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Restaurant Reviews 2007 |
Restaurant Reviews 2007 January - July 22nd July 15th July 8th July 2nd July 24th June 17th June 11th June 3rd June 28th May 20th May 13th May 6th May 29th April 22nd April 15th April 8th April 1st April 25th March 20th March 11th March 4th March 25th February 18th February 11th February 4th February 28th January 21st January 14th January 7th January 2007 |
22nd July Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Wild Honey, 12 St George Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7758 9160
Review:- The quality of the ingredients all round was nothing like as good as the quality of the kitchen. But that’s just me
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Bibendum, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London SW3 6RD - Tel: 020 7581 5817
Review:-Twenty years on and it’s still a classic hit. Everything, and I mean everything, was beyond belief excellent
Giles Coren:-
Name:- La Petite Maison, Brooks Mews, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 4774
Review:- I swaggered through the doors, as mean and full of justice as Wyatt Earp rolling into Dodge
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Leon, 136 Brompton Road, London SW3 - Tel: 020 7589 7330
Review:- 7/10
The Independent
Terry Durack:Name:- La Petite Maison, 54 Brooks Mews, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 4774
Review:- La Petite Maison aims to bring the rich flavour of Provence to the heart of London, but has it survived the trip? says Terry Durack - 14/20
John Walsh:
Name: The Forge, 14 Garrick Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7379 1432
Review: The menu is huge in every sense: larger than a page of The Independent, crammed with dishes apparently chucked in at random, and drawn from all corners of the world.
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- La Petit Maison, 54 Brooks Mews, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 4774
Review:- By contrast, the Blackleg at La Petite Maison costs £35. It's not exactly cheap, but for that you get more than enough bird for two (enough for three, if you work the starters carefully). It is, I would say, as good as the L'Ami Louis version, plus it comes with a sizeable lobe of soft-centred roast foie gras and a chunky fried crouton with which to mop up the rich, garlicky juices. I will be eating it again. And again.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:-
Review:-
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15th July Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Mulberry Street, 84 Westbourne Grove, London W2 - Tel: 020 7313 6789
Review:- The caesar salad should be sued by the Mexican restaurant that invented it but the chocolate pizza was fantastic
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- La Brasserie, 272 Bromton Road, London SW3 - Tel: 020 7581 3089
Review:- I had a lemon sorbet. Both were extremely good. Unlike my lemon sorbet at La Trompette, this one spoke to me
Giles Coren:-
Name:- The Wellington Arms, Baughurst, Hampshire - Tel: 0118 9820110
Review:- I would gladly have stayed for ever, but the girls all had to get on with their 'careers'
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Wild Honey, 12 St George Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7758 9160
Review:- 8/10
The Independent
Terry Durack:Name:- Spring, 28 Rue de la Tour d'Auvergne, Paris - Tel: 00331 45 05 72
Review:- Daniel Rose is a chef, maitre d' and sommelier all in one - and his tiny eatery is the talk of the French capital says Terry Durack - 16/20
Tracey MacLeod:
Name: East Beach Cafe, Littlehampton, West Sussex - Tel: 01903 731 903
Review:- Summer in the Hamptons. The pristine acres of white beach and shingled oceanfront mansions shimmer in the Atlantic sun. P Diddy unloads his hamper from the back of his summer Hummer, while media billionaires eat lobster roll and compare suntans.
101 Star Bars
The White Hart, 11 The Quay, Illfracombe, Devon - Tel: 01271 868090
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- NathanOutlaw, Marina Villa Hotel, Fowey, Cornwall - Tel: 01726 833 315
Review:- The knuckle-dragging saddos of the Cornish National Liberation Army who recently spat bile at Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver for opening successful restaurants on their patch must, I'm sure, also hate Nathan Outlaw. The Kent-born chef has had the cheek to move to Cornwall and forge a career there, providing employment for local people, encouraging producers of the finest local produce and helping to develop the county's reputation for great food. Shameful behaviour.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Geales, 2 Farmer Street, London W8 - Tel: 020 7727 7528
Review:- If the service was morose and chaotic, the food was absurd and cynical. What the menu calls "prawn cocktail" was no such thing, the prawns coming in garlic mayonnaise rather than Marie Rose sauce and sitting on top of a layer of avocado, the ensemble served in a facetiously angled bowl (poncy crockery is quite a motif).
Top
8th July Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Olivomare, 10-12 Lower Belgrave Street, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7730 9022
Review:- The bowl of fresh, raw sea urchin on ice, with warm toast is simply a perfect, unimprovable dish
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Brasserie St Quentin, 243 Brompton Road, London SW3 2EP - Tel: 020 7589 8005
Review:- There’s no doubt St Quentin is first-rate, even though I didn’t intend to visit it
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Marco Pierre White's Yew Tree Inn, Hollington Cross, Hollington Cross, Highclere, Newbury, Berkshire - Tel: 01635 253360
Review:- I can't deal with a really chunky tongue in my mouth unless it is my own
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Dean Timpson at The Compleat Angler, Marlow Bridge, Marlow, Buckinghamshire - Tel: 0870 400 8100
Review:- 6/10
The Independent
Terry Durack:Name:- Momo, 25 Heddon Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7434 4040
Review:- t's been 10 years since Momo opened, but its food, décor and music have lost none of their transporting charm says Terry Durack
John Walsh:
Name: Rhodes W1, Great Cumberland Place, London W1 - Tel: 020 7479 3737
Review:- Did you read the name as "Rhodes W.I."? It's tempting to imagine a marriage between Gary Rhodes, the spike-haired housewives' favourite, and the Women's Institute, collaborating to make post-punk apricot jam. But Gary's new London HQ is serious. Boy is it serious.
101 Star Bars
The Trafalgar Hotel, 2 Pring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7870 2900
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Rhodes W1, Great Cumberland Place, London W1 - Tel: 020 7479 3737
Review:- Gary Rhodes is back. You may not be aware he ever went away. He's had a restaurant halfway up Tower 42 in the City of London since 2003, and 18 months ago he opened a brasserie at the Cumberland Hotel by Marble Arch, to decidedly mixed reviews
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- The Hole in the Wall, Little Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire - Tel: 01223 812282
Review:- Twenty-seven minutes without being offered a drink or passed a telephone message is a difficult hurdle to clear, and this charmless, joyless restaurant might consider spending as much time studying the first page of its menu as those customers it chooses to ignore.
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2nd July Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Frederick's, Camden Passage, London N1 - Tel: 020 7359 2888
Review:- Why the waiter particularly singled out the fishcakes from the piles of congealing manna on the table, I couldn’t say
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Damask, Athenaeum Hotel, 116 Piccadilly, London W1 - Tel: 020 7499 3464
Review:- The owners of the Athenaeum should be thoroughly ashamed. Who says British food is getting better? It certainly isn’t at the Athenaeum
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Skylon, Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7654 7800
Review:- Perhaps it’s wrong to assume that all former head girls carry into adult life the qualities that brought them so gleamingly to their teacher's attention
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- The Kitchin, 78 Commercial Quay, Leith, Edinburgh - Tel: 0131 5551755
Review:- 7/10
The Independent
Terry Durack:Name:- Skylon Restaurant, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7654 7800 - 13/20
Review:- The Royal Festival Hall has a smart new restaurant - but the food is no match for the glorious Thameside views
Tracey MacLeod:
Name: Skylon Restaurant, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7654 7800
Review:- Wherever possible I try to visit restaurants in the spirit of a customer rather than a reviewer. Make a social occasion out of it, take people who will enjoy themselves, never go alone, and above all, never again take mother to The Fat Duck and make her eat a caramelised cocks-comb.
101 Star Bars
Fingers, 61a Frederick Street, Edinburgh - Tel: 0131 225 3026
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Bloom's 130 Golders Green Road, London NW11 -Tel: 020 8455 1338
Review:- They came with custard which was watery and, unlike these two diners, thin. The menu optimistically invites its clientele to 'taste the quality'. The best I think you can hope for is to feel the width.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Randa, 23 Kensington Church Street, London W8 - Tel: 020 7937 5363 - 4/10
Review:- Twenty-seven minutes without being offered a drink or passed a telephone message is a difficult hurdle to clear, and this charmless, joyless restaurant might consider spending as much time studying the first page of its menu as those customers it chooses to ignore.
Top
24th June Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Whole Foods Market, The Barkers Building, 63-97 Kensington High Street W8 - Tel: 020 7368 4500
Review:- Nothing is any better than what you might expect to find in the chilled cabinet of a Tesco petrol station
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- La Trompette, 5-7 Devonshire Road, London W4 - Tel: 0208 747 1836
Review:- Why it took 14 words to describe this miserable plate of ravioli I do not understand
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Barrafina, 54 Firth Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7813 8016
Review:- Get there during the rush hour and you’ll have to queue, but show up off peak and you'll probably get a seat
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Cannizaro House, West Side, Wimbledon Common, London SW19 - Tel: 020 8879 1464
Review:- 4/10
The Independent
Terry Durack:Name:- Rhodes W1 Restaurant, Great Cumberland Place, London W1- Tel: 020 7479 3737 - 17/20
Review:- From the sparkling cooking to the crystal chandeliers, Terry Durack is dazzled by Gary Rhodes' latest venture
John Walsh:
Name: Camino, 3 Varnisher's Yard, Regent Quarter, Kings Cross, London N1 - Tel: 020 7841 7331
Review:- But looking around at this handsome Andalucian retreat, the cool courtyard, the airy bar, the charming service, the gutsy food, the confidence and style of its presence, you just know it won't be empty for long
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- St Clements, 3 Mertoria, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex - Tel: 01424 200 355
Review:- Among the photocopies of approving write-ups and handwritten letters of thanks was a copy of the letter that the makers of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares send out to every restaurant in the land, enquiring as to whether they thought themselves in need of shouty Gordon's help. It felt as if the letter was there solely for the amusement of the regulars. This restaurant? Our restaurant? St Clement's? Not likely...
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Sat Bains, Lenton Lane, Nottingham - Tel: 0115 986 6566
Review:- This is clever, complex, highly imaginative, technically brilliant food served with warmth and charm in a restaurant (with rooms, for those who want to set about the wine list) that is splendid in every regard.
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17th June Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Skylon, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7654 7800
Review:- This is chichi, timid, provincial compilation of guide-kissing, aspirational combinations from 10 years ago
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Cafe Tarte, 270 Kensington High Street, London W8 - Tel: 020 7371 6003
Review:- The window is awash with cakes as if they were entrants in a Women’s Institute baking competition
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Semplice, 10 Blenheim Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 1509
Review:- Giles Coren has never been much of a one for risotto, But by God, he is now
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Bon Appetit, 4-5 Westcliff Aracade, Ramsgate, Kent - Tel: 01843 852750
Review:- 7/10
The Independent
Terry DurackName:- Mulberry, 84 Westbourne Grove London W8 - Tel: 020 7313 6789
Review:- At a New York-style pizzeria, the sizes may be American, but the substance is all Italian
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:-
Review:-
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- London Road, 46 London Road, Alderley Edge, Cheshire - Tel: 01625 584163
Review:- All right, perhaps on reflection this wasn't a meal notable for austerity. 9/10
Top
11th June Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- DIM T, 154-156 Gloucester Road, London SW7 - Tel: 020 7370 0070
Review:- Dim T is sort of beginner’s oriental food for people who think Pot Noodles are a sophisticated treat. And it is bad
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- The Golden Hind & The Natural Kitchen.
Review:- I’ve decided, after deep consideration, that Britain’s greatest contribution to the world of food is fish’n’chips
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Haiku, 15 New Burlington Place, London W1 - Tel: - 020 7494 4777
Review:- A guy came to explain the menu. I said that wasn¹t necessary, I could see that it contained food
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- The Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, Londo SE1 - Tel: 020 7654 7800
Review:- 7/10
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:-
Review:-
101 Star Bars
Harry's Bar San Marco 1323, C. Vallaresso, 30124 Venezia, Italy (00 41 528 5777)
Tracey MacLeod
Name:-Geales, 2 Farmer Street, London W8 - Tel: 020 7727 7528
Review:- We're sipping champagne on slippery banquettes next to a former Newsnight presenter. Mariella Frostrup and A A Gill's Blonde have just been wafted upstairs to their table.
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Carpe Diem, Millennium Parade, Explorer Lane, Harbourside, Bristol - Tel: 0117 316 9173
Review:- I ordered my main course because it read like a car crash: Cotswold Old Spot tenderloin pork with lemon, liquorices, pumpkin and cafe au lait. On the upside, all I could taste of those silly ingredients in the tiny splatter of sauce was a sweetened medicinal bitterness
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- 32 Great Queen Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7242 0622
Review:- All right, perhaps on reflection this wasn't a meal notable for austerity. 9/10
Top
3rd June Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Geales, 2 Farmer Street, London W8 - Tel: 020 7727 7528
Review:- Fish and chips is never going to be anything more than fish and chips, but that should be enough
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Kai, 65 South Audley Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7493 8988
Review:- Bernard, you can’t do this to your customers. I know it was a Sunday. So what. Serve fresh food
Giles Coren:-
Name:- The Albion, 10 Thornhill Road, London N1 - Tel: 020 7607 7450
Review:- Give a Brit a garden, a sarnie and a sou'wester, and he thinks he's on holiday
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Rhodes, Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London W1 - Tel: 020 7479 3737
Review:- 8/10
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Geales, 2 Farmer Street, London W8 - Tel: 020 7727 7528
Review:- Terry Durack says Notting Hill is so posh these days, even the fish and chips have been gentrified - 14/20
101 Star Bars
The White Horse, 1-3 Parsons Green, London SW6 - Tel: 020 7736 2115
John Walsh
Name:- Great Queen Street, London - Tel: 020 7242 0622
Review:- As Covent Garden restaurants go, it's strenuously down to earth. The old floorboards ring beneath your feet like a Western saloon.
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- The Headley, Great Warley, Brentwood, Essex - Tel: 01277 216 104
Review:- The scuffs and smudges will come in time, courtesy of the odd punch-up at last orders. But what matters is that the food is accomplished.The scuff s and smudges will come in time, courtesy of the odd punch-up at last orders. But what matters is that the food is accomplished.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Kiasu, 48 Queensway, London W2 - Tel: 020 7727 8810
Review:- The service was warm and smiley, and the bill absurdly small for the quality of food and the size of the servings - 9/10
Top
28th May Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- 32 Great Queen Street, 32 Great Queen Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7242 0622
Review:- The simple combining of ingredients, the less-is-more, is Italian. Best is that none of it is remotely snobby
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Serving up my most memorable meals
Review:- The most memorable meal I ever had was in Switzerland near the Italian border
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Royal China Club, 40-42 Baker Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7486 3898
Review:- A lobster was plucked from the tank. ‘Look,’ said maurice, ‘a chicken in fancy dress!’
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Wembley Stadium, Wembley - Tel: 020 8795 9000
Review:- 1/10
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Snazz Sichuan, New China Club, 37 Carlton Street, London London NW1 - Tel: 020 7388 0808
Review:- Terry Durack says - For a real taste of Chine, yell at the staff and eat duck's tongue
101 Star Bars
Rio Scenarium, Rua do Lavradio, 20 Centro Antigo Lapa, Rio de Janerio - Tel: +55 21 2233 3239
Tracey MacLeod
Name:- The Wee Restaurant, 17 Main Street, North Queensferry, Fife - Tel: 01383 616263
Review:- Gordon's kitchen heaven
The Observer
Jay RaynerName:- The Grill Room at the Dorchester, Park Lane, London W1 - Tel: 020 7629 8888
Review:- But what really matters here is what's on the plate. If you do go, take my advice: enjoy the food, and whatever you do, don't look up.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Jack's Place, York Road, London SW11 - Tel: 020 7228 1442
Review:- Grapefruit cocktail, melon boat, avocado vinaigrette, jellied eels, the gloriously artless "egg mayonnaise with Hovis", duck à l'orange, gammon and pineapple. The menu is unmatched in London, except perhaps by that at the fabled Oslo Court, making Jack's Place as much culinary museum as restaurant.
Top
20th May Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Semplice, 10 Blenheim Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 1509
Review:- The set lunch, at £15 for two or £18 for three courses, is probably the best value in the West End
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Foliage, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7235 2000
Review:- I've just had a really terrible, terrible meal. Ugh, ugh, ugh. I mean beyond belief awful
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Great Queen Street, 32 Great Queen Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7242 0622
Review:- These boys have the magic. The green fingers. They make it look so damn easy.
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Rhubarb, Prestonfield, Priestfield Road, Edinburgh - Tel: 0131 225 1333 - 2/10
Review:- as Above - marks out of 10
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- The Narrow, 44 Narrow Street, London E14 - Tel: 020 7592 7950
Review:- Terry Durack says - Nobody would expect a theatre or opera critic to amble into the latest production midway through its run, kindly allowing the performers to get over first-night jitters and settle into a coherent whole before being judged. Likewise, every British restaurant critic tries to be first in, and first served.
101 Star Bars
Absolut IceBar, 31-33 Heddon Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7478 8910
Madeleine Lim
Name:- La Saveur, Upper Richmond Road West, London SW14 - Tel: 020 8876 0644
Review:- Everything about La Saveur is terrifically French, from its proud self-description as a "Restaurant-Salon de Thé" to the snails and Chateaubriand on the à la carte menu, whose typography derives from the Parisian curlicues once seen on Moulin Rouge posters.
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Great Queen Street, 32 Great Queen Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7242 0622
Review:- Its owners have the raw ingredients of gutsy gastropubs running through their veins, but a new venture shows lack of fine tuning. Jay Rayner is sure Great Queen Street will find its feet.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Post, 28 High Street, Banstead, Surrey - Tel: 01737 373839
Review:- "It's really clever how he layers all the flavours so you get them one by one, a bit like the chewing gum in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. But the overpowering sweetness, well, it's just weird."
Top
13th May Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Haiku, 15 New Burlington Place, London W1 - Tel: 020 7494 4777
Review:- We began with mixed sushi, then had tandoori lamb chops, sizzling pepper beef and Singapore noodles. Every dish was made with singular skill, dexterity, care and élan.
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Bombay Brasserie, Courtfield Cloce, Courtfield Road, London SW7 4UH - Tel: 020 7370 4040
Review:- I finished with excellent sorbet. It’s a special event place, really. But not at all bad.
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Five at the Bridge, Hampton Court, Surrey
Review:- My meal of the spring of 2007. I swear to you, it is worth the 35-minute train ride out of Waterloo for itself alone, and if you really need somewhere to walk off your meal afterwards, I hear there is a perfectly all right historical palace quite nearby.
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:-
Roussillon, 16 Barnabas Street, London - Tel: 020 7730 5550 - 9/10
Manicomio, 85 Duke of York Square, London SW3 - Tel: 020 7730 3366 - 6/10
Langtry's, 21 Pont Street, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7201 6619 - 3/10
Review:- as Above - marks out of 10
Belinda Richardson - Three of a kind
No Review this week
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Bluebird Restaurant, 350 King's Road, London SW3 - Tel: 020 7559 1000
Review:- Terry Durack says Spring is in the air and on the plate at the revamped Bluebird
101 Star Bars
The Turf Tavern, 4 Bath Place, Oxford - Tel: 01865 243235
Tracey MacLeod
Name:- The Terrace, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7430 1234
Review:- The Terrace is, in short, a find; a fine-dining restaurant with that rarest of features, a sizeable outdoors seating area surrounded by greenery.
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- The Westerley, 2-4 London Road, Reigate, Surrey - Tel: 01737 222733
Review:- It was the real thing, sharp and mustardy and not a soggy vegetable in sight. So now the Westerly had us. We were fans..
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- The Narrow, 44 Narrow Street, London - Tel: 020 7592 7950
Review:- All three starters were sparkling. Raviolo filled with ricotta and adorned with a hazelnut dressing drew yelps of pleasure and eventually a pliant, "That was so delicious, I want it again."
Top
6th May Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill is awayChrista D'Souza
Name:- Daylesford Organic Cafe, Daylesford, Nr Kingham, Gloucestershire - Tel:- 01608 731720
Review:- Meanwhile, my poached organic salmon with raw vegetable salad (£11.95) in a pestoish sauce was totally and utterly exquisite, and, although not remotely hungry by this point, I finished every scrap of it.
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Galvins at Windows, London Hilton, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE - Tel:- 020 7493 8000
Review:- I finished with excellent sorbet. It’s a special event place, really. But not at all bad.
Giles Coren:-
Name:-
The Foxhunter, Nantyderry, Abergavenny - Tel: 01873 881101
The Hardwick, Old Rgalan Road, Abergavenny - Tel: 01873 854220
Review:- New Welsh foodies are a growing breed, especially around Abergavenny
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- No Review found
Review:-
Belinda Richardson - Three of a kind
No Review this week
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Trattoria Nuraghe, 12 Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 - Tel: 020 7263 4560
Review:- Terry Durack follows a reader's tip and finds a treat of a tratt from a time gone by
101 Star Bars
The Flask, 77 Highgate West Hill, Highgate, London N6 6BU - Tel: 020 8348 7346
John Walsh
Name:- The Narrow, 44 Narrow Street, London E14 - Tel: 020 7592 7950
Review:- The Narrow is an attempt at dishing up plain honest fare, by a man who is much happier chasing Michelin-star excellence.
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Maida, 148-150 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 - Tel: 020 7739 2645
Review:- am sitting in a Muslim Pakistani restaurant just off London's Brick Lane, ordering tandoori lamb chops, and I feel like I am committing adultery.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Ristorante Semplice, 10 Blenheim Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 1509
Review:- All three starters were sparkling. Raviolo filled with ricotta and adorned with a hazelnut dressing drew yelps of pleasure and eventually a pliant, "That was so delicious, I want it again."
Top
29th April Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA GillName:- Suka, 50 Berners Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7300 1400
Review:- The menu has a little concept, of course, which is that everybody orders three courses and everybody shares
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- The River Cafe, Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA - Tel: - 020 7386 4200
Review:- I may as well make it clear, right now, the food at the River Cafe is superb. Every dish has a taste and a simplicity which makes it near-perfect.
Giles Coren:-
Name:- The Pink Geranium, Station Road, Melbourn, Cambs - Tel: 01763 260215
Review:- They brought little canapés which were quite excellent: a salmon and horse-radish mousse, a pakora, and a really excellent little chicken terrine with a blob of home-made piccalilli.
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- The Forge, 14 Gariick Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7379 1432
Review:- But, when the T-bone arrives it's the quality, not the quantity, that takes us by surprise, so much so that we want to know where this juicy, tender flavoursome cow comes from.
Belinda Richardson - Three of a kind
No Review this week
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Haiku, 15 New Burlington Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7494 4777
Review:- An entire continent under one roof - it's all too much for Terry Durack
101 Star Bars
Kaffibarinn, Reykjavik, Iceland - Tel: 00 354 551 1588
Tracey MacLeod
Name:- Adlard's, 79 Upper St Giles Street, Norwich - Tel: 01603 633522
Review:- Cooking aside, there is much to admire about Adlard's, not least the way in which David Adlard's benignly hovering presence removes the fear from the fine-dining experience.
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Suka, The Sanderson Hotel, 50 Berners Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7300 1444
Review:- I got the measure of Suka when I just managed to hear her announce that tonight she was recommending the Singapore black pepper mussels. Why? They are on the menu every night
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- The Arundell Arms, Lifton, Devon - Tel: 01566 784666
Review:- Freebie cups of scintillating asparagus soup had come and gone before we got stuck into a meal that relied on that simplest yet least well observed of all culinary formulae: local ingredients of the highest quality cooked with precision and technical excellence
Top
22nd April Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-is awayAlex James
Name:- Inn the Park, St James Park, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7451 9999
Review:- They ran out of cutlery, then patience, then any clue and the will to live, but remained surprisingly charming
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- The Ivy, 1-5 West Street, London, WC2 - Tel: 020 7836 4751
Review:- Food at The Ivy is pleasing in a totally unostentatious way. It’s diverse, yet never goes over the edge
Giles Coren:-
Name:-
Review:- No Review found this week
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Meltons. 7 Scarcroft Road, York - Tel: 01904 634341
Review:- It can't be faulted and nor can Joanna's goat's-cheese soufflé, which has the texture of whipped cream and comes with rocket, fresh parsley, toasted pine nuts and a terrific light dressing.
Belinda Richardson - Three of a kind
No Review this week
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Road, Singapore - Tel: 0065 6732 1234
Review:- Terry Durack seeks authentic Singapore street food in a super-luxurious setting
101 Star Bars
The American Bar, The Savoy, The Strand, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7836 4343
Thomas Sutcliffe
Name:- The White Bull, Church Street, Ribchester, Lancashire - Tel: 01254 878 303
Review:- A Ribble riddle
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Luso, 63 Bridge Street, Manchester - Tel: 0161 839 5550
Review:- An impeccably cooked hunk of haddock in an under-crisped wrap of ham comes with a rich puddle of creamed leeks and peas. This isn't subtle cooking and it certainly isn't pretty (though I suspect the chef thinks it is), but it is powerful and gutsy.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- El Faor, 3 Turnberry Quay, Pepper Street, London E14 - Tel: 020 7987 5511
Review:- A shared pudding of deliciously cinnamony foam of vanilla custard (posh zabaglione, really) concluded a terrific meal, yet as we sat outside over coffee, staring at the......
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15th April Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-is awayAlex James
Name:- The Lords of the Manor, Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire - Tel: 01451 820243
Review:- There aren’t many restaurants in the Cotswolds, or indeed the country, that can deliver something this special: all the familiar classics with some fine individual detail.
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Reubens, Baker Street, London NW1
Review:- In spite of the fact that the food is close to historic I can’t see you rushing off to Reubens. Nor do I hold that against you. I’ve never been there myself
Giles Coren:-
Name:- The Narrow, 44 Narrow Street, London E14 - Tel: 020 7592 7950
Review:- If ever I walk into a restaurant that isn't owned by Gordon Ramsay, I feel cheated
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- Ristorante Semplice, 10 Blenheim Street, London W1 - Tel 020 7495 1509
Review:- Without the exquisite melange of vegetables and sautéed spinach underneath the meat, we would be kicking ourselves for not ordering the rabbit or shoulder of lamb, both of which had looked promising on the menu.
Belinda Richardson - Three of a kind
Ramsons
Firenze
Sardo
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Theo Randall at the Inter-Continental, 1 Hamilton Place, London W1 - Tel: 020 7318 8747
Review:- Terry Durack samples fabulous rustic-Italian fare in sniffy, five-star surroundings
101 Star Bars
Les Deux Magots, 6 place St-Germain-des-Prés, 6th, Paris Tel: (00 33 1 45 48 55 25
Tracey MacLeod
Name:- Les Amabassadeurs at the Hotel de Crillon, 10 Place de la Concorde, 8th Paris - Tel: 00331 4471 1500
Review:- Thrill of Le Crillon
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- The French, The Midland Hotel, 16 Peter Street, Manchester - Tel: 0161 236 3333
Review:- For her, a tortellini of chicken made with exceptional pasta, wild mushrooms and black truffles. And yes, the flavour of chicken was overwhelmed but, she said, it was still a good, tasty dish, made with care.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Washingborough Hall, Church Hill, Washington, Lincs - Tel: 01522 790340
Review:- Cold and chewy, and in a blind tasting I wouldn't know I was eating fish," he said, malevolently passing over a forkful of what proved not only the alleged cod, but also a large piece of plastic.
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8th April Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- The Fish Club, 189 St John's Hill, London SW11 - Tel: 020 7989 7115
Review:- If I were a young bloke who didn’t fancy cooking, but wanted something good and filling and value for money, then I’d be very happy to have this round the corner
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Luscious Organic, 240 Kensington High Steet, London W8 6NE - Tel: - 020 7371 6987
Review:- I went to Luscious Organic shortly after eating roast beef and Yorkshire pudding at home expecting just to taste everything for you. But it was so good, I stuffed myself
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Aurora, Great Eastern Hotel, 40 Liverpool Street, London EC2 - Tel: 020 7618 7000
Review:- I am too much of a novice at heart-attack avoidance to know whether Anjou pigeon counts as chicken, so I had the quail
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to orderName:- The Crab at Chieveley, Wantage Road, Newbury, Berkshire - Tel: 01635 247550
Review:- The brown meat has been puréed too smoothly for my liking but the white meat is perfect and the overall experience unforgettable, especially when Kris arrives with a live crab with claws fastened to a plate.
Belinda Richardson - Three of a kind
Crab & Winkle
The Mussel & Crab
Crah House Cafe
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Pearl Liang, 8 Sheldon Square, Paddington Central, London W2 - Tel: 020 7289 7000
Review:- Pearl Liang is a classier kind of Chinese, says Terry Durack. But will anyone notice?
101 Star Bars
The Flower Pot, 23-25 King Street, Derby - Tel: 01332 204955
Thomas Sutcliffe
Name:- The Grill at The Dorchester, Park Lane, London W1 - Tel: 020 7629 8888
Review:- The good, the plaid and the wobbly
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Malmaison Brasserie, Malmaison Hotel, One Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 - Tel: 0121 246 5000
Review:- I was also charmed by my starter: a generous disc of Malvern goat's cheese, breaded and deep-fried to a firm crispness without completely obliterating the cheese, served with a mouth-filling, molasses-and-treacle-flavoured pear chutney on a leaf salad. Hurrah for Malmaison! Hurrah, even more, for the West Midlands!
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Magdalen, 152 Tooley Street, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7403 1342
Review:- Hot foie gras with caramelised blood oranges, served with a glass of chilled port we didn't realise we'd ordered (perhaps the acoustic isn't so hot after all), drew a hushed, "My God, this is awesome. It's like a silky, buttery mousse - and what a combination with the oranges. Perfect balance."
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1st April Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- Sitaaray, 167 Drury Lane, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7269 6422
Review:- The menu is there for reference purposes only. You’re shown it and then they bring you everything
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Villandry, 170 Great Portland Stree, London W1W 5QB - Tel: 020 7631 3131
Review:- It may sound silly to go ballistic over macaroni cheese, and I don’t know what they did to it, but it was historic
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Mocoto, 145 Knightsbridge, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7225 2300
Review:- If they turned the lights up, they wouldn't have to serve 3kg steaks just so people could see them
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to order:- Name:-
Review:- No Review this Week
Belinda Richardson - Three of a kind
Boco Loco
Boco Nova
La Bodeguita Del Medio
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Trenta, 30 Connaught Street, London W2 - Tel: 020 7262 9632
Review:- Can tiny Italian eatery Trenta pass Terry Durack's rigorous 10-point test?
101 Star Bars
Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restarurant, 42nd Street, Park Avenue, New York - Tel : 001 212 490 6650
Tracey MacLeod
Name:- Jack and Lulu's, Jack Straw's Castle, North End Way, London NW3 - Tel: 0870 438 2525
Review:- Doing it for the kids
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Magadalen, 152 Tooley Street, Borough, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7403 1342
Review:- At the end of my dinner at Magdalen I realised I could review my shirt. Here was a nice buttery stain from my starter. And here was a dribble of gravy from my main course. And there another. Oh, and another. It was that sort of main course, and that sort of restaurant.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Salaam, 68 MIllman Street, London WC1 - Tel: 020 7405 3697
Review:- Better still was a magnificently juicy tandoori-baked pomfret, marinated in a medley of fresh herbs and spices, and served on the bone. Side dishes of baby aubergine with fried onion and tamarind and ladies' fingers stir-fried with garlic and mustard were wonderful, too. Breads and rice were faultless.
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25th March Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- Magadalen, 152 Tooley Street, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7403 1342
Review:- Puddings in these new English restaurants usually do a little jig. Unusually, these were only B+. But, make no mistake, this is a very good restaurant — an estimable restaurant.
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Getti, Marylebone High Street, London - Tel: 020 7486 3753
Review:- My fish soup was not as tasty as some I’ve had in the south of France, but it was acceptable
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Ty Mawr Mansion, Cilcennin, Lampeter, West Wales - Tel: 01570 470033
Review:- Pigs are what you need for breakfast
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to order:- Name:- The Thai Terrace, 7th Floor, Castle Car Park, Sydenham Road, Guildford - Tel: 01483 503350
Review:- Mark Palmer visits The Thai Terrace, Guildford, Surrey.
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:-
Review:- No Review found this week
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Tokyo - Tel: 00 813 3270 8800
Review:- I suppose I should chunter on here about the obscenity of excess, but as it tasted very nice I really can't.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- The Hoste Arms, Burnham Market, Norfolk - Tel: 01328 738777
Review:- The portions were almost as off-puttingly large as those oysters, so we shared a pudding, a sensationally good banana tart tatin with passion fruit seeds and liquorice ice cream being by many nautical miles the highlight of the meal.
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20th March Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- Nobu
Review:- When it opened 10 years ago Nobu was the height of fashion. Why does it now feel so over, asks AA Gill
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Scott's, 20 Mount Street, London W1T 1HJ, Tel: 020 7495 7309
Review:- Scott's is a triumph. I’m particularly pleased for Richard Caring, that his first solo creation is just about perfect.
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Blackstone, 2-3 Queen Street, Bath - Tel: 01225 444403
Review:- They said the chicken was free-range, but I fear it had been allowed to slip out to the gym
The Telegraph
Mark Palmer - Are you ready to order:- Name:- Barnes, 2-3 Rocks Lane, London SW13 - Tel: 020 8878 4488
Review:- Mark Palmer visits Barnes Grill, London SW13.
Pint to Pint:-
Name:-
Review:- No review this week
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:-
Review:- No Review found this week
Tracey MacLeod:
Name:- Mocoto, 145 Knightsbridge, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7225 2300
Review:- The most exciting feature is the back room, a dark tunnel lit only by flickering candles, where condensation drips from the blackened, vaulted ceiling on to the clasped hands of Strand banker-types and their sultry paramours.
John Walsh - 101 star Bars:-
Name:- Pavilhao Chines, Rua Dom Pedro v89, 1200 Lisbon, Portugal - Tel: 0021 342 4729
Review:- ...take a slug, watch the red-waistcoated waiters swish around self-importantly, listen to the jukebox playing Blur, U2 and Supergrass, and you'll find no good reason why you should ever leave this magic junk shop.
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Mr Thomas's Chop House, 52 Cross Street, Manchester - Tel: 0161 832 2245
Review:- Mr Thomas's in Mnachester has been serving 'big fisted, paunchy' british food for 140 years. And in that time they've perfected the art of hearty cooking. Jay Rayner's fork is at the ready.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Scott's, 20 Mount Street, London W1T 1HJ, Tel: 020 7495 7309
Review:- That apart, every morsel we ordered, from an enticing, Ivy-style menu dominated by seafood and crustacea, but offering a decent choice of meat and game as well, was immaculate.
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11th March Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- Awana, 85 Sloane Avenue, London SW3 - Tel: 020 7584 8880
Review:- Malay food is all sticky, dippy stuff: sweet, sour, savoury, hot, coconut....
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- St Albans, Rex House, 4-12 Lower Regent Street, SW1. Tel: 020 7499 8558
Review:- I apologise for going on about how great everything is at St Alban. But it is....
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Trinity, 4 The Polygon, London SW4 - Tel: 020 7622 1199
Review:- We will order the lamb again for the rest of our lives, says Giles Coren
The Telegraph
The New Restaurant Critic Mark Palmer has his say on the Top Ten Restaurants to watch and the Top Ten Chef's to watch - Starters for 10Mark Palmer - Are you ready to order:-
Name:- Jaipur, Grafton House, 599 Grafton Gate East, Central Milton Keynes - Tel: - 01908 669796
Review:- Mark Palmer visits Jaipur in Milton Keynes where he finds the revellers in rapturous spirits.
Pint to Pint:-
Name:-
Review:- No review this week
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Dinings, 22 Harcourt Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7723 0666
Review:- The smaller the restaurant, the more sensational the sushi, says Terry Durack
John Walsh:-
Name:- Gordon's, 47 Villiers Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7930 1408
Review:- The most exciting feature is the back room, a dark tunnel lit only by flickering candles, where condensation drips from the blackened, vaulted ceiling on to the clasped hands of Strand banker-types and their sultry paramours.
Thomas Sutcliffe:-
Name:- Trinity, 4 The Polygon, London SW4 - Tel: 020 7622 1199
Review:- Holy unsatisfactory!
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Langtry's, 21 Pont Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7201 6619
Review:- The Chef may have hobnobbed with Ramsay and Blumenthal, but his fancy French trappings and cosmic toppings would leave the men from Michelin seeing stars, say Jay Rayner.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Benja, 17 Beak Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7287 0555
Review:- The main courses were little better. A potent sauce of basil, chilli and garlic couldn't disguise the poor quality of a piece of allegedly sirloin steak
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4th March Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- Royal China Club, 40-42 Baker Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7486 3898
Review:- The Blonde ate everything like a beatific Pac-Man, including the fish skeleton, which was strangely like morphed fish and chips
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- The Brass Rail Salt Beef Bar, Selfridges, London W1
Review:- The salt beef at Selfridge's Brass Rail Salt Beef Bar was superb and comes in a generous portion
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Upper Glas, 359 Upper Street, London N1 - Tel: 020 7359 1932
Review:- The cloudberry cream did not taste as much of clouds as I had hoped it would, says Giles Coren
Other Sustainable Restaurants:-
Name:- Sherwoods, 1492 Stratford Road, Birmingham, B2 9ET- Tel: 0121 733 7363
The Telegraph
Are you ready to order:- Name:- Hart's, 1 Standard Court, Park Row, Nottingham, NG1 6GN
Review:- The city is clearly awash with surprises - of which Hart's can count itself as one. And a happy one at that.
Three of a Kind:-
Name:- Thackeray's, 85 London Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent - Tel: 01892 511921
Name:- Cinnamon Club, 30 Great Smith Street, London SW1 - Tel: 020 722 2555
Name:- The London Street Brasserie, 2-4 London Street, Berkshire - Tel: 0118 950 5036
Pint to Pint:-
Name:- The Cock, 47 High Street, Hemingford Grey, nr Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire - Tel: 01480 463609
Review:- What we do know is that the Trip has given Nottingham and its visitors a lot more fun than the castle ever did.
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Spire, 1 Church Road, Wavertree, Liverpool - Tel: 0151 734 5040
Review:- First up, is a complimentary appetiser of carrot and cumin soup, served in a generously sized cup rather than your mean little demitasse. And it's gorgeous - lightly creamy, frothy and fragrant with cumin.
Tracey MacLeod:-
Name:- The Hat and Feathers Dining Rooms, 2 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1 - Tel: 020 7490 2244
Review:- Distinguished as most of these dishes were, they didn't quite seem the right kind of thing to be eating in a pub, albeit one whose original features have been plumped and burnished by a top-dollar dose of architectural collagen.
Side orders:-
Name:- The Zetter, 86-88 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1 - Tel: 020 7324 4455
Name:- The Well, 180 St John Street, London EC1 - Tel: 020 7251 9363
Name:- Pho, 86 St John Street, London EC1 - Tel: 020 7253 7624
Name:- St John, 26 St John Street, London EC1 - Tel: 020 7251 0848
Second Helpings:-
Name:- The Church Restaurant, 67-83 Bridge Street, Nottingham - Tel: 01604 603 800
Name:- Cafe in the Crypt, St Martin in the Fields, Duncannon Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7839 4342
Name:- Babalou The Crypt, St Matthews Church, Brixton Hill, London SW2 - Tel: 020 7738 3366
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Alexanders at Limpsfield, The Old Lodge, High Street, Limpsfield, Surrey - Tel: 01883 714 365
Review:- The Chef may have hobnobbed with Ramsay and Blumenthal, but his fancy French trappings and cosmic toppings would leave the men from Michelin seeing stars, say Jay Rayner.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Goldstone Hall, Cheswardine, Market Drayton, Shropshire - Tel: 01630 661202
Review:- ...and best of all, a terrine of ham hock and apricot that looked sumptuous and tasted "wonderfully smoky and robust, as if it was made in a farmhouse kitchen".
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The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- Chelsea Brasserie, Sloane Square Hotel, 7-12 Sloane Square, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7881 5999
Review:- The menu was like those cards you find in phone boxes. It made promises that the kitchen couldn’t keep
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- 2 Veneti, 10 Wigmore Street, London W1U 2RD - Tel: 020 7637 0789
Review:- There’s no question 2 Veneti serves superior Italian food
Giles Coren:-
Name:- XO, 29 Belsize Lane, London NW3 - Tel: 020 7433 0888
Review:- The rocky films are the most important, most human movies ever made
Other Sustainable Restaurants:-
Name:- Haiku, 33 Burg Street, City Bowl, Cape Town
The Telegraph
Are you ready to order:- Name:- The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire - Tel: 01628 580333
Review:- Yet despite all that, even his most obnoxious rival (Gordon?) would have to admit the food here gets ever better - and ever more absurdist.
Three of a Kind:-
Name:- The Fat Lamb, Ravenstonedale, Kirby Stephen, Cumbria - Tel: 01539 623242
Name:- Fat Olives, 30 South Street, Emsworth, Hampshire - Tel: 01243 377914
Name:- The Fat Cat, Arch 8, Deansgate Locks, Deansgate, Manchester - Tel: 0161 839 8243
Pint to Pint:-
Name:- Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, 1 Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham - Tel: 0115947 3171
Review:- What we do know is that the Trip has given Nottingham and its visitors a lot more fun than the castle ever did.
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Mocoto, 145 Knightsbridge, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7225 2300
Review:- Getting a Brazilian in London used to mean undergoing a ruthless and intimate form of hair removal. Then it referred to transfers of fleet-footed Latin American footballers. Now it means going out to dinner
Thomas Sutcliffe:-
Name:- Odette's, 130 Regents Park Road, London NW1 - Tel: 020 7586 8569
Review:- The limpid duck consommé poured around them was so good it could have been served on its own and still dazzled.
Side orders:-
Name:- Troika, Regents Park Road, London NW1 - Tel: 020 7483 3765
Name:- La Collina, 17 Princess Road, London - Tel: 020 7483 0192
Name:- Lemonia, 89 Regents Park Road, London NW1 - Tel: 020 7586 7454
Name:- Manna. 4 Erskine Road, London - Tel: 020 7722 8028
Second Helpings:-
Name:- Meet Brazilian, 66 Bold Street, Liverpool - Tel: 0151 707 6507
Name:- Bocanova, 90 Colston Street, Bristol - Tel: 0117 929 1538
Name:- Boteco Carioca, 93 Charlotte Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7637 0050
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Yi-Ban, London Regatta Centre, Dockside Road, Royal Albert Dock, London E16 - Tel: 020 7473 6699
Review:- And lo, it was the best thing we tried: delicate shreds of beef that crunched on impact, a punchy sweet and savoury dark sauce and burst of chilli heat at the end.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Bacchus, 177 Hoxton Street, London N1 - Tel: 020 7613 0477
Review:- Not for 30 years have I heard anyone say, "Oh my giddy aunt" without ironic intent. This was how my friend greeted a horrible pudding, "black olive financier, roasted pear ice cream, pine nuts", his first mouthful of ice cream revealing that, while it offered no hint of pear, it had been sprinkled with rock salt and drizzled with olive oil. For pity's sake.
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The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- XO, 29 Belsize Lane, London NW3 - Tel: 020 7433 0888
Review:- The menu is the tried-and-trying formula, eastern gap-year jabberwocky grub: dumplings and sushi and Thai curries
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Mannie's Suga, Siga, Barbados
Review:- Mannie Ward now runs this wooden beach bar, lovely view, very jolly and serving perfectly respectable food
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Magdalen, 152 Tooley Street, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7403 1342
Review:- Magdalen head chef, James Faulks, studied genetics at UCL, and from there, obviously, he went to work for Heston Blumenthal
Other Sustainable Restaurants:-
Name:- Pierowall Hotel, Westray, Orkney, Scotland - Tel: 01857 677472
Name:- Pure, Wharf House, Wharf Road, Penzance - Tel:- 01736 333335
The Telegraph
Are you ready to order:- Name:- The Cock Inn, Breazley End, Braintree, Essex - Tel: 01371 850566
Review:- The cheese board is entirely English, from Neal's Yard Dairy in London, but we give it a miss when we read "selected every Monday". Not so appetising on a Sunday.
Three of a Kind:-
Name:- I-Thai, The Hempel, 31-35 Craven Gardens, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7298 9000
Name:- The Grill at Lansdowne Place, Hove, East Sussex - Tel: 01273 736266
Name:- The Olive Tree, Queensbury Hotel, Russel Street, Bath - Tel: 01225 447928
Pint to Pint:-
Name:-
Review:- No Review this week
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- XO, 29 Belsize Lane, London NW3 - Tel: 020 7433 0888
Review:- Terry Durack heads to XO for Chinese New Year, but finds little to celebrate
Tracey MacLeod:-
Name:- The Glasshouse, Danesbury House, Worcester, Worcs - Tel: 01905 611120
Review:- So, lucky old Worcester, which has got the sort of restaurant most other towns in Britain can only dream about.
Side orders:-
Name:- Brazz, Castle Bow, Taunton - Tel: 01823 252000
Name:- Brasserie Black Door, Stoddard Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne - Tel: 0191 260 5400
Name:- The George Hotel, Quay Street, Yarmouth - Tel: 01983 760331
Name:- 1 Lombard Street, 1 Lombard Street, London EC3 - Tel: 020 7929 6611
Second Helpings:-
Name:- JSW, 20 DRagon Street, Petersfield, Hampshire - Tel: 01730 262 030
Name:- L Restaurant and Bar, 2 Abington Road, London W8 - Tel: 020 7795 6969
Name:- Y Bistro, 43-45 High Street, Llanberies, Gwyneed - Tel: 01286 871 278
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- El Gato Negro Tapas, 1 Oldham Road, Ripponden, West Yorkshire, Tel: 01422 823 070
Review:- Not so in Ripponden near Sowerby Bridge where, unburdened by an overweening attachment to local culinary traditions, Yorkshire's finest have welcomed El Gato Negro Tapas with open arms
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Barburrito, 1 Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester - Tel: 0161 228 6479
Review:- Easily the highlight, however, was a burrito that married an impeccably springy tortilla to pieces of juicy grilled chicken, spicy beans and jalapeño peppers
Top
11th February Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
AA Gill:-Name:- Mocato, 145 Knightsbridge, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7225 2300
Review:- Attractive though the restaurant is, they’ve made the great mistake of packing in too many tables
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Langhan's Brasserie, Stratton Street, London W1 -
Review:- Now that's what I call a takeaway...
Ginny Dougary:-
Name:- Wright Brothers, 11 Stoney Street, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7403 9559
Review:- All around the dining room the only sound you could hear were little moans of pleasure
Other Sustainable Restaurants:-
Name:- Feng Sushi, 13 Stoney Street, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7407 8744
The Telegraph
Are you ready to order:- Name:- Gurkha Durbar, 30 Headley Road, Grayshott, Hindhead, Surrey - Tel: 01428 605855
Review:- "Would you like to come through to the kitchen and meet Marcus?" asks our waiter. Yes, please..."
Three of a Kind:-
Name:- The Gurkha, 2a The Moor, Falmouth, Cornwall - Tel: 01326 311483
Name:- Great Nepalese Restaurant, 48 Eversholt Street, London NW1 - Tel: 020 7388 6737
Name:- Gurkga Grill, 198 Burton Road, West Disbury, Manchester - Tel: 0161 445 3461
Pint to Pint:-
Name:- The Engineers Arms, High Street, Henlow, nr Biggleswade, Bedforshire - Tel: 01462 812284
Review:- In keeping with the pub's frill-free approach, there's no explanatory blurb describing each beer. How, we ask the barman, do people choose between all these appealing-sounding ales? "They try one out and if they don't like it, they try another," he replies
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Barrafina, 54 Frith Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7813 8016
Review:- Terry Durack goes out for tapas, and comes face to face with his dark side
Thomas Sutcliffe:-
Name:- Barrafina, 54 Frith Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7813 8016
Review:- The only disappointment, in fact, is the coca Mallorquin, a kind of vegetable pizza that arrives rather cheesed off and wilted - and doesn't have the clean clarity of the other dishes..
Side orders:- Great Gastropubs
Name:- La Vina, 11-15 North John Street, Liverpool - Tel: 0151 255 1401
Name:- Barioja at lggs, 15 Jeffrey Street, Edingburgh - Tel: 0131 557 8184
Name:- Tapas Brindisa, 18-20 Southward Street, London SE1 - Tel: 020 7357 8880
Name:- Pinxto People, 95 Western Road, Brighton - Tel: 01273 732323
Second Helpings:-
Name:- Milsoms, Stratford Road, Dedham, Essex - Tel: 01206 322795
Name:- Hendersons, 94 Hanover Street, Edinburgh - Tel: 0131 225 2131
Name:- Busaba Eathai, 106-110 Wardour Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7255 8686
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Bumpkin, 209 Westbourne Park Road, London W11 - Tel: 020 7243 9818
Review:- Curiously, for a place so limply run, some of the food is fine in a 'nothing to do with the country' sort of way.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- St Alban, 4-12 Regent Street, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7499 8558
Review:- There was some carping about the food in St Alban's early weeks, but any teething problems seem to have been sorted out
Top
4th February Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times have changed their website - therefore links before the 11th February do not work anymore and have been removed
AA Gill:-Name:- Theo Randall, Intercontinental Hotel, 1 Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London W1 - Tel: 020 7409 3131
Review:- Everything I’ve heard about Theo Randall is good. Everything I ate was disappointing
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Great dining memories? Goat gets my vote
Review:- In the hills high above Monte Carlo is probably my favourite restaurant in the south of France, the Hostellerie Jérôme
Michael filed this column from his hospital bed — we all wish him a speedy recovery
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Theo Randall, Intercontinental Hotel, 1 Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London W1 - Tel: 020 7409 3131
Review:- It doesn't have much to do with the Tuscan dreams of a certain sort of rosy-cheeked English lady
Other Sustainable Restaurants:-
Name:- St Alban, 4-12 Regent Street, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7499 8558
The Telegraph
Are you ready to order:- Name:- Petrus, The Berkeley, Wilton Place, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7235 1200
Review:- "Would you like to come through to the kitchen and meet Marcus?" asks our waiter. Yes, please..."
Three of a Kind:-
Name:- Maze, 10-13 Grosvenor Square, London W1 - Tel: 020 7107 0000
Name:- Banquette, Savoy Hotel, The Strand, London WC2 - Tel:- 020 7420 2392
Name:- La Noisette, 164 Sloane Street, London SW1 - Tel: 020 7750 5000
Pint to Pint:-
Name:- Whitelock's, Turk's Head Yard, Leeds - Tel: 0113 245 3950
Review:- Several traditional Whitelock's dishes have also been restored to the menu, including hot beef sandwiches with dripping - splendid for the taste buds, if not the hearts of Leeds.
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Post, 28 High Street, Banstead, Surrey - Tel: 01737 373 839
Review:- Terry Durack gives Surrey's envelope-pushing Post his stamp of approval
Tracey MacLeod:-
Name:- Bacchus, 177 Hoxton Street, London N1 - Tel 020 7613 0477
Review:- Mendes is a star in the making, and with his menu evolving all the time, Bacchus deserves all the acclaim that's coming its way.
Side orders:- Great Gastropubs
Name:- The Fat Duck, High Strett, Bray, Berkshire - Tel: 01628 580333
Name:- Anthony's, 19 Boar Lane, Leeds - Tel: 0113 245 5922
Name:- L'Enchlume, Cavendish Street, Catrmel, Cumbria - Tel 015365 36362
Name:- The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury, Wiltshire - Tel: 01635 528770
Second Helpings:-
Name:- The Restaurant Bar & Grill Old Post Office, 3 City Square, Leeds, tel: 0113 244 9625
Name:- The Old Post Office Greenwood Lane, St Fagans, Cardiff, tel: 029 2056 5400
Name:- The Old Post Office Rosebush, Clynderwen, Pembrokeshire, tel: 01437 532 205
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Hawksmoor, 157 Commerical Street, London E1 - Tel: 020 7247 7392
Review:- When a new tapas bar scored an own goal by failing to even take an order in 45 minutes. Jay Rayner and friend abandoned their wait and headed for a match winning steak house.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- The Pot Kiln, Frilsham, nr Yattendon, Berkshire - Tel: 01635 201366
Review:- We shared a glorious bread and butter pudding with homemade vanilla custard, finished coffee and glasses of a decent shiraz (the wine list isn't long but has been compiled with real passion and thought), and left agreeing that this was one of the best meals either of us had eaten in ages.
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28th January Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times have changed their website - therefore the links do not work anymore and have been removed
AA Gill:-Name:- Magpie Cafe, 114 Pier Road, Whitby, Tel: 01947 602058
Review:- Fish and chips is a silent meal. You shouldn’t talk and eat. It is a race against falling temperature
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- The London Hospital
Review:- A better style of nursing in my kind of hospital
Michael filed this column from his hospital bed — we all wish him a speedy recovery
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Scott's, 20 Mount Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 7309
Review:- My tummy rumbled so loudly, I thought an escaped bear was coming up the stairs
Other Sustainable Restaurants:-
Name:- Livebait, The Cut, SE1 - Tel: 020 7928 7211
The Telegraph
Are you ready to order:- Name:- Barrafina, 54 Frith Street, London W1- Tel: 020 7813 8016
Review:- "word is spreading this is a class act"
Three of a Kind:-
Name:- Effings, 50 Fore Street, Totnes, Devon - Tel: 01803 863435
Name:- Brovey Lair, Carbrooke Road, Ovington, Norfolk - Tel: 01953 882706
Name:- Priory House, 1 High Street, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset - Tel: 01935 822826
Pint to Pint:-
Name:- The Bell, Aldworth, Berkshire - Tel: 01635 578272
Review:- Ancient, cramped and, above all unspoilt
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Acorn House, 69 Swinton Street, London N1 - Tel: 020 7739 6022
Review:- What, no hippies? Terry Durack visits a green restaurant for grown-ups
Thomas Sutcliffe:-
Name:- The Fat Badger, 310 Portobello Road, London W10 - Tel: 020 8969 4500
Review:- .......What a pity the restaurant couldn't match up..
Side orders:- Great Gastropubs
Name:- The Stagg at Titley. Titley, Hertsfordshire - Tel: 01544 230221
Name:- Drewe Arms, Boradhembury, Nr Exeter - Tel: 01408 841267
Name:- The Hand & Flowers, 126 West Street, Marlow - Tel: 01628 482277
Name:- Empress of India, 130 Lauriston, London E9 - Tel: 020 8533 5123
Second Helpings:-
Name:- Hoxton Apprentice, 16 Hoxton Square, London N1 - Tel: 020 7739 6022
Name:- The Millrace, 2-4 Commercial Road, Leeds - Tel: 0113 275 7555
Name:- Riverford Field Kitchen, Wash Barn, Buckfastleigh, Devon - Tel: 01803 762 074
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- The Blacksmith's Inn, Main Street, Westow, York, North Yorkshire - Tel: 01653 618 365
Review:- There are weaknesses at the savoury end of the menu, mostly an over-reliance on mash, which turned up on all that evening's special main courses, as well as my starter
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- Chowki, 2-3 Denman Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7439 1330
Review:- There are minor irritants about Chowki (the verbosity of the menu, the meagre wine list, the urgent need for traction after two hours on the ottoman), but it provides large amounts of thoughtful, imaginative food at incongruously low prices. That doesn't make it a destination restaurant, but it's one well worth the journey all the same.
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21st Janaury Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times have changed their website - therefore the links do not work anymore and have been removed
AA Gill:-Name:- Tom's Kitchen, 127 Cale Street, London SW3 - Tel: 020 7349 0202
Review:- Tom's Kitchen is frugally but comfortably decorated, dedicated to serving well-made, well-sourced and tasty food to locals
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Papaya Tree Thai Restaurant, Kensington, London, W8 - Tel: 020 7937 2260
Review:- I was starting to feel quite full. I’d had a lot of those banana things, quite a lot of the mango, the ice-cream and six dishes beforehand
Michael filed this column from his hospital bed — we all wish him a speedy recovery
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Charlton House, Shepton Mallet, Somerset - Tel: 01749 342008
Review:- Plaice wrapped in venison ham is a dish I'll wager you won't see anywhere else in the world
Other Sustainable Restaurants:-
Name:- The Good Earth, 233 Brompton Road, London SW3 - Tel: 020 7584 3658
Name:- The Crab and Winkle, South Quay, The Harbour, Whitstable, Kent - Tel: 01227 779377
The Telegraph
Are you ready to order:- Name:- The Old Fire Engine, 25 St Mary's Street, Ely, Cambridgeshire - Tel: 01353 662582
Review:- " My husband's vast cheese plate of Stilton and Durrus was so good he quite forgot his disappointment with the veggie tart.
Three of a Kind:-
Name:- Old Quay House, 28 Fore Street, Fowey, Cornwall - Tel: 01726 833302
Name:- Old Vicarage, Ridgeway Moor, Ridgeway, Derbyshire - Tel: 0114 247 5814
Name:- Old Post Office, Greenwood Lane, St Fagans, Cardiff - Tel: 029 2056 5400
Pint to Pint:-
Name:- The Minera, Victoria Pier, HUll - Tel: 01482 326909
Review:- Several hand pumps in the main bar offer a constantly rotating round of guest beers.
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Scott's, 20 Mount Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 7309
Review:- Fancy a day-trip to the seaside? Try Scott's instead, says Terry Durack
Tracey MacLeod:-
Name:- Upper Glas, London N1- Tel: 020 7359 1932
Review:- A touch of herring-do..
Side orders:-
Name:- Garbo's, 42 Crawford Street, London W1 - Tel: 0871 332 8819
Name:- Garlic and Shots, 14 Frith Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7734 9505
Name:- Ikea - www.ikea.com
Name:- Absolut Ice Bar, 31-33 Heddon Street, London W1 - Tel: 0871 075 8991
Second Helpings:-
Name:- Cafe Royal Oyster Bar, Edinburgh - Tel: 0131 556 4124
Name:- Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill, 11-15 Swallow Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7734 4756
Name:- English's Restaurant & Oyster Bar, East St, Brighton - Tel: 01273 327980
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Trinity, 4 The Ploygon, Clapham Old Town, London SW4 - Tel: 020 7622 1199
Review:- When diners lapped up his unfassy food at Thyme, Adam Byatt went for broke "up west" - and went bust. Now he's gone back to basics, and Clapham's all the richer for it.
Matthew Norman:-
Name:- The Intercontinental, London W1 - Tel: 020 7409 3131
Review:- A hotel on Park Lane has always been the ambition of the ship or steam iron beginning that long odyssey from the Old Kent Road, but these days it also appears to be the dream of the thrusting young chef.
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14th January Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times have changed their website - therefore the links do not work anymore and have been removed
AA Gill:-Name:- Scott's, 20 Mount Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 7309
Review:- Scott’s, the fish restaurant in Mayfair, is one of a handful of British gastronomic institutions, a classic
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- Sandy Lane Hotel, Barbados, West Indies - Tel: +1 (246) 444 2000
Review:- The food at Sandy Lane was literally the finest buffet I’ve ever seen in my life
Giles Coren:-
Name:- The Fat Badger, 310 Portobella Road, London W10 - Tel: 020 8969 4500
Review:- If I am not offered tap water before mineral water, restaurants will be penalised
Other Sustainable Restaurants:-
Name:- Nobu, The Metropolitan Hotel, London W1 - Tel: 020 7447 4747
Name:- Glade, 9 Conduit Street, London W1 - Tel: 0870 777 4488
The Telegraph
Are you ready to order:- Name:- San Lorenzo, London SW3 - Tel: 020 7584 1074
Review:- "Frankly it's not good enough"
Three of a Kind:-
Name:- Restaurant Bar & Grill, 14 John Dalton Street, Manchester - Tel: 0161 839 1999
Name:- The Witchery, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh - Tel:- 0131 225 5613
Name:- The Ivy, 1-5 West Street, London WC2 - Tel: 020 7836 4751
Pint to Pint:-
Name:- The Skimmington Castle, Reigate Heath, Surry - Tel: 01737 243100
Review:- The other big advantage of the Skimmington for highwaymen is that there are so many places to hide
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- Rockpool Bar & Grill, Melbourne, Australia - Tel: 00 613 8648 1900 - www.rockpool.com.au
Review:- Terry Durack discovers food worth travelling to the other side of the world for
Theo Randall:-
Name:- The Intercontinental, 1 Hamilton Place, London W1 - Tel: 020 7409 3131
Review:- Intercontinental Drift...
Side orders:-
Name:- Fifteen, Westland Place, London N1 - Tel: 0871 330 1515
Name:- Moro, 34 Exmouth Street, London EC1 - Tel: 020 7833 8336
Name:- The Wells, 30 Well Walk, London NW3 - Tel: 020 7794 3785
Name:- Randall & Aubin, 14-16 Brewer Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7287 4447
Second Helpings:-
Name:- Vue de Monde Normandy Chambers, 430 Little Collins Street, Melbourne - Tel: 00 613 9691 3888
Name:- Lau's Family Kitchen, 4 Acland Street, St KIlda, Melbourne - Tel: 00 613 8598 9880
Name:- Fifteen, 115-117 Collins Street, Melbourne - Tel: 00 613 8648 6000
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- Scott's, 20 Mount Street, London W1 - Tel: 020 7495 7309
Review:- With its unashamed opulence and delicate touch in the kitchen, the reopened Scott's is pure foodie theatre. Jay Rayner stomachs the odd fluffed line to hail the return of a superstar
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7th January Restaurant Reviews
7th January Restaurant Reviews
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times have changed their website - therefore any links prior to 11th February do not work and have been removed
AA Gill:-Name:- St Alban, London SW1, Tel: - 020 7499 8558
Review:- St Alban isn’t right at the moment, but I know they will worry and worry it until it is
Winners Dinners:-
Name:- On Ice Cream, and most things sweet (does that include Michael?)
Review:- I do consider myself of unparalleled skill when it comes to judging ice cream, milkshakes, cakes in general and most sweet things
Giles Coren:-
Name:- Ten-Icho, Tokyo & Daiwa Sushi, Tokyo
Review:- In Tokyo, Giles Coren finds all his ideas about what food can be are turned upside down
The Telegraph
Three of a Kind:-Name:- Wild Ginger, Harrogate, N. Yorks - Tel: 01423 566122
Name:- Wild Duck, Ewen, Cirencester, Gloucs - Tel: 01285 770310
Name:- Fresh & Wild, London W11 - Tel: 020 7229 1063
Are you ready to order:-
Name:- Wild Mushroom, Westfield, East Sussex, Tel: 01424 751137
The Independent
Terry Durack:-Name:- St Alban, London SW1, Tel:- 020 7499 8558
Review:- At St Alban, Terry Durack discovers that even perfectionists are fallible
Thomas Sutcliffe:-
Name:- Gordon Ramsay at the London, New York, 151 West 54th Street, New York, Tel:- 001 212 468 8888
Review:- Gordon takes Manhattan
The Observer
Jay Rayner:-Name:- The Rosemany Restaurant, Stanton House Hotel, Swindon, Tel:- 08700 841 388
Review:- When Honda's Japanese expats longed for a taste of home in Swindon, the car giant rolled out a top-of-the-range sushi bar in a nearby hotel.
Name:- Little Chef
Review:- The Last Minute rescue of the great British Breakfast
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