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The River Cafe - review by up_shiraz

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:20:33 +0000

The River Cafe - review by up_shiraz

Rating: 4.0

Location: Thames Wharf Studio, W6 9HA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7386 4200

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

Tags: italian, crowded, expensive, lively

I've now calculated that if I use all my annual leave in the form of Friday half days I could come and eat here 45 times next year....which would be nice. Might cost me a few quid or the same as a trip to the Bahamas if I decided to spend those days differently. Because on this form you'll need the whole afternoon off just to prolong this delightful experience as long as possible.

We arrived to sit down at 2.15 and didn't leave until close to 6 o'clock. Which was the perfect way to see what a joyful operation this is. It was a my first visit so i'm not sure if the refit, with open kitchen and long bar, is responsible for all the frivolity. As we were having our dessert, the whole restaurant crew was sitting down to their lunch, which was a selection of what we'd just eaten. After that they took up their positions at the long bar and everyone starting veg prep for dinner. Waiters, porters, front of house, whoever! They all got stuck into cavalo nero stalks and a good chat. Great to watch.

Anyway back to the food. As guests of a Richard Rogers employee (thanks again Jen!) we were able to get access to a shortened set menu which made the whole thing distinctly affordable. 3 courses for Â£24 or 4 for Â£30. We started with mixed antipasti of delicious cured ham and chickpea pancakes, hot, garlicky and straight from the pan.

On my pasta dish sat 3 plump ravioli with spinach and cheese and a delicious, subtly buttery sauce. The delicacy of the ingredients really allowed the quality of the pasta to come through. Risotto with cabbage pancetta and Fontina was legendary and spaghetti with mullet sauce was also excellent.

By this time we'd moved from a Planeta Cerasuolo - "stupid fruit on the nose" exclaimed Gareth - which I learnt is just an expression for really fresh starburst-like flavours, on to a Dolcetto from Vajra. Perfect with braised veal shin with chard. In fact just braise me and we'll call it quits. Braise the Lord. Braise be. Should I braise of should I go? Braise-aways. Braise Anatomy. Etc. Etc. Let's just braise everything basically - brilliant. Calves liver on another plate was tender and juicy and the wild mushroom and gooey cheese frittata that the young lady had was also good...but probably not quite as exciting as the other mains.

Cheese, vanilla ice cream and espresso, and lemon tart did the trick and hastened us into a Chianti from Sepulviana which turned out to be the most serious red so far. Lots of chewy tannins and structure after the lighter bottles before. As the hoover zipped round other parts of the restaurant, we checked all the breadcrumbs under our table and realised they were probably going to need to work on it for a while so we got the bill (which after Prosecco cocktails and 4 bottles of wine was predictable mostly of the liquid variety). In fact the food seemed verry good value in a place where the a la carte option is undeniably expensive. As we got up I wanted to say goodbye to all the veg-preppers but i was reminded that they weren't actually my friends yet. But they will be one day.

So main piece of advice here - go to the Richard Rogers building and make a friend in the office there so you can get the set menu too. Well worth the loitering...

The River Cafe - review by Food_Snob

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:43:55 +0000

The River Cafe - review by Food_Snob

Rating: 4.0

Location: Thames Wharf Studio, W6 9HA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7386 4200

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

Tags: italian

Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/the-river-cafe-london/

Text-only Critique:

Asked to name Londonâ¬"s top Italian restaurant and general consensus would suggest either Locanda Locatelli, Zafferano or the River CafÃ©. Regular readers might have already read my reviews of the first two and have probably been waiting some time, as have I, for that inevitable visit to the River CafÃ©. Well, after many months - six to be certain - I am able to finally fulfil my gastronomic responsibility and complete my Grand Tour of Londonâ¬"s la Santissima TrinitÃ .

Why the wait? A fatty steak. During dinner service on Saturday, 5 April, when cooking bistecca alla Fiorentina, â¬Üsome flaring vapours got caught in the flue,â¬" causing the open grill to â¬Üexplode like a jet plane.â¬" The forced shutting required for repair was viewed a good excuse for a refit and thus the River CafÃ© remained closed until a couple of weeks ago when, like a phoenix, it arose from its own ashes. The owners decided to take advantage of the interval and insurance money - used to cover staff salaries - spending the summer in Italy with their chefs, mastering new recipes, and sending people to work with suppliers and other restaurants - some, for example, worked at La Fromagerie, being taught how to look after cheese; others went to Specogna, a family-run winery in Northern Italy; whilst a few were sent to San Daniele near Venice to learn about prosciutto. A series of charitable projects were undertaken too: disabled kids helped build a vegetable garden in the former-dining-room-cum-greenhouse, later cooking with the very legumes of their labours; while a group of female chefs visited a womenâ¬"s refuge.

The CafÃ©â¬"s closure was a big deal. Many see the iconic Italian, first opened in 1987 by New Yorker Ruth Rogers (Lady Rogers of Riverside) and English Rose Gray, as revolutionary to British culinary culture. The two women, both without professional experience and first friends through Richard Rogers, well actually, Richardâ¬"s first wife, learnt their love of cucina rustica from Richardâ¬"s mother, Dada, who fed Rose when at art college with Richard in Guildford and Ruth, whilst living with her husband in Paris. London, before the advent of these girls, was bereft of such staples as extra virgin olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, bruschetta and polenta and the use of fresh, seasonal ingredients, as rudimentary as it may be now, was radical twenty years ago. Menus that changed with the seasons, let alone twice a day, were unheard of; in Roseâ¬"s own words, â¬ÜI know itâ¬"s become very fashionable now, but to us, it just made sense.â¬"

The restaurant, which has spawned ten cookbooks and numerous TV shows, is also a breeding ground for some of Britainâ¬"s most recognisable chefs: Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - the first and last person to be fired from here (having filled the kitchen with chocolate mess) - Theo Randall, Samantha and Samuel Clark (Moro), Ed Baines (Randall & Aubin) plus April Bloomfield (of NYCâ¬"s Spotted Pig). The eatery also earned notoriety as the â¬Ügovernment canteenâ¬" of the Blair years, with the former PM, Brown and Mandelson all regulars. This deep-rooted relationship even saw Blair courier lunch from the CafÃ© to No. 10 on the day of Labourâ¬"s 1997 victory and Peter Lilley to complain at the following Tory conference that Britain was â¬Ünow all about Britpop and the River CafÃ©.â¬" A year before, the New Yorker hailed it as the best Italian in Europe, Italy included, and a year later, Michelin awarded it its first starâ¬¦Times have changed, but the restaurantâ¬"s reputation for quality or popularity has not - it still rakes in over Â£10,000 a day, no doubt helped by the famously premium prices paid for the ironically peasant-style provender at this ironically christened cafÃ©.

The River CafÃ© almost does not want to be found, hidden in a former Duckhams Oil storage facility on an industrial estate off the A219 in Hammersmith - probably part of the attraction for celebs keen to avoid the paparazzi. Though to be fair, location (location, location) was not a key consideration in 1987, as the CafÃ© was initially an informal venture, created as a canteen for Lord Rogerâ¬"s architectural practice, RSH+P, sited on the same estate.

Arriving via the riverside promenade, this piece of Tuscany-on-the-Thames is housed in a brown-brick, what-was-warehouse. A large green terrace - the to-be-seen spot each summer - and small garden separate it from the river; this garden, Roseâ¬"s baby, though nowhere near sufficiently fruitful to feed the restaurant, serves to top up supplies when especially busy and as a testing ground for new seeds brought back from the ownersâ¬" adventures abroad. Originally, obviously designed by the Lord himself and since updated in conjunction with Stuart Forbes Associates, the interior is understated, unassuming and structured simply: the space is a bright, vast, modern mixture of glass and metal, blue and white. The post-blaze redesign involved only minor modification: the same long room now has a new colourful, yellow reception, whilst the opposite end has had its wall pushed back behind the now open-plan kitchen, whose custom-built wood-fired oven complete with attention-grabbing, flaming maw is its most eye-catching aspect. That old clock is still there, projected upon a baby blue, back-lit plane. The deli-like counter, with its reflective mirror face, also still runs across the restaurant and staff still lay out cakes, tarts, cheeses and breads along its top. New additions, however, include an 18-person private dining room, fully equipped with walk-in cheese cupboard plus conference facilities for the more business-inclined clientele.

The floor is carpeted in royal blue, whilst the ceiling is composed of concave, perforated white steel; one wall is laced with large, latticed French windows, the other with overhanging, semi-transparent, turquoise panelling; the rest of the restaurant is clean alabaster. Squared tables are close together, but not disturbingly so. They are bounded with bouncy, meshed chrome chairs and plainly decked with tissue-paper tablecloth whose austerity raised an eyebrow. The tabletops are similarly stark: two, tiny bowls of salt and pepper; a practical glass; Georg Jensen stainless steel cutlery; and paper-printed menu and laminated wine-list. There are nice cloth napkins, at least. The crockery that comes later is Churchill.

The whole place has a nice and comforting vibrancy: there is a pleasing hustle bustle from the restaurant and clitter clatter from the kitchen. The active, young, mostly female staff hover and float gracefully between tables, emanating energy and enthusiasm. The glowing roar from the beehive furnace, steam from the stove and sizzle from the saucepans all add to the atmosphere.

I was warmly welcomed and seated by my ever-smiling, charming cameriera. However, I was unsure what to order - the menu is dynamic yet full - so the manager, Lolo, offered to show me around whilst I thought it over. After a thorough nose about, I enlisted her help, together deciding on an appetising assortment of the CafÃ©â¬"s finest fare.

Il Pane: Ciabatta and Sourdough. Il granaio was a rustic offering of only two types, both brought in. Of equally good quality, the ciabatta was open, light with a crisp floury crust and subtle olive oil savour while the sourdough, wholesome, thick and with a tearable exterior. If one is disappointed that the bread is not homemade (a tragedy given that grand oven), they should feel more than compensated by the olive oil, which the River CafÃ© does produce itself. This Felsina 2006, made with olives from a single Tuscan estate, had a mild, ripe, peppery flavour.

Antipasto: Carne Crudo. Finely chopped fillet of raw beef was purely presented with parmigiano reggiano shards, mÃ¢che leaves and gentle dressing of 12 year old aged balsamic vinegar. The soft manzo melted in the mouth leaving a surprisingly clean, fresh finish: the mild meat had none of the crudeness common to uncooked carne improperly prepared. The tender mÃ¢che - lambsâ¬" lettuce - added a crunch and mild nuttiness that matched well with the parmesan, itself adding creamy consistency. Together with a little lemon, the vinegar, slightly syrupy and sweetly sour, cut through the flavours on the plate. In an unpretentious twist to conventional carpaccio, these basic accompaniments served to simply showcase the quality meat.

Primo: Ravioli di Ricotta. Another straightforward serving, this of three thin, handmade pasta parcels packed with ricotta and cima di rape with I Cannonici extra virgin olive oil and aged pecorino stagionato. The ravioli were very well made, dissolving on the tongue to reveal a pleasantly grainy and coarse, moist middle of rich ricotta and barely bitter rape that balanced each other nicely. Decorating the dish were more rape and shavings of pecorino with just a dribble of house, I Cannonici, olive oil, sufficient to grease the dainty packagesâ¬" effortless glide down oneâ¬"s gullet. The whole dish, though unexpectedly light and delicate, I did think needed a little more salt, but I was easily able to remedy this myself with the salt already at the table.

Tartufo: Taglierini alla Piemontese con Tartufi Bianchi. Freshly made taglierini came with 2.5 grand grams of the first of the seasonâ¬"s Tuscan white truffles. The treasured tartufi were the deserving centrepiece, delivering a woody, mildly earthy, garlic aroma and taste, which delightfully dominated the dish. The Piedmontese pasta was the ideal transport for its paesano fungiâ¬"s flavour, absorbing the light butter and parmesan sauce until nicely tender. Apparently, this recipe is a speciality of Al Moro, a small restaurant in Tuscany, where regular, Ruth, often finds creative stimulation.

Pesce: Sogliola al Forno. A dazzling dish of Dover Sole, whole, wood-roasted on the bone with rosemary branches was teamed with fresh borlotti beans and large leaf rocket. The brown-grey speckled Sole was superbly cooked and simply dressed in light lemon and olive oil while seasoned with well-matching and strikingly strong infusions of lemony-pine rosemary and deft woodiness from the oven. The buttery sweet, bouncy, firm flesh of the fish fell off the bone in succulent, steaky slivers. Peppery, crunchy rocket - the perfect piscine partner - and warm, creamy borlotti completed the course. A good fillet of fish, rocket, a big squeeze of lemon (and some onion wedges) is enough to have me as happy as Larry, so this was right up my road - and a Wow!

Carne: Gallo Cedrone al Forno. An autumnal special of Yorkshire grouse stuffed with sage and thyme, wood-roasted in Cortegiaga Amarone, and roasted Violini pumpkin and fennel (Speck della Val dâ¬"Aosta is also normally included) was next. Initial surprise at being served an entire gallo was soon replaced by greedy delight. That fierce furnace had once again been put to good effect: crispy skin wrapped moist and juicy flesh. The bird was buzzing with flavour and flushed with deep purple amarone. This wine, spicy, fruity, but noted especially for its bitterness - Italians call it â¬Üthe big bitterâ¬" - imparted an intense, almighty alcoholic wallop that enhanced the gaminess already inherent. Pungent, robust sage and thyme complemented the soused grouse whilst the seductively caramelised vegetables almost stole the show themselves; their subtle sweetness helping balance the dish.

Dolci e Gelati: Pear & Almond Tart; Polenta Cake with Lemon Sorbet; Lemon Tart; Chocolate Nemeis; and Caramel Ice Cream. So far, Loloâ¬"s suggestions had proved spot-on, so for dessert, I left it to her. She did not disappoint. A selezione of four cakes/tarts, a sorbet and ice cream, which would have made any over-nosy, fellow diner green with envy, arrived. I took my time, slowly savouring a bite of each, trying to decide on a favourite. Once more I was surprised: I had been sure I wouldnâ¬"t, couldnâ¬"t like each, that a dud was surely there. I was wrong. All were great. Melt-in-the-mouth almond and pear was sweet, soft and covered in a delightful macaron crust. The polenta cake, an authentic Sicilian delicacy, was dense, moist and super-crumbly with a lemony-nut finish, accentuated by the intense lemon sorbet, dotted with lime zest. A well-judged, cleansing lemon tart had thick, sour, creamy crÃ¨me and crunchy biscuit base. The chocolate nemesis, a River CafÃ© classic, lived up to its reputation: made, for the record, with eight different cocoa beans and no flour, this treat had the softness of a soufflÃ©, but full, gorgeous hit of cocoa - Yum. Caramel ice cream was toffee-rich and almost bitter with slightly burnt sugar flavour. Ribadisco, dolci erano deliziosi!

I must admit, the first few dishes, though well-prepared and pleasant enough, did not wow me, but with the arrival of the Dover Sole, the meal tore straight through first into fifth gear and never slowed down. I left thinking the cooking a master-class in â¬Ühow to leave things aloneâ¬", keep plates simple and uncluttered and flavours clean. In classic Mediterranean tradition, ingredients are the focus and the chefâ¬"s role is to help emphasise these, not to complicate them - foams, pastes, rich sauces, emulsions are not in the kitchenâ¬"s repertoire. This takes skill, but it is a job made easier by having the best raw materials to work with - something the CafÃ© properly prides itself on: â¬Üsourcing, sourcing, sourcingâ¬" is Ruth and Roseâ¬"s motto. Head Chef, Joseph, who very kindly took the time to have a few words with me, on his day off no less, summed their supplier strategy succinctly: â¬Üwhere ever itâ¬"s fresh, where ever itâ¬"s best, thatâ¬"s where we get it.â¬" So expect to find, this time of year, Yorkshire grouse, Welsh lamb, Italian tomatoes (sicuramente), Tuscan olive oil, French fennel, herbs from, umm, the garden outside, and more. Indeed, the menu is so responsive to the market, it is amended twice a day - something unmatched by any other Michelin starred restaurant in London.

Service is very lovely too; this was my first visit to the River CafÃ©, but I felt right at home. My waitress took diligent care of me, refilling my glass with chilled tap water, replenishing my bread, replying to my many questions with a constant patience and smile. She was great, but mademoiselle-manager, Lolo was la star; her menu choices were spot on; dessert selection pressed all the right buttons; she showed off the new interior; took me on a guided tour of the exterior; and even organised a one-to-one between Chef Joseph and myself. I repeat, elle Ã©tait lâ¬"Ã©toile. Such considerable care seems only natural and so it should given that everyone looks like they are enjoying their work; are clearly taken care of by Ruth and Rose; and the restaurant is essentially a family operation - Roseâ¬"s daughter is a chef, her husband, Charles Pullan, the manager (and a winning one, well almost, according to Michael Winner), Lucyâ¬"s daughter waitresses and Roseâ¬"s son, Ossian, runs the finances. Actually, I even noticed on my way out a couple of the staff lunching at one of the tables: something extraordinary considering that even McDonaldâ¬"s employees must enjoy their meals out of sight.

A final note on those spine-stiffening tissue-paper tablecloths is warranted. It was only after tiffin that their use and necessity were appreciated: puddles of olive oil, bloody bits of grouse carcass, drips of the red stuff, fish bones and breadcrumbs were all evidence of my embarrassingly messy eating (or of me thoroughly enjoying my meal maybe?).

â¬ÜItâ¬"s Mecca, basically. I really think the CafÃ© laid the foundation for sexy, simple, cool food in this country,â¬" lisps old boy Jamie Oliver. He has a point, the quality of produce and preparation makes the food here easy to eat: dishes like Dover Sole can be devoured thoughtlessly; grouse, relished; and chocolate nemesis, indolently indulged in. The cooking cheers. The River CafÃ© comforts.

Barrafina - review by sulin

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:14:26 +0000

Barrafina - review by sulin

Rating: 4.5

Location: 54 Frith St, W1D 4SL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7813 8010

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

Tags: lively, spanish, crowded, expensive

A good friend of mine happened to be in town last week and so we arranged to meet at Barrafina, one of his favourite restaurants in London and one that Iâ¬"d been meaning to try. We met there at noon on a Saturday and were the second and third people to grab seats at the bar. The place filled up within half an hour so it seems the best thing to do is to get there when it just opens (they donâ¬"t take bookings).

When I saw ham croquetas on the menu, I knew I had to have them! We ordered those while still perusing the menu. They were extremely creamy inside and crisp on the outside and exactly how I like my croquetas!

From the daily specials, we ordered the grilled razor clams with olive oil, garlic and parsley. These were probably cooked a la plancha and were not at all rubbery but tender and so flavourful. My friend recommended the grilled lamb cutlets from the regular menu and so they went into our order. Very soft and we got stuck in with our fingers here. Also from the specials was the cavolo nero, braised with olive oil and garlic. Beautiful! The cavolo nero still had a bite but was tender and had toasted patches that were wonderful. I just bought some cavolo nero at my farmersâ¬" market to try replicating it this week. Another special - this time it was grilled squid, stuffed with tomato and chorizo. Again, this dish was faultless.

We were starting to get full at this point and so focused our attention on desserts! I chose the chocolate tart while my friend ordered the fig salad with creme chantilly and toasted sliced almonds. Both were truly delicious. There was a bit of cream alongside my chocolate tart, which was rich and dense and a little of eating like eating dark chocolate ganache in a thin pastry shell. As for my friendâ¬"s fig salad, it was fresh ripe figs with a huge mound of creme chantilly (I originally mistook it for ice cream). I could have eaten a huge bowlful of this - the almonds and caramel sauce over top made it perfect.

It seems strange that we didnâ¬"t order any of their sliced jamon but though they had a leg prominently displayed on the counter, no one was having any. It was hot food all the way for everyone. Their tortillas looked fantastic too - little individual ones with soft innards - Iâ¬"ll definitely try one next time.

However, it wasnâ¬"t a cheap lunch. For all the food, one glass of wine and all the tap water we could drink, it was Â£50 for the two of us. However, even with the limited seating, we never once felt rushed and our waitress was happy for us to order one or two tapas at a time. Thereâ¬"s a small counter along the wall where you can wait with a drink and a small bite for a seat - but as I noticed above, itâ¬"s probably easiest if you show up when they just open. I canâ¬"t wait to return (after Iâ¬"ve saved up a bit)!

Photos at the blog: http://tamarindandthyme.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/a-tapas-lunch-at-barrafina/

The River Cafe - review by foodexplorer

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 17:37:03 +0000

The River Cafe - review by foodexplorer

Rating: 4.0

Location: Thames Wharf Studio, W6 9HA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7386 4200

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

Tags: italian, business, pretentious, crowded, expensive

I have to admit i was drawn into the hype and took the plunge of going to the River Cafe. Unfortunately as with most things, the real thing never lives up to the hype. This is the case with this restaurant as well. There is a not too bad selection of meals and specials, but clearly the emphasis is on quality and not quantity. And thats to say the least. I think the staff have also got caught up in the hype as i found them a little obnoxious and snooty. It must be such a shame for them to have to deal with the customers! Thats how i was made to feel anyway. The food is very expensive and i won't be going back!

Arbutus - review by alexthepink

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 17:23:39 +0000

Arbutus - review by alexthepink

Rating: 4.4

Location: 63-64 Frith Street, W1D 3JW, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7734 4545

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

Tags: lively, good value, french

Arbutus serves delicious bistro fare and is relatively inexpensive for a Michelin starred restaurant. All wines are served by the carafe (1/3 of a bottle), which means you can sample different wines with each course without being limited in your choice. There's no foie gras or other expensive ingredients, instead the cheaper cuts are cooked exquisitely.
Our waitress was lovely, the food was to die for and the atmosphere was buzzy without being too loud. We will definitely be back...

Arbutus - review by ProfMagellan

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:26:05 +0000

Arbutus - review by ProfMagellan

Rating: 4.4

Location: 63-64 Frith Street, W1D 3JW, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7734 4545

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

Tags: lively, buzzy, international, good value

An arbutusuneto is a strawberry tree and there used to be one on Soho Square. Today, Soho Square is not populated by exotic flora and fauna so much as by young advertising types sporting their blackberries as though their lives depended on them (perhaps if they work for Martin Sorrell they do?).
Arbutus opened about two years ago to warm reviews
but this was my first visit. My guest was a true foodie
who at one time operated a successful catering business and has trained with some of the UK's leading chefs.
She had squid and mackerel burger (as recommended by AA Gill) and a pollock (I do not jest) whilst I opted for
a beef consomme and a summer risotto of vegetables presented in a lovely copper pan (see photo). The pollock, so my guest claimed, was from Cornwall.
We shared the chocolate soup desert (a thick warm chocolate dish served with ice cream - see photo) and shared half a carafe of sauvignon blanc.
Our waiter was from France and he was excellent - a real professional. The front of house was good too - not hint of the snootiness so often found in trendy London venues.
We both enjoyed our food enormously. Helpings were generous. The menu was excellent and wide-ranging.
The setting modern but not oppressively so.
Arbutus' pricing by London standards was fair.
Recommended.

The Lime Tree - review by nursey71

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:57:58 +0000

The Lime Tree - review by nursey71

Rating: 5.0

Location: 8 Lapwing Lane, M20 2WS, Manchester, United Kingdom

Tags: lively, expensive

I lived in West Didsbury when I was a student and the Lime Tree was somewhere where you aspired to go to eat when you have a 'proper' job!

Now that I have a 'proper job', it is still a treat, but well worth the money when you can afford to spoil yourself (or someone else). It is always busy, and can be quite noisy as they seem to be able to accommodate quite a few people in at once, but the atmosphere is friendly and the staff helpful.

The food has always been top notch and the only gripe I would have is that they don't change their menu often and there is only ever one vegetarian option - having said that, I have never been disappointed and the standard of food is wonderful

Arbutus - review by Weeboo

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:22:04 +0000

Arbutus - review by Weeboo

Rating: 4.4

Location: 63-64 Frith Street, W1D 3JW, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7734 4545

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

Tags: good value, international, business

I've been going to this restaurant for a couple of years now and it has never disappointed food-wise. There is a nice mixture of dishes on the menu. Their fish dishes are fantastic...better than some of the big-name fish restaurants I've dined at. In particular, they do a mean Dorset crab which I've had on several occasions. My boss can recommend the risotto *grin*.

In terms of the surroundings, Arbutus is the atypical pokey Soho restaurant. Undoubtedly stylish, but a bit of a squeeze when busy.

If you're looking to book a business lunch in Soho for the boss, this is a solid choice.

Barrafina - review by bellaphon

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:44:26 +0000

Barrafina - review by bellaphon

Rating: 4.5

Location: 54 Frith St, W1D 4SL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7813 8010

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

Tags: lively, spanish, crowded, expensive

On the four occasions or so Iâ¬"ve been here, luck often prevails with me securing a seat within ten minutes of queuing. This place has to be one of the highlights for me this year. The food, service and ambience were all pretty much faultless. The catches of the day from the wet fish counter and the Jamon de Jabugo are well worth the expense and repeat visits. Other memorable dishes sampled included Grilled Quail with Allioli, Pork Chop with Cauliflower Puree, Ham Croquetas, Ariston and on and on. This place is good; so good that I feel totally spirited away and it sort of turns me into a happy shiny person. I would have given the perfect 10 for the food except that the acquired blandness of the Classic Tortlla renders the verdict otherwise.

Barrafina is expensive, but then again itâ¬"ll cost even more to go to Barcelona these days.

Barrafina - review by Alita

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:16:43 +0000

Barrafina - review by Alita

Rating: 4.5

Location: 54 Frith St, W1D 4SL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7813 8010

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

Tags: lively, spanish, crowded, expensive

Barrafina is a little tricky to find since it announces its presence with little more than a word on the front door, but you'll find it easily enough if you look for a small restaurant with a queue flowing down the street. In fact, the second time I visited I was initially turned away but remained steadfast in the queue, was joined by my friend and (eventually) sat down to a very nice meal.

The staff are attentive and serve drinks and small snacks while you're waiting. Be prepared for a long queue, especially on weekends.

The food itself is generally excellent and mouth-watering, though I found the Pan Con Tomate less flavoursome than I hoped. The prawn and pepper tortilla was cooked in front of us and was deliciously runny inside (a personal favourite) and I can recommend the Sardines la Plancha. Though I do have a thing for sardines. The Creme Catalana was nice, if a touch too sweet. Our chef was incredibly jovial and made some good suggestions.

I'm no wine drinker but I managed to imbibe two very nice glasses of red, one at the bar and one during.

Expect to pay over Â£60 for two with wine for a modest tapas meal and far more for a spanish feast.

Arbutus - review by amandaharrison

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:58:58 +0000

Arbutus - review by amandaharrison

Rating: 4.4

Location: 63-64 Frith Street, W1D 3JW, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7734 4545

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

I liked it, but the acoustics make it difficult to hear and the layout is cramped. Also, when we went, the waiter a) got my order wrong b) managed to put his thumb in my friend's water then ignored the fact that he'd done it much to our hilarity. The management fixed the fact that he'd got my order wrong (maybe writing it down would have helped) by waiving the cost of it.

Arbutus - review by Niamheen

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:50:19 +0000

Arbutus - review by Niamheen

Rating: 4.4

Location: 63-64 Frith Street, W1D 3JW, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7734 4545

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

Tags: lively, good value

A friend visited recently from Australia, and they had one request for me, pick somewhere really good for lunch. Now really good means different things to different people, and from my friend Pete it unnerved me. He knows food and lives in a city renowned for it (Sydney).

It didn't help that I had only a couple of days to organise it, I was sure that anywhere that I wanted would be booked up. I had heard good things about Arbutus and was keen to try it, so, whilst walking past I wandered in, expecting a polite and maybe slightly annoyed sorry-but-you're-way-too-late style of response. I was greeted warmly and told we could have lunch at the bar. Hurrah!

There's a great lunch time offer but we decided to go a la carte. We started with pea and english acorn fed ham soup, light and delicious and salmon ceviche with horseradish cream which was light, delicate and a pleasure to eat. For main course we had broad bean and pea risotto which was extremely well received and I had the line caught pollock with crushed new potatoes and cornish cockles. Very, very good but the salmon starter was the star of the show. We had no room for desserts but we persevered anyway, to my great shame I can't remember what they were!

It's a lovely spot, with great food and ambience, I want to go again and recommend that you do too.

Barrafina - review by chrisp

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:47:35 +0000

Barrafina - review by chrisp

Rating: 4.5

Location: 54 Frith St, W1D 4SL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7813 8010

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

Tags: expensive, spanish, crowded

There tends to be a pattern when new styles of cuisine are introduced to this country. The pioneer restaurants will be toned down, tame versions of the originals, designed to appeal to the masses; think Pizza Express in the 60s or Yo! Sushi in the 90s. Nothing too weird, nothing too offensive to the timid British palette, but due mainly to the novelty factor they are wild successes, at least for the first few years. Then once the novelty wears off, a new wave of more adventurous outlets open that offer something more closely approximating the "authentic" taste from abroad. So then you start noticing things like octopus or squid in your nigiri, or fresh basil and real buffalo mozzerella on your pizza. I'm generalising of course, but with passing time it seems diners, having gotten over the original shock factor and bragging rights of trying something new, will demand a more genuine experience. At least, snobs like me do.

There is sometimes a "Stage 3": Having mastered the said style of cuisine, some brave restauranteurs will take it one step further, and you end up with bizarre fusions like French-Japanese or Afghan-Ethopian. Most of these are hideous, so it's generally in the what I like to call "Stage 2" restaurants are you most likely to get a good meal. So where La Tasca bravely brought spanish tapas to an anonymous shopping mall near you, Barrafina in Soho ups the ante by actually trying to do it well.

However, this is London, and there are certain conditions. Tapas in Spain (at least outside the tourist areas of Catalonia) are little plates of bitesize morsels (chorizo, bread & tomato, croquettas, etc.) that are placed on your drink for free (yes, free!) whenever you order. In Barrafina, you pay Â£7 for a tiny plate of skewered quail and then have to cough up another Â£5 for a glass of Manzanilla sherry. Still, you'd think I'd be used to it by now.

Moaning aside, Barrafina was actually a reasonably enjoyable way to spend an evening. Looking less inside like an authentic tapas bar than a 1950s American diner, there were a dozen or so red leather stools alongside a gleaming chrome bar. The food (at least most of it) was cooked on a hot plate just behind the bar in full view of the diners, which was great fun to watch. Serving staff and kitchen staff all wore the same white outfits and moved around in the same space so you actually felt quite involved in the whole process. We randomly picked a few things from the menu and sat back and watched as they were cooked in front of us.

First to arrive was Pan amb Tomate (tomato bread), which was actually as good as I've had in Spain. Tomato flesh on crunchy bread spiced with raw garlic, it is admittedly a difficult thing to get wrong but even so was very nice. A board of sliced chorizo appeared next, which were only OK but swiftly followed with sweet and succulent whole prawns cooked in salt, the best of all the dishes we tried. The special tomato salad was full of flavour but hugely overseasoned - it was crunchy with salt. I saw the chef loading it with the stuff as I was sat about 3 foot away whilst the dish was being prepared, and I probably should have said something at the time, but never mind. Next, a couple of roast quail were tasty and succulent but with quite a layer of fat and again overseasoned. The accompanying aioli was delicious however, and we kept it back to dip our pimientos in. Finally, a dish of lamb cutlets was well cooked and presented, although I'm not sure how closely this fits the "tapas" brief.

The bill, with a couple of glasses of sherry and some nice Catalan red wine, came to Â£70 for two. This is a lot for tapas (I can only imagine the amount of food you'd have if you spent Â£70 in a tapas bar in Madrid), but not a lot for London to be honest. And we did have plenty to eat and drink. So I can recommend Barrafina - they're doing the best they can providing food such as this in one of the most expensive cities in the world, and they do it with a certain amount of style.

Arbutus - review by bellaphon

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:19:42 +0000

Arbutus - review by bellaphon

Rating: 4.4

Location: 63-64 Frith Street, W1D 3JW, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7734 4545

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

Tags: french, british, seafood, family & home feel, good value

Lunch with my daughter today. What an absolute pleasure; surefire food, surefire waiting staff (this is one of the few places where the 12.5% service charge is fully justified.) and surefire ambience. Her 3 courses at Â£15.50 of field mushroom soup, caillette of pork (faggot by any other name) and Floating Island pudding were an absolute triumph and bargain to boot. My starter of squid and mackerel 'burger'was a perfectly judged concept as was my mains of pollock with Cornish cockles. The portions were more than perfectly adequate, I'm still quite full as I'm typing this review at 8.30pm.

Well done Arbutus, a surefire triumph. Wild Honey next.

Arbutus - review by Busi_78

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:26:42 +0000

Arbutus - review by Busi_78

Rating: 4.4

Location: 63-64 Frith Street, W1D 3JW, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7734 4545

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

been there a few times and really can't fault it. A fantastic place to go to with friends. The food's great, undemanding and the wines are fabulous. The carafe option allows you to try wines you wouldn't ordinarily and the clientele is laid back, the last time we were there we ended up chatting to the couple on the next table,great laugh. I suppose it would be a drawback that the tables are so close together for a romantic meal. Also the cheese seemed to be an afterthought, no chutneys or fancy biccies. Other than that, really pleasant and affordable.