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Review of the Reviews - National

Seven Park Place

Giles Coren, The Times (Rating: 9/10)

The critic reviews the new St James’s dining room of William Drabble (the chef who succeeded Gordon Ramsay at Aubergine). He concludes that it is “a grown-up, serious restaurant for people who eat out a lot and want a treat, who can afford it, and won’t be intimidated by its elegance”.

Mennula

Toby Young, The Independent on Sunday (Rating: 15/20)

A new Fitzrovia Sicilian, that’s “as far as you can get from the family-style Italian restaurant in The Godfather”. It was “three-quarters full” on the critic’s Tuesday lunchtime visit, perhaps because the menu “has the smack of authenticity” and “[b]oth first courses [were] a great success”, as were the other dishes tasted. “[I]f you're after simple Sicilian food, lovingly prepared by a talented chef, this is the place to come.”

Galvin La Chapelle

Jasper Gerard, The Telegraph (Rating: 4/5)

The critic seems to have recognised the “cove who knocks together a restaurant guide” (your humble scribe) who co-attended the first service at the Galvin brothers’ “awe-inspiring” new dining room in Shoreditch. Fortunately, the sight did not put him off his food: [t]here is nothing terribly original here, but you can be sure the Galvins' impeccably crafted French fare will leave you smiling wide and long”.

Caponata

John Walsh, The Independent (Rating: Food 3/5 stars, Ambience 4/5 stars, Service 4/5 stars)

The critic reviews a ‘new’ Camden Town restaurant that opened under the current name in April (and which we visited and reviewed at that time). We’ve never quite understood how it’s been PRed as being ‘new’ of late, and there’s little in this review to give any indication.

Perhaps the re-launch is just a sign that – through no fault of the establishment, which we rather liked – things are just not going well: the critic finds “hardly a soul” present on a lunchtime visit.

Shame. “The menu is heftily and authentically Sicilian”, and the waitress was “attentive”. Even if realistion was “a bit curate’s egg “[I]t’s time Camden Town woke up to this temple of sunlight and adventurous cooking in its midst”.

Lido, Bristol

Zoe Williams, The Telegraph (Rating: 6/10)

A leisure destination with a “wonderful view”, but where main courses, in particular, are “disappointing”.

Farmcafe & Foodmarket, Woodbridge, Suffolk

Jay Rayner, The Observer

The critic visits the venue “voted… the best place for breakfast in East Anglia”, in the Observer food awards… and finds it good. Phew.

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