambÃ© of Brillat-Savarin with gÃ©nÃ©pi was amazingly tasty as all of the ingredients used here came through somehowâ¬¦even the GÃ©nÃ©pi in a very subtle way. We were also so surprised and pleased to see gÃ©nÃ©pi on the menu as we love drinking in the alps at night after a hard day of skiing and had never seen it outside of the little region we normally go skiing in. 9/10.

Starter 2: Langoustines, Addressed in Five Ways (Â£44)

- Roasted in Chickpea Flour / Carrot Syrup and Chorizo
- Tartare / Hitcho Vodka Jelly / Sardinian Lemon Paste
- Spicy Jelly / Cockle MariniÃ¨re / Macco Artichoke Ice Cream
- Mousseline with Noilly Prat / Basmati Rice / Matcha Green Tea and Almond Paste Butter
- A la Plancha with Epine-Vinette and Lardo di Colonnata / Toast of Agria Potato

The most â¬Ünormalâ¬" of the langoustine quintuplets was arguably the best. It had been roasted beautifully and was still moist and succulent. It was resting on top of a deeply flavoured sauce, of which the strongest element was the chorizo (there were also chunks of the meat scattered around). The sausage made a surprisingly good companion to the langoustine and did not overpower the delicate, sweet flavor as I thought it might have. It was well seasoned, and I liked the addition of the thinly sliced chives on top. 9/10.

The tartare was probably my second-favorite dish and simply showed off the freshness of the crustacea. I donâ¬"t remember the vodka jelly, but I do remember the divine lemon paste, which was a perfect foil for the raw langoustine, and the crunchy slivers of cucumber also worked well. 8/10.

Although I did like all five of these mini-creations, my least favorite was probably the third one, which included a cockle mariniÃ¨re, although I did rather enjoy the artichoke ice cream. 6/10.

We were back on track with the little moussiline, which definitely had a subtle hint of vermouth, and went exceedingly well with the Japanese green tea soup, with the rice providing the necessary grip and bite. A mellow and subtle dish which I appreciated. 8/10.

Last up was a little sandwich of langoustine with some clever toast of extremely thin fried potato. The inherent sweetness of the langoustine was here matched with the quite sharp flavor of European barberries and the unctuousness of the little dabs of lard. 8/10.

What I loved about this starter was the sheer variety of ingredients â¬ both in terms of geography (from Italy to Japan) and typicity (alcohols to rarely used berries) â¬ and how they unearthed a variety of pleasing flavor duos (and trios) with the simple luxury of sweet langoustine. It was highly inventive, technically well cooked and thoroughly enjoyable.

Main Course 1: Pig (Â£32)

- Spanish Pork Fillet Marinated with Juniper
- Black Pudding and Rhubarb Ravioli
- Blackcurrant Sauce Diable / Thinly Sliced Turnips in Dark Beer

Of her trio of pork dishes, Mrs. LF reflected that the Spanish pork fillet had been perfectly cooked, and tasted exquisite. She felt that â¬SIt didnâ¬"t taste obviously porky, perhaps as it was accompanied with a reddish sauce and also marinated in juniper. Usually I have pork more with a white wine or white sauce. Anyway, the marinade gave an unusual twist to the pork, which I really liked.â¬ 8/10.

She said that the black pudding dish was â¬SQuite rich for my own personal taste, and I therefore appreciated the small portion as I couldnâ¬"t have stomached more than that. Having said that, if you are a black pudding lover, it is a perfect dish. The black pudding tasted great and suited its well-textured ravioli wrapping perfectly.â¬ 8/10.

Unfortunately, due to the amount of time that has elapsed since our visit and this review (and our lack of sufficient notes), neither of us can sufficiently recall the last dish (blackcurrant sauce diable and turnips) and therefore can provide no description/rating (shame on us!).

Main Course 2: Scallops & John Dory (Â£49)

- John Dory Fillet Poached in Citrus Butter / Paimpol Coco Bean VeloutÃ©
- John Dory Gravlax / Scallop Tartare with Gingerbread
- Oyster Hummus / Liebig Cucumber

I had opted for seafood again in my main course, which this time came on a trio of plates. The principal dish was my favorite. The fish had been skilfully poached and the butter flavor came through nicely. There was diced vegetal crunchiness and the unusual flavor of the white bean veloutÃ© was yet again another example of a rare ingredient (at least for me) providing a new flavor combination that worked well with the core element of the dish, the delicate and mildly flavored John Dory. 9/10.

I thought the prettiest plate by far was that of the raw fish. It didnâ¬"t pack that much of a flavor punch, although there was again evidence of Gagnaireâ¬"s hand in the use of three thin slices of crisp gingerbread underneath the fish and scallops, which I thought was a little stroke of genius. 7/10.

I must say that I am not an oyster person, having only had one or two in my life, and was sort of nervous about the last little dish. I went along with the waiterâ¬"s suggestion of swallowing it all in one go, and was actually pleasantly surprised. I think this was because the most dominant flavor by far was that of hummus. It was the familiar rich chickpea and a hint of cucumber that I could taste, and it was the slimy texture of the chewy oyster I could feel, so I managed to get through without too much pain. I would certainly like to learn to appreciate oysters, but as of now I am a total novice and just donâ¬"t get the fascination. 6/10.

Dessert: Nonette

- Saffron nonette with citrus and limoncello marmalade
- Traditional crÃ¨me caramel
- Confit grapefruit melon and watermelon

We were quite torn between a few of the dessert on the menu, but as we were feeling quite full by this point, we opted to split one of the lighter-sounding sweets. The nonette cake itself was the main component of the dessert. Although we were informed it was a traditional dessert from the Alsace region in France, it certainly did have its Middle Eastern influences with the main flavor elements being orange and saffron. The pain dâ¬"Ã©pice based cake was dense, sticky and packed with that sharp and sweet flavor of orange marmalade (here, more sweet than sharp), along with a subtle hint of saffron which was well infused throughout. It was okay, but didnâ¬"t knock our socks off. My favorite part of the dessert was actually the crÃ¨me caramel, which was excellent. It had the perfect consistency and very good depth of flavor. The citrus hit of the last pot was very refreshing and nice way to finish our last course. Overall, this was probably the weakest part of the meal, although we did shy away from some of the more ambitious sounding desserts and, given the renown of Gagnaireâ¬"s â¬ and his kitchenâ¬"s â¬ pastry skills (i.e. they make the good pastries at Fortnum & Mason), I am sure his Grand Dessert (at Â£27!) or his GÃ¢teau au Chocolat (Â£10) would have been mind-blowing. But our bellies were already blown and we just couldnâ¬"t stomach it. 6/10 for our little trio.

Petit Fours

- Dark chocolate with lemon syrup
- Blackcurrant and marzipan
- Turkish Delight with ginger

Saying that, thereâ¬"s always room for (some more) dessert. The little petit fours were all very nice and were given to us even though we didnâ¬"t order tea or coffee. The little chocolate discs and the dark chocolate with lemon syrup filling stand out as the best of the bunch in my memory.

No ordinary blue loo

I finally had my chance to nip off to the bathrooms, and was eager to see what I might find inside (okay, that didnâ¬"t sound quite right). But given the insaneness of the sketchâ¬"s other toilets, I didnâ¬"t know what to expect. These were much more â¬Ünormalâ¬", except for the fact that they were black and neon blue, and that pretty

Rasa - Something a little different by foxie

foxie — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:06:29 +0000

Review by foxie

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7629 1346

Website: http://www.rasarestaurants.com

Tags: indian, good value, different

We had never eaten this particular kind of Indian food and so relied very heavily on our waiter for advice and suggestions, which turned out to be just the thing. The four of us ended up with a range of dishes to share - one fish, one chicken, one lentil and one lamb - which were all full of flavour and with a good kick of spice. Not so much you start to sweat, but enough that it knocks your tastebuds into high gear. Vegetarians are very well catered for, with almost an entire menu to themselves. We weren't quite hungry enough for their feasts, but next time we may go for it.We had never eaten this particular kind of Indian food and so relied very heavily on our waiter for advice and suggestions, which turned out to be just the thing. The four of us ended up with a range of dishes to share - one fish, one chicken, one lentil and one lamb - which were all full of flavour and with a good kick of spice. Not so much you start to sweat, but enough that it knocks your tastebuds into high gear. Vegetarians are very well catered for, with almost an entire menu to themselves. We weren't quite hungry enough for their feasts, but next time we may go for it.

Madame JoJo's - Nice by Rebella

Rebella — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:18:39 +0000

Review by Rebella

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 3040

Website: http://www.madamejojos.com

Tags: live music, cool, friendly

Interesting, good to try.Interesting, good to try.

The Escape - Bad Experience by david1london

david1london — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Review by david1london

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7734 2626

Website: http://www.kudosgroup.com

Tags: traditional english

Go to this venue only if you wish to be treated homophobically by the door staff! A regular visitor to this venue for almost 10 years & I was pretty disgusted to be subjected to homophobic behaviour from a member of the door staff. On entry I was asked if I new what this venue was. I was let in & thanked the door man but made the mistake of patting this guy on the shoulder to which he responded "just do not try to f@~#g touch me" When I later made a complaint to the manager the door man fabricated a story accusing me of trying to touch him sexually. The manager behaved defensively & never apologised whilst the security guy just laughed in my face.
Big shame about the situation as I've always rated this venue & have always had a good time there but homophobic door staff & managers who reinforce their behaviour make it no longer a venue I would visit again or recommend.Go to this venue only if you wish to be treated homophobically by the door staff! A regular visitor to this venue for almost 10 years & I was pretty disgusted to be subjected to homophobic behaviour from a member of the door staff. On entry I was asked if I new what this venue was. I was let in & thanked the door man but made the mistake of patting this guy on the shoulder to which he responded "just do not try to f@~#g touch me" When I later made a complaint to the manager the door man fabricated a story accusing me of trying to touch him sexually. The manager behaved defensively & never apologised whilst the security guy just laughed in my face.
Big shame about the situation as I've always rated this venue & have always had a good time there but homophobic door staff & managers who reinforce their behaviour make it no longer a venue I would visit again or recommend.

Absolut Icebar - It's an ice bar by paolaenergya

paolaenergya — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:28:47 +0000

Review by paolaenergya

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7287 9192

Website: http://www.belowzerolondon.com

Tags: sexy, cool & smart, cool

Oh yes it's a nice bar. Oh yes it's an ice bar. The end.
No, seriously, this is a nice little place to bring your friends visiting London, I've never been even if I live in London so I thought it would be a fun thing to do, and fun it was.
I agree with other reviewers that the waiters were rude: a lady shouting instructions about gloves being attached to our robes; a girl serving free top ups to her friends while ignoring me and my friend waiting to be served.
But who cares, we stayed there for 20 mins as we were done after the initial novelty factor - a couple was snogging nearby (I never knew that ice ignited passion).
Took pictures, had a laugh, and went for a lovely meal at Momo's next door.Oh yes it's a nice bar. Oh yes it's an ice bar. The end.
No, seriously, this is a nice little place to bring your friends visiting London, I've never been even if I live in London so I thought it would be a fun thing to do, and fun it was.
I agree with other reviewers that the waiters were rude: a lady shouting instructions about gloves being attached to our robes; a girl serving free top ups to her friends while ignoring me and my friend waiting to be served.
But who cares, we stayed there for 20 mins as we were done after the initial novelty factor - a couple was snogging nearby (I never knew that ice ignited passion).
Took pictures, had a laugh, and went for a lovely meal at Momo's next door.

Herbie Frogg - OK Clothes, Dreadful Service by josephkelly

josephkelly — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:41:41 +0000

Review by josephkelly

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7734 4206

Jermyn Street is home to many great shops to buy men's clothing, so there is a lot of competition. I have visited Herbie Frogg a few times and I consistently received poor service. It is unfortunate because some of the clothes are acceptable, particularly for the price. However, it is not worth a visit given the poor treatment from staff (they are out-of-date, rude and unprofessional) you are likely to receive, which is likely why they now have signs indicating they are closing down... let's hope a better shop takes its place.Jermyn Street is home to many great shops to buy men's clothing, so there is a lot of competition. I have visited Herbie Frogg a few times and I consistently received poor service. It is unfortunate because some of the clothes are acceptable, particularly for the price. However, it is not worth a visit given the poor treatment from staff (they are out-of-date, rude and unprofessional) you are likely to receive, which is likely why they now have signs indicating they are closing down... let's hope a better shop takes its place.

The Breakfast Club - it is a nice place by xiaodonggua

xiaodonggua — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:49:50 +0000

Review by xiaodonggua

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7434 2571

Website: http://www.thebreakfastclubsoho.com

Tags: cosy, quick bite, good brew

that is okthat is ok

Tossed Salad Bar - Disorganised mess by emmanx

emmanx — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:13:24 +0000

Review by emmanx

Rating: 3.00

Tags: crowded, business, cheap eat

Just started working in the area a couple of weeks ago and already had two very dissapointing visits to Tossed on St. Martin's lane. The first time I happened to be helped by someone who had just started so I decided to be forgiving and give the place a second go. Mistake.

The salad bar staff have no specific work area so they just run around getting in each other's way. My server gave me lip because I asked for a wrap but didn't have a base salad in my hands. Apparently, a wrap without a tonne of lettuce is weird. After he put the ingredients in a bowl he passed it on to someone else who had no idea what they were doing - the process was about 15 minutes, bit much for someone on their lunchbreak run

I got bored of watching her so I walked over to the till waiting for my food. I got harrassed to pay before I received it, which I refused. Result? Dirty look.

After she finally managed to finish my wrap, she handed it over to someone else, who gave it to another customer who was waiting for another wrap. By the time I caught on, she walked off with it. At that point, I left and I will NEVER go back. Boo hiss.

AfterJust started working in the area a couple of weeks ago and already had two very dissapointing visits to Tossed on St. Martin's lane. The first time I happened to be helped by someone who had just started so I decided to be forgiving and give the place a second go. Mistake.

The salad bar staff have no specific work area so they just run around getting in each other's way. My server gave me lip because I asked for a wrap but didn't have a base salad in my hands. Apparently, a wrap without a tonne of lettuce is weird. After he put the ingredients in a bowl he passed it on to someone else who had no idea what they were doing - the process was about 15 minutes, bit much for someone on their lunchbreak run

I got bored of watching her so I walked over to the till waiting for my food. I got harrassed to pay before I received it, which I refused. Result? Dirty look.

After she finally managed to finish my wrap, she handed it over to someone else, who gave it to another customer who was waiting for another wrap. By the time I caught on, she walked off with it. At that point, I left and I will NEVER go back. Boo hiss.

After

H.K Diner Restaurant - by liangliang

liangliang — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:47:33 +0000

Review by liangliang

Rating: 5.00

Tags: lively, malaysian, vegetarian

have gone thee twice , excellenthave gone thee twice , excellent

Ping Pong Dim Sum - Dim Sum when you want it by chrisp

chrisp — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:46:40 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7851 6969

Website: http://www.pingpongdimsum.com

Tags: chinese, lively, crowded

Before we go any further, Full Disclosure. I didn't pay for this meal. I was invited by the PR lady to try their new Autumn menu after I made some (unprompted) positive comments about it on Twitter, and of course I was happy to accept. But believe me or not, I have always had a soft spot for Ping Pong. Whether or not the traditionalists like it, dim sum lends itself extraordinarily well to post-pub dining, and although Yauatcha was probably the first place to promote the peculiar idea of serving food when the customers might want to eat it rather than when the restaurant decides is convenient for them, the raft of mini-chains that have followed in its wake (including Dim T) have proved that it's not that peculiar an idea after all.

When you think about it, it's obvious. A group of friends, some more hungry than others, some more drunk than others, some leaving early, some arriving late. Imagine trying to make a booking at a restaurant in Soho last-minute - "Yeah, between two and twenty of us, some not eating, some not drinking either. We'll be there any time in the next four hours." Not going to happen is it. But here stands Ping Pong: vast, reasonably priced and welcoming. Sure, you'll have to queue in busy periods, and it can get quite boisterous later in the evening, but for a reliably fun place to share food, sip fruity cocktails and not completely drain that month's budget, I can hardly think of anywhere more suitable.

We started small, with nibbles of Sichuan pork cracklings (not very Sichuan-y - in fact they tasted just like your average pub pork scratchings, albeit served with a really lovely chilli oil) and tamarind prawn crackers (the tamarind sauce was lovely and sharp, and the crackers themselves looked pleasingly rustic) while we supped on our largely successful house cocktails (my lychee martini was pretty good, although the Earl Grey julep was odd).

Seafood puff was a little low on filling, but what was there was tasty. The mooli and spring onion puff is described on the menu as containing 'a hint of garlic' but was so overwhelmingly garlicky it almost drowned any other flavours. Slices of smoked duck were a bit flabby but full of smoky flavour, and one of the new dishes, 'Beggar's Chicken' looked the part and tasted great with its sharp hoi sin dressing.

I won't detail everything we ate - you've probably had enough of the blow-by-blow style after El Bulli and the Sportsman - but some highlights were the char sui buns, usually a good measure of a dim sum restaurant and which passed that test perfectly, being light and gooey and with a great tasting sweet pork filling. The seafood dumplings also tasted as good as they looked, folded into a cute tortellini shape and stuffed full of sweet prawns and scallops. Unfortunately I didn't think much of the honey-glazed spare ribs, which looked a bit over-marinated and bedraggled, and although the crispy prawn balls looked spectacular in their nest of deep-fried egg pastry, there was simply too much grease for me to wade through to find the prawns.

Desserts, so often an afterthought in Chinese restaurants, were surprisingly good. Admittedly had I been paying I probably would never had ordered them, but the mango pudding was lovely and fresh tasting - straightforward but deliberately so - and the "Ping Pong Delights" (which I'm told are also known as mochi) were great fun, with a spongy pastry coating three radically different flavours of ice cream. We particularly enjoyed the vanilla and mango with a quite unexpected chilli heat. Only the chocolate and wasabi mousse was a bit of a let-down, the fiery horseradish sitting very uneasily with the sweet chocolate.

If you've ever been out in Soho or Oxford Circus and been looking for somewhere to eat, chances are you've already found Ping Pong and none of this is news to you. And in fact they seem to have struck a chord with Londoners at large, judging by the alarming growth rate of what was once a mini-chain - there are now twelve branches. Ping Pong is a fine example of the way London can enthusiastically adopt a cuisine from another country and twist it just subtly enough to meet its own local needs. No, it's not strictly "traditional" to eat dim sum in the evening, but this is after all London, not Hong Kong. We do things differently here.Before we go any further, Full Disclosure. I didn't pay for this meal. I was invited by the PR lady to try their new Autumn menu after I made some (unprompted) positive comments about it on Twitter, and of course I was happy to accept. But believe me or not, I have always had a soft spot for Ping Pong. Whether or not the traditionalists like it, dim sum lends itself extraordinarily well to post-pub dining, and although Yauatcha was probably the first place to promote the peculiar idea of serving food when the customers might want to eat it rather than when the restaurant decides is convenient for them, the raft of mini-chains that have followed in its wake (including Dim T) have proved that it's not that peculiar an idea after all.

When you think about it, it's obvious. A group of friends, some more hungry than others, some more drunk than others, some leaving early, some arriving late. Imagine trying to make a booking at a restaurant in Soho last-minute - "Yeah, between two and twenty of us, some not eating, some not drinking either. We'll be there any time in the next four hours." Not going to happen is it. But here stands Ping Pong: vast, reasonably priced and welcoming. Sure, you'll have to queue in busy periods, and it can get quite boisterous later in the evening, but for a reliably fun place to share food, sip fruity cocktails and not completely drain that month's budget, I can hardly think of anywhere more suitable.

We started small, with nibbles of Sichuan pork cracklings (not very Sichuan-y - in fact they tasted just like your average pub pork scratchings, albeit served with a really lovely chilli oil) and tamarind prawn crackers (the tamarind sauce was lovely and sharp, and the crackers themselves looked pleasingly rustic) while we supped on our largely successful house cocktails (my lychee martini was pretty good, although the Earl Grey julep was odd).

Seafood puff was a little low on filling, but what was there was tasty. The mooli and spring onion puff is described on the menu as containing 'a hint of garlic' but was so overwhelmingly garlicky it almost drowned any other flavours. Slices of smoked duck were a bit flabby but full of smoky flavour, and one of the new dishes, 'Beggar's Chicken' looked the part and tasted great with its sharp hoi sin dressing.

I won't detail everything we ate - you've probably had enough of the blow-by-blow style after El Bulli and the Sportsman - but some highlights were the char sui buns, usually a good measure of a dim sum restaurant and which passed that test perfectly, being light and gooey and with a great tasting sweet pork filling. The seafood dumplings also tasted as good as they looked, folded into a cute tortellini shape and stuffed full of sweet prawns and scallops. Unfortunately I didn't think much of the honey-glazed spare ribs, which looked a bit over-marinated and bedraggled, and although the crispy prawn balls looked spectacular in their nest of deep-fried egg pastry, there was simply too much grease for me to wade through to find the prawns.

Desserts, so often an afterthought in Chinese restaurants, were surprisingly good. Admittedly had I been paying I probably would never had ordered them, but the mango pudding was lovely and fresh tasting - straightforward but deliberately so - and the "Ping Pong Delights" (which I'm told are also known as mochi) were great fun, with a spongy pastry coating three radically different flavours of ice cream. We particularly enjoyed the vanilla and mango with a quite unexpected chilli heat. Only the chocolate and wasabi mousse was a bit of a let-down, the fiery horseradish sitting very uneasily with the sweet chocolate.

If you've ever been out in Soho or Oxford Circus and been looking for somewhere to eat, chances are you've already found Ping Pong and none of this is news to you. And in fact they seem to have struck a chord with Londoners at large, judging by the alarming growth rate of what was once a mini-chain - there are now twelve branches. Ping Pong is a fine example of the way London can enthusiastically adopt a cuisine from another country and twist it just subtly enough to meet its own local needs. No, it's not strictly "traditional" to eat dim sum in the evening, but this is after all London, not Hong Kong. We do things differently here.

Ten Ten Tei - A cosy place for authentic Japanese by m1esk

m1esk — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:18:32 +0000

Review by m1esk

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 1738

Tags: japanese, good value, crowded

The style is authentic and the price is right. The soba is recommended and also the tempura is excellent. The teriyaki beef was a little disappointing: the meat wasn't tender enough although the sauce was good. Sushi/nigiri is not a strong point here: the rice is sometimes too hard.

Served by Japanese waitress: helpful and with typical Japanese smile.

Larger tables are available in the basement that can accommodate a party of eight. The decors are down-to-earth Japanese which appears warm and cosy.The style is authentic and the price is right. The soba is recommended and also the tempura is excellent. The teriyaki beef was a little disappointing: the meat wasn't tender enough although the sauce was good. Sushi/nigiri is not a strong point here: the rice is sometimes too hard.

Served by Japanese waitress: helpful and with typical Japanese smile.

Larger tables are available in the basement that can accommodate a party of eight. The decors are down-to-earth Japanese which appears warm and cosy.

The Fitzroy Patisserie - Avoid this place by jmd

jmd — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:18:50 +0000

Review by jmd

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7388 7928

Tags: cafe

The most ridiculously over priced cafe in the area. Â£5 for toast & coffee ! Cheap & nasty ingredients & sour service at the tills. Plenty of much better places on the surrounding side streetsThe most ridiculously over priced cafe in the area. Â£5 for toast & coffee ! Cheap & nasty ingredients & sour service at the tills. Plenty of much better places on the surrounding side streets

Milk And Honey - You must try the salt-rubbed lamb chops by sokratis

sokratis — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:00:01 +0000

Review by sokratis

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7565 1620

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

Tags: jazz, dark, cocktails

It's not usual to give five overall stars and five for food, service and ambience, but it's hard not to with Milk & Honey.

Let's begin from the end â¬ Ambience. Milk & Honey has this magical quality of removing you completely from noisy Soho and London in general. You feel youâ¬"ve stepped back in time to a different place, solely dedicated to you enjoying some of Londonâ¬"s best cocktails, in cosy company, whether it is with friends or a date (Iâ¬"d really recommend it if youâ¬"re going on a first date and are looking to impress, without risking something swanky or pretentious). Dark lighting, jazz that has the right balance between adding energy to the room and blending in the background and really comfortable booths for a group of up to 6.

Service. Exceptional in a word. The waiters know the menu very well and will happily recommend something if you cannot decide. Just tell them roughly what youâ¬"re after and you want be disappointed. The staff at the door is very friendly, making you feel welcome and comfortable from the start. This is the same on the phone. Milk and Honey is a members club, but anyone can reserve a table by calling before 5pm. They will do their best to help you.

Finally food. I hadnâ¬"t tried it in my previous visits, but I was blown away by its quality last time I went. Remember that weâ¬"re talking about bar snacks here, but the salt-rubbed lamb chops are right up there with the best Iâ¬"ve tried. There were other memorable mentions Iâ¬"m sure, but the quality of those chops was so high that Iâ¬"m struggling to remember the other things (we had started quite early that day). I do remember that everything was really good, with only the portions of chips feeling a bit small and not spectacular.

So there you have it. One of central Londonâ¬"s and Sohoâ¬"s finest hidden gems with amazing cocktails that stays open late (4am if youâ¬"re a member) and a place youâ¬"ll equally enjoy with friends or more romantic encounters. The last part applies if you go on a date. This is not the place to pick someone up and house rules strongly discourage male punters from approaching ladies. The reverse does not apply, so you never know...you may still get lucky. Unlikely though, so just go to enjoy the atmosphere, drink and food.
It's not usual to give five overall stars and five for food, service and ambience, but it's hard not to with Milk & Honey.

Let's begin from the end â¬ Ambience. Milk & Honey has this magical quality of removing you completely from noisy Soho and London in general. You feel youâ¬"ve stepped back in time to a different place, solely dedicated to you enjoying some of Londonâ¬"s best cocktails, in cosy company, whether it is with friends or a date (Iâ¬"d really recommend it if youâ¬"re going on a first date and are looking to impress, without risking something swanky or pretentious). Dark lighting, jazz that has the right balance between adding energy to the room and blending in the background and really comfortable booths for a group of up to 6.

Service. Exceptional in a word. The waiters know the menu very well and will happily recommend something if you cannot decide. Just tell them roughly what youâ¬"re after and you want be disappointed. The staff at the door is very friendly, making you feel welcome and comfortable from the start. This is the same on the phone. Milk and Honey is a members club, but anyone can reserve a table by calling before 5pm. They will do their best to help you.

Finally food. I hadnâ¬"t tried it in my previous visits, but I was blown away by its quality last time I went. Remember that weâ¬"re talking about bar snacks here, but the salt-rubbed lamb chops are right up there with the best Iâ¬"ve tried. There were other memorable mentions Iâ¬"m sure, but the quality of those chops was so high that Iâ¬"m struggling to remember the other things (we had started quite early that day). I do remember that everything was really good, with only the portions of chips feeling a bit small and not spectacular.

So there you have it. One of central Londonâ¬"s and Sohoâ¬"s finest hidden gems with amazing cocktails that stays open late (4am if youâ¬"re a member) and a place youâ¬"ll equally enjoy with friends or more romantic encounters. The last part applies if you go on a date. This is not the place to pick someone up and house rules strongly discourage male punters from approaching ladies. The reverse does not apply, so you never know...you may still get lucky. Unlikely though, so just go to enjoy the atmosphere, drink and food.