• Added: 25th of June 2008
• Area: Bayswater
• Category: Restaurants

London W2 4DB
020 7221 1415

Niamheen said
Potentially great
I've been curious about Le Cafe Anglais for some time. It's in a shopping centre, the building used to house a MacDonalds and is Art Deco in style, lastly, it's owned and run by Rowley Leigh, formerly of critically acclaimed Kensington Place. A very unexpected combination of circumstances! Added to this, I had read that they were oversubscribed by investors and had to return money to some. I have been intrigued since I read the first reviews. Despite this, I didn't go, it slipped my mind, until I heard about the parmesan custard and anchovy toast. A new classic dish that everyone is raving about. That was it, I had to go.

The room is impressive, large with lots of natural light flooding in from the enormous windows and beautiful art deco light fixtures. We ate early, it was very quiet but they were fully booked from 8.30 on. Service was quick, formal and attentive but not overly so. The menu centres around roasts, there are rotisseries operating at the front of the open plan kitchen. There's also lots of enticing appetisers, hors d'oeuvre, first courses, main courses, and while influenced by French cuisine, it's very English.

The menu is comprehensive, to put it mildly, although not intimidatingly so. We hadn't much time so we decided to do an hors d'oeuvre and a main with a bellini as an appetiser. I can never resist one! I opted for the aforementioned parmesan custards with anchovy toasts and my friend the kipper with soft boiled egg - a steal at £3 each. For mains, the roast of the day - kid - was tempting, however the pork belly and sausages with bubble & squeak moreso.

The bellini's arrived promptly and were divine. We were also served bread, butter and bright pink radishes. Unusual but delicious. The hors d'oeuvre were great, although the kipper had a few bones which were quite tricky to remove! Luckily they had supplied toothpicks from the start. The parmesan custard was creamy and rich with a crisp parmesan topping. The toasts were a perfect pairing, it was really inspired.

My main was gorgeous, succulent pork belly with crisp perfect crackling served on top of lentils, however, my friend was disappointed with the sausages. They were quite salty and just not as good as you'd expect. I did enjoy the texture though. The bubble and squeak was delicious.

No time for desserts but there was a very enticing selection of fruits and cheeseboard. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal but my friend was disappointed. As a result, I'll give it 3 stars instead of 4. I will go back, it was sufficiently enticing to make me want more. Le Café Anglais offers good food, cooked well in a gorgeous setting - sausages excluded on this occasion.

The bill for the above and a glass of prosecco each was £60 incl service.

• Added: 17th of June 2008
• Area: Aldgate
• Category: Restaurants

London E1 1JU
020 7247 9543

Niamheen said
Fantastic pakistani food at superb prices
Fantastic pakistani and punjabi food: lamb chops, masala fish, karahi chicken, dry meat (yes! but it’s good), dal, there’s something for everyone here. There's also daily specials, on a Tuesday I had the quail, and it cost all of £6. Fabulous mango lassis.

Be prepared to queue every day of the week, if you’re clever you can book the day before. Ridiculously cheap - starters £4.50 (that’s for 4 lamb chops or 3 pieces of masala fish) and mains on average £6 for small. Trust me, that’s all you need! Does it get better? Yes! It’s BYO and there’s no corkage.

What are you waiting for? Get down there!

• Added: 16th of June 2008
• Area: Leicester Square
• Category: Restaurants

London W1D 5PJ
020 7434 3838

Niamheen said
Marmite prawns or cheesy lobster?
I have a reputation for being the food obssessive and all round girl about town in my peer group, and, as a result am frequently asked for recommendations for events or dinners. This comes with many traps and pitfalls, but generally works out ok. Recently, I took a risk and recommended somewhere I had never been for a friends birthday - Haozhan.

Now, this wasn't just any birthday. This was his first birthday since he'd had his first child, and probably one of the few nights out he's had in many months! He was only going for dinner, there would be no pubbing or clubbing, so on the day I started to get anxious, I had read good things, but what if Haozhan failed to deliver? I was hopeful it would, Hoazhan comes with solid credentials - Jimmy Kong of New Fook Lam Moon opened it with Chee Loong Cheong, formerly of Hakkasa, in the kitchen

On arrival, we were ushered upstairs to a round table, and within a short while, we were ordering. Service is very chinatown - abrupt and swift but not intentionally rude.

We ordered a selection of starters - standout were the chilli tofu which was crisp, light and beautifully spiced and so full of flavour and the deep fried pork ribs in coffee sauce.

Mains went from fabulous to bizarre. I had a gorgeous homemade tofu dish - Haozhan tofu - 4 fried tofu cubes, like a savoury custard with spinach skimming the surface, all topped with a scallop and some roe. A friend had curry prawns which were very spicy and came served in a huge round of bread. Bizarre and super spicy.

Impressed as I was, I wanted to bring another foodie friend there. I, the creature of habit and desperate for more squid and tofu, ordered the same meal. He ordered the chilli deep fried soft shell crab and the crispy shredded beef. My meal was spectacular as before but his was disappointing, the crabs were slightly burned and the beef was borderline sickly sweet.

It was a shame, as the previous night was a very positive experience. Maybe we caught them on a bad Sunday evening, still reeling from a busy Saturday service.

I'll definitely go again, if only for the tofu.

2 courses with one glass of wine, 2 beers and tea was £60.

• Added: 15th of May 2008
• Area: Soho
• Category: Restaurants

London W1D 3QJ
020 7734 0181

Niamheen said
Authentic thin crust pizzas in Soho
Fantastic thin crust pizzas in Soho. Authentic italian, although, a Neapolitan friend (that recommended Italia Mania originally) was keen to point out that while they were good they should be using a wood oven.

It's cheap, quick, and well sourced. I am extremely fussy about pizza butn these guys delivered - good sauces, base and toppings.

You can order pre-cooked from large trays of pizza or have them made fresh. Pasta also available. Pizza slices from £2.75, fresh pizzas from £4.50 and pasta from £4.65. Juices available but no alcohol, although I believe you can bring your own.

It's a cafe, so not a place for a romantic meal, but for a quick cheap bite in Soho, or a sociable bite with friends it's perfect. Very quirky too, the pizza's are prepared on a a large wooden board that's inside half a Fiat 500. Gotta love the Fiat 500! I'd go for that alone ;-)

• Added: 13th of May 2008
• Area: Soho
• Category: Restaurants

London W1F 9BN
020 7297 9800

Niamheen said
Fly me to the moon
Stylish, modern and in a great location, Cha Cha Moon is Alan Yau's latest eatery, following on from Busaba Eathai, Hakkasan, Yautcha, Sake no Hana. It's a sililar formula to Busaba Eathai - communal eating on long wooden tables and food served efficiently as it's ready.

The food listed on the menu appears very traditional, all chinese noodle dishes save the sides, although the szechuan wonton are a little tamer than those that I have experienced in Angeles in Kilburn. The tea smoked chicken was delicious and light. A shibuya cocktail was fragrant and fruity, possibly a highlight of the meal. It was a brief visit but I'll be back to try more.

It has just opened so, all food is £3.50 for the near future. I'd recommend that you get down there and see what you think!

• Added: 6th of May 2008
• Area: Kilburn
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London NW6 2BY
020 7624 1520

Niamheen said
Gorgeous pub tucked away on the Kilburn High Rd
Kilburn, like so many other London areas, is going through the much maligned or lauded gentrification process - depending on which local resident you speak to. The Black Lion is one pub that has benefitted from this. Previously an old irish pub, it has been refurbished but it's character has been retained.

Bright and spacious with gorgeous high ceilings (believe me, they're worth a mention), it's lovely for a few drinks. Decent pub grub - sausages and mash, burgers, that kind of thing. There's an attached dining room, although, the food isn't amazing, it's a good filler of an evening. I've often wished that they would just declare it all a pub and if you want to eat, you can.

There's a guesthouse upstairs which friends and family have stayed at, it used to be better I must admit. The Good Ship across the road tends to be very noisy and it's not as friendly as it used to be, but, it's reasonably priced and well located.

Go for the pub and if you're hungry whilst there, the grub. You won't be disappointed.

• Added: 3rd of December 2007
• Area: Barnsbury
• Category: Food and Drink

London N1 0RU
020 7837 0201

Niamheen said
Old school Italian shop in King's Cross
One of my local all time favourite haunts! A traditional old Italian shop run by an elderly couple serving the local Italian community. You need to wait your turn but it's worth it. Great produce, fantastic prices. I get all of my Italian staples here from pasta and tinned tomatoes to sliced meats and olive oil. Highly and heartily recommended.

• Added: 25th of July 2007
• Area: Bloomsbury
• Category: Restaurants

London N1 9DP
020 7837 7755

Niamheen said
Good quality Thai cheap eat in Kings Cross
Cute little Thai restaurant. Very reasonable lunch menu at 5.95 for two courses. It's always busy which is a recommendation in itself. The food is of a good standard and I'll be going back for more.

• Added: 20th of July 2007
• Area: West Hampstead
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

London NW6 1NL
020 7435 1666

Niamheen said
There ain't no cow in this
Bake-a-boo is a gorgeous little cake shop/cafe in West Hampstead (nearest tube Kilburn). Mill Lane is definitely moving up in the world, a greasy spoon ahs become a posh caf�, there's a new organic shop and now Bake-a-boo. It's very cute, all shabby chic, I get the feeling they like Cath Kidston. They serve a variety of lactose free and gluten free cupcakes, and while they're not as impressive or tasty as Peyton & Byrne, they're very good considering. They serve afternoon tea with tea in gorgeous china teapots, both a normal one & a sensitive one for coeliacs and lactose intolerants. They also cater childrens parties.

It's in our area so we frequently pop in for take aways but the caf� itself is gorgeous and I would recommend a visit.

I am giving it 4 stars because it's so hard to get good dairy free cupcakes and these guys have done it. As a lactose intolerant it's a real treat :-) I haven't actually eaten the savoury fare there though so these stars are purely for the tea, cupcakes and brownies.

• Added: 20th of July 2007
• Area: Somerstown
• Category: Food and Drink

London W1T 7LQ
020 7580 2522

Niamheen said
Have your cupcake & eat it
Peyton & Byrne is a treasure trove of cupcakes and other sweet & savoury delights nestled between Heals & Habitat on Tottenham Court Rd, London. Owned by Oliver Peyton, a Mayo born London based restaurateur, it opened in September 2006 along with Meals in Heals next door. This is not Peyton's first venture, far from it, he started with nightclubs which he proclaimed a means to an end, dallied with the import/export of Japanese beer & absolut vodka and then moved into restaurants with the opening of the critically acclaimed Atlantic Bar & Grill in Picadilly. Since then he has opened Mash, Isola, the Admirality restaurant at Somerset House, Inn the Park at St James Park, The Wallace Restaurant, Peyton & Byrne, Meals, The National Dining Rooms & finally The National Caf.

Peyton has always championed the use of quality ingredients and British cooking and this is obvious in his establishments. He is well known as one of the judges on the Great British Menu, a BBC show where top UK & Irish chefs compete to cook part of the banquet for the Queens 80th birthday in the first series and to the British Ambassador to France at the British Embassy in Paris for the second series.

At Peyton & Byrne, the intent is to reproduce old favourites the way our mothers used to make them, specifically Peytons mother whose maiden name was Byrne - hence, Peyton & Byrne. Her recipes are, in fact, the inspirations for the produce at the bakery.

Award winning chef Roger Pizey aims to put a modern twist on old classics and I think he does this quite well. These include savoury staples like tarts, pies, scotch eggs & fresh sandwiches (done well - lancashire cheese & picallili anyone?) and sweet treats like bakewell tart, victoria sponge, chocolate cake and amazing cupcakes, my personal favourite is the frou frou cupcake (raspberry & coconut), but there are 5 flavours in total to try and you should!

It's done so well, it's difficult to fault them. The design of the shop itself is lovely, fronted by a large window with gold lettering displaying their wares with the cakes on charming cake stands, it's all so pretty and inviting. The packaging is also fantastic, pretty pastel cake boxes with bold lettering. It shouldn't matter, but it does.

I've been a few times now, it's a must for the cupcakes alone, and it's been consistently good. It's on the pricey side, mind, at 10 for 5 cupcakes, but they're so good it's worth it.