http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house <b>Acorn House</b><br />London, 69 Swinton St., WC1X 9NT, United Kingdom en http://trustedplaces.com/uploads/placepics/trustedplaces.comaPlacePic['name']}.140.jpg http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1r3g88
Review by Niamheen

Rating: 4.00
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Acorn House in Kingâ¬"s Cross has been on my radar for sometime. As Londonâ¬"s first truly eco-friendly training restaurant, it has had alot of press attention, with the Evening Standardâ¬"s Fay Maschler declaring that â¬]]> Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:02:02 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1r3g886964644 Niamheen 51.52853049593 -0.11904716491699 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/127av8
Review by ricoeurian

Rating: 3.00
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I've been to Acorn five times now and am still unsure if this place is great or overrated - 2 awesome meals, 2 not so good, 1 crappy. So maybe on balance it's not so good.

The menu changes a bit each time you go, especially the salads, which always have descriptions that are one part challenge, one part intrigue.

Ingredients (and general philosophy) are organic.

Things I've loved about Acorn House: my first meal there... the humungous round board of meats and cheeses platter to share that we ordered for a party of ten... the organic UK ales.

Things I've *not* loved about AH: some of the prices... that more recently lovely tasty tender baby vegetables in the salads have become more leggy grown-up vegetables... that I had to ask for some carrots to be put into my beetroot and carrot salad... that the veggie pie was just ghastly and sickeningly rich.

Maybe you'll be lucky and have a fantastic meal (as I have done) or maybe you'll be unlucky and pay a lot for an unspectacular meal (as I have also done).]]> Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:24:46 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/127av81771065118 ricoeurian 51.52853049593 -0.11904716491699 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1a65x7
Review by squirrel

Rating: 2.00
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Maybe we were disappointed because we were expecting so much? Maybe we are just way too critical and everyone else who has given The Acorn 4 or 5 stars is right and we are wrong? Hmmm.

The Squirrel and her worse half thought long and hard about where to take the worse half's parents. The aim was to find great food, a comfortable, cozy, quiet place.

The Squirrel arrived late, partly because The Acorn doesn't have a proper sign on it's door. For the optically challenged, who wear badly fitting contact lenses out of sheer vanity, this must be annoying.

The Squirrel arrived to find Mrs P sitting on a bizarre church pew type seat and Mr P Sr and Jr sitting on very uncomfortable looking, designer, plastic chairs, drinking beer that they hadn't really ordered, but they didn't want to make a fuss.

The menu is minimalist, as one would expect, given The Acorn's ethics. The bread and butter was nice, but we had to hold our bread in our hands, since the Acorn doesn't appear to do side plates.

The starters were fine. The soup in particular was very hearty and filling, Mrs P said.

The mains were also fine. Well prepared, but just not particularly extraordinary.

Then the tables next to us started filling up and we lost any desire to continue with a dessert; the dining room is strangely designed and the tables are too close together. So you struggle to hear your own conversation as you listen in on the private conversations of your neighbours.

We left without ordering dessert or coffee or tea. To be honest, we just wanted to go somewhere comfortable where we could have a proper bottle of wine, or a wider choice of beers, and where we could settle down for a good chat.

The staff were lovely, and you could definitely tell that there was some training going on. It was also nice to see into the kitchen, so to speak.

We paid about £35 a head - given that there was no dessert and we each had a small bottle of beer, this seems unjustified.

All in all we couldn't understand the hype and we regretted our choice. The Squirrel hates to be so down on a place that has received such great reviews, but in this case it can't be helped.





]]> Sat, 27 Oct 2007 17:21:32 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1a65x72085670488 squirrel 51.52853049593 -0.11904716491699 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1c53o8
Review by flojo

Rating: 4.00
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Went for a meal here ages ago, food was very nice and I like it's ethics!]]> Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:45:38 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1c53o81734884805 flojo 51.52853049593 -0.11904716491699 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1y12j8
Review by LondonistMatt

Rating: 4.00
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It's true. I asked. They do furnish every customer with a packet of seeds though. What am I going to do with seeds? I live in a second-floor flat with no space for a window box. Perhaps I could plant them in the carpet. Then I could use a lawn mower rather than a hoover to clean the floor. Actually, that's not a bad idea.

Before you get your seeds, there's the small matter of the food itself. Now, I've been four times, and always go for the multi-salad option. It really bamboozles the uninitiated. Like, why am I ordering four salads? That's how they do things in here. You pick three or four salads and they all come heaped on top of one another in a precarious pile not usually seen outside of all-you-can-eat buffets.

Also, the manager looks really familiar. Maybe because I've been four times and he has the same facial features each time. But I'm sure I know him from somewhere else.

In summary: a good place to recollect what fenugreek is. ]]> Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:34:16 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1y12j8631079707 LondonistMatt 51.52853049593 -0.11904716491699 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1r12j8
Review by belinda

Rating: 5.00
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We went to the Acorn for dinner and I could not find one fault with this place.

Super-friendly helpful staff who actually enjoy what they do (or seem to). Fabulous cocktails, great wine and delicious fresh inventive food.
We were a table of 8 and all had 3 courses and everyone loved every dish that was served.

Food was fresh and tasty with a great selection for vegetarians. I would highly recommend this restaurant to everyone.]]> Fri, 25 May 2007 15:52:47 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1r12j849451455 belinda 51.52853049593 -0.11904716491699 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1r5268
Review by k_thrn

Rating: 4.00
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According to the Times' Acorn House is the most important restaurant to open in London in 200 years because it is London's first truly environmentally sustainable restaurant. The restaurant is built from organic and recycled materials, it composts or recycles 100 per cent of its wastes, demands positive animal husbandry, avoids industrial farming, uses green electricity, buys Fairtrade where possible and never uses airfreight. Wow!

I haven't tried it sooner because the prices edge on the higher limit for my lunchtime budget. But I recently discovered they do a lunch deal of soup and half a sandwich for about £6.00. I tried the beetroot soup with cardamom and sour cream and a bresaolo and goats cheese sandwich on brown bread. It being a sunny day I decided to enjoy my meal in a local sunny square so I can't really comment on a full dining experience at Acorn House. But from what I observed the staff seemed friendly and cheery and seemed to be enjoying what they were doing. Service for takeaway could have been a little quicker but I was enjoying looking around. The restaurant was bright and airy and the food was great. The colour of the beetroot soup was rich and bright. I've never seen anything more pink - which I chalk up to the quality of the ingredients. Absolutely delicious! The bresaolo was sweet and musty and went perfectly with the buttery goats cheese. Total bill, with a bottle of water came to a little over £7. My only criticism would be that the portions could have been a little bigger for the price.

Based on this experience I'll definitely check Acorn House out properly soon. So expect another follow up review.
]]> Thu, 24 May 2007 10:31:12 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1o32p8h/acorn-house/1r5268723030505 k_thrn 51.52853049593 -0.11904716491699