• Added: 4th of December 2008
• Area: Soho
• Category: Restaurants

London W1D 7BB
020 7734 2223

dafinki said
Maybe in a while...
(When we went this place had just opened and this should be taken into account when reading this review.)

When we heard that Jacob and Victor from Moro were setting up an Italian venture we were desperately keen to try it out. In hindsight we probably should have given it a few weeks to bed in.

Service was slow and nervous and by the time we ordered we'd decided not to have the dishes (tapas-sized) in courses as the waiter suggested, but asked for them to arrive all at once. We tried most of the menu between us and it was...good. I suppose my yardstick with small-dish eating is whether I'd order another one, and I'm afraid here there was nothing apart from the home-made sausage that was moreish. Nothing was bad, don't get me wrong, but there just weren't many stand-out moments, and for the price I'd expect a bit better.

Halfway through our meal our unfortunate waiter managed to open a bottle of champagne all over a diner on the table next to us, and even more unfortunately it appeared it was her birthday. I'm sure given time this kind of thing won't happen, but I didn't expect basic errors like this to happen in a place with big aspirations.

I finished with the petit fours which were pretty forgettable apart from for their marzipan bias.

A shame really, and clearly not in line with the other reviewers' experiences, so I hope I'll be back soon and eating my words!

• Added: 5th of November 2008
• Area: Hoxton
• Category: Restaurants

London N1 1RQ

dafinki said
Please try harder, and charge me less!
Really not impressed. First of all we witnessed the most lacklustre display of teppenyaki cooking ever. Then they forgot our gyoza. Then we got the bill – almost £50 for a lunch with no alcohol. Not good value for money.

When is there going to be a decent Japanese restaurant on Upper Street?

• Added: 5th of November 2008
• Area: Islington
• Category: Restaurants

London N1 9EX
020 7833 1167

dafinki said
Beat the credit crunch...
You really couldn't top this place for value for money. It's a vegan indian curry buffet with five curries, three types of rice and lots of other bits like onion bhaji, popadum, roti, pakora, salads and dry snacks.

The curries are tasty but not clever. There are three potato-based curries which are fairly indistinguishable, another a bit like motor paneer except it must have been tofu, and dhal. However, when you can eat as much as you like for £3.95 you can hardly complain. It's always fresh and frequently topped up and the drinks are cheap too.

While you're tucking in you can cast your eye over the veggie propaganda covering the walls; probably more entertaining than informative. Apart from that it's very standard café decor but what else do you need? It's cheap, it's ethical, it's tasty – a guilt-free meal out in these tough times is definitely appreciated!

• Added: 1st of August 2008
• Area: Soho
• Category: Restaurants

London W1D 6PX
020 7437 8408

dafinki said
You've got to know the menu
Back when the waiters at Won Kei were incredibly rude, I was a student. I used to go there at lunchtime with my chums and stock up on meat, tea and face-melting chilli sauce then spend the afternoon's lectures honking of garlic in an MSG coma. Those were the days.

Apart from the change in the demeanor of the staff (affable!) not much is different. You can still fill up on cold meat on hot rice for under a fiver. Barbecue pork crispy pork with extra sauce, beef brisket soup, Singapore noodles, monk's greens – all these things are yummy. Go off piste and choose the mixed random animals or whatever it's called and you'll come a cropper.

Still, don't ever ask for your own table or you might find your dinner in your lap.

• Added: 11th of July 2008
• Area: Kings Cross
• Category: Restaurants

London N1 9AA
020 7713 8777

dafinki said
A health hazard
Beware the buffet, my parents always told me. And they were right.

Kitchin is a good looking restaurant, there's no doubt about that. Despite the glossy sheen, I'm wary of places that attempt too much at once. Indian, Chinese, Thai and Italian? Hm. Well, it didn't fail to disappoint. The food was uninteresting and strictly in the only-if-you're-starving category. The cuts of meat were the cheapest, the dishes were mostly filler.

What was really worrying was how ill my partner and I became after eating there. The food upset our stomachs quite badly, but we were prepared to put this down as a one off. However, a group of friends went this week and they suffered the same fate.

Health inspectors reading this: put this place on your radar, please!

• Added: 22nd of May 2008
• Area: Soho
• Category: Restaurants

London W1F 9TJ
020 7287 1738

dafinki said
Top stuff
I ADORE Ten Ten Tei. Although there might be a little queue, it's worth the wait.

At £15-18 the fixed dinner menus are good value. For that you get course upon course - I ordered a chicken teriyaki dinner and got sashimi, agadashi tofu, tempura, miso soup, chicken teriyaki, a huge pile of rice and some ice cream. We always order the ikura (salmon roe) and tobiko (flying fish roe) too - here at least you know it's going to be fresh.

Last time we visited, even though the restaurant was closing as we got our starters the staff told us not to rush and to take our time, so we sat and chatted while they ate their post-work dinners. There's certainly a family-run ambience to the place, and quality's assured in the fact that it's constantly packed to the rafters with Japanese punters.

• Added: 22nd of May 2008
• Area: Oxford Circus
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London W1G 0JF
020 7499 3443

dafinki said
A good one to remember
Was looking for somewhere for a revitalizing drink after hitting the sweaty pavements of Oxford Street and remembered Match. Hadn't been there in a few years and was quite pleased to find it still there. Went on a Wednesday at about 8 and there was plenty of space, things started picking up a bit about 9, but there was enough room for four of us to spread out comfortably...but I suppose the football was on elsewhere so maybe that's why!

Music was inoffensive, drinks were decently priced and service was attentive. My mojito was smashing and others' cocktails were met with approval so can only say from this that the mixing was still up to scratch. Chips were nice enough but had a strange odour of fish! Crowd fairly suity but not in a loudmouth trashy estate agent way.

A good post-shop pitstop.

• Added: 21st of May 2008
• Area: Old Street
• Category: Restaurants

London EC1V 9LA
020 7729 8662

dafinki said
A change of heart
Have been to this place few times and hadn't been for a while, mainly because the times I'd gone I'd not found it to be up to much. However, took a group of ten people there last night and was very pleasantly surprised.

The interior had had a makeover, making the atmosphere much nicer than the minicab office-eque feel of it before. Staff were helpful and friendly, food was plentiful and fresh. My barbecue pork on cold rice vermicelli (Bun Cha) was delicious. Most of our party were Vietnamese and they said that although some of the spicing wasn't quite to the standard they experience at home it was pretty near, and rated it about 80%. Usually when we go to Vietnamese restaurants they hate the food, so I was impressed.

I'll definitely be back

• Added: 21st of May 2008
• Area: Barbican
• Category: Restaurants

London EC1R 4QE
020 7833 8336

dafinki said
Fabulous place
One of my favourites.