Latest reviews by mjbryan's friends

The Princess Victoria - review by sue

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:51:47 +0000

The Princess Victoria - review by sue

Rating: 4.2

Location: 217 Uxbridge Road, W12 9DH, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8749 5886

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

Tags: friendly, gastro pub, different pub food, gastropub, wine, pub

Sunday lunch at the Princess Victoria with friends was bound to be goodâ¬¦. I hoped. Well, it had recently been voted "Best Gastropub 2008", so I figured it must be pretty special.

It looked the part, with an attractive, high-ceilinged bar at the front and separate dining area to the rear. The dining area turned out to be noisy and I wished we were sitting in the bar area as it had a better atmosphere. Service was friendly and efficient, though attentiveness dropped off as the place filled up. Didn't attack the wine list, but it did look interesting - not many bottles under Â£20 though. Oh - I did like the complimentary sparkling water!

For lunch we started with the Crab bisque with rouille, gruyere and croutes, and the Terrine of confit rabbit with chestnuts, Serrano ham, celeriac and apple remoulade. Both dishes were nice, but we'd had better examples in other gastropubs.

We all chose the same main course - the Roasted belly of Gloucester Old Spot pork, with roasted potatoes, apple sauce and crackling (though I don't recall any crackling). Again, nice flavours, but nothing special. Shame. For dessert we shared the Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, and the Steamed apple sponge with cinnamon ice cream. Both desserts were simple but tasty.

All up, the meal was fine, but didn't live up to the "best gastropub" hype IMHO. Prices were reasonable though, and if you lived locally you could do a lot worse.

Cantinetta Luca - review by sue

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:34:59 +0000

Cantinetta Luca - review by sue

Rating: 4.0

Location: Dolores Street Between Ocean and 7th, 93921, Carmel By The Sea, United States of America

Phone: 831.625.6500

Website: http://www.cantinettaluca.com/

Tags: italian, lively

Carmel is filled with so many great sounding restaurants it was hard to choose where to dine out when we had one night only. We decided to go to the latest place the locals seemed to be raving about (well in the Carmel magazine in our hotel room anyway), Cantinetta Luca.

This is a modern Italian restaurant and bar, apparently more San Francisco style than Carmel. The large restaurant was full and I think we were very lucky to walk in and get a table without having made a reservation.

Cantinetta Luca specialises in antipasti, and cure many of the meats on the premises. After reading this on the menu, we decided to start with the Artisan and House Made Salume, along with some Caseficio Gioia Burrata Cheese and some bread. The generous servings were well presented and loved most of the meats, which went so well with the cheese (which was up-sold to us by our helpful waitress).

For main course we had the Tagliatelle, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Organic Peas and Pecorino Toscano Cheese and the Grilled Baby Octopus, Salame Calabrese, Broccoli and Potatoes (starter size). Both dishes were very flavoursome and plates were cleaned. We shared a Chocolate & Hazelnut Tart for dessert.

Katy's Place - review by sue

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:25:57 +0000

Katy's Place - review by sue

Rating: 4.0

Location: Mission Street between 5th and 6th, 93921, Carmel By The Sea, United States of America

Phone: 831-624-0199

Website: http://www.katysplacecarmel.com/

Tags: cosy, proper food, average brew, brunch, breakfast, quick bite, friendly

After having breakfast one morning at our hotel we weren't that keen to repeat the experience, so on our second morning in Carmel we headed to Katy's Place. Katy's is open daily, from 7am - 2pm and serves up giant breakfasts and lunches. I had read it was 'the' place to have breakfast in Carmel, and we certainly enjoyed it.

It was already busy when we arrived around 7.30am on a weekday, and there seemed to be plenty of locals dining, along with fellow tourists. Service was very friendly and efficient and the dÃ©cor eclectic.

They specialise in versions of Eggs Benedict - with 16 different combinations to choose from! We had the Classic Eggs Benedict - Tender Canadian bacon layered between eggs and muffin; and the Sonora Benedict - poached eggs and Canadian bacon with guacamole. Both were delicious, with copious amount of creamy hollandaise sauce and a pile of crispy country potatoes.

Taqueria de Amigos - review by sue

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:18:40 +0000

Taqueria de Amigos - review by sue

Rating: 4.0

Location: 1999 Pescadero Creek Rd, 94060, Pescadero, United States of America

Phone: 650-879-0232

Tags: takeaway, burrito, burritos, take away, good value, mexican

Taqueria de Amigos is a small Mexican take away located in a gas station shop. You will find it in the small town of Pescadero, a short detour off Highway 1 (3 miles East). We stopped in for some lunch on our way down the coast from San Francisco to Carmel.

It looked a bit dodgy from the outside, but on entering the shop our fears were quelled as there was a queue of people waiting to order lunch from the taqueria, and a few tables of people happily eating.

The menu above the counter showed a list of tacos, burritos and specials. After a quick perusal we both decided on a burrito - a chicken and a pork one, with various fillings. We took a seat and a couple of minutes later our giant burritos were bought over. And they were really good. And cheap. Well worth the detour.

Cafe Kevah - review by sue

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:12:48 +0000

Cafe Kevah - review by sue

Rating: 3.0

Location: Highway One, 93920, Big Sur, United States of America

Phone: 831-667-2345

Website: http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/kevah/kevah.html

Tags: quick bite, quiet & relaxed, views

Cafe Kevah is located on Highway One in the Big Sur region of the Californian coast, just south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Look for the signs to Nepenthe restaurant, and you will find its cheaper sister, CafÃ© Kevah.

The open-air cafe sits on the edge of a cliff offering stunning views of the coast line and the Pacific Ocean. It is a good option for a light meal, but if you are after something more substantial head upstairs to Nepenthe.

At Cafe Kevah you need to choose your table and then go up to the counter to order. Your food will be brought out to you when ready. We had the Black Forest Ham Panini and the Reuben Panini, both served with a side-salad. The food was fine and filled the gap, but we were really there for the views.

Chilango - review by sue

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:58:08 +0000

Chilango - review by sue

Rating: 4.3

Location: 142 Fleet Street, EC4A 2BP, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7353 6761

Website: www.chilango.co.uk

Tags: friendly, burrito, take away, mexican, takeaway

Chilango is a bright, modern Mexican restaurant/take away on Fleet Street, and as per the reviews below, I was also at the TrustedPlaces 'Day of the Dead' party there. If I worked in the area I am pretty sure I would become a regular at Chilango, either for a quick meal at one of the communal tables, or a take away burrito or taco to sneak back to my desk.

The menu consists of tacos, burritos and salads. I can never resist a burrito, and this one didn't disappoint. The soft but sturdy tortilla, the flavoursome chicken, lime-rice, re-fried beans (how I love you), cheese, sour cream and voila - the perfect burrito, well made to my specifications anyway. I loved that I could tell them exactly what I wanted in it. And it was delicious.

The Thai Elephant - review by sue

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:26:22 +0000

The Thai Elephant - review by sue

Rating: 3.0

Location: 1 Wakefield Road, TW10 6SD, Richmond Upon Thames, United Kingdom

Tags: thai, family & home feel, good value

I fancied a Pad Thai, and checked the 'Scores on Doors' website to see how the Thai restaurants in Richmond fared. Hmmm... let's just say there are a couple of them I won't be going to again. Thankfully Thai Elephant scored well enough so that is where we headed one Sunday for lunch.

Thai Elephant, located next to the Richmond Bus Station, looks old-fashioned from the outside and the inside is much the same. Simple, comfortable decor and family friendly from the looks of our fellow diners. We were greeted at the door by a smiley waiter, though our waitress was less smiley, more surly. Loved their elephant t-shirts though.

I ordered the aforementioned Pad Thai, with chicken, and Alex had the Beef Jungle Curry with Coconut Steamed Rice. Dishes were served piping hot, portion sizes were good and flavours as expected. Nothing amazing, but honest.

The Botanist - review by sue

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:36:14 +0000

The Botanist - review by sue

Rating: 4.0

Location: 7 Sloane Square, SW1W 8EE, London, United Kingdom

Website: http://www.thebotanistonsloanesquare.com/

Tags: lively, loud, cocktails, crowded, noisy, expensive, european

We dined at The Botanist one Friday night with friends. Located right on Sloane Square, this is apparently THE place to be in Chelsea on a Friday evening, or in fact, any night of the week according to our waiter. The bar was buzzing (loudly!) - we had to push our way through the well-healed crowd to the restaurant. Unfortunately the noisy buzz spilled into the dining area, meaning a night spent shouting to each other across the table.

That was really the only negative thing I have to say about the place. Well, unless you are allergic to the Chelsea-set. I really need to get stuck into the hair-bleach before I next venture to this part of town.

Service was charming, though a little green. I liked the modern dÃ©cor a lot, and the large light fittings like they have at Le CafÃ© Anglais in Bayswater. The toilets were surprisingly nice.

We began with some well mixed cocktails and made our food selections. Only the boys had starters, opting for the Pan Fried Scallops, sautÃ©ed new potato, pear and bacon salad, truffle dressing; and the Veal Sweetbreads, carrot purÃ©e, girolle mushrooms, Sauternes Sauce. Both dishes were declared excellent, and the sweetbreads were still being raved about the next day.

For main course we had the Seared venison fillet, braised red cabbage, parsnip mash, blackberry compote, sloe gin jus; the Pan Fried Seabass, Jerusalem artichoke, new potato and shallot salad, sauce vierge; the Red wine braised monkfish, creamed curried mussels, baby leeks, salsify crisps; and the Roasted partridge, Savoy cabbage, potato rosti, Alsace bacon, fresh peas, baby onions, beer bread sauce, game jus. The fish dishes were good, but the stand out was the gorgeously cooked venison, and the partridge was also incredibly good.

Although the noise was really starting to grate, we couldn't leave without sampling dessert. Both couples ended up ordering the Pecan Pie with clotted cream ice cream. It was ok, though definitely the most average thing we ate that evening.

Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen - review by sue

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:24:45 +0000

Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen - review by sue

Rating: 4.0

Location: 1327 Railway Rd, 94574, St. Helena, United States of America

Phone: 707-963-1200

Website: http://www.cindysbackstreetkitchen.com/

Tags: american, californian, international, friendly

After some wine tasting in the Napa Valley, we found ourselves in the pretty town of St Helena in search of lunch. A friend had recommended a place called Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, so we asked directions and found it just a block back from the main street, hence the name I guess.

Walking through the pretty courtyard and into the attractively decorated restaurant we were feeling hopeful for an enjoyable lunch. A warm welcome came our way, and although the restaurant had been full, we timed our arrival well and after a couple of minutes a table was ready for us. Service was very friendly and relaxed throughout our meal.

To start we shared one of their house specialities, the Rabbit Tostada with red chilli salsa, black beans & feta. It was as good as it sounds. Next was the Grilled Rare Ahi Tuna, Udon noodles, nori strips, sesame seeds and miso glaze; and the Chinatown Duck Burger with housemade shiitake mushroom ketchup and fries. Again, both were delicious.

We couldn't leave without trying the intriguing sounding Campfire Pie for dessert. This was an evil concoction of "Toasted marshmallow fluff, fudgy chocolate, almond ding & Oreo cookie crust". Does it get better than that!? Thankfully we were sharing as it was very rich, but so worth the calories.

Café La Haye - review by sue

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:17:23 +0000

CafÃ© La Haye - review by sue

Rating: 3.0

Location: 140 East Napa St, 95476, Sonoma, United States of America

Phone: 707-935-5994

Website: http://cafelahaye.com/

Tags: american, californian, family & home feel, crowded, busy, lively

We had dinner at CafÃ© La Haye one evening whilst staying at a B&B just down the road. I had read rave reports about the restaurant on various review sites, hence booked ahead to ensure a table on our last night in town.

The restaurant was small, some would say cramped, and the walls were covered with large 'modern art' canvases. From our table we could see into the small, cluttered (clean looking) kitchen. Service was the usual American friendly, though a little vague at times.

To start we shared the Grilled spice-rubbed prawns over 'Oak Hill Farms' bi-color corn & heirloom tomatoes. The prawns were nicely cooked, though I wasn't that keen on the combination of flavours.

Main course was the Hand torn papardelle with acorn squash, goats cheese & cinnamon toasted pecans; and the Roasted marinated natural 'Angus' hangar steak with twice backed potato-bacon pie. The steak and accompaniments got a big thumbs up, and I loved the flavours in the pasta dish but found it very rich thanks to the generous portion of goats cheese. Sadly we were too full for dessert.

Angelo's Wine Country Deli - review by sue

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:13:40 +0000

Angelo's Wine Country Deli - review by sue

Rating: 3.0

Location: 23400 Arnold Drive, 95476, Sonoma, United States of America

Phone: 707.938.3688

Tags: lunch, beef jerky, sandwiches, rare finds, delicatessen

Angelo's Wine Country Deli is located on one of the main roads in Sonoma Valley. Not the most inviting looking place, it kind of looks like a petrol station, albeit with a giant cow on top!

So, Angelo's isn't some posh Wine Country Deli, but a small shop that specialises in beef and turkey jerky. If you are partial to the odd bit of jerky then stop by for some free tasting of the 10 or so flavours, and maybe buy a pack or two to enjoy on your travels. We tried a couple and they were good, though I am more of a biltong girl myself.

The deli is also a good place to stop for some lunch. They whip up some big, tasty sandwiches with plenty of meat and their homemade mustard. There are picnic tables outside where you can sit and have your lunch before continuing with your wine tasting in the neighbouring wineries.

The Dukes Head - review by sue

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:01:21 +0000

The Dukes Head - review by sue

Rating: 4.3

Location: 42 The Vineyard, TW10 6AZ, Richmond Upon Thames, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8948 4557

Website: http://www.dukesheadrichmond.com

Tags: cosy, sunday lunch, independent pub, sunday roast, local

Finally set foot in the Dukes Head after living up the road from it for a couple of years. The interior is cosy, with a bar in the middle and the seating area divided in half, with what appeared to be a dedicated dining area on one side. I think there may be a small beer garden too.

It was Sunday lunch, and it was fairly quiet when we arrived, so we took our pick of tables in the dining area. The tables were fully laid, complete with serviettes sticking out of wine glasses, and cute Dukes Head placemats. Our table, which was set for four people, was surely too small for four to eat at comfortably, thankfully there were only two of us.

The barmaid/waitress who served us was very smiley and friendly, and it didn't take long till she came over and took our order. There was a very short Sunday lunch menu, with three starters, three roast options, and four desserts. You may have been able to order off the regular menu as well, but we didn't enquire as we wanted a Sunday roast anyway.

We started with a bowl of Homemade cream of tomato soup with freshly baked bread. The soup was very creamy and had a good roasted tomato flavour. Some of the bread we were given, although it did seem freshly baked, was seemingly not freshly cut as it had dried out a little.

For main course we both had the 21 day hung extra mature roast beef with all the trimmings. The roast was served on a very large plate, which was filled with a decent serving of nicely cooked beef, a good Yorkshire pud, tasty roasted parsnip, carrots, potatoes, creamy cauliflower and even some red cabbage.

Oh, just a couple of complaints - the music was terrible, to my taste anyway, some sort of classical/opera which I found too heavy and depressing for Sunday lunch. And I think it is time to get some new toilet seats in the Ladies, and a toilet paper holder wouldn't go astray either.

Minor issues aside, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the relatively cheap prices, and may well put the Dukes Head on our Sunday lunch rotation.

Tierra Brindisa - review by sue

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:22:03 +0000

Tierra Brindisa - review by sue

Rating: 4.4

Location: 46 Broadwick Street, W1F 7AF, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7534 1690

Tags: tapas, brindisa, spanish, soho

The recent opening of Tierra Brindisa in Soho has created a lot of excitement amongst the tapas-lovers community. Yes, it is just a sister restaurant to Brindisa by Borough Market, but Brindisa doesn't take bookings and it is near impossible to get a table without camping out overnight. But Tierra Brindisa does take bookingsâ¬¦. maybe there really is a god!

I must confess that I was actually one of the lucky ones who had managed a meal at Brindisa one lunch time, and loved the lively atmosphere and friendly staff. So of course I had high hopes for its younger sibling.

The restaurant design is modern with bright walls and art. I did like the look and feel of the place, but as our meal progressed I realised that we perhaps had the worst table in the house on this crisp evening as my back got a blast of cold air each time the door opened. And would it of hurt our waitress to have attempted to answer our questions with even a tiny bit of knowledge and enthusiasm?!

But we were there for the food. And that was excellent, apart from the Partridge (off the specials menu) which is well worth avoiding. Between three of us we ordered the Country toast with tomato; the Iberico Ham croquets; the Lentil Stew with soft Tietar goats curd; the aforementioned Partridge; the Leon chorizo with piquillio pepper on country toast; the Spinach omelette; and the Deep fried Monte Enebro goats cheese with orange blossom honey.

My favourites were the Monte Enebro goats cheese and the Iberico Ham croquets. I also really enjoyed the complimentary almonds they gave us at the start of the meal.

The Diner - review by sue

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:11:15 +0000

The Diner - review by sue

Rating: 3.2

Location: 18 Ganton Street, W1F 7BU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7287 8962

Website: http://www.thedinersoho.com

Tags: american, dessert, pop, rock, diner, burgers, breakfast, relaxed

After dinner at a new tapas restaurant, and not being able to sneak a table at Yauatcha for dessert, we found our way to The Diner in search of a sweet treat.

We visited the Ganton Street branch of this small chain which impersonates an American style diner, and does a good job of it from what I could tell during our fairly brief visit. Inside was warm and booth filled, and the menu covers the spectrum of American favourites, from full breakfasts, to hot dogs, to burgers.

But dessert was our mission, and a quick glance at the limited choices was all it took. A slice of Pecan Pie, a slice of Apple Pie and the obligatory chocolate milkshake was ordered. And it was all good too, though I thought the serve of Pecan Pie was too small considering everything is always big in America.

Swagat - review by sue

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:32:14 +0000

Swagat - review by sue

Rating: 3.3

Location: 86 Hill Rise, TW10 6UB, Richmond Upon Thames, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8940 7557

Tags: relaxed, good value, indian, friendly

I rarely eat Indian food. I like it, but it doesn't like me. But when I kept reading good reports about a new Indian restaurant called Swagat, located just down the road from my place, curiosity got the better of me.

We arrived to a warm greeting from the smiling staff, and enjoyed their friendly, courteous service throughout our meal. The menu was more up-market than your standard curry house and there was plenty that caught our eye.

In the end we ordered one starter, two main courses, rice and naan. My favourite dish was the starter, Aloo Tikki Chaat, which was Spiced potato cake served on a bed of tangy chickpeas, very delish. In fact, all the food was excellent, the chicken and lamb curries were not at all oily, with well marinated, very tender meat.

The portion sizes were generous, and as we waddled home we were very pleased to have discovered another excellent Richmond restaurant.