Latest reviews by DavidMuir

The Diner

DavidMuir — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:45:47 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 128 Curtain Road, EC2A 3AQ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7729 4452

Website: http://www.thedinershoreditch.com/index.asp

Tags: american, family & home feel, good value, lively

Just like NYMost American Diners in London are an extremely poor replica of the real thing.

Essentially, the mistake comes from thinking that the authenticity comes from buying 50's furniture.

Instead, a great American diner has:

1) Great, brisk service

2) Comfort food by the plate load

3) Cheeseburgers where the grease runs down your chin

This diner has all three, and a great ecletic crowd.

An absolute diamond.

Wahaca

DavidMuir — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:22:37 +0000

Rating: 3.7

Location: 66 Chandos Place, WC2N 4HG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 1883

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

Tags: lively, family & home feel, cheap eat, crowded

OH MY GODThis place is, outstanding.

The one thing in my mind that holds London back from being the worlds finest city is the very poor Mexican food. Any Texan will tell you that.

Well Houston, you now have a problem

Wahaca serves fantastic Mexican food and has really superb staff. My son wanted to go wandering about and he was treated really by the staff (thanks Frenchie).

If you have one new year resolution, make a visit to Wahaca.

Meson Don Felipe

DavidMuir — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:55:15 +0000

Rating: 3.4

Location: 53 The Cut, SE1 8LF, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7928 3237

Tags: lively, cheap eat, spanish, crowded, tapas

Little Gem on the South BankBefore the Tate Modern and the redevelopment of the South Bank, eating out in this manor was always slim pickings.

Meson Don Felipe was a little oasis of good quality authentic Spanish tapas.

Thankfully it still does this in abundance.

The Shampan

DavidMuir — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 13:31:45 +0000

Rating: 3.0

Location: 79 Brick Lane, E1 6QL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7375 0475

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

Tags: indian, cheap eat, crowded

One of the best places on brick laneEvery restaurant on Brick Lane claims to have been the restaurant of the year, and as a result many disappoint.

However ou can always depend upon The Shampan. Really good food and the chicken jalfrezi is to die for.

Roka

DavidMuir — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:29:54 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 37 Charlotte St, W1T 1RR, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7580 6464

Website: http://www.rokarestaurant.com

Tags: expensive, business, japanese

Horrible over pricingGreat food but horribly over priced for what it is.

Go to Kiku on Half Moon Street instead.

Theo Randall

DavidMuir — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:55:43 +0000

Rating: 3.0

Location: The InterContinental, W1J 7QY, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7409 3131

Website: http://www.theorandall.com/

Tags: italian, good value, romantic

Divine cooking. Diabolical locationTheo Randall and his team cook some of the best Italian food you will ever find.

Theo was the genius cook behind the River Cafe, although it was the hatchet faced owners who took all the credit (how can you be that rich and bloody misreable?).

Randall's cooking is simple and delicious. His lemon tart made from Sicilian lemons will never be forgotten.

This wonderful light, bright Mediterranean cooking is let down by the dark decor in what feels like a basement of an anonymous hotel. It really detracts from what is some of the best food you will ever find in London.

Magdalen

DavidMuir — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:10:01 +0000

Rating: 4.2

Location: 152 Tooley Street, SE1 2TU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7403 1342

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

Tags: french, british, business, good value, crowded, brasserie

Great British FoodI went to this place recently for a Friday business lunch. We had to be done quite quickly and the staff were brilliant.

The menu is really very simple with fantastic seasonal produce. I had a wonderful smoked haddock with mustard cream, saurkraut and sausage. It was just superb.

I didn't have any wine but the list was great.

If you are looking for a reference point think St John meets Galvin

Royal China

DavidMuir — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:59:43 +0000

Rating: 4.1

Location: 30 Westferry Circus, E14 8RR, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7719 0888

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

Tags: lively, family & home feel, good value, chinese, crowded

A little bit of Hong Kong Dim Sum appears to be the new sushi in London. But rarely is it done well or as authentically as here.

Gaudy Hong Kong style interiors complement an innovative dim sum list. The specials are particularly good.

The staff are great with kids. Very child friendly

Memsaheb

DavidMuir — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:39:41 +0000

Rating: 5.0

Location: 65-67 Amsterdam Road, E14 3UU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7538 3008

Website: http://www.memsaheb.com

Tags: indian, curry house, bargain, curry

A cracker of a curry houseI used to live on this street. Every restaurant which ever opened there failed. It was like there was some weird hex on the building.

Then the Memsaheb came along and put down deep roots. It has done this by delivering one of the best most authentic style of Indian cookery. Extremely aromatic and fresh.

Canary Wharf workers should head down there, good for a very private lunch. Great views over the river.

One of the very best curry houses in London

Automat

DavidMuir — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:34:39 +0000

Rating: 3.3

Location: 33 Dover St, W1S 4NF, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7499 3033

Website: http://www.automat-london.com

Tags: american, family & home feel, business, lively

Great concept. Still needs workAutomat has done really well attracting the hedge fund, VC crowd of Mayfair for a non-expensive working lunch venue.

The concept of the down at home American dinner serving comfort food is a great one. There are some incredible dishes like the macaroni and cheese. However the burgers aren't great and they should be considering the concept they are trying to sell

Bubbas Pit BBQ

DavidMuir — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:31:07 +0000

Rating: 5.0

Location: Brushfield Street, E1 6AA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7377 6999

Tags: lively, quick bite

Best chili cheese burger this side of the AtlanticI've been going to this place for years. It delivers what can only be the best chili cheese burger i have ever tasted in the UK.

The chili cheese burger is to American cuisine what foie gras is to the French.

Great food. Horrible queues when busy. Well worth it

The Morgan Arms

DavidMuir — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:23:11 +0000

Rating: 4.2

Location: 43 Morgan Street, E3 5AA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8980 6389

Website: http://www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/themorgan/

Tags: pub, "pub lunches" east end

Best Sunday Lunch, EverThis place was once one of the East End's nastiest boozers. Authentic bullet holes in the glass and forty year old strippers of an afternoon. Sawn of shotguns, optional.

Revamped, with some very good food it makes it a real treat. I have a friend who especially comes over from Victoria for the roast beef.

They also have a really good wine list which is well worth sampling.

Fish House

DavidMuir — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:16:13 +0000

Rating: 4.5

Location: 126-128 Lauriston Road, E9 7LH, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8533 3327

Tags: bargain, "fish and chips" chippy fish seafood

Top Quality ChippySet up by the folks behind The Approach Tavern, this chippy serves some of the best fish and chips you could hope to find in London.

You have the option of takeaway or sitting in. Sitting in is well worth it as the restaurant is beautifully tiled with some great pictures.

Beautiful haddock and chips. The deserts like Eton Mess are superb also

I've been twice. The first for a one year olds birthday. A very child friendly place. The second time the service was a bit ragged which means it just misses out on the fifth star

Song Que

DavidMuir — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:36:35 +0000

Rating: 4.7

Location: 134 Kingsland Road, E2 8DY, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7613 3222

Tags: lively, family & home feel, cheap eat, vietnamese

More addictive than crackThere is something about Song Que which means if you haven't been for a wee while you start to encounter withdrawal symptons.

The beef pho is absolutely stunning. If you are feeling a bit down with the cold or recovering from flu this stuff will put you back on track.

Comfort eating of the highest order

Kiku Restaurant

DavidMuir — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:31:16 +0000

Rating: 5.0

Location: 17 Half Moon Street, W1J 7BE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7499 4208

Tags: lively, business, good value, japanese

Oh how I love theeI am not joking this is the best Japanese restaurant in London.

Just around the corner from the Japanese Embassey, it serves wonderfully authentic Japanese cuisine.

My now boss took me here first and then I kept coming back. Everybody I ever take here always ends up coming back. This is always the sign of a truly great restaurant.