Tamarind

Another restaurant doing the credit crunch special.

Food

We had the Sunday tasting menu, and there was way too much food for two, since I made the mistake of having a big breakfast earlier. It didn’t help that we ordered some Whole wheat crisps and chickpeas with mint chutney, sweetened yoghurt and tamarind chutney , or poppadums, to start either, but mainly because we wanted to compare it with Café Spice Namaste…and the winner is….Cafe Spice. The poppadoms themselves were quite light and tasty, but the condiments were not even on par with Café Spice. And, for the first time at an Indian restaurant, we got an amuse! Don’t get too excited though, it was just pumpkin Soup with Saffron, which was actually quite boring. Before too long, our meal arrived, and consisted of:

• Crispy fried vegetable patties with ginger and coriander stem, served with tomato chutney - this was quite ordinary, the pattie is like a vege burger pattie, but with a bit more spice.
• Sesame coated tilapia fillets with ginger, garlic, rice flour and curry leaves, served with mint chutney - again, not very exciting. I think I was expecting a lot more – well, they do have a Michelin star afterall.
• Boneless lamb simmered in gravy of onion, tomato and freshly ground peppercorns - my absolute favourite. I can see where they got that Michelin star from now. The lamb was melt in the mouth, te sauce was quick and concentrated in flavour, with a subtle chilli hit.
• Tandoor grilled chicken supreme with mustard oil, ginger, garlic and pickling spices; served on salad leaves - a little bit lacklustre if you ask me. Still, I was so full I could hardly eat this.
• Yellow lentils with cumin, tomato, garlic and fresh fenugreek leaves - nto as good as the Café Spice daal.
• Seasonal vegetables in a gravy of onion, cashew and spices, finished with saffron - nothing exciting here. The seasoning is actually quite mild.
• Baby potatoes stir fried with cumin, chilli and fresh coriander - I was expecting more, these were very ordinary.
• Steamed basmati rice
• Tandoori roti - not as nice as naan, but this was executed very well.
• Pistachio Kulfi served drizzled with mango coulis - nice and refreshing, not as sweet as other’s I’ve had…but I still prefer ice-cream.

So…not as good as I expected, since Café Spice Namaste and Lahore are both pretty much on par.

Rating - 6.5

Atmosphere

A bit too formal and stuffy for me. The décor must’ve been very nice once, but now looks like it is in need for some refurbishment. The tables were too close together for my liking…in fact, I was listening to everything the vegetarian couple next to us were saying, and it was very interesting. There is a semi-open kitchen down one end of the dining room, but we weren’t seated anywhere near it to benefit from the view.

Rating - 1.5

Service

As expected, the waiters were very polite and attentive. I did feel they were hovering around somewhat, but this could be due to the fact that most of the restaurant was empty for a long time that we were there.

Rating - 3.5

C-factor

Not too bad considering we got lots of food. Their normal menu certainly isn’t cheap though.

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 12.5

Info

20 Queen Street
London
W1J 5PR
Phone +44 (0) 20 7629 3561
Website

Ping Pong Appold Street

Food

Back again, and all because Ping Pong is running one of their opening specials. Not only were we able to get the cocktails for free, we lot to do “Lazy Sunday” on a weeknight….and that is now we ended up eating the huge list of food below:

• Blackcurrant and hibiscus royale (£6.29) - Finlandia vodka, Chambord, blackcurrant and hibiscus iced tea topped with Veuve Delaroy Champagne - was really bad…tasted like medicine. So it just proves expensive is not necessary better.
• Pear and cinnamon (£6.19) - José Cuervo tradicional tequila, pear purée and apple juice sprinkled with toasted cinnamon - very funny, refreshing pair with a hint of sweetness
• Wasabi peanuts (£1.09) - Large peanuts coated in crispy spicy horseradish - I love wasabi peanuts, and these have a real kick
• Chicken wonton soup (£3.19) - Light broth with chicken wontons - these have good quality meat…and maybe that’s the problem….the meat is too good quality so didn’t give the wontons that fatty, slimy taste. These wontons were so solid and I am sure actually good for you.
• Hot and sour soup with quail (£3.19) - A hot and sour soup with quail, goji berries, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts - not that hot, and tasted quite strange with the goji berries.
• Lamb ‘Yuen Yen Ton’ soup (£3.19) - Sichuan pepper lamb with asparagus, baby corn, Chinese leaf in a sour soy soup - I like this a lot. The soup was tangy and a little spicy.
• Lamb puff (£3.29) - Tender lamb braised in soy sauce and Sichuan pepper in hand made puff pastry glazed with honey - small balls of puff that actually pack in a lot of flavour
• Spinach and beef dumpling (£3.39) - Beef and spinach with ginger paste in ginger sauce in wheat flour pastry - we hadn’t tried these before, and I was a bit sketical considering they were fried. But they were very nice, with good quality ingredients and not oil soaked as I expected
• Crispy Thai chicken spring roll (£2.99) - Chicken and prawns with chilli, coriander and lemongrass wrapped in bean curd skin and served with chilli fish sauce - we had these before, and they were kinda oily with not much in terms of filling, Thrills only for the crunch.
• Crispy prawn ball (£3.39) - Chopped king prawns and spring onions in shredded egg pastry served with sweet and sour sauce - a bit too oily for me, but has fresh taste of prawns
• Har gau (£3.19) - King prawns and bamboo shoots in translucent white pastry - the pastry seems to be done less well here than at St Katherines Dock.
• Scallop and shitake dumpling (£3.39) - Scallops and king prawns with shitake mushrooms in wheat flour pastry - ditto.
• Pork Shu mai (£3.39) - Pork and king prawns in an open pastry topped with a Chinese wolfberry - excellent.
• Seafood dumpling (£3.39) - Snow crab, prawns and scallops in carrot pastry - not the best dumpling, but good enough on a buffet menu 
• Soft shell crab (£4.29) - Whole soft shell crab in a crispy coating - we ordered a lot – since you only get a tiny portion each time.
• Spinach and mushroom dumpling (£2.99) - Spinach and mushrooms seasoned with ginger and garlic in wheat flour pastry - still one of my favourite dumplings
• Choy sum (£3.19) - Steamed choy sum in soy sauce topped with garlic - I knew if this wasn’t a buffet, I would never order this. But we got our fill of the vegetables – which were a little oily, but fresh.
• Crispy aubergine (£3.29) - Fried marinated aubergine chunks with garlic and sesame oil - quite a large portion and a little too heavy on the batter.
• Ramen noodles
  and poached salmon (£3.99) - Poached salmon with baby spinach with ramen noodles tossed in a sesame soy dressing with fresh basil and lemon - this was lovely. The salmon was fresh and generous with a yummy dressing. I skipped the ramen though.
• Pak choy (£3.19) - Steamed pak choy in ginger and garlic sauce - yummy vegetables, but we were getting quite full to do it justice

Slokky actually ordered the Seafood Rice and Prawn Toast as well, but as I didn’t have the stomach to sample it, I refrained from writing it down.

Rating - 6.5

Atmosphere

Well, all the Ping Pongs look the same. We were unfortunately put in a very bad position, close to the door and very close to two other talbe, as we had only 2 people, even though some of the bigger, better table were empty. I like the St Katherine’s space in terms of layout better, but I guess you have to work with the space you’ve got.

Rating - 1.5

Service

Our waiter was certainly honest, and tried to advise everyone to order so they could get the best deal. When he forgot to give us our drinks for free, he freely admitted to his mistakes. He actually made our meal more memorable, definitely something I didn’t expect from Ping Pong.

Rating - 4

C-factor

We had the "lazy Sunday" on a weeknight, and got our cocktails for free. The final bill came to £34.99, good value in my books considering how much we ate. I would never order some of these items, such as the wasabi peas, if it wasn’t all you can eat though, as they are definitely overpriced.

Rating - 1.5

Brownie Points - 13.5

Info

3 Appold Street
London
EC2A 2AF
Phone +44 (0) 20 7422 0780
Website

Athenaeum

I had heard some very good things about Athenaeum…about their toilets, so I had no idea what to expect about the food.

Food

We started with some really gorgeous champagne, which put us in the mood for their 3 course seasonal menu. We feasted on the generous basket of Sun-Dried Tomato, Brown and White Bread while we waited for the stragglers to arrive and while we tried to attract the waiter’s attention.

For starters, all the girls decided to go for the Smoked Lamb Salad. I have to say, it was indeed very smoky, so smoky in fact it didn’t really taste that much like lamb. All the boys went for the Deep Fried Cornish Brie with Raspberry Dressing, typical, but it was not as heavy as I thought it would be. The brie taste was not that strong.

I didn’t go for the sea bass for main like the rest of the girls, instead opting for the Pork Belly of Confit with Spring Vegetables and Potato Hash. The pork was a little salty, but the texture was melt in the mouth. The vegetables tasted fresh but did not really go with the pork. The boys were unanimous again and had the Char Grilled Medallions of Venison, Wild Mushroom Rosti, Creamed Spinach and Port Sauce, which was definitely my favourite dish. Melt in the mouth venison, very unlike the fillets you are used to. The rosti was perfect. The creamed spinach was a bit of an oversight, but who cares when everything else was so good.

Desserts…. Treacle Tart with Devonshire Clotted Cream, I thought the clotted cream tasted off, but supposedly it was because it was churned with the top layer…not really do my taste. The Selection of British Cheeses with Celery, Grapes, Crackers, Breads and Date and Onion Chutney was definitely very nice, with the brie and blue the standouts. They were quite generous, so we couldn’t finish the plate. I went for the Peppermint Tea as they were known for their excellent high teas, but besides the very cute and nice teacup and saucer, this was your ordinary tea. Slokky’s Cappuccino was not bad. I’ve had much worst, including at two Michelin star restaurants. This was quite standard and pleasant really. I really didn’t need the Bitter Chocolate Truffles but good chocolate just can’t go to waste.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

It’s all very art-deco in there, with high back, scallop like chairs, mosaics on the walls, glittery mirror. All very old time glam. Not that busy on Wednesday night, I guess not many people knew about the deal they are running. The bathrooms were cool, but not as grand as I had imagine. So they have a powder room with nice chairs and mirrors, some lovely old time wallpaper, the usual hand lotion, and also individual bottles of mouthwash. I think what was more impressive was definitely the expensive bottles of champagne you walk pass on the way to the dining room 

Rating - 2.5

Service

The waiters were all very nice, it’s just too bad they didn’t perform well, but I think they did try to rectify their mistakes, so it least they didn’t sour the experience. It was definitely difficult to attract the attention of the wait staff, even though we were seated very centrally – I blame those columns they have in the dining room that obstructs the view. It took us ages before we could flag one down to order. Two people did not want champagne and the waiter offered orange juice substitute, however this was not delivered. When we finally attracted their attention to tell them that, they fixed it up quickly and were very apologetic. The same thing happened with the bill, it took us so so long before we could attract anyone’s attention! But when we finally did get the bill, they sorted out our convoluted cash + credit card + tip arrangement well, and sent us off with very warm farewells.

Rating - 3

C-factor

The toptable deal at Athenaeum was generous. We had 3 courses, champagne, coffee and chocolate for £23…and they don’t have a compulsory service charge, but of course we gave them a tip.

Rating - 1.5

Brownie Points - 14.5

Info

116 Piccadilly
London
W1J 7BJ
Phone +44 (0) 20 7499 3464
Website

Sake no Hana

I was very keen to check out this relative newbie from Alan "Wagamama" Yau. I had been warned that it was seriously expensive, but then again, the food was supposed to be worth it, and it would be nice to compare it with Cha Cha Moon

Food

The menu itself is divided into different cooking methods, rather than your traditional entrée/main…etc. You can pick and choose what you like to make your own meal. We weren’t sure how big the portions were, so we picked and chose from different parts of the menu based on what we thought we wanted to try. We had:

• Gandara Dream (£9.50) - Kumquats, Diplomatico Reserva rum, Don Julio Silver tequila, Umeshu plum liqueur, almond sugar and green tea - really yum, but not that different to the one I had at Ping Pong
• Virgin Daruma Yama (£4) - Nashi pear, fresh apple juice and Calpico - sweet, like eating nashi pears, and very refreshing. Probably too much ice for my liking.
• Japanese mountain yam with okra and cod roe (£6.50) - a great introduction to things to come. Delicate, crunchy yam paired with some subtle cod roe that adds a hint of saltiness. The okra added another textural layer, but there was so little of it I didn’t think it was probably more for decoration.
• Courgette flower tempura (£3) - beautiful crisp courgette with a delicate coating, and the most amazing dipping sauce. I wanted to pick up my bowl and drink the whole thing up.
• Soft-Shell Crab Salad with Wasabi Dressing (£9) - the crab itself was not that meaty, but it was fried to perfection, and the salad had this wonderful wasabi dressing.
• Sushi Nigiri Fatty tuna (£5) and Yellowtail (£4) - the yellowtail was a bit ordinary, but the fatty tuna was definitely a revelation…yum.
• Futomaki (£8.50) - this was nicer than your £2 sushi, with nice ingredients, but didn’t really wow at all. I blame myself for ordering this.
• Gomoku Rice (£5) - had no explanation on the menu, and we had to ask the waiter. She highly recommended it, and I agree it was one of the best rice dishes ever. Sushi rice combined with egg, shitake mushroom and a killer soy sauce.
• Steamed Sea Bream (£8.50) - ws delicately steamed in a sake broth. The sauce was very subtle, with some green soba as pairing, which again didn’t have much flavour. A little piece of carrot and mushroom made the dish looked cute.
• Shiso soufflé with soya ice cream (£6.50) - very nice flavour, like seaweed soufflé! The soya ice-cream tasted very watery…but the soufflé was enough.
• Warm chocolate torte with matcha ice cream (£6.50) - airy and light, with strong chocolate flavour. The matcha ice-cream was a bit small, so I didn’t taste much of it.

All in all, a very good meal that has come closest to reflecting the taste of the real Japan outside Japan.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

Well, they have definitely nailed the wow factor. You enter through a reception area, decked out in black, with some red flower arrangement cutting through. You can go up some escalators to arrive at the main dining space. And it is really beautiful. Very high ceilings, with a lattice wood pattern acting as a focal point and serving a useful purpose as a noise dampener. We didn’t really need to worry about the noise though, as the place wasn’t even half filled, and we were quite spaced apart from the next table, so it is very comfortable. The tables themselves are divided into the conventional style, and also the Japanese sunken table style, which is never that comfortable but definitely looks good. It’s quite an adventure (a long adventure, so make sure you leave plenty of time) to go to the loo too. One more thing, the music was excellent, upbeat, but not disco like.

Rating - 3

Service

Lots of Asian looking wait-staff, with horrible looking uniform, kinda like a modern kimono look, but probably only looks good on models. I admire the staff as they have to take off their shoes every time they served us. Watching them balance a tray and take off their shoes and put it on without dropping anything was definitely entertaining. I was a bit disappointed they didn’t offer to explain the menu in terms of how much to order, and what some of the stuff were. We had to ask, and they offer nothing.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

Sake No Hana definitely has the wow factor. From the opulent decor to the exquisite and delicate food. Just don't look at the bill or you will ruin your evening.. Our water was £4.50, but it was 800ml… so I guess that’s not too bad. If it wasn’t for our 50% toptable discount, this would be just about the most expensive meal ever, and we weren’t even that full!

Rating - 0

Brownie Points - 13

Info

23 St James's Street
London
SW1A 1LP
Phone +44 (0) 20 7925 8988
Website

Story Deli

Food

Coffee seems to be the main trade of this place. There’s not much on the menu. Pizza or salad, and a few cakes and stuff to go with the coffee. We chose the Chorizo and Egg (£11) – chorizo, spinach leaves, egg, potatoes, chilli, dressing, aubergine, potato, which is more likened to a jumble of salad ingredients, with some melted cheese, on a crispy pita bread rather than a “pizza”. Indeed, as a pizza, it fails miserably. The crust is too thin, there is too much topping which made the base soggy, and too heavy generally. As a salad though, it works quite well, good quality ingredients that speak for themselves, with the egg just cooked so the yolk ran over to act as the dressing for all the leaves.

Top marks though, for their coffee. Our cappuccino (£3) was wonderfully smooth and not too hot! So at least they do their core business well.

Rating - 6.5 (because of coffee)

Atmosphere

We paid for the privilege of perching on a £15 cardboard stool (yes, you can of course buy it there)., and eat on a jumble of mismatched, junk-yard like tables. The kitchen is situated upstairs in this warehouse like space. Everyone eating there were Brick Lane friendly, so I guess if you want to be cool, this was the place you go to.

Rating - 2

Service

Dead casual, but the system seems to work quite well most of the time. There was one waiter and one cook, with some “friends” who seem to drop by to help out. Luckily we arrived before the crowd (at 1:30 pm for lunch!!), and got served quite promptly. We saw everyone having to wait at least 10 minutes before they got a menu, and even longer of course to get their orders taken.

Rating - 2

C-factor

They have a thing of pricing everything only in pence, so our pizza was 1100p instead of £11. I don’t know if that’s a ploy to make it look cheaper or not, or just to be “cool” again. I’m afraid the prices are too cool for me. It was great to have once for the experience, but for that money, I can dine better elsewhere.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 11

Info

3 Dray Walk
The Old Truman Brewery
91 Brick Lane
London
E1 6QL
Phone +44 (0) 20 7247 3137

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

As the newspapers have been telling us for weeks, the good thing about the credit crunch is that the top restaurants are running special menu for the mere mortals out there, and I, of course, jumped at the opportunity.

Food

L’Atelier provides a 3 course pre-theatre menu with two choices for each course. We nearly didn’t make the menu as, although I was seated before 7, Slokky was running late. Luckily I pleaded with the waiter who relented, so I had one of the best meals I have ever had.

I really enjoyed the Les Poireaux - Leeks terrine, beetroot vinaigrette. I never knew you could get so much flavours into the leek, but there you go. Slokky still viewed it as onions, so it wasn’t to his taste. He preferred the L’Oeuf Frit - Deep fried hen eggs served with dry fruits, pine kernel and salad - of course, with a wonderful concoction of egg sitting on top of some delicious salad.

The La Truite de Mer - Pan fried sea trout with shallots, olive oil crushed potatoes - again hit the mark, enhanced by the side ingredients. I think it’s the best when the ingredients seem so simple, yet you have no idea how they got it to taste the way that it does. The L'Agneau - Confit leg of lamb, coco beans came with a side dish of the most delectable beans. I would be happy if I just ate that, but the lamb was nicely done. I’ve had lots of lambs in my lifetime, and this one is probably in the top 10%.

After watching the float of desserts before me, I was really looking forward to it. The dessert of the day was 5 tarts – chocolate coconut pistachio cream, lemon, chocolate, cinnamon. My favourites were the lemon and the coconut pistachio. The cheese of the day, Blue cheese (from somewhere in France but I forget the name), bread and berry compote was also yum. I wish there was a bit more variety though.

Rating - 9

Atmosphere

Having walked past a L’Atelier in Paris, I can report that all of them look very similar. All based around the theme of a totally open kitchen, where you perch on stools to watch the chefs at work. Indeed, the waiters serve you from inside the kitchen, and the chefs sometimes serve you directly.

Unfortunately, as we were the last of the pre-theatre crowd, there was no room at the kitchen, so we had to perch on some normal chairs, where we can kinda see the heads of the chefs, but not what they were doing. It was definitely too early to spot any celebrities, but there were definitely quite a few French speakers there.

Rating - 2.5

Service

I was very surprised. As usual, the waiters were French…well, it seems like everyone in that place was French somehow anyway. The waiters were thoughtful but relaxed, and not the stuffy formal kind. I really like this, it is refreshing and modern, and just what is needed. They are obviously proud to be working there, because they would smile broadly at us every time they walked past with someone else’s dessert, and advertise what it was that we could get. The only "stuffiness" that we got was from the

Rating - 4

C-factor

£25 for the 3 course pre-theatre menu, otherwise it’s £80 for the degustation or even more for a-la carte. I do believe that the place is special, and I applaud them for making it more accessible than a once a year experience.

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 16.5

Info

13-15 West Street
London
WC2H 9NE
Phone +44 (0) 20 7010 8600
Website

The Plough Inn

Hillsborough was a nice little town with some pretty buildings, that seemed quite lively on a late Sunday afternoon.

Food

I was hankering for seafood, so chose the Dundrum Bay Mussels, served with a garlic and white wine cream (£6.25). I got quite a bit of mussel, and they taste very different to the New Zealand types you usually get in Oz, and also to the ones we got in France. The mussels were smaller, but had this very fresh taste, without that seafood smell. The sauce, suitably, was light, allowing the flavour of the mussel to shine through. The Deep-Fried Whitebait with Asian Salad and lemon and parsley mayo, which came as part of the 2 course menu (£16.95), were also nice and fresh, with a tangy and pleasant mayo. I kept with the seafood theme for my main of Grilled Langoustines, with avocado and rocket salad (£15.95), which was a bit ordinary really. The langoustines (2) were kinda small and kinda mushy. The salad was nice and fresh though. The Succulent Roast Sirloin of beef with creamy champ, chasseur sauce and Yorkshire Pudding, on the specials menu, didn’t really stand out, but wasn’t bad. The champ was pretty nice, as only bacon and potato can be. Vegetables of Roast potato, creamed cauliflower, carrot, squash, peppers, beans were really plain, I didn’t think they were even dressed, and seemed to be an afterthought and not on par with the meal itself.

I was very satisfied, but Slokky wanted dessert, so we ordered the Trio of Asian Brulee, passionfruit, pear and coconut (£4.95). I think the coconut flavour worked well, other than that, I prefer plain rather than the other flavours.

Rating - 6.5

Atmosphere

The place was huge, and really buzzing for like 5pm on a Sunday night. Does everyone dine early in Northern Ireland? There are a few long rooms linked together, with a central bar (this was still a pub, though a fancy one at that). The décor is Ikea funky.

Rating - 1.5

Service

Compared to the service we received from Deane’s, this was actually quite good. The waiters came several times to make sure we were ok – but the problem was that all the different waiters came to ask us the same thing, so we ended up having to repeat it to a few different people. They were all good and efficient individually, but they probably need to work out which sections they should serve to avoid repeating themselves.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

I thought Northern Ireland was going to be cheaper than London, but from what I’ve seen, it seems to be actually more expensive.

Rating - 0

Brownie Points - 10.5

Info

3 The Square
Hillsborough
BT26 6AG
Phone +44 (0) 28 9268 2985
Website

Deane’s Restaurant

This is Michael Deane’s flagship restaurant.

Food

Things didn’t start off great. The amuse-bouche that we had come to expect by now never arrived. The one piece of bread we were offered was cold and lacked taste, the butter it came with was hard, so I went for the olive oil instead, which was not interesting. At least when our food arrived, things quickly went up. Our 7 course menu wasn’t as extravagant as it sounds. We had:

• Celeriac Veloute with truffled ricotta dumplings - was a wonderful starter. The soup was complex, while not overpowering. I really wanted to lick the plate.
• Slow Poached Breast of Pheasant with pickled carrot and watercress salad, aniseed emulsion, nibbed cocoa - this was my favourite dish. The pheasant did not have the strong flavour I expected with game, but more gentle somehow.
• Pan-Fried John Dory in Crisped Couscous with Baked Piedmontes red pepper, olive Polenta & Basil Tapenade Crisps - the skin was nice and crisp, with a lively sauce that paired well with the fish
• Breast of Irish Duck with Warm Config Leg Terrine, Savoy Cabbage, Vanilla, Pear & Chestnut - this was to be the “main” course, but in fact was tiny. I couldn’t taste the Irishness in the duck, but the one bite we had was wonderfully gamey and soft. I wish I had more.
• Ardi-Gasma with Fig Chutney and Crozier blue ice-cream - I thought we were getting cheese ice-cream, but it was not to be. This was just a nice, blue (and expensive of course ) cheese.
• Homemade Vanilla Yoghurt with Poached Blackberries and Ginger Biscuits - this was a palate cleanser rather than a real dessert, tasting like a nice yoghurt.
• Milk Chocolate and Orange Custard Cake with Milk Chocolate & Tea Ice-Cream, Citrus Reduction - with a name like that, I was expecting a lot, but it was not to be…..

Rating - 8

Atmosphere

Deane’s looked very good, and from the people who were there, couples all dressed up, and also business travellers who bought up a storm, it seemed that Deane’s has definitely captured their market. It’s definitely a place to be seen, with huge windows situated so high that you need to really peen to look in from the outside. We sat on the banquette sitting that ran along one side of the restaurant, just past the bar, but far away from the open kitchen, so we couldn’t see the chefs at work.

Rating - 2

Service

I couldn’t believe they offered this sloppy service in a Michelin Star restaurant. I put it down to not being able to get good staff to come to Belfast. Things started off well enough, with a polite greeting, then being shown to our table. Things started going downhill from there. We were ignored, after ordering our drinks for 15 minutes. We weren’t given any menus at all, and no amuse arrived. When we were finally given some menus, no one explained anything to us. There were only 2 choices, the 5 course or the 7 course. I wanted the 5 while Slokky, as usual, wanted the 7. They weren’t flexible enough to accommodate both, even though that’s all they offer, so we had to choose the 7 course. While I was trying to make the decision between the two, the waiter actually recommended that we get the 7 course, because the “French cheese is very expensive”…Well, I just couldn’t believe my ears. Not only did he not know about the food, he was making a recommendation based on “expensive” cheese.

Things certainly didn’t look up from there. They were slow and not attentive, and inconsistent. I was watching them intently, and noticed that they did different things for different tables.

Rating - 1

C-factor

Very expensive for what it was. While the food was good, I have been to lots of Michelin Star places that offered more for less money, it’s probably because they don’t have much competition in Belfast.

Rating - 0

Brownie Points - 11

Info

36-40 Howard Street
Belfast
BT 1 6PF
Phone +44 (0) 28 9033 1134
Website

Slug & Lettuce America Square 2

Back again to taste the Autumn menu.

Food

Unfortunately, the Autumn menu doesn’t measure up to the Summer menu. We sampled:

• baby mozzarella balls - ummm, they can’t really get this one wrong.
• baby peppers filled with cream cheese - very nice, sweet cream cheese with a hint of heat
• giant grilled peppers - nicely charred
• Japanese-style chicken skewers - quite sweet, with succulent chicken
• mini lamb skewers - forgettable
• Ciabatta Bread Strips and Dip - Olive-oil-topped ciabatta strips, with red pepper tapenade, pine nut & basil pesto, houmous and balsamic dipping oil - bread was good, dips were oily and tasteless
• King Prawn Toastada - Toasted soft flour tortilla, topped with melted Cheddar cheese, herb-marinated king prawns, vine cherry tomatoes and cucumber, with seasonal salad leaves, lemon mayo and balsamic oil. - a bit soggy and cold as it was served opened, but the flavours worked well together.
• Mushroom and Pea Risotto - Wild mushrooms and garden peas in a rich Arborio risotto, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. - salty and hard rice
• Sun-Blushed Tomato Pasta - Tubes of pasta in a tomato sauce, with sun-blushed tomato and melted baby mozzarella balls.
• Lamb Shanks - Slow-cooked lamb shank, in a red & Madeira wine sauce, sweetened with redcurrant jelly, with rosemary and mint — served over buttery mashed potato, with roasted winter vegetables. - nothing exciting about this, and the pasta was a bit overcooked.

It was a very long wait for the food, so that all I had in my stomach for more than ½ hour was by Pina Colada (£3), which was on special.

Rating - 5

Atmosphere

Despite the free meal, the place was relatively empty, which was all the better. There were no loud groups here this time, so we were able to enjoy conversations…and I’ve discovered the comfy couch, much better than the loo spot they put us in last time

Rating - 2.5

Service

We arrived just after 7pm, but we didn’t get to eat until after 8pm. The waiter was very nice about it and apologised. It did make a wait a bit more bearable. And it wasn’t just because we were eating for free too, everyone else seemed to have to wait ages for their mains.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

Another free meal, although not as filling or nice last time, they were very generous again I’ll be back to taste the Winter menu!BTW - those spelling mistakes are what's printed on the menu.

Rating - 2

Brownie Points - 12

Info

1 America Square
London
EC3N 2LS
Phone +44 (0) 20 7702 2381
Website

Woo Jung

When I lived in Strathfield, I went to very authentic Korean restaurants all the time. Heck, my wedding reception was at a Korean restaurant, so it had to be an understatement to say that I am quite familiar with Korean food and I have really missed it since I got to this country. So when I happened to be needing some food near Tottenham Court Road, I knew exactly what I wanted.

Food

I wasn’t that hungry, so I ordered the Gimchi jjige (£5.50) - Spicy soup with kimchi and bean curd cooked with either beef or pork, which like described, had plenty of heat. Besides that there were a few pieces of soft marinated meat, and also a bowl of boiled rice, which worked well to counter the heat and to soak up the juice of course. Slokky had the Dolsos Bibimbab (£6.20) - Vegetables, beef and steamed rice in hot stone pot, which I must say, was not as good as the ones we made at home, but the mix of rice and hot bean paste and half cooked egg still works a treat. Food was definitely good enough for us to come back and try – especially the BBQ.

Rating - 7

Atmosphere

We arrived around 9:30 and the place was still packed, with people staying behind to pick at the leftovers to their food and to chat generally. Not much in terms of décor, but they do have a semi-open kitchen, and that’s why I can see the wait staff weren’t doing their jobs properly!

Rating - 1.5

Service

Terrible! I was expecting much better, especially from a Korean restaurant! So they are not as good as the Japanese, but when I ask for something like tea, I expect it to be delivered at the beginning of the meal, not at the end after we had to ask another 5 times. The only thing that came quickly was the bill, but it

Rating - 2

C-factor

Not really that cheap, well, not compared to Sydney anyway.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 11

Info

59 St Giles High Street
London
WC2H 8LH
Phone +44 (0) 20 7836 3103

Incognito

As my Toptable points were expiring, we had to use them up quick. Incognito was rated one of the highest out of all the places we tried, so off we went for our “free” meal.

Food

Since we weren’t paying, we felt we should order still water (which to this day I still feel is a huge scam) as well as a Merlot (£7). They had a few choices by the glass, so I was happy with mine. The set menu we were given for the free meal was a subset of their “normal” set menu, with about 3 choices for each course. This was fine by us. Entrees were the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Red Pepper was not a good choice. They don’t really know how to make proper pasta. The sauce was not too bad, but nothing to write home about. The Fillet of Mackerel, Beetroot, Potatoes and Wasabi fared better. We’d probably been spoilt lately, as I didn’t feel any excitement with this dish, even though the flavours pared quite well.

The Wild Mushroom Risotto was a bit dull too. I am still on the search for nice risotto at a restaurant. The best dish of the day goes to Rump of Lamb, Spinach Flan, Diced Tomato & Tarrogon Jus, which was juicy, with a strong sauce.

The portions were small, so we decided to go for the desserts. As usual, the Pear & Almond Tart, Creme Anglais got my attention, but it wasn’t that great. The tart was nice enough, a bit sweet, but otherwise dull. I had never been a great fan of pavolova, so I wasn’t excited about the Berry Pavolova, however, it did meet my expectations, and is probably as good as any pavolova.

Rating - 6

Atmosphere

Incognito was divided into two halves. We were seated away from the bar and the buzz, and indeed, the room was half empty. What’s worst, the place had some sort of cold draft drifting through it. Add to it the high ceiling, and the room feels very cold indeed.

Rating - 1.5

Service

Because we were seated away from the crowd, it was hard to attract any attention. However, once we did get attention we were served quickly and attentively.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

We came here as part of our Toptable reward meal…but as drinks, desserts and service weren’t included, and we were charged full price for those items, our meal ended up costing us quite a bit. I have a feeling that it would’ve cost the same if we ate here on a special Toptable deal as at least our desserts and drinks would be half price…oh well, next time we know when we go for the free meal…get tap water only and don’t be greedy for dessert! At least the food was nice, if the portions were towards the small size.

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 11

Info

117 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
WC2H 8AN
Phone +44 (0) 20 7403 8403

Kazan City

Kazan City was a very variable experience. With more consistency, this would be an excellent night out.

Food

The drinks menu looked great, so I ordered one with lychee...it was not really for me. We decided to get some mezzes to share for entrees. The Kazan Mezze Starter (£12.50) consisted of:

• Hellimi (pan-fried Cyprus white cheese)
• Humus Kavurma (humus sprinkled with small chunks of lamb and pinenuts)
• Kisir (tomato and herb salad with nuts and bulgar)
• Fallafel (broad bean, chickpea and vegetable fritter)
• Imam Bayildi (stewed aubergine, tomato and pepper)
• Tabouleh (parsley salad with mint, lemon, bulgar, tomato and onion)
• Borek (filo pastry filled with feta cheese, spinach and herbs)
• Manca (baby spinach leaves with strained yoghurt and pepper)

The Seafood Mezze Platter (£13.95) consisted of:

• smoked salmon
• Deep Fried Prawn
• Deep Fried Mussel
• Tabouleh
• Drunken Kalamari (squid marinated in vodka)
• Humus
• Tarama (blended cod roe, lemon juice and olive oil)
• Kisir

In hindsight, it wasn’t a great idea to get platters to share, as you couldn’t really divide everything evenly, and the flavours got muddled up. The highlights for me were the various salads and dips…while the seafood just got cold and soggy.

One of our mains was excellent while the other was only so-so. The Ottoman's Grill (£13.95) - marinated until tender, a selection of lamb and chicken shish, fresh poussin, lamb chop, garlic sausage and kofte. Served with a choice of rice or chunky fries was nowhere near as good as it sounded…it was generous, but the meat wasn’t that tender and juicy and tasted not that different. The Hunkar Begendi (Sultan's Delight) (£12.95) - Gently stewed lamb with spice, presented on a bed of smoked, pureed aubergine on the other hand, was a revelation. The aubergine was silky smooth with that smokiness which made the dish to die for, while the lamb was melt in the mouth. I would come back for this dish alone.

Rating - 6.5

Atmosphere

The place was packed to the rafters, with City workers it seemed, and very noisy. We got one of the prime spots though, a banquette in the corner and we were seated very comfortably. Some of the seats in the middle of the packed dining room probably won’t be as great. The décor looks great, if a bit ikea like, with purple the dominant colour.

Rating - 2

Service

The service flared as well as the food. We were met with warm and efficient, yet others got our order wrong and forgot the drink order. They didn’t bring the chips with the ottoman grill, and after we asked, they only delivered one serving even though two people ordered. One waiter actually said to us that it was her first day and she couldn’t take orders….so what could she do then? One waiter was really ditzy, but when we were leaving, everything went smoothly, and about 3 people thanked us on our way out…I am hoping the hiccups were all caused by new or inexperienced wait staff and that the service becomes more consistent.

Rating - 2

C-factor

Very cheap for a night out in the city, and they don’t skimp on their portions.

Rating - 1.5

Brownie Points - 11.5

Info

34-36 Houndsditch
London
EC3A 7DB
Phone +44 (0) 20 7626 2222
Website

Signor Zilli

I didn’t really mean to go to an Italian restaurant again the day after La Figa, but they were having a special of 3 courses for £9, so I did my duty.

Food

We went for the special 1980s menu, not expecting much, but Signor Zilli certainly delivered. There was a choice of 2 for each course, so we ordered everything!

Entrees of Prawn cocktails didn’t disappoint. It is still a classic. The Mixed Crostini consisted of 3 mini toasties with toppings of various levels of tastiness, but there was nothing there that offended. The mains were more of a standout, the Chicken Kiev with rice was very moist and one of the better chicken dishes I’ve had. The Penne with Spicy Sausage had excellent pasta and a tasty, strong flavoured sauce. Desserts didn’t sound promising, but the Cassata with pistachio, vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice-cream was simple and delicious. The Apple Pie came with mandarin sorbet as we didn’t want cream….which was a bit odd. I’ve definitely had better and this was probably the worst of the lot tonight, but it’s in no way a bad pie, just didn’t match up to the other excellent dishes.

Rating - 7

Atmosphere

It was very very busy, with many people being turned away. No wonder, the restaurant was tiny! We were squished on a tiny table for the 6 of us, but that was partly our own fault as people RSVPed very late. All the better I say, for that intimate Italian experience. In terms of décor, a little tired, but if it wasn’t so crammed with people, would be a nice cosy experience.

Rating - 1.5

Service

The waiters were definitely ran off their feet, but they handled it well, and always with a smile. We were served with professionalism and a genuine warmth. If only there were more like them.

Rating - 4

C-factor

Cheap cheap cheap, on their 80s deal. 2 courses for £6, 3 courses for £9.

Rating - 2

Brownie Points - 14.5

Info

40 - 41 Dean Street
London
W1D 4PY
Phone +44 (0) 20 7734 3924
Website

La Figa

Hearty Italian in the East.

Food

I had been warned that the portions were huge, so I was going to skip entrees, but then everyone else wanted to order entrees, so I went along with it. The Antipasto Misto All’Italiana (£7.95) suited me perfectly as I couldn’t choose an entrée from the huge list. My plate consisted of :

• mixed cold cuts
• black olives
• tuna and bean salad
• prawn and eggs with thousand island dressing
• Tomato and mozzarella

, which were all quite nice but nothing outstanding, but definitely very filling. For mains, I opted for the Monkfish Mariniere (£23.95) - Monkfish, Mussel, Clams and Langoustine in Tomato Broth. I actually purposely ordered this so I didn’t have a mountain of pasta to deal with, still the dish was huge enough that I couldn’t finish it. I was sad about it as it was absolutely gorgeous. I haven’t had Italian this good since I was back in Oz. Needless to say, no room for dessert, but I heard they were excellent too.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

From the outside, La Figa looks like just another Italian restaurant. It’s situated inside an apartment complex, with nothing in the way of décor to convey anything special. The only sign you get is the display of some huge desserts as you walk in the door. I think the people here make up for the lack in atmosphere.

Rating - 2

Service

Well, for a change, all the waiters were Italian. And they serve you in typical Italian style. They treat you like family, but aren’t really serious about anything.

Rating - 3

C-factor

For the portion size, this is definitely a bargain.

Rating - 2

Brownie Points - 14.5

Info

The Mosaic
45 Narrow Street
London
E14 8DN
Phone +44 (0) 20 7403 8403

Galvin at Windows

Although Galvin does not have a Michelin Star (so far), it is one of those identified as a “rising star” in the Michelin Guide. That’s good enough for me.

Food

The food was excellent, which was surprising considering the view that is offered up. We started with an amuse of Salmon Tartare, which wasn’t that spectacular and tasted like some good quality terrine you can get from Waitrose. Things start to look up from there though, with the wonderful wood-fired bread, or maybe my Vouvray was starting to take effect. Well, I did take a picture of the menu so at least I remember what I was eating.

Entrees consisted of Warm Lincolnshire Smoked Eel, Seared Foie Gras & Caramelized Victoria pineapple, which was excellent, with a nice smoky flavour, and the foie gras pairing worked surprisingly well. The Poached Scottish Lobster Salad, Mango & Herb Fromage Frais was more delicate. You can really taste the freshness of the lobster.

We were definitely psyched for the mains, and they didn’t disappoint. The Fillet of Scottish Beef, Pommes Fondant, Red Onion Marmalade and a Madeira Jus came recommended, and the fillet was definitely worth the extra money. Soft and melt in the mouth, with an excellent rich jus. The Pot au Feu of Poulet Noir & Stuffed Salsify Lettuce. with Foie Gras was actually more disappointing. I don’t usually order chicken at restaurants, but who could go pass Pot au Feu? Despite the presence of truffle and foie gras, I found that there wasn’t enough flavour in the chicken. The accompaniment of vegetables were nice, but also suffered from the lack of flavour.

Things look up again with desserts, both the Hot Chocolate Fondant, Schzuen Pepper Ice-Cream & Almond Milkshake, with its oozing dark chocolate, delicious ice-cream and cute as a button almond milkshake (which incidentally tasted like the Chinese almond dessert), and the Peanut Butter Parfait and Cherry Sorbet, with that heavy peanut taste with a tart cherry sorbet, were absolutely delicious, not to mention looking spectacular.

We were ready to call it a night, as we had been there for nearly 2 hours already, when they bought out some more sweeties to tempt us. The Raspberry and Lime Marshmallows were sublime, and if I wasn’t so full, I probably would’ve eaten a few more. The Madagascar, Orange flavoured chocolate too were sublime, but we were a bit too full to fully enjoy.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

Galvin was buzzing on this Tuesday night. Almost all the tables were full. There seemed to be a mix of hotel guests and people celebrating a special occasion. And with that view, and the fact that you feel like a celebrity here, who could blame them. Next time, I’ll try for a table next to the floor to ceiling window.

Rating - 2.5

Service

I was very impressed with the waiters. Yes, they were French again, but they were very genuine, very effective, but didn’t feel the need to pour our water every 30seconds. They even came to apologise for the length of our wait for entrees, not that we even noticed.

Rating - 4.5

C-factor

The 3 course menu costs £58, with supplements for the lobster. Surprisingly we’ve had more expensive meals that were less enjoyable, so I think this is a great place for a special occasion, but only the fully loaded can afford to eat here often.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 15

Info

22 Park Lane
London
W1K 1BE
Phone +44 (0) 20 7208 4021
Website