Latest reviews by ajwilcox's friends

The Last Refuge - review by dextermoscow

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:01:05 +0000

The Last Refuge - review by dextermoscow

Rating: 4.5

Location: Coral Beach Marina, , Eilat, Israel

Phone: +97286373627

Located close to the Egyptian border, hence the name, this excellent restaurant is perched on a wooden pier overlooking the ocean and the lights of Eilat.

The fish is always fresh and cooked to perfection. On the bone or off, grilled or on the barbecue the quality is great and the service friendly.

The portions are very generous and the price amazingly reasonable.

Take a taxi, enjoy the wines and go back to the hotel very satisfied.

Benares - review by dextermoscow

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:21:01 +0000

Benares - review by dextermoscow

Rating: 3.8

Location: 12A Berkeley Square House, W1J 6BS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7629 8886

Tags: lively, expensive, indian

To celebrate my wife's 60th Birthday my twin sons, Mother in Law (92) and close friends visited this chic, stylish and superbly managed impressive restaurant.

The room itself was buzzing and the inventive, delicately spiced amazingly presented food was suburb. My Mother in Law who had never eaten Indian food before was bowled over at the delicacies laid before her. The MaÃ®tre D was attentive and the waiters were friendly and always close by to attend to our needs.

The meal was expensive and the wines are costly but the whole experience was wonderful

Gattis - review by dextermoscow

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:07:13 +0000

Gattis - review by dextermoscow

Rating: 3.0

Location: 1 Finsbury Avenue, EC2M 2PA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 1051

Tags: italian, good value, lively

The Executive Network chose this excellent restaurants as the location for their Christmas get together. My wife and I joined 50 or so other discerning people to enjoy the ambience and friendly, highly efficient service.

The menu was typically Italian and I had the roasted vegetables with veal to follow. Allowing for the number of people being served at the same time the food was well presented, tasty and served hot without fuss. I highly recommend this attractive and well managed restaurants.

Zaza Restaurant - review by collector

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:21:56 +0000

Zaza Restaurant - review by collector

Rating: 5.0

Location: 21 Church Street, WD3 1DE, Rickmansworth, United Kingdom

Phone: 01923 772287

Tags: italian, restuarant, family & home feel, good value, food, lively

I ate at this italian restaurant last weekend with some friends. As we entered the restaurant, it was obvious that this was going to be a great night. They have spent loads of money in creating a nice environment, cosy and intimate, yet full of the hustle and bustle that you normally associate with an Italian.

The food was brilliant. All freshly made, great sized portions, loads of choice, between meat, fish, vegetarian, and loads of different wines to compliment each course.

The food was served well, the waiting staff all very friendly, all very attentive...

What else can I say.. Thoroughly recommended to all....

Marco Polo's - review by collector

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:48:36 +0000

Marco Polo's - review by collector

Rating: 4.0

Location: 35A Marylebone High Street, W1U 4PY, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7486 0253

Tags: lively, proper food, good brew, crowded, quick bite

I have eaten loads of times at the Marco Polo cafe in Marylebone High Street. The service has always been great. There is a great selection of hot and cold food, all seemingly made fresh at the time of ordering.

Cost is very reasonable.

If the weather permits you can also sit outside.

The other small bonus is that the cafe is situated next door to a BBC recording studio.. So there is always a great chance that you will spot some celebrities. Whilst eating there, I have seen Status Quo, Vanessa Feltz and Noel Gallagher.

La Bastide St. Antoine - review by dextermoscow

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 19:20:16 +0000

La Bastide St. Antoine - review by dextermoscow

Rating: 5.0

Location: 48, Avenue Henri Dunant, 06130, Grasse, France

Tags: romantic, superior cuisine, expensive but good value, for very special events, elegant, french

A most elegant romantic, thoroughly Provençal 4-star luxury hotel with a superior restaurant. You eat outside on the terrace overlooking the immaculate lawn and with a view out over the Estérel and the bay of Théoule. Go there at lunchtime as the menu is half the cost of the evening one. Same excellent food and impressive attentive service. The Hotel is just a little tricky to find the hotel which is not in the town of Grasse but on the western outskirts.

Queens Pub & Dining Room - review by dextermoscow

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:55:20 +0000

Queens Pub & Dining Room - review by dextermoscow

Rating: 4.0

Location: 26 Broadway Parade, N8 9DE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8340 2031

Tags: good value, quiet alcoves, comforable seating, carved polished wood, intersting decor, frinedly staff, british, gastro pub, family & home feel, beer garden

A great gastro pub with superb décor,ornate wood carved architraves and panelled walls. Excellent service (ask for Lucy) and wonderful food. A menu that suits even the most picky eater. Great selection of fish dishes, vegetarian and good old staples, steak, burgers and fat cut chips. The deserts are good also.

The Star - review by collector

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:17:48 +0000

The Star - review by collector

Rating: 4.0

Location: 22 Great Chapel Street, W1F 8FR, London, United Kingdom

Tags: italian, top food, family & home feel, good brew, cheap eat, business, good value, quick bite

I have visited the Star Cafe on many occasions. It is an authentic Italian cafe serving a selection of hot and cold meals including sandwiches.

It is a great place to sit and watch Soho go by whilst reading the newspapers that are provided daily.

The decor and ambience are not modern, which to me adds extra value...

The food is served with humour, and a chat as well.. Something that you rarely get in London these days....

The cafe has been there for years....

Izgara Restaurant - review by dextermoscow

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:40:29 +0000

Izgara Restaurant - review by dextermoscow

Rating: 3.5

Location: 11 Hendon Lane, N3 1RT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8371 8282

Tags: turkish, shish, family & home feel, fast service, good value, delicious food, friendly staff, kebab

Izgara is an excellent place to stop and have a quick meal or drop in for take away. It uses only the best meats and because it is always busy the coals of the barbecue are always white hot. This means that the meat, chicken or shish kebab cooks fast and is succulent. Try their mixed meze starter plate.It is delicious.

The Wolseley - review by collector

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 10:06:50 +0000

The Wolseley - review by collector

Rating: 3.8

Location: 160 Piccadilly, W1J 9EB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7499 6996

Website: http://www.thewolseley.com/

Tags: expensive, family & home feel, business

Found The Wolsely on Piccadilly. It is expensive, but the place is amazing, the staff are great, and quite simply one of the best places for cheese on toast in London - enjoy..

They also make a mean cup of tea...

Patisserie Valerie - review by collector

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 09:58:04 +0000

Patisserie Valerie - review by collector

Rating: 4.3

Location: 105 Marylebone High Street, W1U 4RS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7935 6240

Website: http://www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk

Tags: quick bite, family & home feel, good brew, cheap eat, crowded

If you are in the Marylebone area, and are looking for a 5* place for a great lunch / snack then I would certainly recommend Patisserie Valerie.

Full of great dishes, and of course great cakes...ranging from scrambled eggs on toast, to larger dishes for those that are more hungry..

It is usually very full at lunchtimes and the tables are cetainly packed very close together, but get there early and you should not have a problem..

Service is great...

Price wise approx £ 10 each for a light lunch

Villandry - review by collector

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:09:31 +0000

Villandry - review by collector

Rating: 3.7

Location: 170 Great Portland Street, W1W 5QB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7631 3131

Website: http://www.villandry.com

Tags: expensive, international, business, crowded

I have eaten many times at Villandry. Each time is like the first. The service is great, the range of dishes on the menu is incredible.

Particularly great if the weather is nice, as you can sit outside..

Highly recommended..

Efes Restaurant - review by collector

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:13:29 +0000

Efes Restaurant - review by collector

Rating: 4.5

Location: 80-82 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 7QT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7636 1953

Tags: lively, shish, restuarant, good value, kebabs, crowded, take-away, turkish

I have been eating in the restaurant and taking away from Efes for the last 3 years.

Apparently it has been there for approx 30 years, which in itself tells you what sort of place it is..

The staff are always friendly and helpful.

There is plenty of turkish food to choose from, all cooked to order.

A typical sit down meal will cost approx £ 10 per head.

On most nights, there is a long queue of taxi's parked outside, all waiting for their take aways - and we all know that taxi drivers are very fussy with where they go.

If you are near to the restaurant, and want to sit down or take away a great kebab or other turkish dish, then you will not find much better then Efes.

Oslo Court Restaurant - review by collector

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:16:26 +0000

Oslo Court Restaurant - review by collector

Rating: 3.5

Location: Prince Albert Road, NW8 7EN, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7722 8795

Tags: romantic, oslo, british, jewish, international, east european, family & home feel, good value, brasserie, restaurant

Oslo Court is not your normal type of restaurant. Firstly, it is situated in a block of flats. One of the flats in the block has been converted to a restaurant. There are no signs outside to tell you that a restaurant is inside.

Because of this, it is a very well kept secret...

Once inside, the food is out of this world. There is something to eat for everyone.

The staff are all great - especially the guy who is on the desert trolley. They have all been there for ages.

Nothing is too much trouble.

The typical cost of a meal for two with some wine would be approx £ 50 each..

Only 2 downsides - they are booked months in advance, and they do have lots of birthday parties in there, so be prepared to hear happy birthday many times....