Latest favourites and wishlist by dhmalcolm

Swithins - review by WB1

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:52:30 +0000

Swithins - review by WB1

Rating: 4.0

Location: 21 St Swithin's Lane, EC4N 8AD, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7623 6853

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

Swithins is a mixture wine bar, restaurant and cafe. On the ground floor is a small wine bar with high tables and stools. The wine is fairly standard but the staff are lovely and make the place seem much more elegant than it is. Behind the wine bar is a fish restaurant. The food is good here although quite expensive. Again the staff are excellent. Downstairs is a much more relaxed wine bar/Italian cafe area. There are tables to sit and eat and higher ones with stools to have drinks and snacks. The staff are happy to reserve areas for groups and there is even a private room which can be booked for larger parties. The staff are lovely, friendly and helpful but the food is often disappointing. The pastas are quite good but the sandwiches are really nothing special and quite overpriced for what they are. The saving grace: they accept luncheon vouchers.

Swithins - review by dhmalcolm

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:57:27 +0000

Swithins - review by dhmalcolm

Rating: 4.0

Location: 21 St Swithin's Lane, EC4N 8AD, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7623 6853

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

Tags: posh, mature, seafood, glamorous, international, business, good value, romantic

Swithen's is unpretentious as one walks by the reserved glass front of what looks like a small upmarket wine bar. But surprise when one walks in as it is on three levels. The Ground floor to mezzanine floor is a wine bar and upper a fine dinning restaurant with the finest fairly priced wines with seafood cold bar and a hot menu with mouth watering specials each day all form fish prepared as you dine. The floors are venetian marble with the bars covered in white linen with the staff elegant and friendly especially as the head chief. This is old world style regard for food in a refreshing way that can only come from a family owned business where each aspect is about the Italian passion and respect for food and the good life! From the best fresh oysters ot home cured organic Gavad-Lox, to the best broiled scallops to fine deserts and fine ports to finish off one meal. Down stairs is more modest with the food offer similar but a simpler affair. Do not miss this one that is one of the few hidden jams in London. Open Monday thru Fridays from 9 am until late.

The National Cafe - review by Hazzabout

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:07:55 +0000

The National Cafe - review by Hazzabout

Rating: 4.0

Location: At The National Gallery, WC2N 5DN, London, United Kingdom

Tags: relaxed, good brew, good value, quick bite, brasserie

I visited this place on Saturday and had delicious eggs florentine with strong coffee and freshly squeezed juice. I loved the decor and the pile of free newspapers. The prices are pretty reasonable too, especially for this part of town (brunch dishes are around 6 quid).

The entrance is surprisingly unobtrusive, tucked away on the corner of trafalgar square and St Martin's Lane, opposite St Martin's Church. Maybe that's why it was so empty when we were there - it certainly deserves to be more crowded. But it meant we had our pick of the comfy red leather sofas around the sides.

It opens at 8am on weekdays and 10am at weekends, and stays open until 11pm most nights (for drinks, cocktails and bar food). The lunch, afternoon tea and dinner menus looked delicious too (check it out at www.nationalcafe.com), and there's a pre-theatre set menu. I'll definitely be back.