An expensive Belgravia Italian on the former site of Mimmo d’Ischia (RIP); the design (by Joseph, of boutique and brasserie fame) is smart enough, but the operation is wreathed in complacency. OK. Our lunch guest was already half an hour late when we decided to go ahead and order our lunch at this smart new […]
Much better value than its parent establishment (in Marylebone), this first branch of a proto-chain, near Holborn tube, offers a sensibly short menu of bistro staples (and pizzas too) at reasonable prices; it was already remarkably busy on our early-days visit. The original Villandry foodstore-cum-café, in Marylebone, has often seemed to be something of a […]
A mega-pricey US-import steakhouse, on the Belgravia site long known as Drones (RIP); for those prepared to pay the premium for USDA meat, it may make a congenial destination, especially if someone else is paying the bill. How much would you pay for a good steak? That’s the £40-odd-plus question that comes into your mind […]
A bistro-style boozer, right by King’s Cross, worth knowing about if you’re looking for a stop-off from your journey; for others, the formula lacks enough in the way of distinctiveness to be worth seeking out. Things are certainly looking up around King’s Cross, which now boasts half a dozen at least satisfactory places to eat […]
Surprisingly true in spirit to the original establishment of the same name, this Brompton bistro offers basic nosh for not much dosh – it’s already very busy. The old Chelsea Kitchen – on the King’s Road, not far from Sloane Square – was a true Chelsea institution. This had nothing to do with the food, […]
In a quiet part of Islington, an elegant Georgian boozer recently relaunched with gastro-ambitions; the straightforward English food is the weakest part of a ‘package’ which, overall, offers good value. It’s very difficult not to like this handsome pub, which is both spiritually and physically well removed from the tawdry delights of Islington’s Upper Street. […]
Just off Oxford Street, this North Soho chippy makes a plainly elegant destination for classic fish ‘n’ chips; the post-3pm menu offers particularly good value. Full marks for descriptive brevity. And the name does not lie, either. This north Soho newcomer is perhaps the best attempt so far to update the traditional chippy concept without […]
Lacking the sense of excitement implied by the name, this South Bank wine bar is perhaps of most note for offering free Mediterranean-style nibbles to early-evening drinkers. The rather intriguing name drew us to this South Bank newcomer, near Blackfriars Bridge. It turns out that it’s a handy enough destination if you should find yourself […]
In the vast Marylebone hotel, a luxurious but entirely uninspired new restaurant, where the prices suffer from delusions of grandeur. Beware: it is impossible for the horrible, loud and inapproriate music to be turned down in the new dining room at this hotel near Marylebone Station. Not difficult, impossible. Well, not unless you’re going to […]
