THEGAYUK

Category: Review

  • FILM REVIEW | Foxcatcher

    ★★★★ | Foxcatcher

    John Eleuthère du Pont the spoilt heir to the vast Dupont chemical fortune was a dangerous paranoid psychopath who ended up destroying lives when he didn’t get his own way. The fact that he was also a deeply disturbed closeted homosexual is also very obvious in this new chilling true crime drama based on his life, yet it is a fact that nearly all the critics, without exception, have chosen to ignore.

    Du Pont lived in the shadows of his dominant elderly aristocratic mother on their vast estate in Pennsylvania which he had renamed Foxcatcher Farm. His mother’s one obsession was her herd of thoroughbred horses and the Trophy Room that housed all their awards was the most important place in their Mansion. Du Pont deeply resented his Mother’s preference to her stallions over him, and so he built a gym in the grounds to focus on his one big addiction to the sport of wrestling, well wrestlers in particular.

    The year is 1987, and three years prior Mark Shultz and his brother Dave had won Gold Medals for wrestling at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Whilst Dave has settled down in Colorado and got married, had children and has a job coaching, Mark has a sad solitary life where his main daily function is to train for the next World Games. When he gets a phone call out of the blue from multi-millionaire du Pont inviting him to fly to Pennsylvania as his guest for a meeting, having nothing to lose, he accepts the free plane ticket and goes.

    Du Pont tells Mark that he wants not just to underwrite all his expenses but for him to establish a team of wrestlers under the Foxcatcher banner that he would like to help train for the World Games. If they all live on campus, he will also pay them generous wages too. It’s an offer that loner Mark cannot refuse and without even questioning, du Pont’s possible motives, throws his few worldly possessions in a Uhaul truck and drives across country to his new rather lush quarters on the Estate.

    Du Pont had wanted both of the Shultz brothers to lead his new team, but when Mark failed to persuade Dave to join him, du Pont lavished all his attention on just Mark. The new training facilities pay off, and three months later Mark won a Gold Medal at the World Games and schizophrenic du Pont started to treat the young athlete more like a son whenever he was in a good mood. Up to this point Shultz had kept to his highly disciplined routine which excluded things like alcohol but pressured by du Pont he tried and liked recreational drugs which would eventually lead to the decline in the two men’s relationships.

    Director Bennett Miller shows that du Pont clearly gets off on physical contact with Shultz when the two men attempt to wrestle (du Pont misguidedly thinks he also has a talent for the sport too) and leaves the implication that this may have satisfied the effete older man’s homosexual desires. However, when du Pont doesn’t get what he wants and it seems that Shultz’s new unhealthy addictions render him unable to win matches, he throws a heap of money at Dave to persuade him to come and train the Team after all.

    The vain du Pont who is now underwriting the US Wrestling Team for the Seoul Olympics insists on being recognised as the official coach even though Dave Shultz is actually doing the work. Dave accepts this to a point but a now sober Mark is deeply resentful of du Pont and his power, and although he is still prepared to accept his money, he refuses to have anything do with the man who he once allowed to fawn over him. After he fails to win a Gold Medal at the Olympics, Mark finally moves out of the Foxcatcher Estate leaving his brother to face a fate that no-one could have predicted.

    Miller, working with a script by E. Max Frye & Dan Futterman, allows this excellent creepy tale to unravel at a pace that is a little too slow at times. It’s a great ‘vehicle’ for the talented comic actor Steve Carrell to show his remarkable range playing the thoroughly unpleasant du Pont, but as good as he is I don’t think he will join the list of actors who wore prosthetic noses and won an Oscar for their efforts. He was joined on screen by the great Vanessa Redgrave who had a very tiny lame role as the mother; Channing Tatum as Mark which was at least a role that suited his expressionless style of acting; and Mark Ruffalo who was totally superb as a beefed up Dave.

    P.S. Back to the question of du Pont’s sexuality that Miller throws us so many clues about, from him waking up a near-naked Shultz after midnight to give him a book (!), to his insistence on demonstrating intimate crutch grabbing wrestling moves that he wasn’t trained to do, to the sight of his horrified mother watching her effeminate son getting ‘low’ on the mat etc. To a gay audience this will undoubtedly appear as a classic case of a rich older effete man chasing a big dumb blond sports jock: known as a ‘chicken hawk’: not too dissimilar to ‘foxcatcher’.

  • Moscow City Ballet’s Swan Lake – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★ | Moscow City Ballet’s Swan Lake – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    It is a tidal wave of tights, tutus and tiaras in this presentation of one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous ballets, performed in typical traditional style by the Moscow City Ballet.

    Telling the story of a Prince who finds his youth slipping away and being pressured into marriage, he meets and falls in love with Odette, Queen of the Swans, who is under a curse from which only true love can free her. But their love is thwarted by Von Rothbart when he tricks the Prince into being betrothed to another. When the Prince realises he has been a victim of such cruel treachery, he battles to save Odette from her curse.

    Having not been overly impressed with my first visit to Moscow City Ballet (for their performance of The Nutcracker) I was not sure what to expect, but found that Swan Lake proved to be a more entertaining and gentile evening that I anticipated. The company as a whole were very talented, and the number of stumbles and heavy footed landings was significantly less than when I had seen them before. The dancers individually were all very talented and quite natural in their performances, and there is no denying the technical ability and suppleness of the cast, but when dancing as an ensemble, there were still some flaws in the performance, with the unison of the dancers not being as tight and synchronised as one would hope for and anticipate, especially from such a prestigious company.

    That aside, the vivacious and playful score by Tchaikovsky sounded as vibrant as ever, and proved absorbing, especially during the first act. There were times when the ballet sparkled brightly, nowhere more evident than the sight of a sheer volume of swans and signets in the latter portion of the second act, which amounted to a fairly mesmerising vision. The tapestry based static set was functional and place the audience in mind of the time when this ballet was first performed; and the costumes were beautifully put together. There was a romantic pas de deux and the soloists portraying the potential suitors displaying their wares at the opening of Act 3 were quite captivating.

    For those seeking a traditionally presented ballet, then this version of Swan Lake is a safe bet and a pleasant evenings entertainment, albeit one which is let down to an extent by a lack of unison within the performance, which is a shame when compared to the tightly performed routines by companies such as Northern Ballet and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures. However, there remain many aspects of the show to enjoy and it is an easy, accessible ballet which is more focussed on dance and performance than detailed narrative.

    Further details can be found at www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk and www.moscowcityballet.com/en

  • REVIEW | Cirque du Soleil: Kooza at the Royal Albert Hall

    ★★★★ | Cirque du Soleil: Kooza at the Royal Albert Hall

    Founded in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has been around so long now that finding something fresh to come up with in each new show must be a major headache. That they succeed as well as they do is a tribute to their creative team, which is still guided by Guy Laliberte, one of the founders.

    Their show, Kooza, which premiered in Montreal in 2007 is receiving its UK premiere in the Royal Albert Hall, the scene of many of Cirque du Soleil’s successes, the hall’s Victorian rococo splendour and circular shape particularly suited to their shows. In this instance the stunning set had the look of a massive Faberge egg, which opened to reveal its magic and secrets.

    According to the lavish programme booklet Kooza tells the story of the innocent, a naïve but charming clown striving to find his own place in the world, and as usual it is the clowns who tell that story whilst linking the various acts together. They have their own charm, but there’s no doubt it’s the daredevil acts that the audience have come to see, and as usual they do not disappoint.

    For me the highlight of the evening was the death defying Wheel of Death, a spinning contraption with two empty drums on either side, in which, and on which, two male acrobats (Jimmy Ibarra and Ronald Solis) perform seemingly impossible feats, running and leaping as if the spinning of the drums was little more than a paltry distraction. Almost equally thrilling were the high trapeze antics of Yulia Korosteleva, who leaped and flew through the air with insouciant ease.

    In contrast, we had a trio of impossibly bendy female contortionists and a man (Yao Deng Bo) who proceeded to balance himself on one hand on a huge tower of chairs which he constructed before our eyes. As a display of strength, concentration and accuracy, it was utterly mesmerising.

    That said, I don’t think this show was quite on a par with Varekai, which I saw at the Royal Albert Hall some years ago, and the finale of which will stay in my mind for a very long time to come, so 4 rather than 5 stars for me.

    Kooza plays at the Royal Albert Hall till February 19.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tozi

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tozi

    Everything about Tozi oozes something smooth.

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  • BOOK REVIEW | Speaking Out

    ★★★ | Speaking Out

    Speaking Out is a collection of photographic portraits of LBGT young people (aged 14-24 years old). 65+ young people, mostly from the USA are photographed. On each portrait young people have shared their thoughts, feelings or an experience. The young people have been honest in sharing their joys and tribulations of being an LGBT youth in a heterosexual world.

    In Speaking Out photographer Rachelle Lee Smith took the portraits, handed young people a sharpie pen and left them to write what they wanted. Among other topics, young people wrote about: stereotypes, identity, homophobia, self-love and romantic love. Young people identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. It was great to see transgendered young people represented, however the vast majority of the young people identified as lesbian.

    Years later, some young people reconsidered their portrait. They wrote about how their lives had changed and what they would write now. It was enjoyable to read these reflections from young people and the book would have benefited from having more of these. Several pages of the book felt wasted as they contained quotes that either praised the photographer or the book its self. Never was there any praise for the young people who were actually brave enough to share their stories.

    Speaking Out is presented well, it’s a large book with 127 glossy pages in full colour. There is the odd page where a young person’s handwriting makes it difficult to read what they’ve written, but at no point is it unreadable.

    Speaking Out is an enlightening book that shows how we are all the same, rather than how we are different. It should be available in every school, college, library and youth club.

  • FILM REVIEW | The Interview

    ★★★ | The Interview

    With the North Korean Government furious about the Hollywood comedy that dared to portray an assassination of their Supreme Leader, they hacked into Sony’s computers and scared the Studio to make them panic enough to withdraw the movie from all US screens before its release date on Christmas Day. Even President Obama pitched in to this unprecedented major public controversy, and so a few days later Sony relented and allowed the movie to be shown in a few theatres and online after all.

    t’s not due in UK cinemas until February 6th but we had THEGAYUK’s Contributing Editor Roger Walker-Dack take a sneak preview to review the film and tell us if the fuss was really justified. Here is his report:-

    If the North Korean Government hadn’t insisted on making this the most talked about movie this Christmas there is little doubt that this off-colour sophomoric comedy would have quickly passed through cinemas practically unnoticed by most of us. It’s crude and smutty humor that, like most movies that the actor James Franco is connected with these days, is overly obsessed with being ‘gay’, and it also relies heavily on his and the writers obvious fascination with anal matters too.

    If you have been anywhere near a newspaper this past week you will know that this comedy is about a fictionalised attempt to assassinate Kim Jong-Un the Supreme Leader of North Korea. Mr. Jong Un felt so miffed at the idea that he may have had his people hack Sony’s computers and issue threats of dire consequences if the movie was shown. If only he had bothered to watch the film himself then I think if he would be outraged at anything, it would be much more about how the plot totally disintegrates towards the end and just sinks into a rather pathetic bloody battle giving the film a very unfunny finale.

    Essentially its the story of a lightweight TV presenter Dave Skylark who fills his nightly talk show with ridiculous reality items but then one night the singer Eminem accidentally comes out as ‘gay’ and for once the show’s ratings soar. It whets the appetite of Adam the show’s producer who is desperate for more serious content, which they suddenly think, is possible when they discover in magazine that the North Korean Leader is a big fan of the show. He has refused interviews with the world’s press to date but agrees to grant one to his hero Dave Skylark. A fact that attracts the attention of the CIA who recruit both Dave and Adam with a request that they seize this unique opportunity to take the Leader out.

    The plan almost fails before it begins when nice-but-dim Dave decides to do things his way when they arrive in Korea, and then he changes his mind completely anyway after a day of male bonding with his new ‘best friend’ the ‘Kate Perry’ loving Kim. Adam meanwhile does some ‘bonding’ of his own with their ferocious female guide Sook and afterwards together they plot to sabotage the rather innocuous interview that Leader’s handlers are insisting on.

    The movie is a reuniting of Seth Rogan (who also is a co-director and co-writer with Evan Goldberg) and James Franco after their first, and much superior comedy ‘This Is The End’ in 2013. The two have great screen chemistry together but the lion share of the laughs is left to Rogan who is much more at home in these frat-boy comedies than his co-star. The one thing Franco is good at however is over-acting which suits him to a tee in his role of the eager-to-please tabloid TV presenter.

    There are a few good laughs … mainly at the Korean’s expense in this silly uneven comedy … and compared to something that is really offensive like ‘Borat’ in the end this is tame stuff that will very soon be forgotten, and in the end we are much more likely to remember the drama surrounding it instead.

  • FILM REVIEW | Into The Woods

    ★★★★★ | Into The Woods

    Hollywood has a knack of bungling the adaption of hit Broadway musicals when it tries to capture the same magic for the silver screen.

    Just think of the turgid Les Miserables in 2012 or the excruciatingly painful ‘Nine’ in 2009. However when they get it right as with Tim Burton’s take on Sweeney Todd, or discovering Jennifer Hudson in Bill Condon version of Dreamgirls, then the results are wonderfully entertaining. Of the two musical movies vying for our attention this Christmas, one at least is as good as it can get, and something that its original writer and composer Stephen Sondheim can be relieved and even happy about.

    ‘Into The Woods’ is a wonderful mix of classic light and dark fairy tales that Sondheim uses to weave around an original story of his own. It’s the tale of a Baker and his childless wife who have been cursed by a witch after the Baker’s late father had stolen her magic beans. To enable them to break the spell so that they can conceive a baby, the witch sets them a list of things they must acquire for her before the 3rd midnight. It includes a cloak as red as blood, that they ‘relieve’ Red Riding Hood of; a cow that is milky white which they barter with Jack of Jack & the Beanstalk; the slipper as pure as gold that they get from Cinderella as she is running from the Prince; and the hair as yellow as corn which is snipped off Rapunzel after she lowers it out of the window of the tower she is imprisoned in .

    As the Baker and his wife go about encountering all these characters we get a slice of each of their stories. Jack egged on by his mother steals from the Giant who lives at the top of the Beanstalk, and when he is pursued, kills him only to have the rage of the Giant’s wife inflicted on the whole village. Cinderella gets to go to the Kings Festival thanks to her Fairy Godmother, but when she is eventually tracked down by the Prince, she discovers he is not quite as wonderful as we thought. He quips in defence ‘I’m meant to be charming, not sincere!’ Rapunzel is pursued by the Prince’s younger brother but when her mother (the witch) discovers the lovers she blinds him. Luckily Rapunzel’s tears give him back his sight.

    The real magic though is in Sondheim’s outstanding music in what is probably one of his best ever scores. Director Rob Marshall opens the movie with a long take of the song ‘I Wish’ which cleverly introduces all the major characters and sets the storyline up from the start. It establishes a pattern for really making the extraordinary songs a much more integral part of the story than usual. What Marshall has added to some pieces is a campy touch of humor that may offend real Sondheim elitists, but in most instances, as in the case of the two Princes so brilliantly mugging their way through the song ‘Agony’, it will surely provoke a spontaneous round of applause from the audience as it did last night when I saw it.

    The stage musical has been revived many times on Broadway and on London’s West End and the role of the Witch has been played by a whole slew of the cream of musical theatre. In the movie, however, The Witch is played by Meryl Streep who really adds much more dimension to the part in what is one of her best performances for years. She is both funny and scary and proves that she can really deliver a song with more nuance and power than most.

    In fact, Marshall could not have selected a more perfect ensemble cast than he did. Brits James Corden and Emily Blunt had remarkable chemistry together playing the central characters of The Baker and his wife; Anna Kendrick was sublime as Cinderella, as was the ever-fabulous Christine Barenski as her Wicked Stepmother; a welcome return to the screen for Tracey Ullman as Jack’s mother; Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen played the handsome Princes; and in two scene-stealing roles wonderfully talented Lilla Crawford was Little Red Hood and young Daniel Huddlestone was Jack. Plus lest I forget a brief cameo from Johnny Depp as The Wolf.

    Using the line from one of the best songs (‘Children Will Listen’) the adverts for the movie warn ‘Be careful what you wish for’. If you are a Sondheim fan or just like musicals, then you’ll learn to that after you see this movie that wishes do come true though, and in many ways.

    P.S. Last month we reported in THEGAYUK of the buzz surrounding Meryl Streep’s performance would lead to another Oscar Nomination. Now we can tell you emphatically that we are convinced she is a dead shoo-in for one!

  • FILM REVIEW | Leviathan

    ★★★★★ | Leviathan
    Award-winning Russian director Andrey Zvagaintsev’s new epic movie opens to the dramatic tones of a Phillip Glass prelude as the camera scans over the desolate sight of a remote small fishing community that looks like it may have seen better times. It is on the Kola Peninsula in northern Russia and its almost deserted coastline is littered with discarded wrecks of boats and the carcases of whales. One of the last residents is Kolya an ex-fisherman now eking out a bare living as a motor mechanic with his pretty younger second wife and his teenage son in a riverside property that the crooked local mayor wants to seize from him in order to construct a new major development.

    Kolya is no easy pushover however and enlists the help of Dimitri his ex-army buddy who is now a lawyer in Moscow. The two of them put up a brave fight but they stand no real chance of winning when they find out that everyone in authority in the town is clearly on the mayor’s ‘payroll’, including the local police force and the repugnant Orthodox Christian clergy. Dimitri, however, has an ace up his sleeve as he possesses a detailed File of evidence about the Mayor’s corruption that could be his undoing, but playing this hand could also backfire as it is clear that the Mayor will stop at absolutely nothing to continue to fill his pockets and increase his power.

    Nothing quite pans out in this drama as one would expect, and what seems to start out as a political satire on the inbred Russian system of corruption turns into a murder mystery with more than the occasional masterly touches of some brilliant black humour. Zvagaintsev’s passionate portrait is of a culture where the benefits of a contemporary society are still restricted to a privileged few, whilst most of the local population’s lives are firmly stuck in the past which they have no way or means of escaping. The despair and hopelessness seem even more pronounced with such stunning dramatic cinematography that focuses on the cold steel blue of the oft-barren landscape.

    The ‘leviathan’ large sea monster that writer/director Zvyagintsev refers too here is metaphorical but the epic struggle that the likes of Kolya must deal with in this very loose retelling of the Book of Job, is not with his faith in God but with the unwieldy and unforgiving Russian state.

    It is an extraordinary near perfect masterpiece of storytelling that keeps one on the edge of the seat for the lengthy 142 minutes, and it is very clear to see why it is swooping up Best Picture Awards all over the place, and is on the shortlist for an Academy Award too.

  • REVIEW: The Lipsinkers at the House of Wolf

    The LipSinkers are an infamous troupe of alternative drag performers who create highly innovative, outrageous and critically acclaimed cabaret shows.

    After having made appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe festival and resident stints at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, the strong collective combine costume, dance, satire, prosecco, over lashed eyes, faces beat to death and exceedingly high heels. They take you on a hilarious offbeat romp through popular music in all its glorious guises. The team lip-synch to a jukebox of pop-tastic tunes, prance around looking fabulous and drive audiences wild.

    What is it that makes the LipSinkers so appealing I hear you ask? It’s a hard thing to describe; perhaps it’s their insatiable desire to produce high-octane queer exuberance that brightens this often dismal world. Nonetheless, it is a hilariously entertaining alternative show full of performers that lip-synch to imaginatively selected songs with precision that will bring fear to the queens of Ru Paul’s Drag Race.

    The mentality is undeniably left-field: the looks are brilliantly bonkers, a kind of club-kid couture encompassing plastic Macs, lacy bodies and vintage mumus; think of Jiggly Caliente in that infamous outfit strutting down the runway. The routines are tightly choreographed, despite often giving the impression of abstract absurdum. The acts are definitely sexy and at times disgustingly sexual. However it is the chemistry between the charismatic performers that is delicious to view. Even with extra special additions, including implicit politics and the obvious sheer enjoyment at work.

    The LipSinkers have natural ferocity coupled with endearing charm. Like a heavily medicated and intoxicated Pan’s People they have an exciting feel to them that will warm the blood of any ardent cabaret-goer. Disregard any ill-conceived preconceptions you may have had about lip-syncing before and prepare to hold on tight because this group of gender benders doesn’t just offer up a bog standard show, this is a visually stimulating experience, culminating in one hell of a party.

    This is definitely a 5 out of 5 show and a performance that you have to see. It’s a free show so there are no excuses not to partake in this evening of farcicality, so worry about work on Monday and try to squeeze as much as from the weekend as you can.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Mews Of Mayfair

    A short walk from Oxford Circus tube, tucked behind shopping chaos is the tranquil Mews of Mayfair. The clientèle appeared to mainly be tourists which is not surprising as the menu design is a marriage of classic familiar dishes (Fish & Chips, Burger, Club Sandwich etc.), alongside more refined sophisticated dishes including Duck Egg, Salt Baked Cotswold Chicken, Superfoods Salad, and rare breed beef.

    The team within Mews of Mayfair were all really lovely, welcoming and engaged in conversation with us both. I find especially in London that service can be almost robotic and cold at times, but the team here were faultless and this was consistent as I observed the service with the other diners.

    To start my friend ordered the Mosaic of Wild Duck & Red Deer- and why wouldn’t you want to order the mosaic to start? Their creative flair continued through to the taste of this well-constructed starter. Essentially a pate paired with a raisin bread, and the flavours in this were superb.

    I chose the Orkney Isles Scallops served with pork belly and artichoke. Again the Mews of Mayfair showcase their expertise in the execution and presentation of this dish. Butter-like scallops served in a shell on top of a rock/seaweed filled bowl it was great to see their presentation going that extra step further. I was really impressed with the scallop and would highly recommend it.

    For the Winter period the restaurant have come up with their take on a Bambi Burger, on the menu as Venison Burger. With this dish only being available til Christmas I went for this and had it cooked medium. Served in a brioche bun with a gin and redcurrant sauce, this really was a good burger. My friend opted for their traditional Mews burger but with added meaty chunks of lobster atop the meat, which was cooked to her liking perfectly.

    With so many new restaurants opening with meat as their headlining dishes it’s important to be able to get a burger right, which the Mews of Mayfair have done so here. There were plenty of caveman flesh in face style grunts from us during eating the burgers. Always a good sign.

    Dessert. Here is where the show was stolen. I would come back here just to have the desserts alone, and I do not have much of a sweet tooth so this is really a big credit to the restaurant. I chose the Chocolate Delice served with honeycomb, yoghurt and hazelnuts. Pow in their presentation and an “oh god” moment with the first mouthful. The Chocolate Delice really is something special. Rich and mousse-like with subtle orange notes and light honeycomb with globes of cream and yoghurt.

    We also had the Roast Williams Pear served with croissant ice cream. The pear was perfection and such a great match with the ice cream- seriously good ice cream, and I should know after many a summer spent in Italy.

    I will definitely be back, not only for the dessert and friendly service, but to next time try something a little more adventurous with their main courses. Portion sizes throughout were good value for money, especially with the desserts (£7.50 most expensive for one) and the food arrived at the exact right amount of time between courses, making this a good venue not just for dinner but lunch (we dined over lunchtime).

    REVIEWED BY: Jordan Lohan
    ADDRESS: 10 Lancashire Court. New Bond Street, London, W1S 1EY
    VENUE PHONE: 0207 518 9388
    WEBSITE: www.mewsofmayfair.com
    RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
    PRICE: ££££ (explained)
    TIPPING POLICY: Discretionary service charge of 12.5% added to bill

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Manhattan Grill

    The Manhattan Grill sits very comfortably on the West India Quay of Canary Wharf. This place is brimming with style, but most importantly a talented team who know exactly what they are doing, and you can tell that they love what they do. With head chef, Damian Trejo having cooked for the likes of Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama, the Manhattan Grill provides a star factor at every angle from start to finish.

    Our experience starts in their G&Tea bar where we have a gin tasting session with the lovely Sam. Sam takes us through the tasting and stories of 7 gins where we hear of London’s first distillery, olden porn sellers, and where “Soho” originates from, to name a few.

    Tasting highlights for me were the French Saffron gin, the Monkey47 (a Black Forest German gin sold only in 500ml bottles, giving it the exclusive edge), and the Opihr (a gin where the recipe was based on a spice being taken and infused into the gin from every port on its journey).

    The bar was fairly busy for a Tuesday evening with a mix of cosy couples and booted businessmen. The restaurant was extremely quiet with the majority of tables being taken by solo suited chaps.

    We couldn’t decide what to have for starter so our friendly (and rather good looking, a recurring theme in the staff) offered to have the kitchen do us a tasting platter of the starters. Juicy King prawns in mixed chilli garlic butter, Black pearl scallops with pea puree, Devonshire pork belly, and Baked Blue Swimmer crab cake. So pretty all together on the plate this should feature on their menu as a tasting platter.

    The pork belly was far too salty for me although it was matched with a fruity cabbage- the flesh itself was heaven. The scallop with pea puree was insanely good – if I had to pick just one out of their starters, it would be this. Very closely followed by the crab cake; meaty, light and just the right amount of herbs. I also tried the clam chowder which tasted like a holiday I once had in the U.S – lovely.

    In between courses you are invited to join a sommelier (free of charge), to try some classic wines and some interesting wines from South America, South Africa and Australia. Again, here the Manhattan Grill reinforces that they know their stuff and are going to make you feel special along the way. It also came to light that this company invest in their employees, sending them on courses and trips that are of interest, which clearly adds to the staff’s happy and passionate buzz.

    Following our waiter’s suggestion on his favourite main I went for the Rib-Eye and my friend had the Fillet. The meat was superb and cooked to perfection- I asked for mine to be cooked however the chef wanted me to have the meat and it was a winner. Restaurant’s such as the Manhattan Grill that revolve around one important ingredient, means that it has to be on point. The meat was faultless.

    For sides we had the macaroni cheese (although I wish we had opted for the version they do with lobster), seared mushrooms, and onion rings. I am a sauce monster – gravy, dips, marinades the lot. So I naturally asked to taste a selection of the restaurant’s sauces; Chimichurri, Bearnaise, Bourbon Peppercorn, and red wine. Unfortunately, the sauces were a let down- I found the Chimichurri over oily and the Bearnaise bland. Bourbon Peppercorn saved the day on the sauces and it went particularly well with the Mac N Cheese.

    After both gin and wine tasting, a starter platter and a hunk of meat we decided to share the restaurant’s Key Lime Pie for dessert – light pastry and super citrus filling it was the perfect way to end the meal.

    The experience from start to finish was 5 stars, there is no doubt about that. However I cannot forgive the issue with the sauces and over salted pork I’m afraid, hence a star has been deducted. You will certainly both arrive and leave with a smile on your face, and a slightly bigger belly than when you entered! Both myself and my friend said we would be back to dine and drink again. We had a fantastic time.

    REVIEWED BY: Jordan Lohan
    ADDRESS: 22 Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf London, E14 4ED
    VENUE PHONE:
    WEBSITE: http://manhattangrill.co.uk
    PRICE: £££ (explained)
    STAR RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
    TIPPING POLICY: Discretionary service charge of 12.5% added to bill