Latest reviews in Westminster, London, United Kingdom

Cyprus Mangal - Top Kebab House behind Victoria station! by AliZebu

AliZebu — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:17:10 +0000

Review by AliZebu

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7828 5940

'Cyprus Mangal' is a couple of blocks behind Victoria station and is a good choice as opposed to the fast food junk that is available in and around the station itself.

It was packed on a cold November Friday noon both in the seated areas AND the front where they do take-aways. I opted for the Mixed Donner to save time as the Ocakbasi was completely full of other customers tasty looking meats already!

The Lamb Donner was "Yaprak" style and was perhaps the most spiced version I have ever tasted. It was almost like an Indian curry. It was fattier than some of the other places who make Yaprak Doner but still good.
The Chicken Donner was overshadowed by the strong flavoured lamb but was nice.

The Chilli sauce was spicy hot. The Garlic sauce was fine. Salad & Village Bread wrap were both fresh.

Value wise the Mixed Donner was Â£6, which is Â£1.50 more than you would pay at 'Tad Mangal' for a slightly better Kebab. Having said that, there is no competition in this area so for the quality the price seems worth it.

Service was fast & efficient despite the busy lunch time. I asked my server if they had a small printed take away menu he said "No", then smiled pointed to the board and joked "take a picture".

Cyprus Mangal is a top class outlet for kebabs and I will definitely return next time I am Victoria bound to try their other dishes.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!'Cyprus Mangal' is a couple of blocks behind Victoria station and is a good choice as opposed to the fast food junk that is available in and around the station itself.

It was packed on a cold November Friday noon both in the seated areas AND the front where they do take-aways. I opted for the Mixed Donner to save time as the Ocakbasi was completely full of other customers tasty looking meats already!

The Lamb Donner was "Yaprak" style and was perhaps the most spiced version I have ever tasted. It was almost like an Indian curry. It was fattier than some of the other places who make Yaprak Doner but still good.
The Chicken Donner was overshadowed by the strong flavoured lamb but was nice.

The Chilli sauce was spicy hot. The Garlic sauce was fine. Salad & Village Bread wrap were both fresh.

Value wise the Mixed Donner was Â£6, which is Â£1.50 more than you would pay at 'Tad Mangal' for a slightly better Kebab. Having said that, there is no competition in this area so for the quality the price seems worth it.

Service was fast & efficient despite the busy lunch time. I asked my server if they had a small printed take away menu he said "No", then smiled pointed to the board and joked "take a picture".

Cyprus Mangal is a top class outlet for kebabs and I will definitely return next time I am Victoria bound to try their other dishes.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Taste Of India - JJ - Taste of India Covent Garden by Jacquij

Jacquij — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:35:04 +0000

Review by Jacquij

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7836 6591

Tags: indian, vegetarian dishes

This restaurant is a rip off! They advertise a 3 course meal and the third course is tea or coffee! Chicken wings starter came as 4 miniscule pieces of what was no bigger than a quails wing, then to add insult to injury they tried to charge Â£5.99 instead of Â£3.95 which was still a rip off what I was given. All portions are tiny and not worth the money. The staff are abrupt and rush you through the meal. This place is a tourist trap and not for the seasoned diner. I would not recommend this place. An after theatre dinner which then wiped out the joy of the theatre with it's shoddy food and terrible service. This was the worst dinning experience I have encountered.This restaurant is a rip off! They advertise a 3 course meal and the third course is tea or coffee! Chicken wings starter came as 4 miniscule pieces of what was no bigger than a quails wing, then to add insult to injury they tried to charge Â£5.99 instead of Â£3.95 which was still a rip off what I was given. All portions are tiny and not worth the money. The staff are abrupt and rush you through the meal. This place is a tourist trap and not for the seasoned diner. I would not recommend this place. An after theatre dinner which then wiped out the joy of the theatre with it's shoddy food and terrible service. This was the worst dinning experience I have encountered.

X L N T - by ColmMcMullan

ColmMcMullan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:29:49 +0000

Review by ColmMcMullan

Rating: 5.00Excellent and incredibly cheap english breakfast - Â£3.50 for a full cooked breakfast with toast and tea or coffee. I have no idea how they do it but it's great value.

If you're looking for pure personality and character then head to the Regency Cafe (http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/cafe/1v6wn8/regency-cafe) but if you just want a super breakfast for almost half the price then XLNT will hit the spot.Excellent and incredibly cheap english breakfast - Â£3.50 for a full cooked breakfast with toast and tea or coffee. I have no idea how they do it but it's great value.

If you're looking for pure personality and character then head to the Regency Cafe (http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/cafe/1v6wn8/regency-cafe) but if you just want a super breakfast for almost half the price then XLNT will hit the spot.

Regency Cafe - by ColmMcMullan

ColmMcMullan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:24:39 +0000

Review by ColmMcMullan

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7821 6596

Tags: lively, crowded, proper food

The authentic London cafe, if you only ever go to one make it this one.

The set breakfast on a Saturday morning is a great start to the weekend and the booming voice shouting out when your order is ready really is something to be experienced - just make sure you're ready when it's your order that's called :)

Good service, good food. There are cheaper alternatives nearby (see XLNT: http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/cafe/1a72m7w/x-l-n-t) but the Regency has great personality and is a must visit.The authentic London cafe, if you only ever go to one make it this one.

The set breakfast on a Saturday morning is a great start to the weekend and the booming voice shouting out when your order is ready really is something to be experienced - just make sure you're ready when it's your order that's called :)

Good service, good food. There are cheaper alternatives nearby (see XLNT: http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/cafe/1a72m7w/x-l-n-t) but the Regency has great personality and is a must visit.

Relish - by ColmMcMullan

ColmMcMullan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:06:21 +0000

Review by ColmMcMullan

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7828 0628

great range of options for lunch, everything from lasagne to sandwiches (try the chicken, bacon and avacado roll - yum).

only a small seated area but on a nice day bring it round to the side of tate britain or sit in the square of the art college with the hipsters and fashionistas.great range of options for lunch, everything from lasagne to sandwiches (try the chicken, bacon and avacado roll - yum).

only a small seated area but on a nice day bring it round to the side of tate britain or sit in the square of the art college with the hipsters and fashionistas.

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

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

Review by pinotlover

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 1415

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

Tags: cosy, quick bite, good brew

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

Piccolo Diavolo - Like being in Italy by pinotlover

pinotlover — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:02:41 +0000

Review by pinotlover

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7437 1024

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

Tags: italian, family & home feel, good value

Small traditional Italian cafe with friendly and cheerful Italian staff who were fabulous with the children. Food nice, not outstanding, but good value for money. The pizzas are enormous and the veal was very good. Be aware that you do need to order vegetables as a side dish. The lemon sorbet - served inside a hollowed out frozen lemon - was a fine way to finish. It was pleasant to feel we could linger without being pushed out the door to make way for more diners. We will return.Small traditional Italian cafe with friendly and cheerful Italian staff who were fabulous with the children. Food nice, not outstanding, but good value for money. The pizzas are enormous and the veal was very good. Be aware that you do need to order vegetables as a side dish. The lemon sorbet - served inside a hollowed out frozen lemon - was a fine way to finish. It was pleasant to feel we could linger without being pushed out the door to make way for more diners. We will return.

The Strutton Arms - strutton arms - Worst bar in london by sean1

sean1 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:25:53 +0000

Review by sean1

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7222 7310

Tags: food, tv for sporting events, worst bar in london

Unfriendly, rude barman works here. Pours the worst beers in london with massive heads. Refuses to correct the head in snob like fashion. Went there 13th nov, 2009 night. Two guys working behind the bar are typical london snobs. They have no sense of pub tradition or etiquette.Horrible bar attitude, disgusting service. I vote worst bar in london!Unfriendly, rude barman works here. Pours the worst beers in london with massive heads. Refuses to correct the head in snob like fashion. Went there 13th nov, 2009 night. Two guys working behind the bar are typical london snobs. They have no sense of pub tradition or etiquette.Horrible bar attitude, disgusting service. I vote worst bar in london!

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.

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

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

Review by laissezfare

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 0370

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

Tags: amazing brew, quick bite, crowded

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

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

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

Cafe Vergnano - Their Coffee Means Business by laissezfare

laissezfare — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:43:03 +0000

Review by laissezfare

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8922 6308

Tags: amazing brew, quick bite, london

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

Set along the shop-fronts on an unlikely stretch of Charing Cross Road (unlikely in the sense that you donâ¬"t expect a serious coffee house here amongst the touristy drek), it is none other than CaffÃ¨ Vergnano 1882. I have been in a number of times now and havenâ¬"t exactly gotten to the bottom of what the 1882 stands for (okay, I havenâ¬"t really tried to find out), but that is beside the point. The small chain has been set up by Luciano Franchi, whose family has been working for three generations in the London food industry. They apparently supply coffee and related machinery to the Italian Embassy, for whatever thatâ¬"s worth.

But the best thing about walking into CaffÃ¨ Vergnano is seeing their gargantuan silver madame, the holy grail of espresso fabrication, the elegant and maniacal stainless steel workhorse that pumps dark brown blood through its veins, the aortic arch from which the pulse of Vergananoâ¬"s espresso emanates. Yeah, itâ¬"s the big honkinâ¬" shiny espresso machine that you canâ¬"t miss from window. It is the Elektra Belle Epoque, and on its crown is perched a peering eagle.

To make a long story short, it makes a mean cup of espresso. Their own blend of espresso is composed of seven single-origin beans (including the elusive and expensive Nicaraguan Maragogype) and it is one of the nicer ones Iâ¬"ve had, certainly one of the top in London. It has a full and broad flavor spectrum and, to me, has a tad more bitterness beneath it than Monmouthâ¬"s, though without being cloying. My favorite incarnation of Vergnanoâ¬"s espresso is a double macchiato, with the little bit of foam providing a tiny cushion of creaminess to offset the fine espresso flavor.

The other thing I like about Vergnano is that it is sort of like an Italian espresso bar. You can order your drink and have it standing up at the counter â¬ or if you want you can sit down or walk out with it. With each coffee they also give you a little Italian biscuit or chocolate (I have never figured out if itâ¬"s the drink you order or the luck of the draw that determines which one you get), and I think itâ¬"s a great little touch. I would probably describe the service at the Charing Cross Road branch as â¬Üprofessionalâ¬". Itâ¬"s not warm, itâ¬"s not touchy, itâ¬"s not personal, but itâ¬"s not rude or mean either. They are just there doing their job and trying to provide you with a good drink.

The gist of it: I havenâ¬"t been to their other branches, but I think that this one is great. No-nonsense accomplished espresso drinks and the holy grail of coffee machines staring you in the face. Plus you get a little treat with your coffee and can stand at the bar.[This is part of a larger review of London coffee houses which can be found here: http://wp.me/pwXBH-or]

Set along the shop-fronts on an unlikely stretch of Charing Cross Road (unlikely in the sense that you donâ¬"t expect a serious coffee house here amongst the touristy drek), it is none other than CaffÃ¨ Vergnano 1882. I have been in a number of times now and havenâ¬"t exactly gotten to the bottom of what the 1882 stands for (okay, I havenâ¬"t really tried to find out), but that is beside the point. The small chain has been set up by Luciano Franchi, whose family has been working for three generations in the London food industry. They apparently supply coffee and related machinery to the Italian Embassy, for whatever thatâ¬"s worth.

But the best thing about walking into CaffÃ¨ Vergnano is seeing their gargantuan silver madame, the holy grail of espresso fabrication, the elegant and maniacal stainless steel workhorse that pumps dark brown blood through its veins, the aortic arch from which the pulse of Vergananoâ¬"s espresso emanates. Yeah, itâ¬"s the big honkinâ¬" shiny espresso machine that you canâ¬"t miss from window. It is the Elektra Belle Epoque, and on its crown is perched a peering eagle.

To make a long story short, it makes a mean cup of espresso. Their own blend of espresso is composed of seven single-origin beans (including the elusive and expensive Nicaraguan Maragogype) and it is one of the nicer ones Iâ¬"ve had, certainly one of the top in London. It has a full and broad flavor spectrum and, to me, has a tad more bitterness beneath it than Monmouthâ¬"s, though without being cloying. My favorite incarnation of Vergnanoâ¬"s espresso is a double macchiato, with the little bit of foam providing a tiny cushion of creaminess to offset the fine espresso flavor.

The other thing I like about Vergnano is that it is sort of like an Italian espresso bar. You can order your drink and have it standing up at the counter â¬ or if you want you can sit down or walk out with it. With each coffee they also give you a little Italian biscuit or chocolate (I have never figured out if itâ¬"s the drink you order or the luck of the draw that determines which one you get), and I think itâ¬"s a great little touch. I would probably describe the service at the Charing Cross Road branch as â¬Üprofessionalâ¬". Itâ¬"s not warm, itâ¬"s not touchy, itâ¬"s not personal, but itâ¬"s not rude or mean either. They are just there doing their job and trying to provide you with a good drink.

The gist of it: I havenâ¬"t been to their other branches, but I think that this one is great. No-nonsense accomplished espresso drinks and the holy grail of coffee machines staring you in the face. Plus you get a little treat with your coffee and can stand at the bar.

Bar Rumba - Love It by bexyboo

bexyboo — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:54:29 +0000

Review by bexyboo

Rating: 5.00

Tags: young and fun, house, reasonably priced

Drinks were really good price.... Â£3.50 fpr a cocktail at happy hour, can't go wrong for that. Had loads of fun and all the staff were really nice nice which make a change from the usual snotty west enders. See you there next week.Drinks were really good price.... Â£3.50 fpr a cocktail at happy hour, can't go wrong for that. Had loads of fun and all the staff were really nice nice which make a change from the usual snotty west enders. See you there next week.

Le Beaujolais - Get away from Charing Cross Road by Dot01

Dot01 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:11:22 +0000

Review by Dot01

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7836 2955

Tags: relaxed, friendly, mature

I just came here for a bottle of wine with a friend and it is the perfect find when you are stressed out with the noise and tourists up and down charing cross road. It's such a relief to land here and find a cosy corner for a nice chat.

I did find the mix of French and English themes in the decor a bit confusing - the French bit would have been fine on its own but I'm sure there's a good story behind it which I'll have to enquire about next time.I just came here for a bottle of wine with a friend and it is the perfect find when you are stressed out with the noise and tourists up and down charing cross road. It's such a relief to land here and find a cosy corner for a nice chat.

I did find the mix of French and English themes in the decor a bit confusing - the French bit would have been fine on its own but I'm sure there's a good story behind it which I'll have to enquire about next time.

Revolution Bar - by ckruger

ckruger — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:44:49 +0000

Review by ckruger

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7434 0330

Website: http://www.revolution-bars.co.uk

Tags: cool, food, friendly

We went there for a girlie lunch today as it's near our workplace and have always wanted to go. They have quite a few food specials going on (pizza and burgers 2for1). The burgers (especially the chips) was really good and the portions big. Our waiter was very rushed and cleared our table while one girl was still eating. We all found him very rude with no "table-side" manners. Although he was the only waiter I could see, it wasn't busy at all (maybe 4 other tables, and by the time we were done it was empty again) so I don't understand what the rush was about. The bill was only Â£22 for 3 of us (we did not have alcohol) so wasn't too disappointed although I wouldn't recommend it for lunch to someone else.We went there for a girlie lunch today as it's near our workplace and have always wanted to go. They have quite a few food specials going on (pizza and burgers 2for1). The burgers (especially the chips) was really good and the portions big. Our waiter was very rushed and cleared our table while one girl was still eating. We all found him very rude with no "table-side" manners. Although he was the only waiter I could see, it wasn't busy at all (maybe 4 other tables, and by the time we were done it was empty again) so I don't understand what the rush was about. The bill was only Â£22 for 3 of us (we did not have alcohol) so wasn't too disappointed although I wouldn't recommend it for lunch to someone else.

Wiltons Restaurant - Terrible choice by nycthing

nycthing — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:50:00 +0000

Review by nycthing

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7629 9955

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

Tags: british, expensive, pretentious

Old and stuffy and simply not very good. So many better choices without going very far. Food was mediocre and service was terrible. Just avoid this place and enjoy the other wonderful places nearby.Old and stuffy and simply not very good. So many better choices without going very far. Food was mediocre and service was terrible. Just avoid this place and enjoy the other wonderful places nearby.

Millbank Spice - AVOID by armchairtravel

armchairtravel — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:30:23 +0000

Review by armchairtravel

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7630 1444

Tags: indian, expensive, business

went there last night, the food was ready in two minutes not a good sign. It was 90% cool to tepid! Four of the six dishes were really bland and old. Surprise, nobody asked how the food was. The music we had to ask to take off or change as it came and went on/off/on/off!
When the bill came, we put more than the bill by ten pounds and the waiter asked 3 times, "All for me" -only to be told 3 times -"no bring the change"!!! ....AVOIDwent there last night, the food was ready in two minutes not a good sign. It was 90% cool to tepid! Four of the six dishes were really bland and old. Surprise, nobody asked how the food was. The music we had to ask to take off or change as it came and went on/off/on/off!
When the bill came, we put more than the bill by ten pounds and the waiter asked 3 times, "All for me" -only to be told 3 times -"no bring the change"!!! ....AVOID

The White Swan - AVOID by armchairtravel

armchairtravel — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:23:43 +0000

Review by armchairtravel

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7821 8568

Tags: standard pub food, pub chain, relaxed

AVOID-
we went last night friday, tried 3 beers all were flat, vinegar, very badly kept, the 'landlord' -( use the term loosely!) said nothing, we had a Youngs which was very average.

Then a fight nearly broke out, everyone was visibly upset, the 'landlord' just put the offenders at different ends of the pub!

A couple complained about the wine, eventually got a refund and left. The barstaff and 'landlord' just laughed about it, probably thinking you dare to come in here expecting good service, beer and wine and then complain-HA

The toilets were disgusting, dirty, smelly, graffitti, damp walls, need of a good o lick of paint.

7 Americans came in for dinner, the landlord' told them to get their own menus, they made their choice, went to the bar to order, the'landlord' said, "No snack food only"! and this was 8.15 at night, welcome to London
AVOID THIS PUBAVOID-
we went last night friday, tried 3 beers all were flat, vinegar, very badly kept, the 'landlord' -( use the term loosely!) said nothing, we had a Youngs which was very average.

Then a fight nearly broke out, everyone was visibly upset, the 'landlord' just put the offenders at different ends of the pub!

A couple complained about the wine, eventually got a refund and left. The barstaff and 'landlord' just laughed about it, probably thinking you dare to come in here expecting good service, beer and wine and then complain-HA

The toilets were disgusting, dirty, smelly, graffitti, damp walls, need of a good o lick of paint.

7 Americans came in for dinner, the landlord' told them to get their own menus, they made their choice, went to the bar to order, the'landlord' said, "No snack food only"! and this was 8.15 at night, welcome to London
AVOID THIS PUB

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

Biguns Ribs - by Maxm007

Maxm007 — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:18:35 +0000

Review by Maxm007

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7834 7350

Tags: american, cheap eat, family & home feel

Cheap fast food joint. Ribs are probably reheated. Not going there again.Cheap fast food joint. Ribs are probably reheated. Not going there again.

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

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

Review by laissezfare

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 0870 777 4488

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

Tags: french, romantic, bar

[Non-Photo Review]

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

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

No ordinary townhouse

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

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

No ordinary greeting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No ordinary meal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Main Course 1: Pig (Â£32)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dessert: Nonette

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

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

Petit Fours

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

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

No ordinary blue loo

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

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

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

No ordinary townhouse

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

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

No ordinary greeting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No ordinary meal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Main Course 1: Pig (Â£32)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dessert: Nonette

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

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

Petit Fours

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

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

No ordinary blue loo

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