Latest reviews for Restaurants in Putney, London, United Kingdom

Taj Mahal - My Favourite Indian Restaurant by SammyJo

SammyJo — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:00:13 +0000

Review by SammyJo

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8788 5941

This is slightly overdue, but this is a restaurant I have been going to for over a year and I definitely recommend it. The place is small and has a cosy and friendly atmosphere. The staff are very helpful and attentive, it is a well run family business. Their food is delicious and freshly cooked and also very good value for money. It is one of the few places in London you can sit, relax and have a brilliant meal that is not over priced, but high in quality.This is slightly overdue, but this is a restaurant I have been going to for over a year and I definitely recommend it. The place is small and has a cosy and friendly atmosphere. The staff are very helpful and attentive, it is a well run family business. Their food is delicious and freshly cooked and also very good value for money. It is one of the few places in London you can sit, relax and have a brilliant meal that is not over priced, but high in quality.

La Mancha - Good value for lunch by Lacrimosa

Lacrimosa — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:34:34 +0000

Review by Lacrimosa

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8780 1022

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

Tags: spanish, cosy, lively

I went to La Mancha for a late lunch with friends, having favourably remembered it from a visit a few years back. Arriving at about 2pm on a Saturday, it was pretty quiet the whole time we were there, but that was fine by us as we were able to create our own atmosphere!

We weren't initially happy with our table, which was too close to the open front door and traffic noise, so we moved further towards the back of the restaurant with no fuss or bother. Staff were polite and attentive, not only directing me to the ladies when I asked but checking that I'd found them okay when I reappeared. Meanwhile Amy had spotted that most tapas on the menu were available at half price at lunchtimes, so we decided to be kind to our bank balances and stick to those.

But how many dishes? Always a problem with tapas!

After much beard scratching and narrowing of eyes, we decided to select two each to start with then go for more if we were still hungry. Thus I opted for a squid dish with Patatas Bravas (potato with a spicy tomato sauce), Mish went for ribs and an aubergine concoction, and Amy plumped for olives and Chorizo Rosario. Plus bread for three. This quantity turned out to be perfect and all went down very nicely indeed, with the Chorizo Rosario unanimously voted the star dish.

Intrigued by the notion of coconut ice cream served in a half coconut shell, Mish alone went on to order dessert. (Gosh! Has she never been to an Indian restaurant?) Not exactly ground-breaking desserts available here, then, obviously.

The bill, which included a couple of glasses of wine, three soft drinks, and a 12.5% gratuity charge, came to Â£13 each - but don't forget that this included half price tapas.

Very nice, I'd go again. But stay well away from any garlic cloves you may find in the olives.
I went to La Mancha for a late lunch with friends, having favourably remembered it from a visit a few years back. Arriving at about 2pm on a Saturday, it was pretty quiet the whole time we were there, but that was fine by us as we were able to create our own atmosphere!

We weren't initially happy with our table, which was too close to the open front door and traffic noise, so we moved further towards the back of the restaurant with no fuss or bother. Staff were polite and attentive, not only directing me to the ladies when I asked but checking that I'd found them okay when I reappeared. Meanwhile Amy had spotted that most tapas on the menu were available at half price at lunchtimes, so we decided to be kind to our bank balances and stick to those.

But how many dishes? Always a problem with tapas!

After much beard scratching and narrowing of eyes, we decided to select two each to start with then go for more if we were still hungry. Thus I opted for a squid dish with Patatas Bravas (potato with a spicy tomato sauce), Mish went for ribs and an aubergine concoction, and Amy plumped for olives and Chorizo Rosario. Plus bread for three. This quantity turned out to be perfect and all went down very nicely indeed, with the Chorizo Rosario unanimously voted the star dish.

Intrigued by the notion of coconut ice cream served in a half coconut shell, Mish alone went on to order dessert. (Gosh! Has she never been to an Indian restaurant?) Not exactly ground-breaking desserts available here, then, obviously.

The bill, which included a couple of glasses of wine, three soft drinks, and a 12.5% gratuity charge, came to Â£13 each - but don't forget that this included half price tapas.

Very nice, I'd go again. But stay well away from any garlic cloves you may find in the olives.

Ole Restaurant & Bar - Not so GREAT by Dayla

Dayla — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:02:30 +0000

Review by Dayla

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 8788 8009

Website: http://www.olerestaurants.com

Tags: bar, spanish, expensive

Not so GREAT!
This was our first time being in this restaurant in Putney and also for "very" sure the Last! Coming to order the traditional spanish meal was Paella. As we were 6 of us we ordered 2x the dish so we can shear between us. It arrived with 3 large prawns, mussels, clam, fish and (frozen) peas. The taste was awful shellfish- empty I mean the meat in the shell was dryed up like a spider web. I asked to speak to the manager about the shellfish being in very poor state and he replied to me that the shellfish is not in season at the moment. The shellfish was there because it is how the traditional paella looks like and I have replied to him "so the shellfish is there for a dacoration?" YES- his reply. The price of the small portion and decoratings- sea food- costs Â£13. We spent Â£160 for something that did not have a taste not even chorizo was nice. If I may suggest to you all wanting to spend that amount of money on "such" food like here in this restaurant please go to Spain or go for Thai istead- lovely food, service and "fresh sea food".
Thank you for taking time to read this.
Disappointed Customer :(Not so GREAT!
This was our first time being in this restaurant in Putney and also for "very" sure the Last! Coming to order the traditional spanish meal was Paella. As we were 6 of us we ordered 2x the dish so we can shear between us. It arrived with 3 large prawns, mussels, clam, fish and (frozen) peas. The taste was awful shellfish- empty I mean the meat in the shell was dryed up like a spider web. I asked to speak to the manager about the shellfish being in very poor state and he replied to me that the shellfish is not in season at the moment. The shellfish was there because it is how the traditional paella looks like and I have replied to him "so the shellfish is there for a dacoration?" YES- his reply. The price of the small portion and decoratings- sea food- costs Â£13. We spent Â£160 for something that did not have a taste not even chorizo was nice. If I may suggest to you all wanting to spend that amount of money on "such" food like here in this restaurant please go to Spain or go for Thai istead- lovely food, service and "fresh sea food".
Thank you for taking time to read this.
Disappointed Customer :(

Thai Square - Not bad not bad alot by Gandolf

Gandolf — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:14:54 +0000

Review by Gandolf

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 8780 1811

Website: http://www.putneybridgerestaurant.com

Tags: thai, bar, romantic

Please was well laid out, Food was very good, waiters were very helpfull. Was very impressed with the decor, and the view of the Thames was great, Pricewise it was ok

Please was well laid out, Food was very good, waiters were very helpfull. Was very impressed with the decor, and the view of the Thames was great, Pricewise it was ok

Enoteca Turi - FANTASTIC restaurant by jedc

jedc — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:36:39 +0000

Review by jedc

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8780 5409

Website: http://www.enotecaturi.com/

Tags: italian, romantic, expensive

Enoteca Turi is a fantastic restaurant that I can highly recommend. The wine list is suberb, the atmosphere lovely, and the food is brilliant. The service has always been great whenever my wife and I have eaten there.

Putney isn't exactly a hot-bed of fine dining, though there are some great restaurants. But Enoteca rises to the top of my list when I think of top-quality restaurants in Putney. Always a fabulous dining experience.Enoteca Turi is a fantastic restaurant that I can highly recommend. The wine list is suberb, the atmosphere lovely, and the food is brilliant. The service has always been great whenever my wife and I have eaten there.

Putney isn't exactly a hot-bed of fine dining, though there are some great restaurants. But Enoteca rises to the top of my list when I think of top-quality restaurants in Putney. Always a fabulous dining experience.

Cochin Brasserie - the best indian I have been to by Michellesmith

Michellesmith — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:35:09 +0000

Review by Michellesmith

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8785 6004

Website: http://www.cochinbrasserie.com

Tags: indian, bar, takeaway

If you want an oral orgasm, this is the place!Simply perfect.Totally changed my opinion on indian foods.Different, innovative, refreshing, delicious,and value.Tastes I have never experienced before.alternative to â¬Ü regular Indian foodâ¬" Weâ¬"ll definitely be back to continue our education of food from this part of india.More people need to know about thisInteresting If you want an oral orgasm, this is the place!Simply perfect.Totally changed my opinion on indian foods.Different, innovative, refreshing, delicious,and value.Tastes I have never experienced before.alternative to â¬Ü regular Indian foodâ¬" Weâ¬"ll definitely be back to continue our education of food from this part of india.More people need to know about thisInteresting

Emile's - Backstreets gem by jedc

jedc — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:19:33 +0000

Review by jedc

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8789 3323

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

Tags: good value, family & home feel, italian

This great little place is a bit hidden on the back streets of Putney. That said, walking by virtually any evening and the place is busy for a reason!

Solid menu, great service, relaxed environment with prices that are a good value for what you get.

The decor is a bit anonymous, but it never really bothered me.

Great food every time I've been there... absolutely recommended!This great little place is a bit hidden on the back streets of Putney. That said, walking by virtually any evening and the place is busy for a reason!

Solid menu, great service, relaxed environment with prices that are a good value for what you get.

The decor is a bit anonymous, but it never really bothered me.

Great food every time I've been there... absolutely recommended!

The Real Greek Souvlaki & Bar - ok but not overly impressed by ilovelucy

ilovelucy — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:49:04 +0000

Review by ilovelucy

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 8788 3270

Website: http://www.therealgreek.com

Tags: bar, takeaway, expensive

Wasn't too impressed with the Real Greek to be honest. I used the tastelondon card getting 50% off the food bill however I thought the portions were quite measley for the full price. For example a skewer of pork/chicken costs Â£4.25 - tasted great but for four small bits of chicken it is a tad expensive. The plates are very tasty especially the octopus and the vine leaves but they could do better with having bigger portions, or cheaper plates. For small plates of food, I would definitely prefer to go to Beirut Express or a El Rincon for tapas instead of the Real Greek. Wasn't too impressed with the Real Greek to be honest. I used the tastelondon card getting 50% off the food bill however I thought the portions were quite measley for the full price. For example a skewer of pork/chicken costs Â£4.25 - tasted great but for four small bits of chicken it is a tad expensive. The plates are very tasty especially the octopus and the vine leaves but they could do better with having bigger portions, or cheaper plates. For small plates of food, I would definitely prefer to go to Beirut Express or a El Rincon for tapas instead of the Real Greek.

Royal China - Good Value Dim Sum by sue

sue — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:44:44 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 8788 0907

Tags: chinese, good value, lively

It was Good Friday and I had a hankering for Dim Sum, so we headed to Royal China in Putney for a quick lunch. We didn't make a booking, but seemed to turn up at just the right time as several tables departed, and we were seated immediately. Service started out very slow, but they were friendly and apologetic.

The dÃ©cor is certainly interesting - the black, Chinese design lacquered walls were a little OTT, but added to the oriental experience. We drank Chinese tea and Tsingtao beer, and ordered some Dim Sum dishes to share.

The food highlight for me was the House Special Cheung Fun - three separate soft gelatinous rolls filled with either prawns, pork or beef - delicious, though a bit tricky to eat with my amateur chopstick skills. We also really enjoyed the Prawn & Scallop dumplings, and the Seafood Asparagus rolls, though the Steamed Pork Buns were a little disappointing. Overall though it was an enjoyable experience, and cheap too. It was Good Friday and I had a hankering for Dim Sum, so we headed to Royal China in Putney for a quick lunch. We didn't make a booking, but seemed to turn up at just the right time as several tables departed, and we were seated immediately. Service started out very slow, but they were friendly and apologetic.

The dÃ©cor is certainly interesting - the black, Chinese design lacquered walls were a little OTT, but added to the oriental experience. We drank Chinese tea and Tsingtao beer, and ordered some Dim Sum dishes to share.

The food highlight for me was the House Special Cheung Fun - three separate soft gelatinous rolls filled with either prawns, pork or beef - delicious, though a bit tricky to eat with my amateur chopstick skills. We also really enjoyed the Prawn & Scallop dumplings, and the Seafood Asparagus rolls, though the Steamed Pork Buns were a little disappointing. Overall though it was an enjoyable experience, and cheap too.

Il Mascalzone - Scrumptious Italian! by jennipenni

jennipenni — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:42:08 +0000

Review by jennipenni

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8785 4793

Website: http://www.ilmascalzone.com/

Tags: italian, crowded, lively

I have come here twice, once with a group of friends and another with hubby.

The service here is typically Italian... loud and friendly and 'happening'... so do not come here thinking you might have a romantic evening, because it won't happen! It's noisy and bustling.

The food is scrumptious... I think I can easily say that the pizzas here are the best I have had in London. They are the closest to Rome pizzas I have had.

Anywhere!I have come here twice, once with a group of friends and another with hubby.

The service here is typically Italian... loud and friendly and 'happening'... so do not come here thinking you might have a romantic evening, because it won't happen! It's noisy and bustling.

The food is scrumptious... I think I can easily say that the pizzas here are the best I have had in London. They are the closest to Rome pizzas I have had.

Anywhere!

Frankie's Italian Bar & Grill - Great Value by charlieo

charlieo — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:23:49 +0000

Review by charlieo

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8780 3366

Website: www.frankiesitalianbarandgrill.com

Tags: italian, lively, smoking

Frankie's is in my phone memory. It's my default restaurant for catching up with friends. It's reliable venue for food, service and atmosphere. Ladies love the half portions of pasta. I even took my parent's to meet my in-laws there.Frankie's is in my phone memory. It's my default restaurant for catching up with friends. It's reliable venue for food, service and atmosphere. Ladies love the half portions of pasta. I even took my parent's to meet my in-laws there.

Jim Thompson's - Good value, nice environment by MandL

MandL — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:27:56 +0000

Review by MandL

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8788 3737

Tags: bar, thai / oriental, lively

Jim Thompson's offers very good value thai-like food in a very nice environment. It has a bar/gastro-pub area by the entrance with comfortable seating and a chatty barman. The bar has its own limited menu where you can pick from some of the more popular dishes from the restaurant to reduced prices.

In the summer there is a seating area in a smaller garden at the back and also at the front (not sure why anyone would want to sit along the south circular, but maybe if the sun is out, why not?)

The restaurant itself is in the back and has a more extensive menu with some tasty and interesting south east asian dishes.

I am however mainly giving Jim Thompson's a 4 star review because of the good value meals you can enjoy in the comfortable bar area.Jim Thompson's offers very good value thai-like food in a very nice environment. It has a bar/gastro-pub area by the entrance with comfortable seating and a chatty barman. The bar has its own limited menu where you can pick from some of the more popular dishes from the restaurant to reduced prices.

In the summer there is a seating area in a smaller garden at the back and also at the front (not sure why anyone would want to sit along the south circular, but maybe if the sun is out, why not?)

The restaurant itself is in the back and has a more extensive menu with some tasty and interesting south east asian dishes.

I am however mainly giving Jim Thompson's a 4 star review because of the good value meals you can enjoy in the comfortable bar area.

Putney Station - Good value wine list by sue

sue — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:49:57 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 8780 0242

Website: http://www.brinkleys.com/putney.htm

Tags: italian, european, bar

Putney Station Restaurant & Bar is owned by the Brinkley Group, which owns several wine bars and restaurants in London.

We met there with friends one evening for a few drinks and dinner. It is a modern, relaxed place to dine. The menu was varied and very reasonably priced. Service was ok, though nothing to rave about.

To eat, I had fillet steak and the other three all had a lamb burger. Food was tasty and filling - no dessert was required (unfortunately!). We also enjoyed a couple of bottles of very reasonably priced Chianti.Putney Station Restaurant & Bar is owned by the Brinkley Group, which owns several wine bars and restaurants in London.

We met there with friends one evening for a few drinks and dinner. It is a modern, relaxed place to dine. The menu was varied and very reasonably priced. Service was ok, though nothing to rave about.

To eat, I had fillet steak and the other three all had a lamb burger. Food was tasty and filling - no dessert was required (unfortunately!). We also enjoyed a couple of bottles of very reasonably priced Chianti.

Strada - Lunch Deal is Decent @ £7.50 (+ optional service) by dloizou

dloizou — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:29:20 +0000

Review by dloizou

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 8789 6996

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

Tags: italian, good value, family & home feel

I met a friend here as the Â£7.50 lunch sounded easy and cheap and I think we were both plesently suprised with the food and service.

The deal includes a your choice of a house wine, beer or soft drink plus a selection from a limited menu. The menu was not the most extensive but I think it still had something for everyone (pizza, pasta, risotto etc).

My friend and I both ordered the Italian pizza(?) which was rather tastey. I forced myself to finish it but then spent the afternoon wishing my eyes were not as big as my tummy.

What impressed me most I think was the service. Despite being busy in the lunch time rush hour, staff were attentive, plesent and helpful. And they even brought us water to the table with out us having to ask - nice :)

All said and done I felt like my meal was good value for money.. so I'd definitely go back. I met a friend here as the Â£7.50 lunch sounded easy and cheap and I think we were both plesently suprised with the food and service.

The deal includes a your choice of a house wine, beer or soft drink plus a selection from a limited menu. The menu was not the most extensive but I think it still had something for everyone (pizza, pasta, risotto etc).

My friend and I both ordered the Italian pizza(?) which was rather tastey. I forced myself to finish it but then spent the afternoon wishing my eyes were not as big as my tummy.

What impressed me most I think was the service. Despite being busy in the lunch time rush hour, staff were attentive, plesent and helpful. And they even brought us water to the table with out us having to ask - nice :)

All said and done I felt like my meal was good value for money.. so I'd definitely go back.

Moomba Bar & Kitchen - Nice night out by qwghlm

qwghlm — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 01:22:43 +0000

Review by qwghlm

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8785 9151

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

Tags: international, cocktails, lively

A nice bar/restaurant for Putney - had a sophisticated bar style going without stupidly loud music or glary decor. Overall, it was comfy, friendly and chilled out and overall quite enjoyable. The food wasn't quite up to the prices given - the lamb was nice but not outstanding, and the potatoes not quite cooked through. But at the end of the day it was only priced a couple of quid more than I thought it deserved and in all other departments it won out - the ambience was great and the service more than friendly & hospitable.A nice bar/restaurant for Putney - had a sophisticated bar style going without stupidly loud music or glary decor. Overall, it was comfy, friendly and chilled out and overall quite enjoyable. The food wasn't quite up to the prices given - the lamb was nice but not outstanding, and the potatoes not quite cooked through. But at the end of the day it was only priced a couple of quid more than I thought it deserved and in all other departments it won out - the ambience was great and the service more than friendly & hospitable.

Yia Mas - Great Greek food with the Cypriot touch by dloizou

dloizou — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 15:31:44 +0000

Review by dloizou

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8871 4671

Tags: romantic, family & home feel, good value

Yia Mas is a very small local resturant run by a very friendly Cypriot family and their lovely head waiter who delivers service with a smile.

It's very quait with lovely modern decor (nice leather seats) hand written menu's and great food which seems to be good value for money.

Every time I visit, I can't go past the mini mezze special at just under Â£15 per person (min of 2). It gives you a taste of everything and is just delicious. I always over eat and leave feeling like I have over indulged but OMG is it worth it.

You have to book on a Friday or Saturday night or risk disappointment, but mid week the resturant is really quiet so perfect for an inimate dinner.

Sadly the resturant is closed on Sundays.

I only know about this place because I once lived very close by. For those not in the local area or without a car, Yia Mas is about a 7 minute wallk from East Putney tube or on the 37 and 337 bus routes but well worth the journey.

Yia Mas is a very small local resturant run by a very friendly Cypriot family and their lovely head waiter who delivers service with a smile.

It's very quait with lovely modern decor (nice leather seats) hand written menu's and great food which seems to be good value for money.

Every time I visit, I can't go past the mini mezze special at just under Â£15 per person (min of 2). It gives you a taste of everything and is just delicious. I always over eat and leave feeling like I have over indulged but OMG is it worth it.

You have to book on a Friday or Saturday night or risk disappointment, but mid week the resturant is really quiet so perfect for an inimate dinner.

Sadly the resturant is closed on Sundays.

I only know about this place because I once lived very close by. For those not in the local area or without a car, Yia Mas is about a 7 minute wallk from East Putney tube or on the 37 and 337 bus routes but well worth the journey.

Hudson's - Fantastic restaurant by jedc

jedc — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:04:55 +0000

Review by jedc

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8785 4522

Tags: international, vegetarian dishes

Hudson's is simply a fantastic restaurant. Located on Lower Richmond Road in Putney, it is close to the river and convenient to public transportation.

The food is simply consistently great. I live nearby and the food is always good, usually great. The service is very friendly and professional, and it keeps the aura of an outstanding local neighborhood restaurant. Many of the chairs have been reclaimed from church sales, so there's just a bit of fun quirkiness to the ambiance. They have seating outside, in a conservatory, and other cozy spaces.

The menu has items to suit every taste, from burgers to pastas to comfort food and more. You will always find something you like here, and it will always be good.Hudson's is simply a fantastic restaurant. Located on Lower Richmond Road in Putney, it is close to the river and convenient to public transportation.

The food is simply consistently great. I live nearby and the food is always good, usually great. The service is very friendly and professional, and it keeps the aura of an outstanding local neighborhood restaurant. Many of the chairs have been reclaimed from church sales, so there's just a bit of fun quirkiness to the ambiance. They have seating outside, in a conservatory, and other cozy spaces.

The menu has items to suit every taste, from burgers to pastas to comfort food and more. You will always find something you like here, and it will always be good.

Louhannah - Putney's awesome eaterie by georgiesayle

georgiesayle — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 14:12:15 +0000

Review by georgiesayle

Rating: 5.00

Tags: cool, lively, posh

An awesome little place on Putney High Street. Looks like a bar from the outside but if you head inside there's a restaurant at the back...never crowded! Also screen live sports matches in there and never busy so a great place to get a good group of friends together. Food is amazing for really good value.An awesome little place on Putney High Street. Looks like a bar from the outside but if you head inside there's a restaurant at the back...never crowded! Also screen live sports matches in there and never busy so a great place to get a good group of friends together. Food is amazing for really good value.

Chakalaka - South African Grub by sue

sue — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 10:34:06 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 8789 5696

Tags: lively, south african, romantic

Chakalaka is a colourful South African restaurant in Putney. We had an enjoyable meal there one Friday night with friends who had recently moved to the area. The restaurant had been on my radar for a while, so we were really looking forward to the Chakalaka experience.

We were given a warm welcome, and service continued to be friendly and helpful throughout our meal. The décor is vibrant, with bright painted walls, African art and a giant zebra skin complete with tail.

To start, we had the Boerewors and Chakalaka (traditional South African sausage served with chakalaka spicy sauce), the Spicy Salmon and Crab cakes, and the Chakalaka House Salad. All were good, with the fish cakes being particularly tasty.

Main courses were the Springbok Loin (a type of antelope), and the Char grilled Kudu Steak (a bigger antelope). The meat was cooked perfectly, and I loved the sweetness of the Springbok, which was perfectly paired with sweet potato mash.

The wine list consisted of entirely South African wines, with a decent spread of styles and prices. We really enjoyed a couple of bottles of the 2002 Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon (and were pleasantly surprised by the 2002 vintage as we were expecting the 2004, as per the wine list).

I really wanted to try dessert as I had spied the 'Peppermint Crisp Surprise' on the menu and am a big fan of the good old Peppermint Crisp chocolate bar which I grew up enjoying in Australia. Unfortunately, the dessert didn't quite live up to expectations - there was not enough of the peppermint chocolatey goodness, and a bit too much of some sort of rich, condensed milk type substance. Oh well, next time I will have to try the Malva Pudding or Milk Tart instead.

At the end of the night everyone was given a complimentary Springbok cocktail - a small shot glass with Crème de Menthe and Amarula layers - sure beats the usual 'mint with your bill' offering!Chakalaka is a colourful South African restaurant in Putney. We had an enjoyable meal there one Friday night with friends who had recently moved to the area. The restaurant had been on my radar for a while, so we were really looking forward to the Chakalaka experience.

We were given a warm welcome, and service continued to be friendly and helpful throughout our meal. The décor is vibrant, with bright painted walls, African art and a giant zebra skin complete with tail.

To start, we had the Boerewors and Chakalaka (traditional South African sausage served with chakalaka spicy sauce), the Spicy Salmon and Crab cakes, and the Chakalaka House Salad. All were good, with the fish cakes being particularly tasty.

Main courses were the Springbok Loin (a type of antelope), and the Char grilled Kudu Steak (a bigger antelope). The meat was cooked perfectly, and I loved the sweetness of the Springbok, which was perfectly paired with sweet potato mash.

The wine list consisted of entirely South African wines, with a decent spread of styles and prices. We really enjoyed a couple of bottles of the 2002 Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon (and were pleasantly surprised by the 2002 vintage as we were expecting the 2004, as per the wine list).

I really wanted to try dessert as I had spied the 'Peppermint Crisp Surprise' on the menu and am a big fan of the good old Peppermint Crisp chocolate bar which I grew up enjoying in Australia. Unfortunately, the dessert didn't quite live up to expectations - there was not enough of the peppermint chocolatey goodness, and a bit too much of some sort of rich, condensed milk type substance. Oh well, next time I will have to try the Malva Pudding or Milk Tart instead.

At the end of the night everyone was given a complimentary Springbok cocktail - a small shot glass with Crème de Menthe and Amarula layers - sure beats the usual 'mint with your bill' offering!

El Pepperoni - Closed by gourmand

gourmand — Mon, 14 May 2007 00:19:40 +0000

Review by gourmand

Rating: 3.00

Tags: italian, closed down, cheap eat

Sadly long closed (used to serve the best pizzas that I have had in Putney and around) and recently re-opened as Bar Brazil!Sadly long closed (used to serve the best pizzas that I have had in Putney and around) and recently re-opened as Bar Brazil!