Latest favourites and wishlist by Mez

Moro - review by mazphd

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:43:08 +0000

Moro - review by mazphd

Rating: 4.5

Location: 34 - 36 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7833 8336

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

Tags: lively, middle eastern, business, crowded, expensive, romantic

It is not often that one comes across a restaurant that has style, vibe and some seriously fabulous food. I have been lucky enough to not only dine , but also to experience the wine here, and I intend to develop this very complimentary and devastingly evocative relationship some more.

On my visit, despite being full to bursting and busy every member of staff was attentive, helpful and catchingly perky! Now my experience may have been coloured by the delightful company for the evening (a perceptive, witty and charming dining companion) but Moro also holds all these qualities on its own just on the vibe alone.

For some reason I skipped the Tapas and went straight for the weekly menu, a sardine related dish full of spice, and just the right mix of olive oil and fennel seeds. Simplicity in itself. Now the dining was divine, but better was the wine, and I heartidly recommend, the OntaÃ±on, Gran Reserva a 2001 Spanish Rioja. On the side of 'pricey' at nearly Â£50 a bottle, but mmm so sumptuous.

It has been a while since I've had such great service (especially in the UK!) and wonderful food, and reading the other reviews it seems Moro gets this balance right at least 90% of the time. I'm hoping for those disappointed diners they will return and be charmed in the same way I have been.

My own intention is to revisit and take advantage of the tapas, and moment with a suitably charming dining partner. Oh and to remember to leave room for dessert.

Moro - review by chrisp

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:42:43 +0000

Moro - review by chrisp

Rating: 4.5

Location: 34 - 36 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7833 8336

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

Tags: expensive, spanish, pretentious

Well, I'm sorry to go against the grain of reviews on this site, but I had a very disappointing experience here last weekend.

Arriving 20 mins too early for the evening menu (which was sold out anyway for some unfathomable reason), we decided to fill up on a selection of tapas and a glass of sherry. The tapas was dull - no better than from Cafe Kick across the road - with a small plate of cold and soggy Pimentos de Padron and Boquerones that had clearly just been dumped out of a jar.

But the real slap in the face came in the form of a Â£4 thimble-sized glass of Tio Pepe Sherry. The measure can't have been more than 100ml, and I know for a fact you can get a whole bottle of the stuff from Waitrose for about Â£8. A violation.

This highlights a wider problem with restaurants serving liquids out of their comfort zone. It's the same reason why a measure of Baileys (20%) costs the same as vodka (40%) in the pub and why you can happily buy shots of tequila for Â£1 each but ask for a brandy and you're given just about enough to coat the bottom of a tumbler for Â£3.50 (yes, most pubs have a perfectly good selection of brandy glasses - but when was the last time you saw one used?).

Sherry is not a spirit. In fact, at 15% it's about the in terms of alcohol content as most Riojas. The sooner these pretentious tapas places realise it the better, and one can only hope that once the credit crunch bites it will sort out the places that demand unquestioning respect from their customers from those that actually earn it.

Souk Medina - review by curlynewf

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:36:20 +0000

Souk Medina - review by curlynewf

Rating: 3.4

Location: 1A Short Gardens,, WC2H 9AT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 1796

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

Tags: lively, morrocan, african & caribbean, cheap eat, north african, good value, crowded, romantic

I wasn't all that impressed with the food here. Admittedly we didn't eat much, but what we did have didn't really whet my appetite for more. We had the mezze plate for two, grilled halloumi, calamari and a bottle of of Cuvee Du President (Moroccan red wine). We enjoyed the wine, but the halloumi was dry, the falafel was too hard and the calamari was too rubbery. The tabouleh wasn't bad and the pita was nice and warm but there was too much of it. We also ordered a bottle of sparkling water which arrived warm (when we asked for ice we were given a gigantic bowl of ice cubes with a spoon :-)) I'm pretty sure the tiny tables and low-lighting are meant to be part of the charm, but we sat at a *really* cramped table downstairs which was literally squished up against the next table, and it was so dimly lit that we could barely see the food on our plate. The wait staff was friendly though (and like amandaharrison our waitress spoke little English). But considering it was extremely busy and we'd no reservation the staff were all really attentive and accommodating. The belly dancer was good too - and it was pretty cheap! Considering the location, the vibrancy and the cost I might go again and try some other dishes. Maybe it was just an off-night.

Cafe Mozart - review by carolinebee

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:17:11 +0000

Cafe Mozart - review by carolinebee

Rating: 3.8

Location: 17 Swains Lane, N6 6QX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8348 1384

Quite rightly, the first thing most people notice about this quaint cafe is its name - Mozart. Being a classical music fan myself, it drew me in on what was otherwise going to be a normal day out in London.

The place is perfect for someone like me - someone who loves dark, musty, traditional decor and a slightly subdued, private atmosphere. Don't get me wrong - it's not the Ritz Carlton by any means - but it's really nice for a quiet cup of coffee or a sandwich on a nice day.

The food is lovely, by cafe standards, and has the usual mixture of home baking, freshly made sandwiches, salads, and some hot offerings, too. The prices are average (for London, at least!) but I'm not sure it's somewhere you could afford to eat out of every day.

The staff members haven't really made an impression - they're always polite but don't seem to reach out or make any real conversation, however this shouldn't really bother you if you're just after a moment of solitude, anyway!

The bottom line is if you're around the neighbourhood, fancy a coffee and are somewhat interested in classical music, this place is one hundred percent perfect for you.

Souk Medina - review by ben1982

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:23:03 +0000

Souk Medina - review by ben1982

Rating: 3.4

Location: 1A Short Gardens,, WC2H 9AT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 1796

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

A beautifully low-lit interior of flagstones and plush fabrics makes an atmospheric setting for meeting friends. Downstairs is even more luxurious with beds and endless cushions for reclining after meaty tagines and plenty of garlic and coriander-based dips. Service is friendly and the place genuinely feels a world away from the west end.

Randall & Aubin - review by MrB

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:31:45 +0000

Randall & Aubin - review by MrB

Rating: 4.7

Location: 16 Brewer Street, W1F 0SQ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7287 4447

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

I have dined here four times and on each occasion I have consumed, taken pleasure, and been impressed by the plate of food in front of me. The Lobster is wonderful, the date cake pudding is superb. Even the bread and olive appetiser (that appears free, until the cheque arrives) excites the tongue and increase the expectation of what is to come. The real bug-bear that I have with this place is the service level. The staff, mostly male, seem more concerned with their ability to look gorgeous around the proliferation of female clientele than they do with making sure our dishes arrive at the same time, and that we are happy with the food. It becomes a bit annoying that you have to have a pair of extended breasts to get attention from some of them, or a hugely inflated groin to attract the others. Please guys, leave that attitude at the door and get on with serving and attending to the customer. Service is added to the bill, and I have yet to pay this charge, as I have never once felt they had earned the 12% â¬Üdiscretionaryâ¬" payment.
The food is good though, but it is let down by the preening, narcissistic dunder-heeds who bring it to your table.

The Salt House - review by Angella

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:16:46 +0000

The Salt House - review by Angella

Rating: 4.3

Location: 63 Abbey Road, NW8 0AE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7328 6626

The Salt House is easy to find, just beyond the corner. Two areas outside, the busy benches where young people are having drinks, even on a cool september evening. My fellow diner pointed out that customers brave the winter chill because you can smoke outdoors - but I was not disturbed by any smoke as I passed. Hidden behind a hedge or similar is an outdoor area of tables with white tablecloths, as if this is a secret exotic hideaway.

The old red phone box outside suggests that this place has some unique character. Step inside and on your left is a steep staircase and a sign to an upstairs room. Downstairs at the front is a jolly gastropub, the usual central London pub with dark wood. But at the back, down a few steps, surprise, surprise, is a really elegant upmarket dining room with white walls and paintings.

Best of all, for a special date, is a teeny alcove with a round table for two. You are within sight of everybody else so it's not claustrophobic. Yet it feels totally private for conversation with nobody overhearing you. Nothing distracts you from your tete a tete with your partner in cream. (In case anybody has missed this, it's a joke punning on the popular phrase, 'partner in crime'.)

Drinks
No problem ordering a kir or kir royale.

Lovely house wine, a rose, not too sweet, not too dry.

Starters
Sounded good. Humous was one of my possible choices. Or duck in pancakes with sauce.

We went without starters, and the main courses were filling enough. We were not hungry.

Main courses
I was torn between the duck and the lamb. I opted for the duck. Very good duck texture, crispy outside. Spinach was not quite warm enough. The potatoes were rosti. Can't remember them. Must have been okay.

I also liked the sound of rack of lamb with sweet potatoes.

My host, my date, was a 'fishetarian'. He eats fish and vegetables. I said, 'There's no word for that - there ought to be!' So he made up the word. I claim half or co-ownership of the word since I inspired it.

He ordered the ratatouille. I tasted it. It was good. The yellow bell pepper was a pleasing contrasting colour.

Oddly, the coffee and tea came up before my dessert. I imagine the server wrote down the coffee and the dessert orders and the person or people doing the drinks finished first. My friend had ordered mint tea. It came in a glass with visible mint at the top. Visually very attractive. I took a sip. It didn't taste much of mint.

My coffee was double espresso, Italian, with hot milk and brown sugar crystals wrapped in paper. Elegantly served. Went down okay.

The server was from Hungary, chatty and happy. I asked where she was from. Szeged. I asked what were the major landmarks. She told me Szeged has a synagogue. Although she had never visited it, I thought that was very interesting and useful information.

I forgave her for putting down the coffee cup with the handle in the wrong direction, not right, not left (my date was left-handed) but backwards so you had to stop talking and look for the handle and reach behind the cup for it.

I also forgave her for giving me a soup spoon for dessert. I recently learned Now that people in other parts of Europe don't know about soup spoons. They must assume that a soup spoon is just a funny shaped dessert spoon. I must say we were most taken aback at being given soup spoons for dessert.

I had ordered creme brulee. I might have expected a large teaspoon. Or a small dessert spoon. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined eating creme brulee from a small ramekin with a soupspoon. There is a first time for everything. And this was it.

The creme brulee was good. Crisp and thin brittle sugar topping which you could bash up. Perfect texture of creme brulee. Just vanished into my mouth leaving the grin which had been there since the kir.

A perfect evening.

Multi-cultural - nowadays in London we have restaurants serving one style of cuisine but multi-cultural service. Yes, I am being ironic.

Souk Medina - review by ummy

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:20:44 +0000

Souk Medina - review by ummy

Rating: 3.4

Location: 1A Short Gardens,, WC2H 9AT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 1796

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

3 ladies who like to lunch ! We couldn't have found a better place and a wonderful introduction to Morrocan food - we had a complete variety of random dishes from the party menu I think. I'm a vegetarian and there were more than enough really tasty dishes to keep me eating for ages - and the meat eaters were just as impressed. The staff were very attentive and helpful with explaining the dishes.

As for atmosphere - wonderful - so authentic and very cooling on what was a very hot day.

I would definitely recommend

Moro - review by Litro_K

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:25:37 +0000

Moro - review by Litro_K

Rating: 4.5

Location: 34 - 36 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7833 8336

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

Tags: lively, north african, spanish

I'd been waiting years to try our Moro, upon countless recomendations, and finally had an excuse last Friday. Well, three, actually - a birthday, an engagement, and a leaving party, all in one. And boy, was it worth the wait.

I had booked well in advance for a table of 14, which was situated at the back of the restaurant, in a semi-private corner. In the end we had to book for 16 and they happily agreed. The staff were always lovely and helpful, whether on the phone or in person, and they took no massive deposit from my credit card, foisted no set menus on us, and we had one lovely waitress all to ourselves for the night, who coped very well with having to take orders for 16 over three courses without shouting herself hoarse!

As for the food? It was completely out of this world. All the meat tasted like each animal had lived the best life possible, if you know what I mean. It was all tender, succulent, well-seasoned, and â¬ well - moreish. Wines chosen at random from the list were wonderful; desserts were passed around and slathered over, everyone shared their food and so many noises of ecstasy came from various corners of the table that I stopped for a moment, feeling truly happy, and thought: this is really what eating out is all about. Five stars.

Randall & Aubin - review by SuperG

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:45:10 +0000

Randall & Aubin - review by SuperG

Rating: 4.7

Location: 16 Brewer Street, W1F 0SQ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7287 4447

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

Tags: lively, seafood, crowded, expensive

They don't take reservations here but it's worth going early or queuing a bit - the food is worth it.

The fish is fresh and expertly cooked, never too dry. The tuna steak is particularly good, as is the lobster. The fries can sometimes be a bit salty but that can happen anywhere. The menu is not the largest, but don't worry: the choice is good and everything is done well.

You eat on stools and the tables are little more than shelves, and you're crammed in together tightly, which means it's not very intimate but the atmosphere is fun and buzzy. There are lots of people having a good time here, and it shows. The staff are also friendly and knowledgeable.

Arancina - review by bellaphon

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:58:25 +0000

Arancina - review by bellaphon

Rating: 4.4

Location: 19 Pembridge Road, W11 3HG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7221 7776

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

Tags: italian, sicilian, top food, proper food, pizza, lively

The lure of that sawn up orange Cinquecento is a great marketing exercise.

I donâ¬"t normally care much for pizzas in this country but at Arancina the Paletta (to all intents and purposes; by the slice) portion of parmacotto ham and mushrooms was outstanding. It tasted fresh, utterly Italian and the total absence of the dreaded stodgy thick crust. This portion was more than enough for lunch, but if you can fit it in and not be too conscious of the Atkins Diet the delicious arancinas (Sicilian rice balls) belong to the dangerous â¬Übingeingâ¬" category.

I included fast food as one of the things I love when I played the TasteMatcher, Arancina upholds the inclusion without fail. Bravo.

Troubadour Cafe - review by foodbymark

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:20:10 +0000

Troubadour Cafe - review by foodbymark

Rating: 3.9

Location: 263-267 Old Brompton Road, SW5 9JA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7370 1434

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

Tags: lively, proper food, crowded

I had heard much about the venue as a restaurant but only ever walked through to the venue downstairs. Arriving a half hour early we apparently threw their system into malfunction as we were greeted by manic staff. We were seated in the busy backroom about 15 minutes later and we quickly ordered. They did bring us the wrong starter, a vegetable platter with assorted dips which was huge and certainly appealing. When we did get our mains they were generous and tasty. The Parsley Liquor with the pie was a touch and the pie and mash topped with onion gravy was a little too sweet for my liking.

The tables are very close and as a result it is a little overcrowded but a fun experience in a somewhat bohemian setting. As food goes, it was above average homely comfort food. Unfortunately I didn't know about this mysterious garden.

Randall & Aubin - review by emmanx

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:12:03 +0000

Randall & Aubin - review by emmanx

Rating: 4.7

Location: 16 Brewer Street, W1F 0SQ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7287 4447

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

Tags: lively, seafood, good value, french

I love fish and I love this place - great atmosphere and service and good is always consistent. I popped in on my last birthday with some friends before we headed to the bar and they insisted on getting some bubbles to start off our evening buzz.

To our surprise, Randall has their own champagne label which is at house prices but probably beats most Â£60+ bottles of champers I've ever had. Do give it a go on your next visit, won't dent your pocket but will definately put you in the right mood.

Asakusa - review by LOVEANDKATE

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:42:59 +0000

Asakusa - review by LOVEANDKATE

Rating: 4.2

Location: 265 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7388 8399

Tags: japanese, good value

I decided to try out Asakusa on reading the reviews on Trusted Places and.....you're ALL right- its ace!

I took everyones advice and booked a table. Upstairs was reccomended but we could only get downstairs, which I enjoyed all the same.
The sushi and sashimi took a while but we filled the time by having amazing starters such as half an aubergine cooked in a sweet rich sauce, broccoli cooked to perfection [not too soft] with a sweet sauce and delicious japanese fish cakes.

the food just kept on coming.

The sashimi was beautiful and we couldnt eat all the sushi so they let us take it home in a little box.

Yes it is a bit grimey but more authentic and yes, next time I will try something off the menus written in japanese on the wall!!!

Can't wait to go again and tell all my friends! : )

Bar Italia - review by beckyfox

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:00:03 +0000

Bar Italia - review by beckyfox

Rating: 3.8

Location: 22 Frith Street, W1D 4RP, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7437 4520

Tags: lively

Went here with my best friends after a fab dinner out. it is the best night club to go out with the girls. The staff are friendly and very attentive! The music is great and the atmosphere is fab! the cocktails are yummy can't remember which one we choose but a big frozen blue one is so good!! the music is a real mix or the classic oldies with the new chart hits!! the club is very clean there was a girl constantly mopping the dance floor. also my friend's feet hurt and a bar waiter overheard and got her flat shoes to wear for the rest of the evening if that isn't service i don't know what is!!