Latest reviews by arisp's friends

Spago - review by Mez

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:56:29 +0000

Spago - review by Mez

Rating: 1.0

Location: 6 Glendower Place, SW7 3DP, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7225 2407

Tags: italian, rude, poor service, pretentious

It was a freezing night in South Ken and we wanted somewhere we could have coffee and drinks after 11pm. We stumbled upon Spago in our quest for warmth.

We took off our many layers of clothing and sat down. A busy waitress dished out our menus and was gone before we had time to finish 'we need the drinks menus plea..'. She was nowhere to be seen for the next 15 mins. She then comes back notebook in hand. She pulls a face when we say we only wanted drinks. She calls her manager.

Manager comes in, advises us very abruptly that the restaurant doesn't serve drinks without main courses. We politely make the point that it is past 11pm, and that the table would otherwise be empty and that we'd be happy to have desserts. He retorts 'we don't do that'. So one of us asks if they don't 'do coffee' and he answers: "we do but we DON'T WANT TO". He then rudely asks us to leave.

I'm fine with restaurants upholding their policies even when it doesn't make business sense to me. However, it is unnecessary rudeness and plain bad manners that I cannot accept.

This restaurant, as you may have guessed, will never be visited by me, nor my friends, again :)

Spago - review by Mez

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:56:29 +0000

Spago - review by Mez

Rating: 1.0

Location: 6 Glendower Place, SW7 3DP, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7225 2407

Tags: italian, rude, poor service, pretentious

Hunan - review by sokratis

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:16:45 +0000

Hunan - review by sokratis

Rating: 4.8

Location: 51 Pimlico Road, SW1W 8LL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7730 5712

Tags: chinese, best Chinese in Chelsea, best chinese in London, chinese gourmet

Gastro1 is absolutely right. Don't try too hard to decide on the menu. Youâ¬"re much better to allow the very friendly and discrete staff to take care of you. Let them know how hungry you are and if you have any general preferences and they will happily oblige. I went there with one of the venueâ¬"s best customers who knows the owner for about 20 years now, so had even more reason to sit back and simply enjoy.
Of course you have to be prepared for the downside. The food is so good and the atmosphere so relaxed that you will find yourself spending much longer than you planned for.
Our dinner started at 7pm sharp and finished at 11:15pm. During those four hours we proceeded to eat a wide variety of things that walk the earth, swim the oceans and fly the skies. I couldnâ¬"t possibly go through the list, but I would recommend that you try the shoulder of pork, which melts away at the slightest of spoon nudges and the crab with crispy noodle. We finished our meal with some greatly refreshing, frozen lychee liqueur served as a compliment. Great way to end the meal, which surprisingly (given the amount of food and drink consumed) did not leave me feeling bloated at all.
Towards the end of the night Mr Peng also walked the floor and greeted the customers personally. Itâ¬"s a very small, family-run place and such personal touches add very nicely to the whole atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Comptoir Gascon - review by sokratis

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:57:11 +0000

Comptoir Gascon - review by sokratis

Rating: 4.4

Location: 63 Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7608 0851

Website: http://www.comptoirgascon.com

Tags: french, romantic meal for two, Farringdon, good value, bistro

Blink and youâ¬"ll miss the Comptoir Gascon. That would be a shame though, as this little bistro in one of the best, hidden gems in Farringdon. The place is tiny, with probably 25-30 covers that can be served at any one time and serves as a deli as well.
Itâ¬"s frequently very busy. However, if you find yourself with another person and have not booked then ask the staff if you can eat at the bar, which is most often free. It makes for a much more intimate, romantic setting if thatâ¬"s what youâ¬"re there for or a fantastic place to catch up with a friend over some hearty, French food, beautiful wine and a relaxed setting.
I had the oysters with chipolatas to start, which exploded with flavour, although Iâ¬"d skip the chipolatas next time as they take away some of the freshness of the oyster. We shared some foie gras and as the Cooksister suggest it was superb. Seriously one of the best Iâ¬"ve tried.
For mains we both had the Beef Onglet with Bordelaise sauce. I was intrigued by the name of the sauce and immediately thought of French debauchery and some interesting background about a Madame offering a special sauce for her clients. However, after a bit of research it turns that (rather disappointingly) Bordelaise refers to someone/thing that originates from the area of Bordeaux. The origin may be mundane, but I assure you the flavour is not. Bordelaise is made with red wine, bone marrow (a chunk of which was also present on the dish), shallots and a rich brown sauce called demi-glace (thank you Wikipedia). Itâ¬"s rich, intense and will make you pause for a couple of seconds after youâ¬"ve put a bite in your mouth to really enjoy all those endorphins having a party in your brain. The meat was expectedly cooked a perfect medium-rare and was full of flavour.
Finally, I have to make a special mention for the chips, or French fries in this case. They were excellent, but the true superstar of the show was the ketchup. Apologies. Ketchup is too demeaning. This is the best chilly, 5-start, A+tomato sauce you can find. Itâ¬"s Basque and called â¬ÜBiPiA, Euskal Ketxupa, Bazkâ¬" Onaâ¬" . I have taken a picture of it, which you can see above and Iâ¬"d strongly recommend trying it. Even if youâ¬"re not hungry go to Comptoir Gascon and order chips with ketchup.
Minor gripe about the place is that there is only one toilet for boys and girls and itâ¬"s a little bit too close to the dining area. Iâ¬"m sure they would have changed that if they could, but the space does seem to be at a premium.
Next time you find yourself in Farringdon do try this place out. In fact make sure that you find yourself in Farringdon so that you do.

Eatzone Noodle House - review by sokratis

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:09:55 +0000

Eatzone Noodle House - review by sokratis

Rating: 4.7

Location: 18 Fortess Road, NW5 2HB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7485 0152

One of the best take-aways around Tufnell Park/North Kentish Town, Eat Zone offers a variety of Singaporean, Malayesian and generally south-east flavoured dishes. It's quite unique, as I'd never had Laksa before and quite enjoyed it. Very generous portions and you can easily feed four of you for about Â£20-Â£25.
Added bonus: I've bumnped into Julian Barratt twice when there. Unfortunately, I just managed a respectful node, which was reciprocated, but not much of a conversation. If you don't know who Julian Barratt is then please google him as you've been missing some great comedy from your lives.

Pasta Habit - review by sokratis

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:00:12 +0000

Pasta Habit - review by sokratis

Rating: 3.0

Location: 103 Highgate Road, NW5 1TR, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7267 9239

It used to be one of local takeaways when Indian or Chinese were just too exotic and we fancied some simple pasta or Italian food. Desceptively the owner is Greek, but don't let that put you off as they make all your typical Italian spaghettin (or other pasta dished) remarkably well. The portions are huge and you can trust the quality of the place as it's been there for years and is regularly busy with a bunch of locals.

Cafe Renoir - review by sokratis

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:57:19 +0000

Cafe Renoir - review by sokratis

Rating: 3.2

Location: 244 Kentish Town Road, NW5 2AB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7485 7186

One of Kentish Town's independent eateries the Renoir does a selection of light meals along with serving pretty good coffee. There is some external seating as well for the smokers amongst you. A bit different to the other cafes as they serve a variety of continental dishes, such as crepes for example. They do of course your typical English breakfast as well.

Yamas - review by sokratis

Fri, 30 May 2008 11:48:49 +0000

Yamas - review by sokratis

Rating: 5.0

Location: Leoforos Nikis 15, 546 23, Thessaloniki, Greece

Phone: 00302310253097

Website: www.yamas.com.gr

Tags: greek, thessaloniki

â¬ÜYamasâ¬" is what us Greeks say when we bring our glasses together and toast to â¬ÜOur Healthâ¬". Being the clever people that we are, we worked out a long time ago that the main things to keep one in good health are excellent food; good drink and enjoyable companionship â¬ please read up on Epicurus for a more in-depth analysis.
Yamas provides the perfect setting for all of these to converge. Set next to Aristotelous square (dedicated to another clever chap from antiquity) its promenade front provides fantastic views of Thermaikos gulf that Thessaloniki, my home city, hugs. The venue is the result of a collaboration between the celebrated Greek chef, Lefteris Lazarou, and Yannis Dionisiadis, one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry, who set up the Goodyâ¬"s chain that has dominated the Greek quickly-prepared food market. It is split between four different areas - Kafeneio, Ouzeri, Taverna and Oinothiki, spread over two floors and about 2000 square meters. Kafeneio is aimed at the mornings, serving a variety of Greek breakfast delicacies (like bougatsa and tyropita) and coffee, while the ouzeri is the equivalent of Tapas in Greece and usually visited in the afternoon and mainly serves small, varied dishes that are slowly consumed with generous helpings on Ouzo. The oinothiki is a showcase for the best Greek wines, with an incredible selection at hand. Taverna is the restaurant part of the venue, split into two themes â¬ meat and seafood.
I visited the latter part while the sun was setting down. Iâ¬"ve watched the sun set in many parts of the world, but Thessaloniki is up there with the best. On a good day you can clearly see mount Olympos about 200 miles across the sea â¬ truly spectacular. Coming back to the taverna, I am so happy that Yamas opened its doors. I love Greek food, but the current restaurant scene really doesnâ¬"t do it justice. This is especially true for the UK, but applies to Greece to a large extent as well. Weâ¬"ve somehow managed to settle for a uniform mediocrity, losing a large part of the different tastes and cooking methods that vary so much across this country. Yamas addresses this head-on and provides a very high standard of modern/traditional Greek cooking, without venturing into haute cuisine aloofness. The venue is set in an elegant and simple design with a balcony on the first floor. The architecture of white walls is balanced perfectly by the ample blue of the Mediterranean sea that lies about 15 metres away from you.
We tried a wide variety of dishes ranging from delicious fresh salads, to oxtail stew, beef fillet and roasted pork tenderloin. We also had a delicious risotto with mushrooms and strawberries and squid with rice cooked in its ink. Wonderful, subtle favours delivered by knowledgeable and efficient staff. The meal was accompanied by a few bottles of Greeceâ¬"s finest wines. Thatâ¬"s another huge area of Greek culture that has been thoroughly underserved in terms of exposure and recognition. Next time you visit Greece, please donâ¬"t order retsina, but try out a few of the local wineries. If youâ¬"re not sure, ask for some advice and you wonâ¬"t be disappointed. The desserts were outstanding with the Greek coffee-flavoured chocolate mousse being my favourite, although the rose water flavoured soufflÃ© was a great challenger.
Overall, it was one of the best gastronomic experiences Iâ¬"ve had in Greece and beyond. However, it would be wrong to class Yamas as simply a restaurant. The ambition of the team behind it goes far beyond that. The core of the idea behind Yamas embraces traditional and modern Greek culture and produce, bringing it through a setting that invites you to sample and explore more. This is evident by every detail of the place and even events that are hosted, which involve photography, wine and cheese tasting (to name a few). Itâ¬"s a concept that transcends borders and was set up with international expansion in mind from the beginning. I canâ¬"t wait for their international expansion and London opening.

Maze - review by sokratis

Tue, 13 May 2008 21:46:40 +0000

Maze - review by sokratis

Rating: 4.5

Location: 10-13 Grosvenor Square, W1K 6US, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7107 0000

Website: http://gordonramsay.com/maze/

Tags: french, good for special occassion, good for business, haute cuisine, gordon ramsey, central london, expensive

I had to make a play on the word there, but the title is accurate. Maze felt effortless and Iâ¬"ll expand on why below.

A friend was visiting recently and we went on â¬ÜTrustedâ¬" tour of London. Sampled some of the best pubs, bars, nightclubs, small restaurants, pub food, but of course we had to visit a Gordon Ramsey place for the experience to be complete. Naturally, there had been very little planning before my friend arrived, so getting a table at Maze for Tuesday at 8pm when you call at 3pm on that usually unlikely. But hereâ¬"s a tip. Itâ¬"s hard to book a table at the restaurant, but you can still eat (very well) at the bar. And because most people donâ¬"t know that, the bar usually has some free space even you just walk-in.

Note: there is a â¬Ühelpfulâ¬" button below this review that was specifically designed to reward such generous sharing of insider knowledge.

Now back to Maze and the fact it was effortless. Firstly, the menus. We had to go for the tasting menu, as there are simply too many very seductive tastes on offer to exhaust in one visit. At Â£55 per head itâ¬"s not cheap, but hey you wonâ¬"t be going there every day. The thing that impressed me was that despite the amount of choice, going through the different options was simple and quick. Two pages only with excellent line spacing and some beautiful fonts made the process fast and pleasurable.

The staff was very friendly, with Mr Atherton being at the door when we arrived and dispensing a warm hello and welcome. I think he was there working on the seating plan with the reception staff. The barman was excellent and in general the whole place had an air of quiet efficiency, without being at all overbearing or stiff. Mr Ramsey himself made an appearance later greeting the diners at the restaurant across the room, although not stopping to chat at us on his way to the kitchen. For some reason he was also wearing his kitchen apron, although I donâ¬"t know if heâ¬"s still cooking while there. He may beâ¬¦Seemed like a very nice guy and you could sense the slight, extra alertness on the part of the staff while he was around.

Ah and finally letâ¬"s talk about food. The tasting menu is split between small courses (starter equivalent), some more substantial ones and finally desserts. I wonâ¬"t go through all eight of the courses we had, but the ones that really stood out for me were the â¬ÜBeef â¬Ütongue â¬Ünâ¬" cheekâ¬" caper raisin and ginger carrotsâ¬" â¬ with â¬Ütongue and cheekâ¬" being a literal reference. I love a cowâ¬"s tongue and cheek, so combining the two was exceptional, but perhaps a bit heavy for a full course. I loved the artichoke veloute with braised duck leg and although the deconstructed pain au chocolat, required a small intro on how to eat, it was definitely worth it.

After a two hour experience we both felt fantastically satisfied and not the least bit overeaten. The bill did approach the cost of a bargain flight to New York, but whoâ¬"s got the time to fly there anyway? Plus with the way airports are these is much easier to just pop over to Grosvenor Square.

Osteria Stecca - review by Mez

Wed, 07 May 2008 12:14:44 +0000

Osteria Stecca - review by Mez

Rating: 4.0

Location: 1 Blenheim Terrace, NW8 0EH, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7328 5014

Website: http://www.osteriastecca.com/

Tags: italian, business, good value, romantic

Fantastic Italian food with a contemporary spin.

The portions are smaller than usual but the menu is designed so that you can taste several dishes without burning your wallet. I indulged in a beef carpaccio starter, a lobster pasta main, a fillet & mash main and a dessert for less than Â£25-30, and the food was wonderful.

The waiters are all Italian, very friendly and with great attention to detail. The service was fantastic.

The restaurant itself has large windows and a terrace for the summer days.

Highly recommended!

The Holly Bush - review by sokratis

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:35:06 +0000

The Holly Bush - review by sokratis

Rating: 4.3

Location: 22 Holly Mount, NW3 6SG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7435 2892

Website: http://www.hollybushpub.com/

Tags: relaxed, best pub in London, excellent pub food, Hampstead, friendly

Maybe Iâ¬"m being influenced by having watched Superbad very recently, but the superlatives are justified in this case. The Holly Bush is one of those â¬Üthey donâ¬"t make them like they used toâ¬" kind of places you rarely encounter in London anymore (says I, the old-Londoner who grew up on the cobbled streets of Whitechapel!). Itâ¬"s a pub in the proper sense on the word.
No music. No fruit machines. No shiny, â¬ÜSlug & Lettuceâ¬"-type surfaces and silly prints on the wall.
Solid selection of beers and ales (unfortunately no Bombardier). No-nonsense, friendly staff. Unique ability to distort time and keep you there until closing.
It really is one of those places you can go with friends and spend hours getting merrier as the time passes by, setting the world to rights, recounting old stories and generally doing what friends do.
The pies that are mentioned in the title deserve a special mention. They are the specialty of the house and Iâ¬"m confident the Organic Beef and Harveyâ¬"s served with Cheddar mash is one the best youâ¬"ve ever tried. At Â£9.50 itâ¬"s reasonably priced as well. The rest of the menu is excellent too, with the burger and roast chicken being a couple of my favourites and the bread and butter pudding an amazing dessert. The menu seems to have been set in stone there, but why mess with something that works so well? Iâ¬"ve probably eaten or sampled every item in it and nothing was short of really good, going all the way to the superb. There is a cosy, beautiful dining room on the first floor and I recommend you book if youâ¬"d like to eat as the pub floor gets very busy.
Youâ¬"ve probably worked out that this is probably my favourite pub in London. Itâ¬"s also tucked away from public view so you really have to look for it to find it, but trust me itâ¬"s worth a detour or even a special trip.

The Freemasons Arms - review by sokratis

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:16:41 +0000

The Freemasons Arms - review by sokratis

Rating: 4.0

Location: 32 Downshire Hill, NW3 1NT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7433 6811

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

Tags: relaxed, modern pub, gastro pub, excellent pub food, young professionals, beer garden

The Freemasons Arms is a great ending to a nice day in Hampsted Heath if youâ¬"re finishing on the south-west (if youâ¬"re heading north-east then Cafe Mozart on Swains Lane is a excellent option too). Very spacious and with a modern, slick finish it serves a variety of beers and ciders. One of the best outdoor spaces in the area and a great kitchen that serves what youâ¬"d expect by the â¬ÜWinner of the Sunday Independent/ LBC Gastro Pub of the Year!â¬". Be prepared to wait for a table on a sunny Sunday afternoon as the place gets very busy. Of course be also prepared to be surrounded by yummy mummies, Â£500+ baby carts, noisy small children and generally the rest of the Sunday family squad that descends on Hampsteadâ¬"s surrounding areas on a weekend.
Donâ¬"t let that put you off though. The Freemasons is still one of the best places to enjoy a drink and a bite after a hard days navigating the heights of the Heath.

The Dolphin - review by sokratis

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:43:10 +0000

The Dolphin - review by sokratis

Rating: 3.3

Location: 165 Mare Street, E8 3RH, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8985 3727

Tags: friendly, indie, electronica, hip-hop, house, underground, trendy

How does one begin to describe the Dolphin? Is it a pub or is it a club? It looks like a pub, works like a pub and smells like a pub, but then again itâ¬"s open until 5am on Saturdays, which makes it fall under the club category. Oh well, Iâ¬"ll leave semantics aside and go for the club version.
Located in Hackney, itâ¬"s a magnet for all of East Londonâ¬"s trendies who are still yearning for some entertainment after most places in Shoreditch shut down at 2am. You will find probably the highest concentration of skinny genes per capita in the world, along with funny haircuts, moustaches, shiny shell-suits, trench coats, white shoes, golden shoes and all the other hallmarks of the â¬ÜIâ¬"m so cool and creative in my self-expressionâ¬" uniform of the East London hipsterati.
A drink will cost you Â£3 and the atmosphere is very friendly and party oriented. Apparently the Karaoke nights are legendary, but not on when I went. Instead we went through a vibrant mix of cheese, hip-hop, dance pop and occasional Gypsy Kings thrown in for good measure.
Not a place for the easily offended or swank-loving professional crowd, but an interesting night out that Iâ¬"d recommend you try once - if only for the novelty factor alone.

Fresh & Wild - review by Mez

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:41:18 +0000

Fresh & Wild - review by Mez

Rating: 2.6

Location: 49 Parkway, NW1 7PN, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7428 7575

Website: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com//UK/camden/index.html

Tags: expensive, natural, organic, healthy

Tasty and healthy food but ridiculously priced. I know so many people who come back shocked from their first (and last) shopping experience and literaly feel robbed.

For that I've had to ditch it as a good place to get lunch and slap it down to 2 stars.

LOWER YOUR PRICES!!!!

Rivington Grill Bar - review by sokratis

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:39:08 +0000

Rivington Grill Bar - review by sokratis

Rating: 3.0

Location: 28-30 Rivington Street, EC2A 3DZ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7729 7053

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

Tags: lively, after work drinks, british, business, shoreditch, expensive

The Rivington Grill Bar is a place I wanted to visit for a while. A bit classier that the rest of the surrounding places and full of a buzzy crowd of the usual suspects for the area. Itâ¬"s perhaps that my expectations where high, but unfortunately the restaurants/bar failed to deliver.
We arrived without a booking on a very busy Friday, but the friendly staff was quick to find us a table for two. We settled on the sparse, but elegant environment (if you ingnore a couple of cables sticking out of the main wall) ordered a couple of glasses of wine and really enjoyed the freshly made bread that greeted us after minutes of sitting down. I wasnâ¬"t fussed at all about the fact they had run out of chips around 9pm on a Friday.
What I was fussed about (and Iâ¬"m generally quite easy going) was the fact the pear, chicory and Strathon blue salad, had enough cheese on it so that you could barely, technically get away with adding it on the menu, but it hardly featured on your mouth. The â¬Üdevilishlyâ¬" done kidneys (the devil there alluding to the hotness of the dish) were presented on a piece of toast with nothing but a very strong smell to accompany them and that was just a prelude of things to come.
The starters were minor annoyances, but the mains were really disappointing. My roast suckling pig arrived lukewarm and hard, which really took the flavor away from the meat and made it chewey. The mash potatoes were a few degrees away from cold too and the Black Gold medium-rare, rump steak came nowhere near the quality youâ¬"d expect from the Â£23.50 price tag (menu attached as pic).
We did not have time to re-order or stick around for desserts.
The staff were very professional and friendly throughout. They offered complimentary desserts, which we could not accept as we had to go. Unprompted, the waitress took two glasses of wine off the bill.
Which is nice and the main reason that I may venture to the Rivington again for drinks and maybe a quick bite, but I wonâ¬"t be booking any dinners any time soon.