savourthisflavour

Pla Dib (Soi Ari)

2012-01-17T00:16:00.000Z

That mixed seafood platter certainly was garlicky and fresh enough to wake me up after a long day out and about. Pla Dib serves a wide range of cuisines, Japanese, Italian, European, Fusion - some done really well. The salmon sushi was slightly overcooked but the ribs were done to perfect, tender, moist and just tears right off the bones. Sweet and smokey just as they should be.

The pizza was alright but pizzas are pizzas to me I guess. The creamy duck and pomelo salad was definitely one of the highlights of the evening. Creamy but with a twist of the tanginess from the fruit. The range at this restaurant makes it an interesting spot to visit.

Seared salmon sushi

Ribs

Half & half: smoked salmon and parma ham

Creamy duck and pomelo salad

Creamy prawn and ebiko spaghetti

Pla tuna

Crispy omelette and Japanese curry

Website: here

White Cafe (Thong lor)

2012-01-08T16:39:00.000Z

It's a nice place to hang out and catch up with your friends away from all the crowd and the city madness on the Ground floor of Noble Solo. Conveniently located towards the back of Soi Thonglor, you'll find the clear glass kitchen and high ceiling features which sets this place apart. The menu was a combination of Thai and western dishes. The Thai dishes we ordered were done well. The namprik long ruer (chilli paste) fried rice and somtam (papaya salad) had a nice kick. Drop by if you're in the area.

Calamari

Fluffy fried eggs

Namprik long ruer fried rice

Minced prawn omelette

River prawn somtam

Website: here

Phone: +66 (0) 2714 7623

Long Table (Asoke)

2011-11-08T11:00:00.003Z

Literally one very long polished wooden table runs across the restaurant floor. Dine with strangers for an evening perhaps? I won't be able to comment on the food in this post as I went to their (outdoor) bar that evening. The view 25 floors up in the heart of Bangkok doesn't quite rival that of Sirocco's but the vibe is there. The drinks menu has enough variety for you to have a good time and prices weren't unreasonable. It won't quite replace Sirocco and their bar on the 64th floor but it's something.

Website: here
Phone: +66 (0) 2302 2557-9

After You (La Villa)

2011-10-21T11:10:00.000+01:00

The infamous Shibuya toast at After You has gotten many of us queuing for up to half an hour just so we could get a taste of this glorified bread. I've been told the owner bought the recipe from Japan and this is no ordinary bread. I went to try this for myself (with a few friends, you'd struggle to finish 2 scoops of ice cream and a 3" thick loaf on your own) and I can guarantee that the hype is legitimate.

The bread is toasted in a rotating shelf in the oven for 15 minutes, comes out piping hot. They then spread butter (you can't have toast without butter can you) between the cuts and you can choose your choice of ice cream and whether you'd like any topping (like chocolate sauce) on your bread. On your table sits a jug of maple syrup which you can pour as much or as little as you need to please that sweet tooth. The combination of the crispy hot crust and cold ice cream, the slightly salty butter and sweet fragrant maple syrup compliments each other beautifully. Try the green tea ice cream with no topping - that's a killer combination when paired with the maple syrup.

The crepe cake is a solid effort but doesn't quite compare to the original at Secret Garden (nor the toast!)

The chocolate lava cake was too undercooked for my liking but there was nothing wrong with it. Hot, rich, melted chocolate oozes out as it should - goes nicely with the fresh strawberries and the vanilla ice cream.

Website: here

Taling Pling (Central World)

2011-10-20T10:18:00.000+01:00

Namprik makarm (tamarind spicy paste).

Thai food as it should be! My first visit to Taling Pling was at their original branch in Soi Saladaeng and I was happy as can be when I found out that they have a branch at Central World. Everything was incredible and the gaeng som (dried shrimp spicy soup) hit all the right notes. There's only so much praise I could write about in one entry so I'll keep it brief. It might be worth mentioning though that the original branch might be a tad better in terms of taste but the one at Central World is, by all means, equally worthy of a visit. No website I'm afraid.

Yum tua plu (wing bean salad in coconut milk).

Tordmun tong muan (fishcakes).

Tumlueng pad cha (spicy ivy gourd stir fry).

Kanomjeeb (dumplings).

Plearn Wan (Hua Hin)

2011-10-19T10:50:00.003+01:00

You have to admit that it is a little gimmicky to recreate what is essentially an old town with replicas of old stores selling traditional toys and candies. That said, it's something different which adds to the Hua Hin scene especially when this seaside town is becoming a more popular tourist destination.

In this space you will find a galore of food, some more exciting than others, like fried green curry rice balls as well as many classics like brioche with chilli paste and pork floss. There are a lot of food stalls that I didn't have time nor the appetite to try but you'll find noodle stalls, satay stalls, desserts/drinks stalls and many others scattered across the 'street'.

It's something of a novelty and it's not too far a ride from Bangkok. You wouldn't necessarily be coming here for the food as on the whole everything tasted alright, nothing like the proper street foods you'll find in the Hua Hin market, but it's worth a visit if you happen to spend some time in Hua Hin.

Phone: +66325203002
Website: here

Winner of the Time Out Eating and Drinking Awards 2011

2011-10-19T10:08:00.003+01:00

Some of these names are on my list awaiting a visit, the others may soon make an appearance. For the latest on Time Out's awards, see it for yourself here.

Tables (Grand Hyatt Erawan, Ratchadamri)

2011-10-17T09:26:00.002+01:00

Conveniently located in the heart of Bangkok, Tables is Grand Hyatt Erawan's newest addition designed by the world renowned Tony Chi. The feel of the restaurant is sophisticated but not overwhelming leaving you to enjoy your lunch in a more quiet area of the hotel.

During the week you'll find the set lunch and a la carte menus but this changes to a buffet on the weekends. Prices are relatively reasonable for a 5-star hotel (as shown on their website) and if you happen to be a Hyatt member then you can strike 50% off those prices.

On the whole I thought the meal was done well but I was definitely not blown away. I enjoyed the tableside cooking, adding that extra touch of showmanship to my caesar salad and smoked salmon but this didn't quite add the oomph that was missing to the dishes. The appetiser platter gives you the chance to try several things from the menu - something I always give a thumbs up to. My wagyu beef burger didn't hit quite as high a note as I would have liked it to but I suppose to turn wagyu beef into a burger is a waste of the meat to begin with. The duck confit had a perfectly crispy skin paired with a smooth and creamy mash that went well together.

By the end of our main courses we were too full for desserts but the Chef kindly entertained us with some chocolate truffles which came in a smoking silver stand - kudos on the presentation. Our waiter was very attentive and knew his menu well which certainly helped made this place worthy of sitting in a Hyatt. That said, without the Hyatt membership card I probably won't be visiting it again too soon. Businessmen looking for set lunch menus, however, might find Tables as the perfect setting to talk over a deal, though.

A soft brioche to start.

The Appetiser Platter.

Caesar salad.

Condiments for the smoked salmon.

Green tea.

Duck confit with mash potatoes.

Wagyu beef burger.

Complimentary chocolate truffles from the Head Chef who came by to say hello.

Phone: +662 2546295
Website: here

Honmono Sushi (Thonglor, Bangkok)

2011-10-16T22:25:00.000+01:00

It's not often that you find fish this fresh, thick and juicy. It's so satisfying that you forget for a brief moment where you are and what you're doing. It is that good.

The quality of what you'll find at Honmono is easily one of the best in Bangkok and the prices will prove this very fact to you. Everything I've tried were incredible, so incredible I've visited this place 3 times in the same week! The miso seared salmon nigiri is not to be missed!

There are a few locations around town with two conveniently located in Central Chidlom and Central Bangna. Its original home is tucked away in a little street in Soi Thonglor - perfect for going for a round of Shibuya toast at After You to wash down your meal once you've had enough fish for a day. Service was great and the staff were polite and attentive. It's not difficult to reach Baht1,000pp with sushis made of horse meat or whale - be as adventurous as you feel!

Complimentary starters.

Miso seared salmon nigiri.

Salmon donburi (which normally comes with salmon roe but I opted for more salmon, of course).

Hokkaido king crab nigiri

Shoyu-tuna nigiri.

Salmon nigiri and mackarel (saba) nigiri.

Eel (unagi) nigiri.

Spider roll (deep fried soft shell crab).

Crispy roll (underneath all that tempura fritters).

Phone: +662 185 1447 (Thong lor)

Website: here

Isao (Sukhumvit 31)

2011-09-22T14:18:00.003+01:00

Dragon roll.

Tucked away into a narrow street where parking is next to impossible is a little gem of a Japanese restaurant. If you drive fear not, the building at the corner of Sukhumvit 31 lets you park for 2hours free of charge with the isao stamp.

This place is famous for their inventive sushis. They look different but it's great to see something new on the sushi scene. Their combinations do not disappoint. If I may suggest, bring along a few friends so you can order more dishes to try! All the ingredients are fresh and prepared really well. Do try the scallops nigiri if you like scallops - I certainly enjoyed it! The sushi sandwich has the perfect blend of flavours and textures (the crispy tempura flakes is key!).

Crab croquette.

Scallop nigiri.

Sushi sandwich.

Crispy roll.

Phone: +66 (2) 258 0645

Website: here

Tony Roma's (Bangkok)

2011-09-20T17:27:00.003+01:00

Tony Roma platter.

Full rack of baby back Caroline Honey ribs.

It's been over 2 years since I've visited Tony Roma's in Siam Paragon and to my surprise, they're just as good as I remember them to be! It's hard to find moist, tender, smokey BBQ ribs in London and to have it again after all this time is really just a nice touch to the end of my vacation in Bangkok.

The Tony Roma platter did not disappoint, the baked spinach with cheese was particularly tasty. The calamari rings and onion rings were crispy as they should be and the spicy chicken wings were perfectly seasoned. The Carolina Honey baby back ribs were flawless. The meat fell right off the bone, what more can I say?

Website: here

Lord Jim's at Mandarin Oriental (Bangkok)

2011-09-17T09:39:00.011+01:00

The lobby at Mandarin Oriental

It's difficult to find a buffet in London that's not set in a Chinese restaurant around China Town. More recently Harrods (having been taken over by Qatar Holdings) has ventured into offering a carvery buffet at their Georgian Restaurant but it goes without saying that the range is quite limited. At £46 per head pre service and VAT your expectations are probably going be off the charts - after all this is Harrods we're talking about.

Unless you're a die-hard carnivore, this is probably not something for everyone. So, if you have£30 (and an air ticket to Bangkok) lying around Lord Jim's might be the better option for you. For those living in Bangkok - here are some thoughts and pictures of what you can get out of your meal at the Mandarin Oriental that has been voted one of the best hotels in the world numerous times.

The selection on offer was massive and you have more than enough time to sample everything - as long as you still have the appetite. Japanese, Chinese, Thai, International cuisines and countless desserts are at your disposal. On the whole I can say that it's one of the better buffets in Bangkok rivalling with Grand Hyatt Erawan and Interncontinental. You won't be disappointed if you want quality and range. Sure there's no lobsters, crabs and scallops but the foie gras with mango sauce should more than make up for it. For oyster lovers, I'm sorry to report that you won't find any of that either.

Lord Jim's entrance

International selection.

Carvery.

Dim sum, Thai and salad selections.

Sushi and sashimis.

Tempura, soba and other Japanese selections.

The cheese board.

More international dishes, including Foie Gras.

For that big sweet tooth.

Excellent sticky rice and mangoes.

Ice-cream, chocolate fondue, you have it all.

Phone: +66 (2) 659 9000 (ext. 7680-1)

Website: here

The Gallery at The Westbury (Mayfair)

2011-08-13T07:35:00.006+01:00

This restaurant is a new addition to The Westbury while Artisan is under renovation. It has only been opened for just under a month so although Artisan struck an absolutely pitch perfect note I didn't have quite the same expectations.

The menu was simple, a choice of three dishes for each of the three courses. On the whole I must say I was impressed with the quality of the food (and therefore good value) and the service did not fall short of what you'd expect in a five-star Mayfair hotel.

My starter was the chilled melon soup - a more adventurous choice than normal - cold soup is usually not in my dictionary but hey, you've got to be open and willing to try new things right? And guess what, I enjoyed it! It was very light and refreshing especially after a long hot summer day.

Chilled melon soup with pine nut crumbs and mint

Cuttlefish cooked in ink with fragola, white wine and celery

The roast squab pigeon was my main course and the texture of the bird was cooked very well, tender and moist. I must admit that I'm not a big advocate of pigeon but again, I was running on a different mode that day.

Roast squab pigeon with crispy filo, coco beans & fig chutney

John Dory with spelt wheat salad, tomato sauce vierge

My meal was neatly rounded off with the almond infused panna cotta. Like cheesecake, panna cotta is a dish that I think is very easy to nail so I expected nothing short of spectacular from The Gallery - and yes, they delivered. The taste and texture (the two key qualities of any dish, accented by the presentation) was just right. Creamy but not excessively rich, washes down beautifully.

Almond infused panna cotta with macerated cherries , amaretti & sour cherry sorbet

Orange semolina cake with white chocolate ice-cream

As usual, I'd try the other dishes that my friends ordered. The cuttlefish was equally as nice as my melon soup. The John Dory is, if anything, an even better choice than the pigeon. The orange semolina cake is a little on the dry side but for what it's meant to be, I can't complain.

So this newcomer seems to have done quite well after having opened for only a few weeks - give it a month or two to fine tune everything and there is potential for this restaurant to become one of the never-fail-to-disappoint places.

Phone: +44 (0) 208 947 4474

Website: here

Dinner by Heston (Mandarin Oriental Mayfair)

2011-07-07T20:45:00.010+01:00

As promised - here it is in all its glory.

On a fine, dry and sunny Saturday we were seated on a table by the window overlooking the garden - it was a good start. The staff were nothing short of polite and well, you wouldn't have expected any less. Attentive but not excessive.

The decor was nice but nothing overly exuberant, subtle enough to not overpower what it really is about - the food. The bread and the butter came while we were waiting for our starters. Crispy on the outside, chewy and tender on the inside. Nothing spectacular but it was much needed since we were quite hungry.

Starters

Our starters eventually arrived and both the meat fruit and the savoury porridge were done solidly well. The grilled bread was perfectly crisp and when paired with a smooth pate with a hint of tangerine you can't ask for much more.

The savoury porridge with the cod cheeks, pickled beetroot and fennel was done very well (albeit the portion was wiped out after only a few spoons). The texture and flavour (the two elements I say are heart to any great dish) was in harmony.

Main Course

The cod in cider was cooked well. Crisp and golden on the outside but tender and melts in your mouth as you dive in. Very nice, but nothing orgasmic.

The Black Angus sirloin hit a higher note with beef that cuts beautifully. With red wine juice this dish was simple but delicious. The infamous triple cooked chips (do avoid if you have high chloresterol - deep fried and frozen three times isn't for the faint hearted) was noticeably different from your average chips but I wouldn't say I'd go out of my way to find these (or risk shortening my life span for them either). The mushroom ketchup was on the strange side, came in a funny shade of grey, but not awful.

The Sweet Stuff

Then came the spit roast pineapple which we had to order in advance during our main as it took extra time to prepare. The pineapple caramelised beautifully and when served with what Heston calls 'tipsy cake' goes down very well after the first two courses. The tipsy cake was nothing more than a brioche nanterre and some form of alcohol but the sweetness of the bread and the tanginess of the pineapple was a good combination. Was the pineapple to die for? Unfortuantely, not quite.

The chocolate bar with passion fruit jam and ginger ice-cream, however, didn't quite do it for me. I'm struggling to describe it because it really wasn't particularly memorable. I guess I had better expectations.

The Extras

Then came the tea menu. I gave into the waitress's suggestion of a very old black tea - Li Shan and oh it was old alright. The smokiness came right through and you know it's not just any black tea. That said for GBP12.50 I wouldn't say I'd necessarily repeat the experience. More like a spur of the moment.

Before our tea was a mini amuse bouche - earl grey white chocolate ganache with olive oil biscuit. As nice as the ganache was it was obvious it wasn't that difficult to make. Heat some cream with earl grey tea leaves and let it infuse, strain it and pour over chopped white chocolate and voila - your amuse bouche. The olive oil biscuit didn't really go with the ganache but I'll let Heston off - the ganache was, after all, quite nice.

So..?

After much anticipation I can say it was definitely an enjoyable meal. We were there for almost 4 hours just enjoying the atmosphere and on the whole every dish was quality on a plate. That said, this is after all Heston's restaurant and there's a real premium to pay to be one of the fine diners on his scene. The Heston name and the fact that the restaurant sits in Mandarin Oriental alone should tell you a meal here will cost you a good deal.

Is it worth it you ask? I suppose if you're fascinated by what Heston has to offer, by all means. The food and the atmosphere were great and at the end of the day if you could charge this much for what you cook and people are happy to go on a 2-month waiting list for a table - wouldn't you?

Phone: +44 (0) 207 201 3833

Website: here

Dinner...soon!

2011-05-26T12:11:00.002+01:00

I am happy to report that I have now landed myself a booking at Dinner by Heston. This will happen in a few week's time and so keep an eye out for that.

Yet again, please excuse the inactivity. I aim to post a few reviews this week, it is a bank holiday next Monday after all!

2011 The World's 50 Best Restaurants

2011-04-18T13:49:00.001+01:00

Look out for it! It'll be published today in 6 hours!

See it for yourself at S. Pellegrino.

Obika Mozzarella Bar (Selfridges, Bond Street)

2011-04-17T10:23:00.004+01:00

This was one of those impulsive visits (because I was hungry) where I stumbled across this mozzarella bar inside Selfridges and figured why the hell not? So it goes without saying that I really don't have any decent photos to back up my review except the 2 that I managed to take with my Blackberry.

This place was something new and somewhat exciting to me. As it turns out this (mozzrella) bar is part of a chain around the globe that I saw in La Rinascente in Milan but didn't have time to try it out. To keep things short and simple, if you're a mozzarella fan I will struggle to see why you wouldn't give this place a shot. As I'm no cheese master I will reserve my judgement on how I thought the cheese itself was.

That said, I enjoyed my dish and so did my friend. Although the location of the bar wasn't the most ideal with no windows and nothing but Gucci, Chloe and other superbrand stores surrounding you I still had a good mid afternoon snack. Add a very friendly service to that and there's not much fault I can pick out really.

Roasted Bread topped with Spicy salami from Calabria, Stracciatella di Burrata, cherry tomatoes, grilled zuchini, basil and Caciocavallo Rugasano DOP

If you're in the area or want a menu that's got mozzarella at its heart - go for it.

Phone: +44 (0) 207 318 3620

Website: here

Tapas Brindisa (London Bridge)

2011-04-07T12:27:00.003+01:00

Unlike my usual posts, I have no photos for this review I'm afraid. This was one of the spur of the moment lunches and so yes, I went unequipped with my loyal DSLR. That said, I enthusiastically recommend this restaurant. Their tapas are top notch and it's none of that non-sense at La Tasca. Proper, good quality tapas. They were extremely busy during lunch hour on a weekday so I suggest you make a reservation!

It's rare that I find a place which I intend to revisit, Tapas Brindisa just happens to be one of the few that has made it on to the list.

Credit to: here

Worst case if you really can't find a table there's always Borough Market just around the corner.

Phone: +44 (0) 207 357 8880

Website: here

Sale e Pepe (Knightsbridge)

2011-04-02T21:57:00.001+01:00

Italian restaurants are all over the place in London but Sale e Pepe was one of those places hidden away but worth noting. To keep it short, I enjoyed my meal. The carbonara is typically my benchmark of a good Italian restaurant - if you can't even pull off something as simple as pasta, cheese and eggs then would you really trust them to make anything else? That said, on the whole I wasn't completely blown away and so don't take this review as a definite thumbs up to make a visit. Staff was polite and service was decent. Prices are reasonable. All in all a good alternative to chain restaurants. Since we're talking about Italian restaurants L'anima, Locanda Locantelli and Zucca are on my list and I hope they don't disappoint.

Avocado salvatore (crab meat in mayonnaise and mustard seed sauce with avocado).

Calamari fritti.

Tagliolini al Granchio (tagliolini with fresh crabmeat, cherry tomatoes, rocket and a hint of chilli).

Spaghetti alla carbonara

Phone: +44 (0) 207 235 0098

Website: here

Mango Tree (Victoria)

2011-01-29T16:36:00.004Z

So as far as Thai food goes, Mango Tree simply isn't the most authentic. There have been a few hit and misses but all in all should you need a place for, say, a business lunch with 50% discount on toptable - by all means.

Prawn crackers. As usual.

Baked scallops with garlic butter.

Fish cakes.

Papaya salad (which looks and tastes nothing remotely near to how it should).

Mixed satay (equally as strange as the papaya salad).

Tumeric grilled chicken (mediocre at best).

Grilled fish with seafood dip (this was one of the nicer dishes of the day).

Egg fried rice.

Lamb masaman curry (this too was quite nice).

Duck curry (also another solid effort from Mango Tree)

A panorama of the restaurant.

Phone: +44 (0) 207 823 1888

Website: here

Attic Bar (Canary Wharf)

2011-01-23T14:11:00.005Z

There's not really much I could say and since a picture paints a thousand words, below's a few thousand words on what the Attic Bar's all about.

Just to add my two cents, this place will offer you one of the best, if not the best, views a bar can possibly offer. I know there are a few bars around the City (be it the Gherkin, Tower 42, Galvin at Windows and soon enough The Shard) that will boast views at an altitude but Canary Wharf has a jungle full of buildings lid up all night so the Attic Bar is in league of its own. Prices are reasonable - pretty much in line with all the nicer bars around town and in hotels and let's face it, for a view like that it wouldn't hurt to cough up a tiny bit more for a stunning night out.

As far as I understand, the bar is in fact exclusive to Pan Peninsula's residents and Tompkins' dinners hence there is no official website that you can visit. I suggest giving the restaurant a call for more info. And FYI, the bathroom's unisex. Check it out to see what London looks like 48 floors up in the sky.

On the top penthouse floor.

Upstairs.

Looking out at Canary Wharf.

The bar area.

The O2 just around the corner.

How's that for a panorama?

The lounge area.

Address: 48th floor, 3 Pan Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 9HN

Tompkins (Canary Wharf)

2011-01-22T15:58:00.006Z

What do we have here? Two updates in two days? That's quite a feat you must admit! This place - I like. It's got that whole New York chic vibe to it and it's about time we have something like that on this side of the ocean.

The decor is simple but done well with a few centre pieces that livens up the atmosphere. It's a good mix between leather, fur, hanging lights and natural light - lots of warm colours and textures. Thumbs up.

Food was, on the whole, done well. I must say there wasn't a dish that I didn't enjoy. Everything on the menu wasn't anything groundbreaking but who needs that when sometimes all you want are classic dishes that are done just right. I must say, though, that the lobster lasagne deserves a special recognition. It was nothing short of amazing.

The restaurant is located just by South Quay with the pier running along the side of the restaurant. There's a separate bar/lounge area on the other side where drinks on a Friday evening are ideal (think sleek bar and not grubby pub). Soon to follow is a post for the Attic Bar on the 50th floor in the same residential building at Pan Peninsula.

Don't miss out!

As you walk in...

Crab Cakes with Aioli.

Onion Tart with Goat's Cheese.

Lobster Lasagne, Sasuce Americane.

Eggs Royale.

Apple Tart Tartin with Vanilla Ice-cream.

Phone: +44 (0) 208 305 3080

Website: here

Sake No Hana (St. James's)

2011-01-21T20:20:00.005Z

Well first things first - happy 2011 everyone! Those of you that may visit this site on a regular (albeit infrequent) basis will probably thought I've gone into hiatus but I'm here and I will do my absolute best to update my blog more often!

This post is much overdue and it's about time I write about it. I must say that Sake No Hana - in short - did not live up to my expectations. I had high hopes for a place with a name that's come to be one of the few elite Japanese restaurants but well...the price tag doesn't always tell you everything.

The decor was clean, different and I must say provided a very nice backdrop to an evening out with the wooden beams and the high ceiling. The service was professional - you really wouldn't have expected anything but. The food all in all - was decent.

Sake No Hana's one of those places that did a good job serving up both classic and new age Japanese dishes but sadly not great. I must apologise in advance that out of my gluttony myself and fellow friends dove into the array of sushi we ordered before I grabbed out my camera. Rookie mistake really and it shall never happen again - as long as I remember!

The two dishes I did enjoy more than the others were the miso soup (yep - it's not always easy to get the simple things right) and the Alaskan crab with ponzu jelly. The jelly added a nice texture and flavour to the crab and I have never been one to turn down some good crab meat.

And of course, the kokoro cooler was a nice take on the classic Calpico. For those that are not familiar with Calpico it is Japan's yogurt-tasting drink which I for one find very refreshing!

Bottom line? If you feel like your wallet's getting too heavy and you're tired from shopping around Bond Street and at Fortnum and Mason then maybe you could drop by. I have to say though, make a bit more of an effort and head yourself over to Atari-ya for some good quality (and cheap-ish) sushi!

Virgin Kokoro Cooler (red grapes, Calpico, lychee and lemon juice).

Green tea.

The ambiance.

Scallop and spring onion in mustard miso dressing.

Duck breast tempura.

Sesame spinach.

King crab with ponzu jelly.

Passionfruit cheesecake (which tasted awfully similar to Princi's).

Phone: +44 (0) 207 925 8988

Website: here

Atari-ya (James Street)

2010-11-15T17:50:00.002Z

So this is one of my foolproof sushi places to go to. It's tucked away in James Street just off Oxford Street near Selfridges and from first glance you wouldn't have taken it as much more than a worn down little sushi bar. This place, however, is amazing. Both in terms of quality and value. They really do just sushi and sashimis but there are more than enough choices to satisfy your cravings.

It's a small little place that won't fit very many but it is a take away sushi bar after all. If your party isn't more than 2-3 people then you might just be able to find a table but otherwise it's perfect for a take away. They close at 8pm everyday so it's best to go there for lunch or an early dinner.

I go to this place so often that they should be giving me a loyalty card by now (not to mention the unincentivised advocacy!). I will hopefully have time to go to their restaurant in Swiss Cottage sometime...

Phone: +44 (0) 207 491 1178

Website: here

The Luxe (Spitalfields)

2010-10-31T14:46:00.005Z

I'm going to stop commenting how I manage to disappear for weeks at a time - let's say that work has been exhausting. Back to the topic, here's a place that's done well on the restaurant side as well as their bar. The mushroom tart was spectacular and the Thai-infused papaya salad with beef was equally as well done. The burger was juicy and one of the better ones you can find in the city. The other dishes weren't as exhilarating but still decent nonetheless. See for yourself!

Try and get a table on the side with the windows, the whole rustic look, the bare walls and the half circle windows will add to your meal. Too bad we were sitting on the other side.

The ambiance.

Wild Mushroom Tart, Poached Egg & Hollandaise.

Thai Beef Salad with Green Papaya, Bean Shoots, Thai Herbs & Chilli Dressing.

‘The LUXE’ 8oz Burger, Mature Cheddar, Old Spot Bacon & Chips.

Atlantic Cod, Indian Spiced Lentils with Coriander & Crème Frâiche.

Spaghetti with clams and chorizo.

Five Spiced Chicken, Lavender Honey, Chilli & Bak Choy.

Phone: +44 (0) 207 101 1751

Website: here

Gaucho (Bank & Piccadilly)

2010-09-04T23:51:00.007+01:00

This post is much overdue but it's about time I uploaded the photos and praise Gaucho for how amazing they are at preparing steak. This Argentine steakhouse isn't anything near your Angus Steakhouse, it exudes class and demeanor. The crowd are dressed to impress and the decor tells you that you're, well, at a posh restaurant.

I'm keeping this post short and to the point, so, I love this place. The dough bread is one of the most amazing breads EVER. It's warm, it's soft and slightly chewy, it's mildly flavoured, it's a dream.

Bread basket.
300g Rib Eye Steak.

Handcut chips.

Pancakes.

Panna Cotta.

Vanilla flan.

Rib-eye take 2 at Piccadilly.

My absolute favourite.

The steak, or at least my 300g rib-eye, was cooked to perfection. Moist and tender - nothing short of what a good piece of meat should be. The handcut fries and the mushroom sauce added to my very pleasant meal. The desserts didn't hit as high a note for me as the food did but you're really there for the steak - go grab your desserts somewhere else!

Website: here

Bread Boutique (Sloane Square)

2010-08-26T21:54:00.005+01:00

So I've made my (what now seems to be rather regular) disappearance for quite a while...but I'm back, for a brief moment. My apologies. With work and exams coming from all sides I really must say it's hard to keep up with the blogging. That said, this bread and butter pudding is so darn good that I just had to come out of hibernation.

After what was an accidental stumble across this new store in Sloane Square, I found a crisp and clean white bakery store that had no one in it. I hesitated but went in and had a warm welcome only to find out when I paid the bill that they were about to close before I walked in.

I looked around what seemed like a half-empty (or half-full) display...and convinced myself to order a slice of the bread and butter pudding. Just another snack for the evening for me I thought but oh did I find something mindblowing.

It is no doubt the most amazing bread and butter pudding. Ever.

Everything about it was perfect. The texture, the taste and the clotted cream that went with it (a little odd I know but it works!). If you ever want bread and butter pudding this is the place to go. I'd like to comment on their other creations but given that this was all I tried, I shall hold my tongue.

Just before I left I had the chance to talk to the owner (who just opened the store and has a restaurant called Brompton Quarter in Knightsbridge) who turned out to be a very impressive entrepreneur. I'll let you know how the restaurant is when I drop by, I was told they have a new head chef and he's amazing. I took home a ciabatta and a fruit loaf compliments of the store.

What was meant to be just another piece of dessert turned out to be a lot whole more.

Find them at 73 Duke Of York Square, Chelsea, London SW3 4LY (no website yet I'm afraid).

Amorino (Soho)

2010-05-30T14:52:00.003+01:00

Since I have a mock exam tomorrow, I thought why not procrastinate a bit longer and throw in a mini bonus post today on top of my Sushi Hiro visit.

Here's a Italian ice-cream shop which not only looks good but tastes great! It's a small little store on Old Compton street in Soho that I've walked past a few times but never had the time to visit. Just the other day, I made an extra effort to drop by after dinner and boy can I say that it was brilliant! Throw in really friendly staff and what more do you need?

I recommend getting a cone and piling on your pick of flavours. A large cone will set you back £5.70 but it'll be worth it. I piled on 5 of them (coffee, hazelnut, passion fruit, cream cheese and cherry, and chocolate) and all of them were excellent. Do give this place a shot. The store's a little small but if you're there later in the evening you're more than likely to find a free table to sit and enjoy the ice-cream and the evening!
Location: map

Sushi Hiro (Ealing Common)

2010-05-30T14:38:00.004+01:00

So the much raved about Sushi Hiro was finally visited (a while ago in fact). And? Well, read on!

After quite a journey to go across town for this supposed little hidden gem, I can't say it was worth the effort. By all means, it is definitely an adequate sushi restaurant and because it's not in the city centre, the prices won't call for second thoughts when you order. The fish was, I guess, fresh but I was far from being blown away.

At the end of the day I've realised I haven't found a single Japanese restaurant in London that is truly remarkable. I have now visited Sushi Hiro and even tried Sake No Hana (oh yes, that post is much overdue) and everything in between and yet I can't seem to find a favourite go-to place. I suppose the last Japanese restaurant standing worth a visit is Nobu. One day.

It's difficult to find sushi here that will live up to what you can get back home I suppose - home being good old Bangkok. Prices aside, portions are more generous. And when I say generous, I mean generous. And obviously they're awesome. Ah well. For what it's worth Sushi Hiro's an alright place to drop by if you want some reasonably-priced and fresh sushi. Forget the atmosphere of course, it is really a simple little Japanese place that is there to 'impress' you with their food. That is, if all you want is nothing more than your conventional sushi and sashimi. Nothing pretentious, nothing groundbreaking.

I can only wonder when I'd ever go back to this place. I reckon it's too much of an effort to make to go all the way West for something that falls short of mind-blowing.
Phone: +44 (0)208 896 3175
Website: none

Roka (Canary Wharf)

2010-05-29T14:19:00.006+01:00

I know, I know, it's been an unacceptably huge while since I last updated this blog. Not much of an excuse I can really apart from the busy season at work and an array of exams over the past couple of weeks (not to mention the many more over the next few). So to make up for it I thought I'll post something worthy of making up for loss time. Roka - my round II visit.

I've been to the original Roka branch in Goodge street before and frankly wasn't excessively impressed. It was alright and all but for the price I paid I honestly expected to have my breathe taken away on each and every bite. So I found myself wanting Japanese food one random evening and given how little time I have, I thought I'd not look too far and just go to the nearest decent Japanese restaurant here that's not a Wasabi takeaway.

The verdict? Blah. Sure it wasn't god awful but I wasn't anymore impressed than I was the last time. The atmosphere, however, deserves two thumbs up. It's definitely one of those places you want to be at and want to be seen at. The service was friendly and attentive, not that I expected any less.

The wagyu sushi was the real reason I dragged myself there for the second time and I couldn't have been more disappointed. Wagyu is one of those beef that tastes like pure bliss on their own and what Roka did was to smother beneath it tonnes and tonnes of wasabi which completely defeated the purpose of tasting that moist, sweet and rich beef flavour. The rest of my dishes, the two sushis (spicy tuna and breaded prawns) were any better than your average Japanese restaurant in the city. The claypot rice with Alaskan king crab meat and wasabi tobiko was probably one of the better dishes of the evening but yet nothing near what I expected from Roka.

All in all, if you feel like splurging and spending an evening somewhere that looks impressive - hit it. I ended up leaving with a stomach half-full and a wallet half-empty (30quid pp was the damage) so unless I'm treated to Roka the next time, I probably won't be visiting again.

Here are the photos for the evening. Do excuse me for the rather sub-par quality as they were taken with my Blackberry, hence the impromptu visit.

Phone: +44 (0) 207 636 5228
Website: here

Hi Sushi

2010-03-29T19:41:00.005+01:00

Price: £20pp with green tea
Food: 6.5/10 (quality 7.5/10)
Service: 7/10

So if you love salmon then you'll love this place. For about 15quid you'll get an unlimited supply of fresh salmon - and I can reassure you that it's so fresh that you won't get sick no matter how much salmon you devour. I went to the one in Soho, on 40 Frith Street.

Forget about the decor, it's a small and oddly laid out place, so bland that my toilet looks better but never mind that, you're there for the unlimited sushi and sashimi. Try going to their new branch in Covent Garden - it has that Sake No Hana touch. You'll get two pieces of paper, one for the fried stuff and one for the sushi/sashimi. The fried stuff you'll get one order and that's it but the sushi/sashimi will keep on coming as long as you keep ordering. It's a good place to go to if all you want is just a lot of salmon. The amount of food you get (for the fried goodies) will depend on how many of you are there but since there's only so much deep-fried stuff you can take that really doesn't matter.

Chicken katsu, fried tofu, prawn tempura, vegetables tempura, chicken yakitori

First round: salmon skin roll, spicy salmon roll, etc, etc.

Round 2: salmon sashimi, salmon nigiri and spicy salmon roll.

Phone: +44 (0)207 734 9688
Website: here

Jamie's Italian

2010-03-28T21:51:00.001+01:00

Price: £30+/-pp without alcohol for a 3 course meal
Food: 6.5/10
Service: 8/10

Ok, this post is severely overdued. This was since August 2009 and I've never gotten around to writing the actual review. Here's Jamie's much hyped about restaurant in Canary Wharf and although it's a bit hit with the local crowd - I don't see what's the big deal. It's better than the other Italian chain restaurants, Pizza Espress, Prezzo, etc but he's not exactly living up to his reputation.

The food wasn't awful or anything and the decor, if anything, was rather nice and rustic. That said, I had higher hopes for this place. My charcuterie platter was alright, not bad but it's hard to find an exceptional one really. The calamari was crispy alright, but nothing significantly different from your average calamari fritti. The mains hit a higher note with my 'flash steak' bursting in flavours...which quickly faded and was almost chewy. The pasta...surprisingly is not longer on the menu. Might have been something seasonal with the crab and all but I wished it had more oomph. My crispy polenta chips were...well...alright.

The desserts were on the whole, acceptable. The ice-cream, too, was just alright. The brownie was rather rich and was 'over-fudged' so all in all my three course meal ended on, yes you guessed it, an 'alright' note. The service was if anything better than the food itself with staff that were attentive, friendly and helpful.

So what's my verdict? If you happen to be in the neighbourhood then why not give it a try. It's go Jamie's name plastered all over it at least. That said, if you're planning to hike across town just to eat here, you'll be wasting your time. There're plenty of good Italian restaurants in the city so save yourself the commute and hit your favourites in town instead.

The exterior.

Hot chocolate.

The ambiance.

Crispy squid with really garlicky aoli.

Seasonal meat antipasti plank.

Flash Steak. Wafer thin prime British beef steak pounded with sage and prosciutto, flash grilled with a spicy tomato, basil and chilli salsa.Spaghetti with crabmeat.

Crispy polenta chips.

Ice-cream.

Chocolate brownie and vanilla ice-cream.

Website: here

Plum Valley Fine Dining

2010-03-27T20:38:00.005Z

Price: £20-25pp without alcohol using Toptable for a 3 course meal
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10

After a big moment of silence, here is another review! Plum Valley Fine Dining serves Chinese food in a non-Chinese looking restaurant (think Pearl Liang) and you guessed it, it's in China Town! It really isn't a hard place to miss with an all-black exterior Plum Valley just stands out from the crowd on Gerrard Street.

I'm usually not very open to trying Chinese food partly because I think the majority of Chinese dishes are stir-fry's of some sort and/or otherwise heavily seasoned with MSG not to mention to typically poor presentation. This place defies all of those expectations.

The food, on the whole, was exceptionally satisfying. The jasmine tea roasted pork ribs are simply amazing. Service is good with staff friendlier than what you'd usually get in your average Chinese restaurant. Together with the 50% toptable offer makes this restaurant a great place to visit. Forget all the hustle and bustle and the rude services you'd normally get in most restaurants in China Town and just go enjoy a good meal here instead.

The ambiance.

Mapo tofu

Jasmine tea smoked ribs

Salt squid (similar to Calamari)

Deep fried soft shell crab

King prawns in tamarind curry

Morning glory in oyster sauce and fermented beans

Chilli shredded beef (I must say I've had better, though)

Cantonese style roast duck

Vietnamese spring rolls

Roast chicken in XO sauce

Mango pudding

Phone: +44 (0)207 494 4366

Pearl Liang (Paddington)

2010-01-22T21:35:00.005Z

First off, I know I've been pretty lousy with keeping this blog regularly updated - apologies! I've been awfully busy with work and to add to that I've barely had the time to eat out. I'll post what I can when I can and as frequently as possible but don't worry, I'm not going anywhere!

Ok so on to Pearl Liang. I've heard about this place and I've been wanting to go to this place but I always thought it was a little out of the way until my friend had a birthday party there. In short, it is the best dim sum place in London to date. I liked everything about the place, the food was great and the atmosphere wasn't tacky nor too bland. The atmosphere obviously wasn't the highlight of my visit and if anything forgettable given how good the food is!

I'm not going to dive into the specifics of each dish but believe you me - you'll enjoy your meal there. One little warning though, be careful with the mango pudding. These things are usually made and kept for a while before they make a new batch and if you're unlucky you may get one with mango bits that starts to taste sour and fizz a bit.

That aside, definitely give this place a shot. It's a great place for dim sum!

BARBECUED PORK PUFF

BAKED EGG TART

BARBECUED PORK CHEUNG FUN

PAN FRIED TURNIP CAKE

PRAWN DUMPLING

MINI STICKY RICE WITH MIX MEAT IN LOTUS LEAF

PORK SHU MAI

Garlic and Chilli Peppercorn Salt Lobster with Noodles

MANGO PUDDING

Phone: +44 (0)207 289 7000
Website: here

Polpo (Beak Street)

2010-01-13T16:08:00.005Z

A very unpretentious little place on Beak street that frankly I've never ever noticed. But with enough research the place seems to have more in store than what it looks like on the outside. Nevermind that, so the whole place's about tapas, something a little more authentic than what you get at La Tasca. The decor's nice and cosy, somewhat dim and lit up by loads of tealights.

Keeping everything really brief, all in all I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Could it have been better, yes. That said, I'd go back any day should I feel like having some tapas. Give this place a shot if you're in the neighbourhood. I'd go on about how each dish was something new and something tasty but then I'd just end up repeating myself. Certainly a great place for good tapas.

Salt cod on grilled polenta

Ham & piccalilli tramezzini

(Incredibly tender!) Slow roast duck, green peppercorns, black olives, tomatoes

Fritto misto

Pork belly, radicchio, hazelnuts

Polpette

Potato & Parmesan crocchetta

Mackerel tartare with cucumber, horseradish & flat bread

Wild mushroom piadina

Honey & walnut semifreddo (not a mousse but but not ice-cream")

Affogato al caffè (yummy vanilla ice cream in a shot of espresso)

Hot chocolate pot & essi

Phone: +44 (0) 207 734 4479
Website: here

National Geographic Cafe (Regent Street)

2009-08-24T20:17:00.005+01:00

Ok two separate visits merged into one post. My first was way back in July and just recently last weekend I went again to have yet another round of the mini wagyu burgers. It's a comfy little place to catch up over coffee and pinchos - small dishes (as shown below) that, well unlike tapas, isn't really ideal for sharing but more for light snacking.

Food-wise everything's great. Loved the burgers, the smoked salmon, the scallop, the seared tuna, and the mushroom soup. What don't I like? One thing and only one thing. Service. They're not rude or anything but it's next to impossible to get their attention because there're only so many of them around! Seriously understaffed I'd say. If you can bear the wait and ready to cough up a little more than usual for small dishes then here's the place for you.

Atmosphere.

Seared tuna.

Smoked salmon on mash potatoes.

Soup of the day (Cream of Mushroom).

Mini Wagyu Burgers

Round 2.Scallops.

Smoked salmon round 2.

Carrot and orange juice.

Phone: +44 (0) 207 025 6960

Website: here

Whole Foods Market (High Street Kensington)

2009-08-24T19:49:00.009+01:00

[Posted 25 November 2009]

Ok so yes there's only one photo. Sometimes when I'm overly hungry I get carried away and next thing I know the entire plate's cleaned and the waiter's taken it away...and yup, no photo. Anyhow, that one fine afternoon we went to Whole Foods Market and headed upstairs to grab a quick bite. Not my first visit and I stuck to the Japanese (just like I did the last time and the time before that) - it's nice. Not overly pricey and everything's fresh. Go on ahead - why not right?

Phone: +44 (0) 207 368 4500
Website: here

Megaro (Kings Cross)

2009-08-24T19:31:00.005+01:00

[Posted November 15, 2009]

Yet again, happened to be in the area that day and literally just strolled pass this place. It looked interesting and the menu seemed to offer a decent range so I figured why not. The place is a relatively small restaurant on the ground floor of a hotel and although not the busiest of places, served food that didn't disappoint. You're probably thinking, it's in a hotel, duh it serves good food. Given the fact that the price of their food isn't any more expensive than any average London restaurant, the food's nicely done. The service was great too, friendly and attentive (but not overly attentive) waiter. Yet another good find.

Smoked salmon

Buffalo mozzarella rocket salad

Grilled salmon fillet and mash potatoes

Crabmeat spaghetti

Chocolate fondant

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 843 2222

Madsen (South Kensington)

2009-08-24T19:26:00.003+01:00

[Posted on November 15, 2009]

So I was in the area that afternoon and stumbled across Madsen. Was it on my list? Yes. Tick. Scandinavian you say? Tick tick. So I headed in and got me and my companions some food for lunch.

The ambiance.

This one's the smoked salmon on rye (?) bread - which of course is something you really can't go wrong with. It was nice and simple - just right I'd say.
The fishcakes, surprisingly tasty.
Here's the grilled mackerel - which wasn't bad either. All in all everything was rather nice. The one thing I'd say though is that the menu doesn't have enough variety. There's a rather small list of cold and hot food and there isn't too much you can choose from. Nevertheless, a good and safe choice to visit!

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 225 2772

Patara (Regent Street)

2009-08-24T18:44:00.010+01:00

Ok, first, apologies for the huge lapses between all the posts. But, in all fairness the dates of these recent posts aren't exactly correct since I've uploaded the photos all the way back in August but only just gotten around to writing the review. And to justify as to why this blog has been lacking in activity, I've just started working and well - that pretty much says it all.

Anyhow! Back to Patara. Tucked away just off Regent Street you'll find this Thai restaurant with a twist (there're 3 other branches in Knightsbridge, South Kensington and Soho). I suppose the concept's pretty much the same as Mango Tree (review coming up) but sadly neither of them did a decent job of serving authentic Thai food.

The food itself wasn't too bad but it's simply over-westernised. Maybe it's good business sense to adapt their food but they might have had overdone the adaption and lost the whole essence of real Thai food. All in all I think my pad thai was probably the best dish for the evening followed closely by the Panang curry. The crab cakes were okay but I've had much, much better ones - but sorry to say, the good ones were in Bangkok. The scallops and the duck were...forgettable. My milk tea, however, was excellent. Exactly how it's meant to be.

Service was great, ambiance was perfect for a more sophisticated evening out, and price as you'd expect is on the higher end of the scale. Without wine you're looking at around GBP35-40pp for a meal for two.

Ambiance.

Still water.

Ambiance.

Sour/spicy scallops.

Pu Jaa (crab cakes).

Thai milk tea.

One of the mocktails.

The menu.

Pad thai goong sod (Prawn pad thai).

Panang Gae (Lamb shank panang).

Somtam apple (spicy apple salad).

Ped sauce makarm (Duck leg in tamarind sauce).

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 499 6808

The Fifth Floor Restaurant (Knightsbridge)

2009-08-24T18:44:00.009+01:00

That's the currant bread - which was incredibly soft and tasty. To be fair I'm a little biased towards this raisin breads because I like them quite a bit but never mind that, let's get down to business. Below's my attempt at a panorama shot of the restaurant (click to enlarge), which although not perfect, gives you a rough idea of how everything looks. There's definitely that extravagant tough and feel to the place and with the staff all dressed up, you'll definitely feel like a VIP.

I want to keep this post short because there isn't much to complain about but at the same time I'm not all out in praise either. Everything we ordered were nice generally, interesting and flavourful and I'm sure that I'll be making another visit in the months to come.

The ambiance.

Egg Benedict.

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.

Grilled yellow-fin tuna.

My sincerest apologies but as I'm backlogging all the way back to June I'm not quite sure what this dish was anymore. I'd like to make a guess but just in case I'm completely off I won't. The menu's changed anyhow and seems worth a second visit.

Belgian waffles.

Web: here
Phone: +44 207 235 5250

Chisou (Regent Street)

2009-08-24T18:34:00.005+01:00

Not much to say about this place really. There's nothing wrong with it but at the same time it wasn't particularly memorable either. Having sat outside that evening, grabbing the waitress' attention was next to impossible. That aside, the food came rather promptly and the tuna tartare was somewhat nicer than the rest of the dishes.

It's another one of those convenient places that you'd drop by if you happen to be in the area and don't know where else to go. It's a safe bet - but that's all it is. Price-wise it won't break your bank but it's not exactly on the bargain end of Japanese restaurants either, especially for what you're getting.

Fried tofu.

Vegetable tempura.

Lightly grilled salmon sashimi.

Tuna tartare.

Black cod.

Salmon nigiri.

Web: here
Phone: +44 207 629 3931

Signor Sassi (Knightsbridge)

2009-08-24T18:18:00.004+01:00

So I was in the area and without strolling too far away from the shops stood Signor Sassi. This place is filled to the brim with customers during the lunch hour and you might have thought the staff can get a little grumpy having to attend to so many tables - they're not.

I can truly say that the staff, especially the ones singing in Italian (and to my surprise, they sing rathe well!), are full of energy and probably are as lively as they come. Everyone was helpful and happy to serve you and that's how all the staff at restaurants ought to be. After making my orders I had my share of bread and butter and nibbled on the olives (I was never a fan though) and waited for my food which arrived rather promptly. The white bait could be a little more on the crispier side and my smoked salmon although quite nice, well, wasn't particularly generous. As for the pork slices (do forgive me for not remembering/noting the actual name...yes, yes, I'm no professional food blogger, just a passionate one), they were succulent and tender and the sauce was really well-flavoured. YET, in capital letters, I was utterly disappointed with my Carbonara. It's a dish any Italian restaurant serves and I thought this safe choice couldn't possibly go wrong at a place that oozes "Italian" but it did. It looked practically perfect when it landed on my table but when I started mixing in the extra Parmesan shavings I discovered the eggs that have clumped together - not impressed. As for the flavour, let's just say I've had (MUCH) better Carbonaras. On the plus side, the waiter had a sense of humour when he said "ah extra calories for you sir" as he was grating all that extra cheese into my pasta - I guess someone had to say it out loud!

On to the desserts, the strawberry cheesecake didn't help make my view of the restaurant any better as it simply didn't satisfy. Nonetheless, my poached pear with hazelnut ice-cream did redeem this place some plus points. The ice-cream was incredibly smooth and rich in nutty flavours. The best part? It went together with the pair beautifully.

Seriously big olives.

Butter - French would have been nice.

Fried white bait with tartare sauce.

Crab meat and prawns wrapped in smoked salmon.

I *think* it's pork...or possibly veal, or maybe even venison - but let's go with pork.

Spaghetti Carbonara.

Strawberry cheesecake.

Poached pear and hazelnut ice-cream.

Phone: +44 207 584 2277

Ping Pong Dim Dum (Soho)

2009-08-23T14:31:00.007+01:00

So this place comes down to just a dimsum restaurant that looks more modern than typical Chinese restaurants down in China Town. The space was open and although it was quite early when I went, it was already filling up.

To be honest though, everything apart from the drinks failed to impress. I've had much better dimsum (and if anything, at a much better bargain) and unless you happen to be in the area, starving and craving for some dimsum - commute a bit and you'll be better off in China Town.

I can't quite put my finger on what's missing but everything just didn't taste particularly exciting. The seemingly interesting contemporary dimsum dishes failed epically and well, I hope they learn to come up with newer and better menus. But at the end of the day I doubt it though, they're raking in enough customers and why fix something that isn't broken right? Ah well, definitely not the first place I'll go to for good dimsum though.

The menu.

The ambiance.

Green apple and sage (left) and Strawberry, peach and orange (right).

Chicken puff, Honey roasted barbecue chicken in hand made puff pastry topped with pineapple.

Vegetable puff, Sautéed vegetables in a honey sauce in hand made puff pastry

Chicken and black pepper spring roll, Honey roasted chicken sprinkled with black pepper wrapped in wheat flour pastry, served with spicy mango sauce

Crispy prawn ball, Chopped king prawns and spring onions in shredded egg pastry served with sweet and sour sauce

Chive dumpling, King prawns and chives in green chive pastry

Traditional Sticky Rice, Rice with chicken, pork and king prawns wrapped in a Lotus leaf

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 851 6969

Asadal (Holborn)

2009-08-23T14:04:00.005+01:00

This Korean restaurant didn't look like much from upstairs but there probably aren't many other restaurants that gets much easier to go to than this. Right next to the Holborn tube station you'll find the sign and staircase that leads you underground to a softly lit space filled with wooden decor.

Ambiance.

Pickled vegetables.

Sweet and sour chicken.

Fried platter.

Bi bim bap.

Kim chi fried rice.

On the whole it wasn't a memorable experience, however, but nevertheless I have no complaints. I was probably most impressed with the (clear!) sweet and sour chicken as that was the one with the most flavours whilst the rest were less interesting. The bibimbap is sadly a disappointment and I shall continue to hunt down a kick-butt one someday!

Website: here
Phone: +44 20 7430 9006

Toku (Piccadilly)

2009-08-23T13:42:00.004+01:00

Conveniently located in Piccadilly right next to the Japan Centre, Toku does a seemingly good job churning out Japanese dishes. Everything was basic and simple, the decor, the food, the drinks. Sure not everything was extremely tasty but on the whole most of the things I've ordered were prepared well. The ingredients were fresh and everything was flavourful. Price-wise this place won't break the bank given there's nothing about it that screams posh.

Matcha milk.

Salmon don.Chicken katsu.Unagi don.Green tea ice-cream.Sponge cake with matcha cream.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 255 8255

Ah Yat Abalone Forum Restaurant (Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside)

2009-08-22T10:35:00.002+01:00

Ok, my first proper entry in a big big while. In Bangkok for a quick break and unfortunately I haven't had enough time to go on a gastronomic adventure. Nevertheless, here's one. Something different - Chinese!

To be fair however, I usually don't go for Chinese for a reason - it's too greasy. This time was no different but I guess it comes down to what you order. The crispy pork was, well, welcomed. And the pickled cabbage too - tasty. The noodles were normal. The duck was, in short, okay. The special plate with abalone, goose's feet and mushroom was rather interesting but frankly not my cup of tea. The mango pudding on the whole was alright but some of the mango pieces have already turned sour/fizzy and that's worrying. I do realise that my entry is kept rather brief and lack literary aesthetics but I'm hoping that this way it keeps it simpler for readers out there.As for the ambience, well, typical of a Chinese restaurant in Bangkok really - again not something I go for simply because it really is just too bland. Price? Normal for Chinese food in hotels - nothing ridiculously expensive.

Apologies!

2009-08-08T15:30:00.002+01:00

Ok it may have seemed like I've abandoned this place for good but that's where you're wrong. As much as this will sound like a whole bunch of excuses, I've just graduated (and that gap between my Eurotrip and graduation was spent househunting) and then I was househunting and then I was moving in and then I was furniture shopping - of course, all this, was done without any internet access. I've been to a handful of restaurants and they will be posted soon enough (once I fly away some more...), by then I'll have internet, properly.

Keep a look out!

To be visited (Europe)

2009-05-06T14:08:00.002+01:00

Barcelona:

Paris:

Kong Bar (Pont Neuf)

Sabbatical (update!)

2009-05-03T12:15:00.003+01:00

My exams have all finished and soon enough I'll be out and about eating my heart out again. Will update this place soon!!

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I'll have to put this blog on hold for...well, just about a month before I come back to inject life back into again. The reason? I have my finals coming up this month and it's time I get studying and getting back to what I've been procrastinating for so long. See you all again in June!

*k

Myung Ga (Beak Street)

2009-04-22T15:05:00.005+01:00

The restaurant is conveniently located just off of Regent Street and I made a point to have a Korean meal somewhere and this place was just where I needed it to be. They open for lunch and dinner and since my plan was to go have lunch there, I had to make sure I get to them before they closed (at 3pm). I arrived at quarter to and yet they were still happy to invite us in and we ended up being the last two customers in the restaurant, leaving at just a bit before half past 3. Thumbs up for their hospitality.

The food on the whole was okay. I really liked their spicy fried chicken. The gyoza was normal, same goes with the bibimbap and the kimchi fried rice. Nothing much to say about the place really - convenient, I guess.

Part of the restaurant.

Pear juice.

Rice punch (a light gingery drink with rice bits).

Goonmandu: Fried meat dumpling with beef.

Ggampoonggi: Sauted chicken with spicy sauce.

Bibimbap (being mixed, I forgot to take a photo before she started mixing!)

(The now-mixed) bibimbap.

Kimchi fried rice.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 734 8220

Randall & Aubin (Brewer Street)

2009-04-20T13:44:00.005+01:00

Oh yes, this was one evening to remember. A friend went and I saw the photos so I went and given that they didn't take reservations (it's quite a small place so that made sense), I was prepared to wait to be served. I stood there for a good twenty minutes before my friend and I were seated. All the while there was this drag queen turning heads in the restaurant. S/he's friendly alright, possibly a little too friendly. She must be a regular or something or otherwise must have worked (or is still working) there given how well she knows where they keep their tissue. The waiters were all friendly and the music was loud - I was in for quite an evening.

The atmosphere wasn't like your typical restaurant so don't expect to sit back and relax in this one. You'll be shouting at your friends trying to compete with the music, by all means if you're out for a night of fun then this place is bound to slam a smile across your face.

The food, however, didn't seem anywhere near as exciting as the vibe the place was giving. Given I was standing in front for quite a while, I was able to watch the chefs prepare the food, and they looked good. Somehow that didn't quite translate though. I didn't order oysters but that's just me, but if you like oysters then they're darn generous with the portion so do give it a try. The calamari wasn't as crispy as I would have liked it to be, the Devon crab was quite nice but it was missing something, my egg royale was slightly too salty and the lobster was a little too tough and chewy.

Not much else to add really, it's quite an experience is all I have to say. I went on a Thursday evening at around 8ish-pm...prepare yourselves!

The open kitchen in front.

Oysters galore.

Bread and olives (for 1.50pound/person cover charge).

Calamari frites with pimento salsa.

Fresh Devon crab salad with avocado, shrimp
and pimento dressing.

The scene.

Eggs Benedict royal with smoked salmon and
avruga caviar.

Grilled lobster, with garlic butter
& pommes frites or R&A potato salad.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 287 4447

Tomoe (Marylebone Lane)

2009-04-19T02:13:00.005+01:00

A little walk from Selfridges, nearest station = Bond Street. I decided to go here because I saw a friend's photos on facebook and their sushi looked interesting. The stupid part was that I forgot to order sushi. Never mind that, point is you go here for Japanese food. The decor is not something you're there to admire. It's just a room with tables and chairs (oh, and a bar). I went there for an early dinner at about 5ish and was their only customer (me and my friend anyways). The next bunch to walk in was a group of Japanese businessmen, which I guess is a good sign. We were seated upstairs but the sushi bar is downstairs so if you're there for the sushi I suggest you make your way down below.

First off, my calpico water. It had a funny taste to it, I think. I don't know. It had an after taste which was rather 'off'. I drink a fair share of calpico and I know when it's dodgy. Don't know if it was a just me but I was fine so...I really don't know. The food all in all, was ok. I liked my salmon sashimi don most - generous portions of salmon for a decent price. The black cod miso (not pictured) was okay, like everything else, nothing mind blowing. To be fair, for the price you're paying for it's adequate. Maybe when I run out of places to go to I'll come back here to try their sushi. One thing to note, though, is that the majority of their food were a little too salty for me. They're closed on Sunday by the way.

Calpico water.

Salmon & ikura don.

Fried tuna slices.

Grilled mackerel.

Salmon teriyaki.

Phone: +44 207 486 2004

Aubaine (Heddon Street)

2009-04-14T21:35:00.003+01:00

I had a good time at Aubaine, simple as that. I loved the atmosphere, possibly because it was nice and quiet at 3 in the afternoon. I enjoyed the food and although it didn't take my breath away, I have no complaints. What else is there to say, service was great, price was appropriate. Thumbs up all in all!

Seating.

Fresh flowers.

Mango mojito.

Excellent French butter, tastes perfect.

Ratatouille with feta cheese.

French onion soup.

Extremely succulent and tender beef burger.

Ham and cheese open sandwich topped with poached eggs.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 440 2510

The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel (Mayfair)

2009-04-14T21:00:00.004+01:00

Award-winning tea? Really? You kidding? I wouldn't have ever known! No, really. The atmosphere was bland and boring. My tea was nice, but that's just because it was a good pick. The scones weren't warm, the clotted cream wasn't creamy and the jam was so-so. The sandwiches, too, weren't any better and the pastries were...disappointing. Ah well, one more place ticked off my list. Believe me, there are better afternoon teas out there.

The afternoon tea room.

My dragon lily tea (orange).

The clotted cream and preserves.

The classic three-tier.

The scones.

And the pastries.

And the sandwiches.

The other corner of the room.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 958 7729

Snog (South Kensington)

2009-04-14T20:54:00.004+01:00

I really, really don't get what's with all the hype about this place. It's frozen yogurt, period. That's all there is to it. There's nothing extraordinary about it, it's yogurt, that's frozen! I've had better and between this and ice-cream I'd rather fill up on the calories and go for an ice-cream.

Inside the little shop.

Their graphics on the wall.

I went for the chocolate chip cookie and strawberries.

Have your pick from the healthy or the naughty.

Website: here

Bumpkin (South Kensington)

2009-04-14T20:41:00.005+01:00

Organic restaurant, Bumpkin, did a good job impressing me. The waiter was quite a character himself - lived quite a life, one that I envy. The food's nice and the decor is top notch. It's no French marble but there were just so many touches that they added to the place which made it so...wow. I enjoyed my meal there, recommend!

Interior.

Interior/bread.

A view of the kitchen.

Interior.

Character.

More character.

Smoked mackerel.

Smoked salmon.

Pie of the day (chicken, bacon and leek - I think).

Bumpking burger.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 341 0802

The Hummingbird Bakery (South Kensington)

2009-04-14T20:02:00.006+01:00

Cupcakes ey? Well, I was never a fan. I always thought they were 1. too sweet and 2. a serious waistline-threat. I went here, well, because of their reputation. The cupcakes were soft I give you that but the icing, like any other cupcake shop, is (too) sweet - like they're supposed to be. The best one? Red velvet, hands down. The rocky road, silly me didn't know, wasn't a cupcake but instead a solidified block of chocolate infused with chocolate chunks and marshmallows. Not much more to say about the place really, my sweet tooth just isn't sweet enough for cupcakes.

The array of cupcakes.

Part of the seating area.

The window display.

First tell them how many you want, then pick which ones.

The cupcakes.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 584 0055

Borough Market (London)

2009-04-06T22:08:00.004+01:00

Another post about a market, this time in England! I've been waiting forever to go here and it did not disappoint. One tip: bring plenty of cash - you'll need it. Everything just looked really good. You can't go too wrong really, everything there really is made to impress. Didn't quite have enough time last time to explore properly, nor the appetite - definitely going back soon, especially when Spring is here!

An American-sounding raclette-making person lol.

Look at all that cheese! YUM!

Potatoes, onions, cheese, pickles and cracked black pepper...works wonder!

A burger stand with an extremely long queue, I was too full though.

German sausages.

Topped off with sauerkraut, nice.

Just another photo of the market.

A coffee shop with a queue that goes a mile...next time!

Website: here

Frankie and Benny's (Gatwick Airport)

2009-04-06T21:38:00.003+01:00

After we got back from Barcelona we were hungry, too hungry, so we hopped into Frankie & Benny's. The decor parallels the concept they were working towards - a New York restaurant & bar. The lighting was dim but just about right. We had the sample platter, which was nice - except the onion rings. Maybe it's just me though, everyone else seemed to eat everything up quite happily.

There was quite a lot of food but not too many photos - guess I was too busy eating. In general everything was nice I suppose. Outstanding? Nah. Everything is what you'd expect it to be in a typical restaurant of the sort...just good. No complaints really.

The ambiance.

F&B Black & Blue Burger.

F&B Meatball on spaghetti.

BBQ Meatball Pizza.

Sticky chicken pasta, I think.

Website: here

Restaurant Murmuri (Barcelona)

2009-04-02T04:24:00.009+01:00

It must have been fate that I ended up eating here because I walked past it once wanting to have lunch there but my friends weren't up for it so I thought oh well. Then when I went googling online for some place nice for my birthday dinner I came across this little place, which funnily enough, I couldn't recognise. I made my reservations and got there 20 minutes late but that wasn't a problem - all is well.

Anyways, my aging life and vanishing youth (!) aside, the restaurant itself was, well, where do I begin? It's chic, I give you that. Though not the most spacious of all restaurants, they used their space well. The dishes were fused with an eminent Asian touch, which comes as no surprise when the head chef is Thai (and owns 3 restaurants in Manhattan!), and they were quite interesting.

The lighting was perfect for a birthday dinner and the staff was incredibly welcoming. The service was, simply, excellent. The menu, of course, also comes in English (be thankful!). We shared our starters, per usual, and ordered our own main course. The starters would have been just about right if it was for one but never mind that - they were good! The tuna tartar with pad thai sauce was just pure bliss. I'm wondering whether I'm being overly keen on this review in particular...but I really did enjoy their starters.

The main course, though, was a different story. I don't have quite as high a note to sing and praise here. There were a few hits but most of them were misses. There was the Secret (no photo I'm afraid; I was told it's part of a pig) with namprikprao (sweet Thai chilli/prawn paste) - which was insanely tender and rich in flavour. The Vietnamese fish was quite something too. The chicken was rather salty, the duck was tough (no photo), my beef curry was really tough (and didn't taste and look anything near Green curry), and the rest were quite, well, normal.

But, to end on a really good note, the desserts were heavenly :D I mean yeah it's not difficult to get good desserts from restaurants, even in ones that mess up their food, but this one really came through when it came to pleasing my sweet tooth. The best thing ever was the Jasmine flan - it was soft, it was really soft, and the jasmine flavour was just oh-my-goodness. The green tea textures, too, were great. And the honey cake, and the sesame creme brulee. My birthday cake, the chocolate one, was if I'm not mistaken flourless - and I've never quite developed a liking for those just yet. All in all - give it a try if you're around the area, order the right things and you'll have a wonderful meal.

Across our table.

Compliments of the chef.

White bread.

The restaurant.

Fideos de atún con cebollino Juicai y salsa de Pad Thai.
Tuna 'noodles' with chives and pad thai sauce.

Tartar de salmón en tartaletas con cacahuetes, jengibre y azúcar de Palma.
Salmon tartare with peanuts, ginger and palm sugar.

Pechuga de pollo con cazuela, de verdura y salsa citronella.
Chicken breast casserole with vegetables and sauce.

Inside the pot.

Filete de ternera con curry verde y berenjenas tailandesas.
Green Thai beef curry and Thai eggplants.

Gambas mediterráneas, wok de Glass noodles, esparagos y chili.
Mediterranean prawns with glass noodles, asparagus and chilli.

Pescado del dia con estofado de patatas y curry.
Fish of the day with potatoes in curry.

Pescado entero crujiente al estilo vietnamita con salsa de chili y palmitos.
Whole crispy fish cooked Vietnamese-style with chilli and palm sugar sauce.

Tarta de chocolate de Valrhona con chantilly de crema de coco.
Valrhona chocolate cake with chocolate chantilly cream.

Texturas de té verde.
Green tea textures.

Flan de flor de jazmín con helado de arroz de jazmín.
Jasmine flan with jasmine ice-cream.

Pastel de miel y anacardos con helado de lima y coco.
Honey cake and cashew nuts with lime and coconut ice-cream.

Crema catalana de sésamo negro con helado de sésamo.
Black sesame creme brulee with sesame ice-cream.

Website: here
Phone: +34 935 500 600

Mauri (Barcelona)

2009-04-02T04:16:00.003+01:00

Well if they're still in business since 1929, gotta be quite something ey? Walked past it, saw the cakes, thought "must try them." Went for lunch, came back, ordered 6 things between 8 peeps. All good. Unbeatable? I wouldn't go there but definitely nice. I forgot how fun it was to share food :D How this place works is you'll be given a card, which all your orders will be placed on. When you're done eating and all, you don't call for no bill, you walk yourself over to the cashier and pay there - simple.

Website: here

Restaurante Port Vell (Barcelona)

2009-04-02T03:55:00.003+01:00

The thing I remember most about this place? The pushy manager. I didn't even give this place a second look when I walked past but my friend got stuck listening to his pitch. No one seemed too bothered about eating here and since we were quite hungry went in anyways given the free sangrias deal. They weren't yummy though, just great. The restaurant was empty for a reason - always trust your gut instinct! If no one's eating there, DO NOT ENTER.

The dishes were mediocre, really, really nothing special. Far from pleasing my palate and don't even mention about them tickling my senses, as if. Plenty of other restaurants in the area, walk around yes? Don't let the man catch your attention haha. And funnily enough, having just seen what travelers posted on the tripadvisor website about the restaurant, I see that I am not alone.

Free Sangrias - part of the reason we actually went in.

Again, patata bravas.

Can't quite remember the Spanish but bread with tomato paste.

Croquettes but this one with cod.

Fried fish.

A rather soggy calamari.

An unevenly salted paella.

Website: see tripadvisor.com

Ciutat Comtal (Barcelona)

2009-04-02T03:39:00.003+01:00

This is actually where I had my first meal in Barcelona and I have a feeling it might have actually been the best one. I was going to go to Tapac24 since like Machiroku, it's recommended by TimeOut but after talking my the reception at my hotel I was told it's more touristic and locals don't actually go there. Instead, I was pointed to this place and it's awesome hands down. I'd love to sit at the bar sometime, maybe when I'm in Barcelona next time - I miss the sun.

More about the restaurant, good food, of course. Yummy desserts too. The service was excellent, they spoke English which obviously was quite useful (you'll realise that most Barcelonians don't actually speak much English so brush up that Spanish and get going!). Tapas are yummy I think, possibly because we were sharing - that's the whole concept isn't it? The tapas menu at most restaurants are quite similar so as long as you're not bored of them then you'll be in for quite a treat.

In the back room.

Patata bravas.

Croqueta pollo.

Don't quite remember the name.

For this one too, small fried fishes is what it is.

Gambas al ajillo.

Calamari.

If I'm not mistaken, pulpo - sliced squid.

Tortilla patatas, your classic Spanish omelette.

Surtido tartas.

Website: see tripadvisor.com

La Boqueria (Barcelona)

2009-04-02T03:13:00.009+01:00

Not quite a restaurant but since it's about food I'll post about it anyway! Nothing much to say really, lots of fresh stuff in the morning. Dies down quite a bit by the afternoon. Get your fresh juices from inside the market not the front, cheaper! All of them juices are really refreshing so try a few if you're thirsty enough. Definitely worth a visit.

Quite an interesting history too, something about it aligning with the Borough market in London committing themselves to selling only the best and freshest produce - cool.

As you can probably see, I've changed the watermark to something much smaller partly because the images are a new size and I couldn't recreate the watermark ban properly but also because I think the photos look a lot cleaner without a huge ban plastered across the bottom. Watermark 3.0 is officially launched.

The fruit stall at the front of the market.

Doesn't get any fresher than that!

Guilty pleasures.

One of the (more colourful of) many fruit juice shops.

Olive and more olives.

The ultimate chili shop.

Fresh seafood, and lots of it!

The reddest prawns ever, must be an interesting variation.

Something fishy.

Nuts and dried/candied fruits.

Website: here

Machiroku (Barcelona)

2009-04-02T02:59:00.004+01:00

I'm getting somewhat sidetracked and am suddenly posting reviews on restaurants in Spain but bear with me because you never know how handy these might come when you hit Barcelona :)

I'm starting off with this restaurant because it's the one with the least photos (there was one where I didn't take any because the food and place looked normal but apparently it was a hit with the locals) and it was, unfortunately, the one that I'm least happy about. On tripadvisor, you'll see six rave reviews about this place in both English and Spanish talking about both quality and price. Before I start whining, I'll say something nice. The place was small and I suppose cozy, filled with local people served by Spanish-speaking Japanese. My rusty Spanish came in handy when ordering and communicating and our food came quickly and they were decent. And of course, the price was no more than the average (that we spent on the trip anyways) - approx. 120euros for 8 people.

Yet, me and two other friends were food poisoned the morning after and I'm quite sure it's the food from there. I have no reservations about the freshness of their food but I certainly do question their cleanliness. Whatever the case, it's your own decision to make because if you're like my 5 other friends who were fine (and by the way, we all shared everything) then go for it.

'Te' - tea, of course.

Our complimentary sushi.

Tempura sushi.

And should you wish to see more photos, I've found a link which has a much more comprehensive collection, see for yourself here.

Phone: 93 412 60 82
Yet, me

Aubaine, Snog & Hummingbird Bakery

2009-03-22T23:44:00.002Z

I'm back from Barcelona (with lots of food photos!!) and I'm ready for another day out in London!! Just went to Borough Market yesterday actually, photos to follow (I don't have anything to transfer my photos at the moment) but that'll be another while. My plan tomorrow is to have lunch at Aubaine, round that up with some frozen yogurt at Snog and some take-away desserts from Hummingbird. For the late afternoon I'm hitting Chesterfield Mayfair for an afternoon tea...keep a look out!

Barcelona!

2009-03-15T17:05:00.003Z

I'll be away for a short freshening up in sunny Barcelona and soon after I'll have the time and chance to roam around in London again. Apologies for the lack of update, my past couple of weeks have been rather busy :s

Until then.

Plateau (Canary Wharf)

2009-03-09T01:06:00.007Z

Firstly, thank you everyone for your visits. It's nice to see the website pass its first 1,000-visit mark and I can only hope I can keep adding to the site for you all to see. Now on to the actual restaurant...

I actually thought I posted this but what d'ya know? Anyhow, to keep it short - nice place I guess. The view was nice and since it's still cold and all there was an ice-skating rink just right in front to add to the scene. The food on the whole was fine, no complaints, service was fine too, price, well again, very decent since it's a set meal. Just check out the photos. (Note: I had the Bar & Grill's menu not the Restaurant, maybe next time).

The view over Canary Wharf.

The bar and kitchen.

Complimentary bread basket.

Smoked salmon with cucumber relish.

Buffalo mozzarella, tomato, rocket and basil salad.

Free range poussin, mustard crust, peas, lemon spinach and green bean salad.

Lamb burger, cucumber and mint yoghurt.

Salmon a la plancha and (surprisingly tasty) stir fry mange-tout.

Ice cream and sorbet selection.Tiramisu.

Apple and calvados millefeuille.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 715 7100

The Wolseley (Piccadilly)

2009-02-20T14:41:00.003Z

I went to Claridge's first for an afternoon tea, only to find it was full because I didn't make any reservations. Then I went to St. Jame's restaurant at Fortnum & Mason for tea, and apparently they were "having problems" with their kitchen so that was another failed trip. Hungry and heading towards Piccadilly, I found myself in front of The Wolseley and just walked myself in. Since I had a reason to celebrate yesterday evening, I was more than happy to eat there since I've been longing for an eggs benedict!

We didn't have any reservations and they were still able to accommodate us (without any table turning either), which I thought was very nice because I think it's ridiculous if these restaurants are always fully booked to the extent where they can't handle walk-in customers. Anyhow, we were seated in this separate room away from the main area and although not a spacious place, it was cozy and more private.

The service was okay I suppose but at one point a waiter managed to dragged the back of his jacket across our desserts, which we weren't too pleased about. To add, the waitress took quite a long while to get our bill sorted. On a more positive note, they were very attentive with filling up our water (and it was tap so they didn't exactly have a reason to drain money. The food was alright, all the sauces were excellent. I enjoyed my eggs benedict thoroughly and my company's dish wasn't too bad either.

The dessert, which we had to order ahead since it takes 25 minutes to cook, was humongous! They said it was for two but that pan could have easily feed four or even five people. It was light and not too sweet, which was nice, but to eat that much of the same thing was a little too much to take in. So would I go back? I might just, probably for lunch this time around though.

Their selection of desserts in a separate room.

Fresh-squeezed mango and guava juice.

Deep fried whitebait with tartare sauce.

Eggs benedict (large).

Grilled halibut with bearnaise sauce.

Kaiserschmarren with plum compote (for two).

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 499 6996

So (Soho)

2009-02-17T02:22:00.012Z

This place was closed way too many times when I went, even when they're meant to be open (whole day on Saturday). ANYWAY, I managed to convince myself to go back one more time and finally got to go in for dinner. Not really much to say honestly, the food was normal, really normal, the atmosphere was extremely bland and boring, and although the service was quite nice there was nothing that was particularly outstanding. Now that I've been, no reason to go back at the moment.

Again, stuck at the counter.

(Rubicon) Lychee and Passion fruit juice.

Seared scallops and daikon salad.

Three Hor D'Oeuvres (part of a Valentine's set).

Nigiri and maki sushi selection.

Black cod in miso.

Fruit roll cake with rum raisin ice-cream.

Website: here
Phone: +44 207 292 0767