Latest reviews for Restaurants in Paddington, London, United Kingdom

Standard Indian Restaurant - Very good by dk143

dk143 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:13:17 +0000

Review by dk143

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7727 4818

This is a nice restaurant in a good location in the heart of london. The waiters' service is very good indeed and the food did not take too long to come out. The starter was of was ok standard but the main courses were really nice indeed. The decor in the place was really nice and the music they played was really nice too. You can park in the side street free of charge, or outside the restaurant for a small charge. I can't remember exactly how much it cost. It has a big function room that can probably hold fifty people. I would give this place eight out of ten and would recommend it highly.This is a nice restaurant in a good location in the heart of london. The waiters' service is very good indeed and the food did not take too long to come out. The starter was of was ok standard but the main courses were really nice indeed. The decor in the place was really nice and the music they played was really nice too. You can park in the side street free of charge, or outside the restaurant for a small charge. I can't remember exactly how much it cost. It has a big function room that can probably hold fifty people. I would give this place eight out of ten and would recommend it highly.

Rosa's Dining Room - This place sums up Notting Hill by murraywellsjn

murraywellsjn — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:30:58 +0000

Review by murraywellsjn

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7221 5329

Tags: friendly, british, relaxed

This is one of my favorite restaurants. Living in NH for a while this restaurant stands for everything I like about the area: friendly people, cultural and social diversity, unpretensciousness, and homely chilled-out surroundings. Add to this, the food is very good - the Chicken pie is the best on the menu -seriously, and the service is awesome.This is one of my favorite restaurants. Living in NH for a while this restaurant stands for everything I like about the area: friendly people, cultural and social diversity, unpretensciousness, and homely chilled-out surroundings. Add to this, the food is very good - the Chicken pie is the best on the menu -seriously, and the service is awesome.

Bombay Palace - Great indian food by 263481

263481 — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:43:11 +0000

Review by 263481

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7723 8855

Website: http://www.bombay-palace.com

Tags: indian, expensive, takeaway

I have been to many indian restaurants and by far this is trully one of the best three. The Baby leg of lamb is amazing. I believe they are one of the very few indian restaurants that serve Indian food the way it is meant to be served.I have been to many indian restaurants and by far this is trully one of the best three. The Baby leg of lamb is amazing. I believe they are one of the very few indian restaurants that serve Indian food the way it is meant to be served.

Alounak - Authentic Persian Cuisine by draegermk

draegermk — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:32:45 +0000

Review by draegermk

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7229 4158

Website: http://www.alounak.com

Tags: middle eastern, lively, good value

We dined at Alounak last Friday evening. The traditional Iranian kebabs and the bread were very good, and we also enjoyed two of the day's special dishes (Gormeh Sabzee and Bamyeh), which are rotated on a daily basis.

There were three waitresses circling the tables, so the service was attentive, friendly and prompt.

By the time we were ready to leave there was a queue at the door (always a good indication), so I would recommend arriving early on a Friday night.

We dined at Alounak last Friday evening. The traditional Iranian kebabs and the bread were very good, and we also enjoyed two of the day's special dishes (Gormeh Sabzee and Bamyeh), which are rotated on a daily basis.

There were three waitresses circling the tables, so the service was attentive, friendly and prompt.

By the time we were ready to leave there was a queue at the door (always a good indication), so I would recommend arriving early on a Friday night.

Royal China - Awful...Avoid at all costs by Guerilla1

Guerilla1 — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:25:32 +0000

Review by Guerilla1

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7221 2535

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

Tags: chinese, lively, pricey

We went here for the Dim Sum but were told that it was only sold during the day.We were cool with that but it was all downhill from there.

We ordered a chicken satay for a starter...Urrgh horrendously salty and the chicken had definitely been reheated. The sauce tasted like a nitemarish concoction of gravy, salt and peanut butter.
When we complained they just nodded as if to say "like we don't know the food here is mediocre"

Their Peking Duck was the only edible thing.

I do hear that their Dim Sum is good but avoid if you're looking for a decent chinese meal.

BTW they got one star because the review system on this site insists everyone gets a least 1 star! :-(We went here for the Dim Sum but were told that it was only sold during the day.We were cool with that but it was all downhill from there.

We ordered a chicken satay for a starter...Urrgh horrendously salty and the chicken had definitely been reheated. The sauce tasted like a nitemarish concoction of gravy, salt and peanut butter.
When we complained they just nodded as if to say "like we don't know the food here is mediocre"

Their Peking Duck was the only edible thing.

I do hear that their Dim Sum is good but avoid if you're looking for a decent chinese meal.

BTW they got one star because the review system on this site insists everyone gets a least 1 star! :-(

Maroush IV - Quality Middle Eastern restaurant by Rhydster

Rhydster — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:25:02 +0000

Review by Rhydster

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7724 9339

Website: http://www.maroush.com

Tags: lebanese, middle eastern, expensive

The good: I've been to Maroush (or Maroush II, Cafe Maroush, other names and chains) various times and I can't get enough of the meaty dishes in particular or the whole spicy chicken! The decor is very nice and the Arabic ambience, too. Late at night you might catch some live entertainment.

You can receive a nice range of bread, olives and etc. before you even order your starter and the choice of non-alcoholic drinks is refreshingly large. Itâ¬"s located close to Marble Arch station, making it easy to get to.

The bad: sometimes can take a long time to wait for your food, but this might be Middle Eastern preparation times because I've experienced it at others. Itâ¬"s a bit pricey.
The good: I've been to Maroush (or Maroush II, Cafe Maroush, other names and chains) various times and I can't get enough of the meaty dishes in particular or the whole spicy chicken! The decor is very nice and the Arabic ambience, too. Late at night you might catch some live entertainment.

You can receive a nice range of bread, olives and etc. before you even order your starter and the choice of non-alcoholic drinks is refreshingly large. Itâ¬"s located close to Marble Arch station, making it easy to get to.

The bad: sometimes can take a long time to wait for your food, but this might be Middle Eastern preparation times because I've experienced it at others. Itâ¬"s a bit pricey.

Yo! Sushi - Horrid by Alita

Alita — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:48:19 +0000

Review by Alita

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7706 9550

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

Tags: japanese, expensive, crowded

Stale, flaccid, conveyor belt food. Absent minded staff. Generally scoffed down in 10 minutes before your train. Avoid like the plague in the evening!Stale, flaccid, conveyor belt food. Absent minded staff. Generally scoffed down in 10 minutes before your train. Avoid like the plague in the evening!

Fatoush - Lebanese favourite by CaptainChris

CaptainChris — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:40:52 +0000

Review by CaptainChris

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7706 0725

Tags: lebanese, middle eastern, takeaway

Nice place, great food. Tabouleh and Fatoush salads, spicy sausages and Kebabs. Free Baklava desert. No alcohol. For two people, two salads, four dishes and two soft drinks i pay around Â£40.Nice place, great food. Tabouleh and Fatoush salads, spicy sausages and Kebabs. Free Baklava desert. No alcohol. For two people, two salads, four dishes and two soft drinks i pay around Â£40.

Curry Palace - Great curry at the curry palace by tanisha

tanisha — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:45:26 +0000

Review by tanisha

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7243 8992

Tags: lively, indian, romantic

Curry Place is great great great ...what can i say that the food is superb ambiance is very viberent and shisha space outside is great ....try the food you wont regret green chicken masala was deliciuos...
loved it highly recomend it to all people who has not been there...

just go there ....and try Curry Place is great great great ...what can i say that the food is superb ambiance is very viberent and shisha space outside is great ....try the food you wont regret green chicken masala was deliciuos...
loved it highly recomend it to all people who has not been there...

just go there ....and try

Zonzo - Friendly, informal and delicious! by CarlySteven

CarlySteven — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:17:17 +0000

Review by CarlySteven

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7723 9777

Tags: italian, romantic, smoking

I eat here all the time with my boyfriend. The staff are really lovely and friendly. If I'm having pizza I always have Siciliana with extra tuna and spinach - salt fiend!

I often order off the menu and the kitchen is always accommodating. The staff make a real effort to ensure you're having a fun evening/afternoon.

Also, we've had some great Sicilian red wine here and good coffee.

Nice atmosphere, we're always made a fuss of - great local restaurant.I eat here all the time with my boyfriend. The staff are really lovely and friendly. If I'm having pizza I always have Siciliana with extra tuna and spinach - salt fiend!

I often order off the menu and the kitchen is always accommodating. The staff make a real effort to ensure you're having a fun evening/afternoon.

Also, we've had some great Sicilian red wine here and good coffee.

Nice atmosphere, we're always made a fuss of - great local restaurant.

Carluccio's - Can do better by anjali28

anjali28 — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:19:23 +0000

Review by anjali28

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7243 8164

Website: http://www.carluccios.com

Tags: italian, crowded, takeaway

I've been to the Carluccio's on St.John's Wood High Street and was very impressed, so I expected the same from their Westbourne Grove branch. I was sadly disappointed by their customer service. They are clearly understaffed for busy times at lunch, which is when we went. We had to wait a very long time to get someone to notice us to take our order (about 20 minutes), and then another wait for the bill. The special menu for the day looked interesting but I wouldn't suggest experimenting with it if you aren't sure what it will turn out as. My dish was essentially cheese wrapped in bacon - about 6 pieces - and to be honest, it could have been an excellent starter if it was a few pieces less, but as a main course I felt it lacked something. My husband had the risotto which was also on the special menu. It tasted decent but was nothing exemplary for Italian cuisine.

I would strongly suggest sticking to the main menu, which is what I did the last time. Customer service-wise, highly lacking. I've been to the Carluccio's on St.John's Wood High Street and was very impressed, so I expected the same from their Westbourne Grove branch. I was sadly disappointed by their customer service. They are clearly understaffed for busy times at lunch, which is when we went. We had to wait a very long time to get someone to notice us to take our order (about 20 minutes), and then another wait for the bill. The special menu for the day looked interesting but I wouldn't suggest experimenting with it if you aren't sure what it will turn out as. My dish was essentially cheese wrapped in bacon - about 6 pieces - and to be honest, it could have been an excellent starter if it was a few pieces less, but as a main course I felt it lacked something. My husband had the risotto which was also on the special menu. It tasted decent but was nothing exemplary for Italian cuisine.

I would strongly suggest sticking to the main menu, which is what I did the last time. Customer service-wise, highly lacking.

Four Seasons - Amazing duck and great food! by ilovelucy

ilovelucy — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:24:58 +0000

Review by ilovelucy

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7229 4320

Tags: chinese, lively, takeaway

My Chinese friend invited me to dinner and asked me where was good to eat good chinese food. Not really wanting to head into Chinatown to have your bog standard dishes, I chose the Four Seasons after reading quite a few good reviews about it.

We arrived just in time to bag ourselves a table without having to queue at 6.45pm. Others had to wait - it looked like a popular restuarant and there hardly were any westerners - a very good sign!

The food came very quickly and in very big portions. Of course we ordered the special cantonese duck - the house speciality which was very tasty and had just a sliver of fat - the skin was just divine. We also ordered the ma po tofu and the sizzling spicy aubergine and pork - both the best i've ever tasted, fresh and of good quality.

Service was abrupt but efficient. I loved watching the waiters come out with trays stacked up with piles of roast duck. Bill came up to Â£36 for the two of us- quite a bit more than Chinatown with the tea at Â£1.50 per person and service charge included, but well worth it. My Chinese friend thought so too.

My Chinese friend invited me to dinner and asked me where was good to eat good chinese food. Not really wanting to head into Chinatown to have your bog standard dishes, I chose the Four Seasons after reading quite a few good reviews about it.

We arrived just in time to bag ourselves a table without having to queue at 6.45pm. Others had to wait - it looked like a popular restuarant and there hardly were any westerners - a very good sign!

The food came very quickly and in very big portions. Of course we ordered the special cantonese duck - the house speciality which was very tasty and had just a sliver of fat - the skin was just divine. We also ordered the ma po tofu and the sizzling spicy aubergine and pork - both the best i've ever tasted, fresh and of good quality.

Service was abrupt but efficient. I loved watching the waiters come out with trays stacked up with piles of roast duck. Bill came up to Â£36 for the two of us- quite a bit more than Chinatown with the tea at Â£1.50 per person and service charge included, but well worth it. My Chinese friend thought so too.

Lagenda Malaysian & Chinese Restaurant - What a contrast! by john118

john118 — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:49:52 +0000

Review by john118

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7258 0269

Website: http://www.holidayvillahotellondon.com/index.html

Tags: malaysian, lively, indian

Living in the south west, its difficult to really find authentic Malaysian food where we are, so whenever we are in London, we will zoom straight to Lagenda for our lunch & dinner. It is also a meeting place for our relations who are scattered around the outskirts of London eg Reading, Maidenhead, Hedgerley. We like celebrating birthdays etc. The reason is that being English & Chinese,the food served agrees with our individual palates. All of us have been to Malaysia, tasted the best of Malaysian cuisine & now back to the UK, we cannot but praise the food that we have partaken at Lagenda as most authentic than most. The seafood noodles, laksa, Kampong fried rice, nasi lemak was most palatable and reasonable in price. On one occasion we ordered the steamboat along with the other ala carte menu, we had a most enjoyable time because the food was delicious, the staff were friendly & helpful and the bill was much cheaper (to our amazement) than a few other restaurants that we have been to and not enjoyed as much. We would definitely return again and also by way of mouth recommend anyone who likes Malaysian cuisine to go to the Lagenda.Living in the south west, its difficult to really find authentic Malaysian food where we are, so whenever we are in London, we will zoom straight to Lagenda for our lunch & dinner. It is also a meeting place for our relations who are scattered around the outskirts of London eg Reading, Maidenhead, Hedgerley. We like celebrating birthdays etc. The reason is that being English & Chinese,the food served agrees with our individual palates. All of us have been to Malaysia, tasted the best of Malaysian cuisine & now back to the UK, we cannot but praise the food that we have partaken at Lagenda as most authentic than most. The seafood noodles, laksa, Kampong fried rice, nasi lemak was most palatable and reasonable in price. On one occasion we ordered the steamboat along with the other ala carte menu, we had a most enjoyable time because the food was delicious, the staff were friendly & helpful and the bill was much cheaper (to our amazement) than a few other restaurants that we have been to and not enjoyed as much. We would definitely return again and also by way of mouth recommend anyone who likes Malaysian cuisine to go to the Lagenda.

Cherry Jam - cute little place by alexb

alexb — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:32:49 +0000

Review by alexb

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7727 9950

Website: http://www.cherryjam.net

Tags: live music, bar, lively

a sweet little loft style bar with live music - beth rowley is a regular, and was great when we saw her, a perfect little venue for intimate gigs.a sweet little loft style bar with live music - beth rowley is a regular, and was great when we saw her, a perfect little venue for intimate gigs.

Ariana - NOt reccomended by daniela32

daniela32 — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:35:20 +0000

Review by daniela32

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7266 9200

Tags: crowded, persian

We went to this restaurant for my friends birthday and was so disappointed with the service. The place is nice with nice dekor and the live music is nice but everything else wasn't very good. First of all we were the first ones there and didnt get our starters for 1 and a half hours even after the restaurant had become full and everyone else was eating. They didnt seem to care when we complained. When the food finally came the waiters only knew the numbers of the dishes and of course we didnt so we had to ask what it was they had brought and sometimes they couldnt name the dish. To top it all up the food was not very good and we all left half our food. Some of us only paid five pounds as they had only recieved their starter before it was time for them to leave after three hours in that restaurant. The rest of us ended up paying half the amount of the bill and because they knew how badly they had treated us all they could do was accept it.
We went to this restaurant for my friends birthday and was so disappointed with the service. The place is nice with nice dekor and the live music is nice but everything else wasn't very good. First of all we were the first ones there and didnt get our starters for 1 and a half hours even after the restaurant had become full and everyone else was eating. They didnt seem to care when we complained. When the food finally came the waiters only knew the numbers of the dishes and of course we didnt so we had to ask what it was they had brought and sometimes they couldnt name the dish. To top it all up the food was not very good and we all left half our food. Some of us only paid five pounds as they had only recieved their starter before it was time for them to leave after three hours in that restaurant. The rest of us ended up paying half the amount of the bill and because they knew how badly they had treated us all they could do was accept it.

The Circle Restaurant @ Paddington - Child Free Zone! by Matilda23

Matilda23 — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:32:01 +0000

Review by Matilda23

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 3238 1000

Website: www.paddingtoncasino.com/circle

Tags: thai, good value, lively

I never knew this luxurious drinking pad exisited under the Hilton. It was nice touch by allocating us a personal waiter, who was highly efficient and great fun ...as they seated our group in a private alcove. Thought the venue was great, well decorated, with lots of trendy young people and nothing like I had anticipated. The food is exceptional value, very well presented, good sized portions with tasty recipes, we couldn't have asked for a better night....and...the big bonus with this place and the age restrictions... no screaming kids!I never knew this luxurious drinking pad exisited under the Hilton. It was nice touch by allocating us a personal waiter, who was highly efficient and great fun ...as they seated our group in a private alcove. Thought the venue was great, well decorated, with lots of trendy young people and nothing like I had anticipated. The food is exceptional value, very well presented, good sized portions with tasty recipes, we couldn't have asked for a better night....and...the big bonus with this place and the age restrictions... no screaming kids!

Rodizio Rico - Not as good as the real thing by far by Thomasinho

Thomasinho — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:42:00 +0000

Review by Thomasinho

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7792 4035

Tags: brazilian, bbq, meat

If you read my reviews in the past you would know that I lived in Brazil for four years, so I went to the place last night with high expectations.
I was a little dissapointed, as they didnt have my favourite meat, which all "TOP NOTCH" Rodizio's have in Brazil, which is Fillet Mignon, This is normally served with a sauce, or just as it comes. It also didnt have the real Brazilian Linquica sausage, or Alcatra, or Fillet Argentine for that matter. Most dissapointingly was the fact they didnt have Palmito (Palm Hearts), on the salad bar.

If you are ever lucky enough to go to Rio, visit Mario's, or in Curitiba Napolitana, Danis, or Batel Grill.
The salads buffets are bigger, the meat choice is so much more, Mario's even has wild boar, on the rounds.

Considering I paid Â£101 for two, which consisted of a bottle of wine (Â£30) Chauteau Neuf de Pape, 2 x barbeques, and 2 x Mouse for desert, bottle of water, and 1 x bottle of Brahma. Then this is quite expensive for the quality of what you actually get.

On the positive side, the steak was good, especially the Picanha, the salad they did have was very good. And the service was excellent. This is similar to Brazil, but I will be very honest, Unlike a leading Rodizio, this is more like the type you may find in a Brazilian shopping mall (which by the way, can be quite good), but it is not Marios, Napolitana, or Curitibana, which are premier league in comparison.If you read my reviews in the past you would know that I lived in Brazil for four years, so I went to the place last night with high expectations.
I was a little dissapointed, as they didnt have my favourite meat, which all "TOP NOTCH" Rodizio's have in Brazil, which is Fillet Mignon, This is normally served with a sauce, or just as it comes. It also didnt have the real Brazilian Linquica sausage, or Alcatra, or Fillet Argentine for that matter. Most dissapointingly was the fact they didnt have Palmito (Palm Hearts), on the salad bar.

If you are ever lucky enough to go to Rio, visit Mario's, or in Curitiba Napolitana, Danis, or Batel Grill.
The salads buffets are bigger, the meat choice is so much more, Mario's even has wild boar, on the rounds.

Considering I paid Â£101 for two, which consisted of a bottle of wine (Â£30) Chauteau Neuf de Pape, 2 x barbeques, and 2 x Mouse for desert, bottle of water, and 1 x bottle of Brahma. Then this is quite expensive for the quality of what you actually get.

On the positive side, the steak was good, especially the Picanha, the salad they did have was very good. And the service was excellent. This is similar to Brazil, but I will be very honest, Unlike a leading Rodizio, this is more like the type you may find in a Brazilian shopping mall (which by the way, can be quite good), but it is not Marios, Napolitana, or Curitibana, which are premier league in comparison.

Magic Wok - Yummy Char Siu by gizmogirl

gizmogirl — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:32:25 +0000

Review by gizmogirl

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7221 9953

Tags: takeaway, vegetarian dishes, chinese

They Do the Best Charsiu In london!
Must try!
I luv their crispy duck too!
They Do the Best Charsiu In london!
Must try!
I luv their crispy duck too!

Frontline Restaurant - Hidden gem by Hugo

Hugo — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:38:19 +0000

Review by Hugo

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7479 8950

Website: http://www.thefrontlineclub.com

Tags: lively, british, atmospheric

The frontline is a hidden gem in the heart of Paddington. Great atmophere, tasty English food and a winning wine list.The frontline is a hidden gem in the heart of Paddington. Great atmophere, tasty English food and a winning wine list.

Yo! Sushi - Expensive but fun by arthurmauk

arthurmauk — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:37:08 +0000

Review by arthurmauk

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7727 9392

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

Tags: lively, japanese, crowded

Having seen those colourful rings everywhere around the city, Iâ¬"ve always been dying to visit YO! Sushi but never had the time (or the money!) to. So when a friend alerted me to a 50% offer I literally jumped at the chance â¬ twice!
My first visit was to the Whiteleys branch which was open and bustling with customers. Good sign. The second visit was to the Brent Cross branch which is a lot smaller and cramped, and we had to queue for 15 minutes on a weekday. We were sat on high stools with full access to the conveyor belt (would we have it any other way?) and lustfully eyed the food gliding in front of us. First of all, may I just say that I love the concept of Japanese conveyor belt food, and Iâ¬"m sure YO! does play on some of those hunter-gatherer instincts to boost its profit margins.
After making the fatal mistake of asking for water (water, though unlimited, costs Â£1 here while unlimited miso soup only costs 75p extra), we were hesitant as to who was to draw first blood and catch the moving prey. The gari, wasabi and soy sauce were also unlimited so we just ended up eating gari by the boatload while waiting for something interesting to float past.
Between the two trips I tried almost everything off the belt. The classic assorted nigiri (with rice) was fine, although nothing special â¬ just a bit fresher than boxed sets from M&S or Pret. I also had an assorted sashimi (without rice) which was the first time Iâ¬"ve had hamachi (yellowtail), and I must say I was quite surprised at how tasty it is raw. The tuna pieces were a little off though and had a slimy texture to it. The isos (reverse rolls) were all pretty good, just remember to take your time in eating them rather than swallowing them whole without chewing, otherwise youâ¬"ll lose the taste. I only found one hand roll off the belt (at the Brent Cross branch) which was very nice but for some reason had too much mayonnaise.
Out of the hot dishes, I think the chicken teriyaki was the star favourite. I managed to grab one coming straight from the wok so it was steaming and swimming in sauce. It was so good that I decided to buy some teriyaki sauce so that I can make it for myself at home. The chicken katsu was nice, but I didnâ¬"t see any difference between it and normal fried chicken, so I ended up pouring some of the leftover teriyaki sauce onto that too. The prawn tempura was not that great â¬ it came ready-made, straight from a packet and all they did was deep fry it â¬ basically battered prawns. The prawn yakisoba (noodles) was filling but the sauce was a bit too tangy. Both the chicken and the vegetable gyoza (dumplings) were cold and flabby by the time we got them so if you want them, only get them when theyâ¬"re fresh from the fryer.
In the salads, the fried aubergine was fine but Iâ¬"m sure whether itâ¬"s meant to be eaten cold. The tofu was a bit tasteless. The spicy chicken salad was just boring chicken breast and not Japanese at all. The squid salad on the other hand was a lot more exciting, but unfortunately didnâ¬"t have enough squid and too much greens. Finally, the crayfish salad was lazily made â¬ you can still taste the brine out of which the crayfish tails were no doubt fished out of.
Since everything was half price we ended up eating to our heartsâ¬" content and stuffed ourselves to the limit of 10 plates. We just chose whatever looked good and were blind to the coloured rings. My total came up to Â£18 which is fair for the amount I had eaten, and had there not been the half price deal I wouldâ¬"ve eaten less anyway. Still, eating at YO! is pretty expensive and at full price, I definitely wouldnâ¬"t visit it. The food is fine, just not that value for money. The sushi is about average and the hot dishes are often just ready-made foods popped in the deep fryer. Having seen those colourful rings everywhere around the city, Iâ¬"ve always been dying to visit YO! Sushi but never had the time (or the money!) to. So when a friend alerted me to a 50% offer I literally jumped at the chance â¬ twice!
My first visit was to the Whiteleys branch which was open and bustling with customers. Good sign. The second visit was to the Brent Cross branch which is a lot smaller and cramped, and we had to queue for 15 minutes on a weekday. We were sat on high stools with full access to the conveyor belt (would we have it any other way?) and lustfully eyed the food gliding in front of us. First of all, may I just say that I love the concept of Japanese conveyor belt food, and Iâ¬"m sure YO! does play on some of those hunter-gatherer instincts to boost its profit margins.
After making the fatal mistake of asking for water (water, though unlimited, costs Â£1 here while unlimited miso soup only costs 75p extra), we were hesitant as to who was to draw first blood and catch the moving prey. The gari, wasabi and soy sauce were also unlimited so we just ended up eating gari by the boatload while waiting for something interesting to float past.
Between the two trips I tried almost everything off the belt. The classic assorted nigiri (with rice) was fine, although nothing special â¬ just a bit fresher than boxed sets from M&S or Pret. I also had an assorted sashimi (without rice) which was the first time Iâ¬"ve had hamachi (yellowtail), and I must say I was quite surprised at how tasty it is raw. The tuna pieces were a little off though and had a slimy texture to it. The isos (reverse rolls) were all pretty good, just remember to take your time in eating them rather than swallowing them whole without chewing, otherwise youâ¬"ll lose the taste. I only found one hand roll off the belt (at the Brent Cross branch) which was very nice but for some reason had too much mayonnaise.
Out of the hot dishes, I think the chicken teriyaki was the star favourite. I managed to grab one coming straight from the wok so it was steaming and swimming in sauce. It was so good that I decided to buy some teriyaki sauce so that I can make it for myself at home. The chicken katsu was nice, but I didnâ¬"t see any difference between it and normal fried chicken, so I ended up pouring some of the leftover teriyaki sauce onto that too. The prawn tempura was not that great â¬ it came ready-made, straight from a packet and all they did was deep fry it â¬ basically battered prawns. The prawn yakisoba (noodles) was filling but the sauce was a bit too tangy. Both the chicken and the vegetable gyoza (dumplings) were cold and flabby by the time we got them so if you want them, only get them when theyâ¬"re fresh from the fryer.
In the salads, the fried aubergine was fine but Iâ¬"m sure whether itâ¬"s meant to be eaten cold. The tofu was a bit tasteless. The spicy chicken salad was just boring chicken breast and not Japanese at all. The squid salad on the other hand was a lot more exciting, but unfortunately didnâ¬"t have enough squid and too much greens. Finally, the crayfish salad was lazily made â¬ you can still taste the brine out of which the crayfish tails were no doubt fished out of.
Since everything was half price we ended up eating to our heartsâ¬" content and stuffed ourselves to the limit of 10 plates. We just chose whatever looked good and were blind to the coloured rings. My total came up to Â£18 which is fair for the amount I had eaten, and had there not been the half price deal I wouldâ¬"ve eaten less anyway. Still, eating at YO! is pretty expensive and at full price, I definitely wouldnâ¬"t visit it. The food is fine, just not that value for money. The sushi is about average and the hot dishes are often just ready-made foods popped in the deep fryer.