Latest reviews for Restaurants in Piccadilly Circus, London, United Kingdom

Texas Embassy Cantina - by AliZebu

AliZebu — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:58:03 +0000

Review by AliZebu

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7925 0077

Website: http://www.texasembassy.com

I have been going to the 'Texas Embassy Cantina' for a number of years and what keeps me coming back are few dishes that I can't find elswhere.

The Cheese Enchiladas are a must have everytime I go here - no other Tex-Mex in London does them the way they make them here.

The Fajitas are up there with ANYWHERE I have had in London and I like their Salsa more than most.

The Southern Fried chicken is milder in taste than from the Colonel's KFC chain but at least I do not detect any MSG in the recipe.

Burritos & Chimchangas are other top choices.
The Burgers are decent, and if you go for the more unusual toppings they are very good.
The Ribs are fine but not outstanding.
The chilli con carne is the about the best of the minced meat kind you will find in London.

Service is hit & miss depending on the indvidual server.
AVOID getting seated upstairs as you are liable to be forgotten if you are anything other than a large pre-booked private function.

RECOMMENDED!I have been going to the 'Texas Embassy Cantina' for a number of years and what keeps me coming back are few dishes that I can't find elswhere.

The Cheese Enchiladas are a must have everytime I go here - no other Tex-Mex in London does them the way they make them here.

The Fajitas are up there with ANYWHERE I have had in London and I like their Salsa more than most.

The Southern Fried chicken is milder in taste than from the Colonel's KFC chain but at least I do not detect any MSG in the recipe.

Burritos & Chimchangas are other top choices.
The Burgers are decent, and if you go for the more unusual toppings they are very good.
The Ribs are fine but not outstanding.
The chilli con carne is the about the best of the minced meat kind you will find in London.

Service is hit & miss depending on the indvidual server.
AVOID getting seated upstairs as you are liable to be forgotten if you are anything other than a large pre-booked private function.

RECOMMENDED!

Mint Leaf Restaurant - Don't go! I suffered from food poisoning! by mezza789

mezza789 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:12:59 +0000

Review by mezza789

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7930 9020

Website: http://www.mintleafrestaurant.com

Tags: indian, expensive, romantic

We went with a group of girlfriends, two out of three of us suffered from food poisoning! We went on a toptable special and the waiter seemed very arrogant, rather he was the owner then a mere waiter! Gorgeous interior, but never again for us, food alert are looking it for us!We went with a group of girlfriends, two out of three of us suffered from food poisoning! We went on a toptable special and the waiter seemed very arrogant, rather he was the owner then a mere waiter! Gorgeous interior, but never again for us, food alert are looking it for us!

Golden Dragon - Appalling service by cindy1005

cindy1005 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:47:51 +0000

Review by cindy1005

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7734 1073

Tags: chinese, lively, expensive

I visited this restaurant 2 days ago with a friend. While dishing out the rice, I was apalled to notice three chips ranging in width from about 2 cm to 2 inches in the rim of the bowl. The bowl was made of some kind of material similar to melamine and was discoloured on the outside, and blackened on the base. It put me off my food. When the waitress came to clear the table, she asked if everything was alright. I said, ''Actually no, I'm apalled to be served food in a bowl in this state. I wouldn't even use this in my own house. It really is unacceptable and insulting.'' Instead of apologizing, the waitress had the audacity to LAUGH! I was not amused. She then proceeded to rip the top tablecloth off the table from under us, even though we still had our full cups of tea and other drinks on the table, and were clearly not finished. I was really annoyed by then. While waiting on the bill to arrive, I happened to glance at the table behind me and noticed that they had a bowl of rice, which on first glance appeared to have a scalloped edge, but then to my horror I realized it wasn't a scalloped pattern, but in fact, was so severely chipped around the perimeter, it appeared to be scalloped! The toilets upstairs were out of order. When we went downstairs, we were approached by a woman who screeched at us '' You want toilet, it is that way'' with a mouth full of food.

I will never dine in that establishment again, nor would I recommend it to anyone. Their lack of respect and service is appalling and completely unacceptable. They also add 12.5% service charge to the bill, when they clearly don't even know the meaning of the word service.I visited this restaurant 2 days ago with a friend. While dishing out the rice, I was apalled to notice three chips ranging in width from about 2 cm to 2 inches in the rim of the bowl. The bowl was made of some kind of material similar to melamine and was discoloured on the outside, and blackened on the base. It put me off my food. When the waitress came to clear the table, she asked if everything was alright. I said, ''Actually no, I'm apalled to be served food in a bowl in this state. I wouldn't even use this in my own house. It really is unacceptable and insulting.'' Instead of apologizing, the waitress had the audacity to LAUGH! I was not amused. She then proceeded to rip the top tablecloth off the table from under us, even though we still had our full cups of tea and other drinks on the table, and were clearly not finished. I was really annoyed by then. While waiting on the bill to arrive, I happened to glance at the table behind me and noticed that they had a bowl of rice, which on first glance appeared to have a scalloped edge, but then to my horror I realized it wasn't a scalloped pattern, but in fact, was so severely chipped around the perimeter, it appeared to be scalloped! The toilets upstairs were out of order. When we went downstairs, we were approached by a woman who screeched at us '' You want toilet, it is that way'' with a mouth full of food.

I will never dine in that establishment again, nor would I recommend it to anyone. Their lack of respect and service is appalling and completely unacceptable. They also add 12.5% service charge to the bill, when they clearly don't even know the meaning of the word service.

Plum Valley - Excellent Dim Sum - highly impressed by ilovelucy

ilovelucy — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:13:12 +0000

Review by ilovelucy

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7287 2539

Tags: chinese, romantic, expensive

Plum Valley is situated right in the heart of Chinatown but bares no resemblance to its counterparts in terms of cuisine, dÃ©cor and service. The restaurant serves a variety of Dim Sum dishes all day along with popular and also new innovative main Chinese dishes. The menu was not as expansive as other Chinese restaurants on Gerrard street, but there was a good choice nonetheless, with well thought-out dishes sitting beside tried and tested favourites.

As it was lunchtime, my friend and I opted for the Dim Sum menu. Being of Chinese origin we both think it is a bit odd to eat Dim Sum in the evenings but welcomed a restaurant to do so in Chinatown. In my opinion, Plum Valley fills the narrow void left between the Ping Pong dim sum restaurant chain and traditional Chinese restaurants. I would say that it is similar to Yauatcha but holds on to its Chinese identity far better with dishes averaging at Â£3.80 which most Chinese people are not likely to baulk at, whereas the bill at Yauatcha would make many choke on their tea.

The dÃ©cor and style of the restaurant was most impressive with dark wooden walls, tables and slate grey floors â¬ lighting was low in keeping with the ambience of the restaurant (a feature that may not be too popular in the Summer). Waitresses and the hostess were friendly and unobtrusive. My friend and I chose our dishes, our rule of thumb is 3 dishes per person and one for luck. Instead of opting for the usual Vietnamese spring rolls, turnip paste, har gau, shao mai, cheung fun etc we decided to choose some more eccentric dishes - scallop dumplings, wasabi prawn dumpling, black cod rolls, thai chicken dumplings, beancurd wrapped shrimp in cheung fun, fish and squid rolls with preserved egg. All were delicious and presented beautifully â¬ the freshness and quality of the ingredients were easily identifiable. I particularly liked the fish and squid rolls with preserved egg â¬ all the flavours worked really well and it looked amazing on the plate. The scallop dumplings and the cheung fun were also a highlight. We were happily full at the end of the meal with the bill working out to a very reasonable Â£33 including service. My only small gripe was the jasmine flower tea served in oversized wine glasses - very unusual but this really did not offend too much. Unsurprisingly we left the restuarant smiling from the whole experience.
Plum Valley is situated right in the heart of Chinatown but bares no resemblance to its counterparts in terms of cuisine, dÃ©cor and service. The restaurant serves a variety of Dim Sum dishes all day along with popular and also new innovative main Chinese dishes. The menu was not as expansive as other Chinese restaurants on Gerrard street, but there was a good choice nonetheless, with well thought-out dishes sitting beside tried and tested favourites.

As it was lunchtime, my friend and I opted for the Dim Sum menu. Being of Chinese origin we both think it is a bit odd to eat Dim Sum in the evenings but welcomed a restaurant to do so in Chinatown. In my opinion, Plum Valley fills the narrow void left between the Ping Pong dim sum restaurant chain and traditional Chinese restaurants. I would say that it is similar to Yauatcha but holds on to its Chinese identity far better with dishes averaging at Â£3.80 which most Chinese people are not likely to baulk at, whereas the bill at Yauatcha would make many choke on their tea.

The dÃ©cor and style of the restaurant was most impressive with dark wooden walls, tables and slate grey floors â¬ lighting was low in keeping with the ambience of the restaurant (a feature that may not be too popular in the Summer). Waitresses and the hostess were friendly and unobtrusive. My friend and I chose our dishes, our rule of thumb is 3 dishes per person and one for luck. Instead of opting for the usual Vietnamese spring rolls, turnip paste, har gau, shao mai, cheung fun etc we decided to choose some more eccentric dishes - scallop dumplings, wasabi prawn dumpling, black cod rolls, thai chicken dumplings, beancurd wrapped shrimp in cheung fun, fish and squid rolls with preserved egg. All were delicious and presented beautifully â¬ the freshness and quality of the ingredients were easily identifiable. I particularly liked the fish and squid rolls with preserved egg â¬ all the flavours worked really well and it looked amazing on the plate. The scallop dumplings and the cheung fun were also a highlight. We were happily full at the end of the meal with the bill working out to a very reasonable Â£33 including service. My only small gripe was the jasmine flower tea served in oversized wine glasses - very unusual but this really did not offend too much. Unsurprisingly we left the restuarant smiling from the whole experience.

Bocca di Lupo - by AntonSh

AntonSh — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:43:12 +0000

Review by AntonSh

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7734 2223

Tags: italian, lively, expensive

The food is excellent - authentic Italian food from different regions, with the menu a helpful guide to what you're getting, how it's cooked and where it comes from. The mains all seemed appetising, and I opted for the palombo which came grilled to perfection. The dolcis (desserts) are especially innovative and the controversial Sanguinaccio - a sweet patÃ© of pig's blood and chocolate with sourdough bread - was possibly the most radical dessert dish I have tried.

I took my mother there for her birthday. She is a very picky customer and well used to terrorising waiting staff, and she was impressed. The waiters were well-trained, polite and impeccably turned out, and had good knowledge of the food and wine.

The only downside is that it is slightly overpriced for what it is. Good food is of course worth paying good money for, but in this case the balance seems a little bit too much towards increasing profit margins. Another slight issue is that atmosphere-wise, I found it hard to relax - the place is perhaps a little too aware of its status as a top restaurant.

Overall though, the food is great and I will definitely be back, especially when trying to impress a date!The food is excellent - authentic Italian food from different regions, with the menu a helpful guide to what you're getting, how it's cooked and where it comes from. The mains all seemed appetising, and I opted for the palombo which came grilled to perfection. The dolcis (desserts) are especially innovative and the controversial Sanguinaccio - a sweet patÃ© of pig's blood and chocolate with sourdough bread - was possibly the most radical dessert dish I have tried.

I took my mother there for her birthday. She is a very picky customer and well used to terrorising waiting staff, and she was impressed. The waiters were well-trained, polite and impeccably turned out, and had good knowledge of the food and wine.

The only downside is that it is slightly overpriced for what it is. Good food is of course worth paying good money for, but in this case the balance seems a little bit too much towards increasing profit margins. Another slight issue is that atmosphere-wise, I found it hard to relax - the place is perhaps a little too aware of its status as a top restaurant.

Overall though, the food is great and I will definitely be back, especially when trying to impress a date!

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

Cafe Espana - by sld52

sld52 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:39:30 +0000

Review by sld52

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7494 1271

Tags: spanish, good value, lively

This place is a real gem. The staff are great - so friendly and helpful - and they do the best steak I have ever tasted! It's always busy so do be prepared to wait around for a bit but if you do have to there are usually a few people on the stairs to chat with and you can grab a glass of vino to get warmed up! All in all I always have a great night here - great food, great service, great atmosphere... interesting europop music!This place is a real gem. The staff are great - so friendly and helpful - and they do the best steak I have ever tasted! It's always busy so do be prepared to wait around for a bit but if you do have to there are usually a few people on the stairs to chat with and you can grab a glass of vino to get warmed up! All in all I always have a great night here - great food, great service, great atmosphere... interesting europop music!

Abracadabra Restaurant & Bar - HeyJo Nightclub by Rebella

Rebella — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:52:28 +0000

Review by Rebella

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7930 3111

Website: http://www.abracadabra-online.co.uk

Tags: lively, romantic, good value

OMG!! They also have this cool club downstairs. You need to check this out!OMG!! They also have this cool club downstairs. You need to check this out!

St Alban - Brilliant Service, Terrific Food... by Denise

Denise — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:55:15 +0000

Review by Denise

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7499 8558

Website: http://www.stalban.net

Tags: lively, expensive, business

I've been to St Alban a couple of times, both for the pre-theatre menu (although we always end up ordering dessert from the main menu)

The pre-theatre menu is great value for money and the food is lovely.

Special mention must go to the waiting staff who are exceptional, nothing is too much trouble and they go out of their way to make you feel at home - offering you papers to read while you wait for friends to arrive, finding out which show you are going to see so they can make sure you are served in plenty of time.....exceptional.

The decor is modern and interesting without being ott. I'd recommend this to anyone.I've been to St Alban a couple of times, both for the pre-theatre menu (although we always end up ordering dessert from the main menu)

The pre-theatre menu is great value for money and the food is lovely.

Special mention must go to the waiting staff who are exceptional, nothing is too much trouble and they go out of their way to make you feel at home - offering you papers to read while you wait for friends to arrive, finding out which show you are going to see so they can make sure you are served in plenty of time.....exceptional.

The decor is modern and interesting without being ott. I'd recommend this to anyone.

The Golden Oven - Top Marks All Round by Jenny83

Jenny83 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:33:54 +0000

Review by Jenny83

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7287 2800

Tags: indian, good value, vegetarian dishes

Excellent service and Food was delicious. It's a perfect place to have decent dinner. The waiting staffs were delightful and attentive with excellently crafted food. The House Special was well spiced and balanced as any we've ever had, and the vegetable rice made an interesting change from plain pilau. Definitely will visit this restaurant again. Top marks all round.Excellent service and Food was delicious. It's a perfect place to have decent dinner. The waiting staffs were delightful and attentive with excellently crafted food. The House Special was well spiced and balanced as any we've ever had, and the vegetable rice made an interesting change from plain pilau. Definitely will visit this restaurant again. Top marks all round.

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

H K Diner - by liangliang

liangliang — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:44:26 +0000

Review by liangliang

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7434 9544

Tags: chinese, lively, malaysian

THE BEST IN LONDON CHINATOWNTHE BEST IN LONDON CHINATOWN

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.

Melanie Italian Restaurant - by DIMCD5

DIMCD5 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:06:53 +0000

Review by DIMCD5

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7437 4006

Very friendly, lovely food, nice atmosphere.Very friendly, lovely food, nice atmosphere.

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.

Jom Makan - Very rude staff. Food was 'okay' by Zahasman

Zahasman — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 01:43:44 +0000

Review by Zahasman

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7925 2402

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

Tags: malaysian, good value, cheap eat

I just came back from Buka Puasa at Jom Makan today, a day before Raya. It was the most uncomfortable meal i have ever had in my life. But i do have some positive and some negative feedback to be fair.

The positive side of thing is that their Satay (with the peanut sauce) is very close to authentic. And so does their beef rendang which was absolutely brilliant. As the dinner was for my Raya celebration, having an authentic beef rendang definitely brought me back home.

The ugly side is, unfortunately, a lot. First of all their Roti Canai.... it did not come with any curry! This is absolutely a let down and a shock to me considering that im a Malaysian eating in a Malaysian restaurant. Although the Roti Canai bread itself is authentic, but there's no point eating Roti Canai without a curry to be dipped with. It wouldn't cost a dime to add a small curry to it and i wonder why they would leave this open for complaint.

But the biggest let down was their staff service, and this is the real reason why I said it was the most uncomfortable meal I have ever had. Their staff kept eyeing on us to make sure we finish our food fast so that we can leave early for their next customers - worse is they made this very obvious. At one point their manager (the bald guy who kept running around) even shouted at us saying that they have customers outside queing and they will lose customers if we dont leave soon (yes, shouted). How can a manager embarrassed us like that in front of other customers while we were having a meal? I have never felt so abused and insulted as a customer. Substitute that with a nice talk we would have left the premise happily.

So no, I will not recommend anyone to come to this place and I will also never return to this place. We had such a bad experience to do otherwise.I just came back from Buka Puasa at Jom Makan today, a day before Raya. It was the most uncomfortable meal i have ever had in my life. But i do have some positive and some negative feedback to be fair.

The positive side of thing is that their Satay (with the peanut sauce) is very close to authentic. And so does their beef rendang which was absolutely brilliant. As the dinner was for my Raya celebration, having an authentic beef rendang definitely brought me back home.

The ugly side is, unfortunately, a lot. First of all their Roti Canai.... it did not come with any curry! This is absolutely a let down and a shock to me considering that im a Malaysian eating in a Malaysian restaurant. Although the Roti Canai bread itself is authentic, but there's no point eating Roti Canai without a curry to be dipped with. It wouldn't cost a dime to add a small curry to it and i wonder why they would leave this open for complaint.

But the biggest let down was their staff service, and this is the real reason why I said it was the most uncomfortable meal I have ever had. Their staff kept eyeing on us to make sure we finish our food fast so that we can leave early for their next customers - worse is they made this very obvious. At one point their manager (the bald guy who kept running around) even shouted at us saying that they have customers outside queing and they will lose customers if we dont leave soon (yes, shouted). How can a manager embarrassed us like that in front of other customers while we were having a meal? I have never felt so abused and insulted as a customer. Substitute that with a nice talk we would have left the premise happily.

So no, I will not recommend anyone to come to this place and I will also never return to this place. We had such a bad experience to do otherwise.

The Stockpot - by guihnz

guihnz — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:01:38 +0000

Review by guihnz

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7287 1066

Tags: cheap eat, british, takeaway

Not the best service in London but I confirm the "good value for money"...Not the best service in London but I confirm the "good value for money"...

Zebrano - Great Night by stargirl09

stargirl09 — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:07:26 +0000

Review by stargirl09

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 5267

Website: http://www.zebrano-bar-london.com/

Tags: lively, good value, international

Great place! Only went for one drink after work (cocktails are delicious and great value in happy hour) and ended up not getting home until 3 in the morning! The music kept me on the dance floor all night.Great place! Only went for one drink after work (cocktails are delicious and great value in happy hour) and ended up not getting home until 3 in the morning! The music kept me on the dance floor all night.

Bodean's BBQ - Real American BBQ by ragados

ragados — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:14:47 +0000

Review by ragados

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7267 6623

Website: http://www.bodeansbbq.com

Tags: american, lively, crowded

Unlike so many Barbaque places in the UK that rely on sugary sauces to provide a barbaque flavour, Bodean's slow roasts their meat on a Hickory fire to give a full flavored, tender meat that is to die for. NOT a place for the Veggies.Unlike so many Barbaque places in the UK that rely on sugary sauces to provide a barbaque flavour, Bodean's slow roasts their meat on a Hickory fire to give a full flavored, tender meat that is to die for. NOT a place for the Veggies.