Tag: Five Star Restaurant Review

The latest Five Star Restaurant Review from THEGAYUK.

RESTAURANT REVIEW | Victory Mansion, Stoke Newington, London

★★★★★ | Victory Mansion

Dalston is a hive of Kabob shops, loud bars and clubs, and lots and lots of Turkish supermarkets. But a bit further north in Stoke Newington is a place that stands out on Stoke Newington High Street just down the road from the local Wetherspoons – it’s Victory Mansion.

Victory Mansion is both a restaurant and a bar and is doing things a bit different, delicious and decadent, than most, if not all, of the places on this side of town.

Victory Mansion, named after a mansion block that used to be on this site, is a restaurant/bar that intertwines its food and drinks with literature to create an amazing and memorable experience.

Victory Mansion, first off, has an absolutely amazing cocktail menu that’s practically scientific in its design. There’s an amazing array of drinks, drinks that are named after characters in famous books. There’s the Holden Caulfield (Catcher in the Rye), a drink includes Aylesbury duck vodka, lillet rose, raspberry, apple and soda and the Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird) which has Wild turkey bourbon, plum sake, lychee, lime, chilli & peach bitters and ginger, among many others. We had a few of the others – one was the Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) which was a superbly delicious blend of Calle 23 tequila, banana and chocolate wine – it needs to be tasted to be believed! If you like it sweet, and who doesn’t, then please try the Henry Chinaski (the literary alter ego of Charles Bukowski) which was blended with Plantation pineapple rum, cognac, limoncello and pineapple sugar – it’s so sweet and so good. Victory Mansion’s cocktail menu is like a book, and I recommend you read it from cover and cover and sample as many as you can. It’s is an absolute standout menu.

But it’s not just the drinks where Victory Mansion is king, it’s their new Ta-Ko menu, introduced a month ago, that’s also a standout.

There are so so many choices of tacos (or as they would like to call them Ta-Ko) that you’ll be spoiled for choice. I highly recommend their Crispy Cauliflower, black bean & tamarind ragu with avocado and pepper mayo. It’s crunchy and is absolutely delicious. The charred sprouting broccoli & spring onion is also a standout – it sits in a nice dollop of salted duck egg relish for a creamy delight. Both the Nahm jim chicken and the Palm Sugar glazed beef short rib are deliciously filled – the chicken with pickles, crispy onions and mayo – and the short rib with pickled watermelon and blackberry sriracha, which were a burst of flavours in the mouth. All their Asian-inspired tacos are so good they really need to be tried. And while they are not Mexican-style (i.e. large) tacos, if you order several of them they will quickly fill you up. Each flavour comes with two tacos – so perfect for sharing for two so that you both are able to try each one. Other tacos that we didn’t get to try, but no doubt probably just as delicious as the ones we had include tacos with Blackened river trout, torched seabream, red pepper pork neck as well as one with fermented yellow bean leas, halloumi, sweet potato and mustard relish – it’s one I would definitely go back for. As a matter of fact, I would go back to Victory Mansion for pretty much the entire experience again. My dining companion and I enjoyed everything so so much, we want to go back again, and next time bring more friends. It’s just that kind of place, warm, hip but not trying to be, knowledgeable and very friendly staff, it just ticks all the boxes. Even the prices – those amazing cocktails previously mentioned go for between £8 to £10 each, and the Ta-Ko’s range in price from £3.50 to £4 and their absolute must sides (Asian cole slaw, charred corn, shredded beetroot, and MSG fries – basically Nori friend potatoes that are a must), all go for between £3 to £4 each. So there you go, all the above are reasons why you should go to Victory Mansion – what are you waiting for?

Victory Mansion does a 2 for 1 – 12 pm to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday Brunch where you get brunch Ta-Ko’s and £5 brunch cocktails.

There is also a basement that is perfect for private birthdays or dinner parties, for 30 – 70 guests.

18 Stoke Newington High Street
London N16 7PL

https://www.victorymansion.co.uk

Closed Mondays
Bar
Tuesday – Thursday
5 pm – 1 am
Friday
5 pm – 2 am
Saturday
Noon – 2 am

Restaurant
Tuesday – Friday
6 pm – 11 pm
Saturday and Sunday
12 pm – 5 pm
6 pm – 11 pm

16th December 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Lost and Found: Bottomless Brunch, Birmingham

★★★★★ – BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH LAUNCHES AT THE LOST & FOUND

The weekends are for great nights and slightly late mornings, and of course good food to awake your spirits, as well as supping on some alcoholic beverages at lunchtime and forgetting the week. The Lost & Found take this occasion seriously with their Bottomless Brunch bonanza.

The choices of Bellinis, Mimosas, Bloody Marys, in any order, are a delightful motivation to get out of bed on a Sunday morning. From 11 AM to 3 PM, you can indulge yourself in as many Prosecco glasses in a two hour booked period. The Bellinis were moreish with a raspberry floating in each glass – having one of my five a day (in abundance). What is lovely about the brunch food menu is that there is something there for any appetite. From delicate porridges to hearty breakfasts, one can take pleasure in eating rich, tasty and well-presented dishes. The hearty ‘English breakfast’ was incredibly delicious with tasty sausages and poached eggs cooked to perfection. My plus one opted for a bun-less ‘Bacon & cheeseburger’ with a fried egg and skinny fries, and according to him the dish was oozing with flavour and juices, and it definitely did not need a bun.

What contributed to the superb event was the Victorian backdrop and out-of-time ambience that The Lost & Found encapsulates very well. The mood is just terrific for a Sunday brunch and chill. Josh looked after us again, and I must say his dedication and attention to detail rivals any other host I have met. Josh took time to explain to us how the menu worked, putting us at ease when making a decision, as well as letting us know in advance that due to staff shortage the meals may take longer than we might expect. Also, Josh made sure we were well and truly Bellini-ed and I was left feeling very fuzzy and cosy sitting comfortably in the booth.

For just £22 per person, you are getting a very good experience with endless drinks for two hours, plus good quality, top-notch food and with an ambience that provides an escape for a weekend.

27th November 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Gaucho Restaurant Broadgate, London

★★★★★ | Gaucho Restaurant Broadgate

Are you looking for a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon? Look no further, Gaucho Restaurant Broadgate in the City is the place to go.

Gaucho Restaurant, which sits right in the middle of the UBS buildings right near Broadgate Circle, is hosting Saturday Electro Brunch. It’s an excellent, fun and perfect mix of music, food, and alcohol, and it’s also the perfect place to while away a Saturday afternoon. And it’s not just brunch, it’s Electro Brunch, and it’s an orgy of food and alcohol, and a real live D.J. spinning electro beats, in a sumptuous and very classy atmosphere, all for the low price and excellent valued £49.99.

Yes, for just £49.99 you get all you can eat and drink, from 11-4 on Saturdays, and the excellent price of £49.99.

We went on a recent Saturday afternoon to have a taste, and we were not disappointed at all. Brunch being the keyword in the name, the food are all brunch items, and I tried to have as much as possible to get a real flavour, and taste, of the menu, as the portions are appetizer size, and that was not a problem. The 2 small sizes of the French Toast were perfect. Served with peanut butter and strawberries. The Avocado on Toast popular as it is now on menus, couldn’t have been fresher. And my lunch companion wanted gluten-free bread, and Gaucho accommodated her, no problem! She also asked for, and got, salmon on toast, a dish that wasn’t even on the menu!

Of course, I had to have the Steak & Eggs, and it came out as ordered. Small portion, but the steak was mighty tender, and with Chimichurri dressing which is on every table, it made it all the more superb. And the oven baked chorizo was practically a main meal in itself and consisted of a nice slab or chorizo, fried eggs, delicious mushrooms and served in a small frying page, and while the chorizo was not as well cooked as I would’ve liked, it was very good. And the coup de gras were the pancakes. Though small, the two had almonds and just the right amount of syrup, dessert size portion, but a dish that I would highly recommend – tres Bueno! Also on the menu include Eggs Florentine, Fried Provoleta, Beans on Toast, Eggs Royale, and Bacon or Choripan Sandwich – there’s just so so so much!

And let’s not forget the drinks. You get a choice of the Gaucho Bloody Mary, the Aperol Spritz, Rubia Pilsener Lager, and Domaine Chandon or non-alcoholic refreshing juices such as the Apple Gone Loupe or Orange Zinger, both very refreshing and cool. For £10 more you can upgrade to the Electro Brunch Premium, which includes the above as well Pornstar and Espresso Martinis! So you owe it yourself to experience this – you’ll have an amazing time with a staff that’s so very nice and lovely in a setting that’s delectable and delicious.

Gaucho’s Electric Brunch is on every Saturday from 11 – 4 at Broadgate, Canary, Chancery, Piccadilly, Sloane, Smithfield, Tower Bridge

£49.95 PER PERSON
BIRMINGHAM, LEEDS & MANCHESTER – £45.00PP

Gaucho requires a deposit of £10 per person to secure your booking
Guests can have as many plates as they like within two hours.
All dishes and beverages are included in the price for 2 hours from the time of seating, so indulge yourself.

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16th November 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Ping Pong, London

★★★★★| Ping Pong

Ping Pong is a restaurant in London where the concept is Dim Sum – food that comes in small bite-sized portions which allow you to eat lots and lots of different types. This is what me and a friend did on a recent Saturday night. We assumed the dishes would be quite small because the prices were quite low – but once the food arrived at our table, we needed a second table to capture the overflow!

Ordering at Ping Pong is quite simple. You are given a piece of paper with all the dishes and the ones you want just tick the box and give to the waitress and then the food comes out when it’s ready, or as in our case, it pretty much came out all at once. And we ordered 11 dishes. OK, in my own defence the last time I was at Ping Pong I went with 8 other people (this was years ago) and I left the restaurant hungry as everyone had grabbed a piece of this and a piece of that so I didn’t get to eat much food. But this time it was the opposite – we left stuffed!

Ping Pong’s menu is broken down into several categories. From the Nibbles and Sauces menu we had the Edamame with honey garlic sauce – and for a nice size portion at only £3.75 it was excellent. From the Rice dishes, we ordered the Honeyed Chilli Chicken and Mushroom Rice Pot. At only £6.25, it was a nice-sized bowl and included edamame peas with very tender chicken accompanied by the nice soy sauce. I would order this dish again. Then from the Soup and Salad section, we ordered, for only £5.95, the Purple Power Chicken Salad. It’s gluten free, but thankfully not flavour free – it was very very good. The purple part of the salad comes from the inclusion of rice berries – basically purple rice. At only £5.95, it’s a lot of healthiness in the large bowl which included edamame peas and rocket salad, smoked almonds and cashew nuts, and black eyed beans, plus of course the chicken, and mixed with ginger and soy dressing.

There was more food to come! From the friend and Griddled section, the Potato and Edamame Cake (only £3.25 for 2) did just what it said on the tin, as did the Crispy Duck Spring Rolls (4 for £5.35) – crunchy and stuffed with duck, cucumber with a nice and not hot hoi sin sauce.

When you go to Ping Pong you must must order items from the Steamed menu. Buns and Dumplings come in all sorts of flavors and types, and we perhaps with our eyes and not our stomachs ordered 5 of them, and they were all very very delicious and all priced between £3.55 to £4.65 and come in threes, but the highlights for me were the beef dumplings (succulent and delicious) and the Char Sui Buns, stuffed with honey barbecued pork – yummy! My dining companion enjoyed his seafood dumplings (stuffed with snow crab, prawn and scallops with carrot pastry) while we both thoroughly enjoyed the Har Gau (prawn and bamboo shot with a very crunchy coating – one of the highlights of the meal). We also ordered the Long Stem Broccoli – superbly cooked and a generous portion at only £3.95.

Believe it or not, we wanted to taste something from the Signature and Special dishes – so I ordered us the Crispy Aubergine Bao. You’ve been living under a rock if you don’t know what bao is, but this dish came with three very large bao buns and the point is to stuff the contents into the bao. Well, the contents were superb: cooked aubergines with slices and dices of carrot, cabbage, cucumber and tomatoes and massively generous 6 large aubergine slices – and yes we ate the whole thing, almost. It was superb at only £11.50.

On a lighter note, dessert was fine. My friend had the Iced Blackcurrant Parfait – it was iced – very hard to eat! But the light cream cheese with the blackcurrant coulis and meringue disc was good, while my tiny Mochi – a Japanese rice cake with mango sorbet inside – was hard to eat because the outer casing was hard, but I got there in the end.

To wash it all down Ping Pong, as expected, serves almost any sort of drink you want. From Margaritas to sweet juicy drinks to long and short cocktails and the Asian Pimms and Lemonade for two (£16.95) which was what we had, lots of refreshing looking drinks to go with your excellent dinner. Red, White, Rosé wines along with oriental beer (and mocktails) and iced teas and lemonades round out the menu.

All the food we ate (and we ate a LOT of food) came to only, and I say only £74. As we had so many different varieties and types of food, with so many dishes that overflowed onto another table, that was one heck of a deal. We ate beef, chicken, seafood, and lots and lots of other varieties, it was an excellent and superb value for the money. And there were lots of other dishes we didn’t get to try, but on our next visit, I will remind myself to just order what can fit on one table.

Ping Pong has branches in Southbank, Soho, Westfield Stratford and Shepherd’s Bush, Wembley, St. Katherine’s Docks and Covent Garden

To book a table and for phone numbers and address to their various locations, please go to:

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7th July 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Thai Square, London

★★★★★| Thai Square, London

Thai Square restaurant is an oasis in the heart of central London. Away from the hustle and bustle and crowds and pollution, stepping into Thai Square is akin to stepping into a whole different world, a world that is calm and tranquil and where one can find excellent food.

Once inside, you are courteously welcomed and immediately shown to your table, and that is when the magic and adventure begin. And it begins with the very large and generous menu and it’s very difficult to decide what to order. So many pages and pages of choice, from the starters page to the salads and soups, from the house special menu to the stir fried and curry and grilled dishes. And then there are the seafood and noodle dishes and the accompaniments and, of course, a vegetarian menu and the set menu- whew! It all sounds and looks so very good.

We wanted to experience traditional Thai food during our visit, so we started out with typical Thai drinks. I had the Mai Tai – and it was very very refreshing for what was a very warm day in London. It was a proper Thai cocktail – reddish orange and fruity, with the rum not overwhelming at all, with crushed ice and served with a strawberry, mint and berries. It hit the spot. My dining companion had the Pina Colada. It was coconut milky white and also served with a strawberry, mint and berry. It was missing a slice of the typical pineapple but nonetheless, it was good. Both drinks were served in a long tall glass and were £9.95 each, worth every penny. So Thai Square was 2 for 2.

The starters upped the game quite a bit. The seven-piece Salt and Pepper Squid (Thai style calamari) were superb. It was uniquely twisted squid battered and crunchy and cooked to perfection. While it was served with no sauce, a slice of lemon gave it the kick it needed to go into high gear, served on a bed of lettuce with bits of chilli (£7.95). The Prawn Dim Sums (£7.75), four of them, didn’t taste fishy and was a fabulous texture, and the sweet soya sauce nicely complemented the dish. Two excellent starters. 4 for 4.

As mentioned, it was very hard to decide on a main course but the Bangkok Lamb sounded traditionally Thai, so that was what I ordered. Four generous lamb cutlets together with a unique papaya salad and sticky rice. The lamb was perfectly cooked, and the colour and texture were very good – nice and meaty and all beautifully served on two green leaves. It was a generous portion, great tasting and an excellent value at £16.95. My dining companion had the Beef Stir Fried with Cashew Nuts. It was surprisingly spicy (though categorised as one chilli on the menu), with a mix of beef and peppers, spring onions and carrots, and it was everything you could want, and more, and was at the right price of £12.50. At this point, Thai Square was 6 for 6.

We definitely had a bit of room for dessert and Thai Square didn’t disappoint at all! The Coco Sundae is a popular Thai dessert with coconut ice cream with papaya, pineapple jam, Thai palm seeds, cashew nuts and sticky rice pudding – and it was divine. But even more heavenly was the Mango Crepe with Ice Cream. Mango sauce poured criss-cross style over a large crepe stuffed with mango and served with vanilla ice cream. What a dish – we both fought over it! Highly recommended! Both desserts are serious bargains at only £6.95 each. I felt that it was almost impossible for Thai Square to top itself, but it did with these desserts. 8 out of 8.

The service at Thai Square is superb. The wait staff are very attentive without being obtrusive. You’ll want for nothing. They seem to appear at your table when your mind is thinking about something you need. It’s uncanny. The Trafalgar Square branch that we visited was decorated in Thai-inspired surroundings, with white tablecloths – it’s luxurious without being very expensive. The layout of the tables are perfect, not too close to each other so that you can hear the table next to you talking about their visit to the National Gallery or Brexit, and it’s comforting to see the chef walking around to make sure everyone is happy with their food. I’ve yet to visit their other London locations (Covent Garden, Fulham, Islington, Mansion House, Minories, Putney Bridge, Richmond, South Kensington and The Strand), but I’m sure they are of a high standard as well. I can’t recommend Thai Square enough. With all the food and drinks we had the total bill was only under £100. Excellent value for an excellent experience.

Thai Square offers a selection of more than 1,000 dishes in their award winning restaurants, and I can’t wait to go back. Exceptional food at exceptional prices. Thai Square rates 10 out of 10 – sheer perfection.

For locations in and around London, please go to their website:

https://thaisq.com

Opening times vary from location to location, so it’s best to check the website for the location you want to visit for all the details.

Star Rating: ★★★★★

5th June 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Nirvana Kitchen, London

★★★★★ | Nirvana Kitchen, London

PR Supplied

The definition of Nirvana is to be in a transcendental state – and that’s pretty much what happens to you in a visit to a restaurant called Nirvana Kitchen.

Located just minutes away from Marble Arch and nestled in a very quiet residential street, and attached to the very posh Montcalm Hotel, Nirvana Kitchen, is, as it’s website suggests, a Pan-Asian Odyssey. It’s also very delicious and will introduce you to flavours and tastes that you’ve never had before.

Let’s start with their small dishes (starters) menu. The Vegetarian Tempura is a steal at £9. There are eleven crunchy and crispy vegetables which included asparagus, mushrooms and broccoli plus two sauces – mango and miso. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, soft and excellently battered and extremely fresh – a perfect dish. But even better was the Duck Watermelon Salad. And why is it another steal at £14? Because it was absolutely superb, stunning and out of this world! Shredded Duck with mandarins, cooked watermelon, cashews, coriander, pomegranates, and basil enriched with a very tasty and mouth-watering mandarin and mint (ponzu) sauce – simply divine! The portion was big enough to be eaten as a main course if you accompanied it with rice. When you go to Nirvana Kitchen, this dish is simply a must! Other small dishes I’m dying to try next time include the Wild Mushroom Salad and Crispy Salted Squid (both at £11), and an intriguingly-sounding Rainbow Noodles (£10), among others.

You’re also in for a treat with their selection of main (Charcoal and Pots) courses. We had one from each and were glad we did. The Beef Bulgogi sounded interesting so that is what I ordered. Served on a leaf, this beautifully looking dish tasted just as good as it looked. There were many individual beef slices with a dollop of purple potatoes chokha and achari carrots – very tasty. Bulgogi is Korean style grilled meat and was nestled in it’s own sauce and was delicious. Priced at £24, it’s taste and flavour earned that price. My dining companion really enjoyed his Lamb Massaman Curry. It included cashew nuts, turnips, and was actually not very spicy. It comes in a huge charcoal bowl that keeps the soup oven hot until the very last sip! The lamb was very tender, and it’s beautiful colour added to its exoticness. And at £18 – it’s a great bargain. Other mains include Spiced Lamb Cutlets (£24), Chilean Seabass (£25), and Nirvana Baby Chicken (£17).

Nirvana Kitchen serves the usual beer and wines and cocktails, but I can highly recommend the Summer Rum Punch. It’s light and dark rums, pineapple, amaretto, Cointreau, and lemonade is a very refreshing drink on either a hot or cold day. The Maraschino Mojito and the Smoky Mexican are other possibilities. All cocktails are £14 each. The manager Daniel recommended the Italian Pinot Grigio red RIFF to accompany our main courses, and the wine didn’t take away from the delicious flavours of the food. All is all it was an absolute delight.

The restaurant is now in the space that used to be the61 Restaurant Steakhouse. It is a very clean, shiny and very opulent restaurant that can seat 110 people when it’s at it’s busiest. David recommends booking at least two weeks in advance if you want to eat here on the weekend – yes, it’s that popular! And he recommends the concept of sharing dishes, which is exactly what we did. You would be a fool not to because of the out of this world flavours of each dish you really want to taste and try as much as possible. And with very attentive service and friendly staff, you will have a delightful meal (don’t forget to have dessert!). Nirvana Kitchen is a little slice of Nirvana right in the heart of Central London.

http://www.nirvanakitchenlondon.co.uk

Email: reservation@nirvanakitchenlondon.co.uk
Address: 61 Upper Berkeley Street, London W1H 7PP, United Kingdom
Tube: Marble Arch
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7958 3222

Price Rating: ££££

Opening Hours – Nirvana Kitchen:
Mon-Sat
Lunch 12:00 – 14:45
Dinner 18:00 – 22:45 (last order)

Opening Hours – Nirvana Bar
Mon-Thur 12:00 – 23:00
Fri- Sat 12:00 – 2:00 am
Sun 12:00 – 23:00

27th May 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bar + Block

★★★★★ | Bar + Block

The Kings Cross area, if you haven’t recently been, is buzzing. Years ago it was a warren of prostitution and crime, now it’s gentrified with trendy and expensive apartments and a healthy choice of restaurant options.

Bar + Block, in my opinion, is THE restaurant option in the area. it is, in fact the perfect place to go for an excellent and very affordable meal. Located right next to Kings Cross Station on York Way and past McDonald’s and Nando’s, Bar + Block, right underneath the Premier Inn, is an excellent find. In the space that used to be the dreary hotel bar, it has been remodelled, chomped and changed. It’s now a beautiful restaurant where the bar, dining area and kitchen are all in one superbly designed and spacious large room. But it’s not just the layout that’s fantastic, the food is also amazing.

Immediately when you walk in you feel at home. The very friendly multi-cultural staff (mostly Spanish) are all smiley and eager to show you to your table. There are booths, raised tables, seats along the windows, sitting in the middle of the room or alongside the kitchen and the bar – it’s a cleverly designed space so unlike anything I’ve seen. Tables are not at all close to each other – you practically can’t hear the conversations in the room – but it’s the food that Bar + Block is all about.

Bar + Block bills itself as a Steakhouse, and they sure know how to do steaks. There are all sorts – Sirloin, Fillet, Ribeye, Rump – whatever you fancy, plus other various meat-related items. On the cold Sunday night that me and a friend paid a visit – I had the superb Smoked Paprika Chicken & Ribs, and for only £14.95, is best deal in town. Served with spicy beans and french fries, it was a large half smoked chicken with maple flavoured BBQ pork ribs, a massive meal at an excellent price! My friend had the 10oz Sirloin Steak – it was a generous piece that was tender and delicate and put a smile on his face. At £19.50 it’s a good deal as it comes with chunky chips, and for an additional £1.50 you can add sauce. He ordered the ‘B’ Sauce. But be forewarned, it’s spicy, so much so it almost made him cry. Perhaps go for the Peppercorn or one of their other sauces so you won’t need to pull out a tissue. There are so so many more menu choices that initially I really had a hard time deciding. Their Slow-cooked Pork Belly is a great deal at £13.95. Also, the Steak & Cheddar Pie (£12.95), Butternut Squash Risotto (£9.95), Linguine Arrabiata (£10.50), and the Beer-Battered Fish & Chips (£11.50) are all excellent value. The next time I go to Bar + Block for dinner I will have the Mixed Grill – for £19.95 its ribs, bacon, steak and brisket served with corn on the cob and chips – yummy! And of course there are burgers, all served with chips, and all priced under £11.50. The Eurostar employee next to us looked happy with his large burger!

Bar + Block also has an excellent starters menu. This includes the Beef Empanadas and the very good Mini Meatballs (both at £5.95) that we both ordered. I’ve eaten empanadas before and these ones were perfect! If you don’t like your meat, the Mixed Seafood Pot and Garlic King Prawns are also an option (both under £7.95).

As if we didn’t have enough food, with our mains we ordered the Mac & Cheese with Crab (a nice twist on the M&C dish), and heavenly Roasted Winter Veg (all priced under £3.95). And of course, the puddings menu couldn’t be ignored. I highly recommend the Rum & Raisin Brioche Bread and Butter Pudding – absolutely delightful, and served with warm custard – heavenly!. My friend had the Churros Sundae which was packed with vanilla ice cream, lemon curd, clotted cream and crunchy biscuit bites – he loved it (both at under £5.95)!

If the above is not enough to entice you, Bar + Block does an excellent Sunday Roast – available from midday Sunday and for a minimum of two people. First come, first served – it includes sliced sirloin served with Yorkies, beef dripping roasties, carrots, parsnips, Cheddar cauliflower cheese, seasonal greens and rich gravy, and at only £13.50 pp it’s perhaps the best food deal around in Kings Cross!

Another reason to go to Bar + Block? They do an absolutely excellent and very affordable breakfast & brunch! Steak & Eggs (£7.50), The Works (A thick cut of double smoked bacon, sausage patty, beans, salt beef hash, flat mushroom and roasted tomato, topped with a fried egg and toast – £8.50), a veggie option (£7.50), ricotta pancakes (£6.95).There’s also a children’s menu (for both breakfast and dinner) and an express menu served at lunchtime. Or if you prefer to sit at the bar, bar snacks are available.

However, no steak restaurant wouldn’t survive without an excellent drinks menu. Cocktails are great value-priced at £6.99 (we had the amazing Margarita and Bacardi Daquiri – mango flavored! Totally good and hit the spot). A small selection of wine makes it easy to order whatever may go with your meal, and if alcohol is not your thing, I recommend one of the smoothies (7 to choose from!).

Bar + Block is a perfect restaurant in a perfect setting with perfect food. It’s a must visit whether or not you’re passing through one of the nearby train stations. Heck, it’s a destination on its own!

Reviewed by Tim Baros

Telephone: 0203 889 8888
Website:Barandblock.co.uk
Email: barandblock.kingscross@whitbread.com

Address: 26-30 York Way N1 9AA

Opening hours:
Mon-Fri: 06:30 – Midnight
Sat-Sun: 07:00 – Midnight

Photos by Roche Communications

29th January 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Brasserie Zedel

★★★★★ | Brasserie Zedel – perhaps the best restaurant in London?

Steps away from Piccadilly Circus is one of the most beautiful, elegant and affordable restaurants in London. It’s Brasserie Zedel.

If you walked by the entrance to the restaurant you would have no idea that beyond the front door, and down several flights of steps, is a grand Parisian brasserie, with vaulted high ceilings, marble columns, Beaux Arts/Art Deco decor with dozens and dozens of tables to accommodate you for either lunch or dinner. But not only will you find a restaurant, this huge cavernous complex also houses a cabaret lounge (Crazy Coqs) and the elegant Bar Américain. And if that’s not enough, there’s the ZL Café upstairs which is sneakily and actually the entrance to the entire complex.

The restaurant serves traditional French food at amazingly very affordable prices. In what is perhaps the best dinner deal in London, they offer, for a mere £12.75, a three-course Prixe Fixe meal which includes Carottes Rapées, Steak Haché with Frites, and a Café Gourmand or a Tarte aux Fruits. It’s a very delicious and satisfying meal. Or, you can splash out a bit more by trying their Plats de Jour – Plates of the day (£14.25 each), ranging from Poulet au Curry on Mondays to Cassoulet de Toulouse on Wednesday. Highly recommended, however, is the Boeuf Bourguignon, a delicious and tender beef braised in a red wine sauce with a helping of mash potato – it’s absolutely divine (£12.50). Other meat dishes include a whole roast free range french chicken for two (£14.75 each) – I’ve seen it and it’s huge. Other meat dishes include smoked belly of pork (£14.00) or a massive Rib Eye Steak (£25.75). If fish is your thing, Zedel will deliver. Deep fried whiting, trout, and seabass, among others, are all on offer, and all under the friendly price of £17.75. Side dishes (entrées) are all in abundance – with cheeses, onion soup, endive salad, steak tartare and fish soup and more to allow you to start the evening with a nibble. And to end the evening you can pick from cheese dishes to a Tarte au Citron, a Chocolate Souffle, to my favourite – champagne poured over mandarine sorbet – an absolute steal at £5.50. And the drinks list has top notch wines, biéres and cidres and champagnes to complement any and all the main courses.

As mentioned above, there is also the Crazy Coqs cabaret room, offering top notch talent in the world of cabaret and beyond. Previous performers have included Brian Batt, Steven Brinberg (the world’s most famous Barbra Streisand impersonator), to actress Sally Kellerman and Julian Clary. Coming up is an, even more, star and talent-studded lineup including the comedy cabaret of Coqs favourite Miss Hope Springs, X-Factor winner Matt Cardle, restaurant Critic Grace Dent, drag queen extraordinaire La Voix, and the House of Q, an all new night of cabaret, burlesque, music, mime and more. Have a look at the website as there are a lot more upcoming acts and so the programme really needs to be looked at and studied.

For more about the program and the restaurant, please go here:
https://www.brasseriezedel.com

Reviewed by Tim Baros

Brasserie Zédel opening hours:
Mon – Sat: 11:30 a.m. – Midnight
Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
20 Sherwood Street
London
W1F 7ED
Telephone: 0207 734 4888
For general enquiries, please email: info@brasseriezedel.com
BAR AMÉRICAIN
Monday – Wednesday: 4.30pm – Midnight
Thursday – Friday: 4.30pm – 1.00am
Saturday: 1.00 pm – 1.00am
Sunday: 4.30pm – 11.00pm
ZL CAFÉ
Monday – Friday: 8.00am – 11.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am – 11.00pm
Sunday: 11.30am – 11.00pm

PRICE: £££ (explained)

STAR: ★★★★★ (explained)

25th January 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Lotus

There is a small Indian restaurant on Charing Cross Road that is doing amazing things with their food – Indian food Par excellence!

CREDIT: PR Supplied
Voted the best Indian Restaurant at this year’s LUX 2016 Hospitality Awards, Lotus is a restaurant everyone must experience. If you’re a huge fan (or not) of Indian food, put this restaurant on your radar because it will make you re-think how Indian food is being served, cooked, and eaten.

I’ve never been a fan of Indian food. I’ve always found that in any Indian restaurant you go to in London the food is very spicy and how can one enjoy a meal when you are sweating with your tongue on fire and the need to drink bucketloads of water? Well, at Lotus, the spiciness of the food is not even an issue. The food is so delicious that you will forget all you know about Indian food and will immensely enjoy their incredible food sensations.

Open for only a year, and located north of Trafalgar Square across from the Garrick Theatre, Lotus is a small quaint restaurant with beautiful upscale decor, and service, with affordable prices. And the food, ah the food, it’s just simply amazing. The menu offers quite a selection – from starters to kebabs to mains, sides and desserts, and let’s not forget the comprehensive wine list. But first, upon arrival, you are given a glass of Timater Ka Shorba – a spiced Indian tomato drink with fresh coriander – it’s an absolutely divine drink with a refreshing (and not spicy) kick.
CREDIT: PR Supplied
As with any Indian restaurant, Poppadums are a must! Lotus serves them with Mango, Apricot, Mint, Red Chilly and Green Tomato Chutney, presented on a rectangular dish, and at only £2.75, a great deal. But it’s the starters and mains where Lotus excels. Rabbit Kheema was a beautifully presented starter with rabbit inside a Green Pepper Corns and Missi Roti-shaped teepee, with coconut sauce. The rabbit was tender and delicious, and at £9.75, worth every penny. The Rattes, Chickpea, Sev and Savory Yogurt, with a warm mélange of potato wth sweet and sour spices, while a bit small for it’s £5.75 price, was very light and very good. As for the Kebabs, the Lamb Chops and Rump (lamb in a ball) are highly recommended. Beautifully seasoned, marinated in Indian spices, accompanied by garlic pickles, Indian onions and Chilli Salad, a bit pricey at £18.75 but again, worth every penny. Another amazing dish served were the golgappas – a snip at £3.75. They were four round fried crisp balls, hollow puri and filled with sweetcorn and coriander accompanied by a small jar of Jaljeera – a cumin, pepper and mint drink with tamarind chutney – that is poured into the golgappas. Eating them whole are an absolute explosion in your mouth! Very yummy!

As for the mains, the Lobster Tail and Scallops were the perfect dish for those who enjoy seafood. Swimming in a ginger, curry leaf and coconut curry sauce, it was a seafood lovers delight. The 23 Karat Gold Lamb Shanks was not at all spicy, and indeed was wrapped in gold foil, is a dish for the meat lover in you. It sits in a khorma sauce, and while it was not as tender as lamb shank should be, and it’s a bit of work to cut the meat off the bone, it’s a great deal at £22.75, plus it comes with roast potato mash, papaya pickles, spices, green cardamom and cashews. Very filling. And last but not least is the dessert. indian restaurants are not known for their good desserts, but at Lotus, they do them differently. The Rose Srikhand with Dumroot Halwa – Rose scented yoghurt in a small bowl coupled with white pumpkin wrapped sushi-style – was absolutely delicious. The Orange Rasgulla and Seviyan – Orange Cottage Cheese with Saffron vermicello – was almost too beautiful and colorful to eat, but again, it was very delicious.
CREDIT: PR Supplied
Wine pairings are served with every course. It’s Debbie, the restaurant’s sommelier, who is THE expert on which wines go with which dish. So if you know, or don’t, your Force Majeurs and Chenin Blancs from your De Loaches, to the Zinfandels from the Heritage Reserve Zinfandels or the Graciano, Vina Zorzal, Navarra – Debbie will perfectly recommend what’s best for each dish, with glasses all between £6 to £8 each. Go ahead and have a taste test, the recommended wines on the menu go smoothly with their respective meals.

I’m Head over heels in love with Lotus – it’s a contemporary Indian restaurant located right in the heart of London – and the meal was one of the best I’ve had all year. It’s also easy on the tongue and easy enough on the wallet. This 65 seat restaurant, named after India’s national flower, is truly exquisite and beautiful, just like the flower.

Chef/Manager Bhaskar Banerjee, who has a culinary career spanning 20 years, masterfully and successfully has won us over.

RESERVATIONS: +44 (0) 207 839 8797
EMAIL: enquiries@lotus.london

Address:
17 Charing Cross, London WC2H 0EP
Monday to Sunday
12:00 – 14:30
17:00pm – 22.30

Star Rating: ★★★★★ (explained)

Cost Rating: ££££ (explained)

Website: http://www.lotus.london

14th October 2016
RESTAURANT REVIEW: VQ Restaurant

If you’ve ever been to America you’ll know that diners are a staple of the culture and way of life. VQ Restaurant, now with three branches in London, is looking to fill a diner gap here in London, and it succeeds.

With already established locations in Bloomsbury and Chelsea, and now Notting Hill, VQ (Vingt-Quartre, or 24) offers American style food in a restaurant with a very modern design which makes you feel that you are not in a greasy spoon cafe but in a very classy and posh diner.

What is not posh are the prices. Like American diners, VQ offers an extreme range of food that you can have anytime, including breakfast. How many restaurants do that? If you fancy buttermilk pancakes, at say, midnight, they’re there to order. If you want a hamburger or pasta or salad at say, 11:00 a.m., feel free! As a matter of fact, VQ has just one menu, and not separate menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner – brilliant!

A friend and I visited the new Notting Hill branch, just a few steps away from the tube, and were placed in a very cozy table in the back, next to a wall that reminded us of a lava-lamp. Since the menu is so big, and with sections such as Burgers Hot Dogs and Sandwiches, Classics (Fish & Chips, Chicken Milanese, Ribeye Steak and Ribs), Omelettes and 24 hour breakfast, not including the starters and sides, plus drinks, it took a bit of time for us to decide. I went with the Club Sandwich with sweet potato fries. What I received was a massive club sliced in four sections containing chicken, bacon, melted cheddar, lettuce, tomato and mustard mayonnaise. It was so big I could not finish it all, though it didn’t help that I had also ordered the chorizo sautéed new potatoes and red onions as a delicious starter which was a meal in itself. And at only £9.95, the club sandwich is a excellent deal and could be shared by two people alongside starters or desserts. My friend ordered the breaded butterfly king prawns with sweet chilli sauce as a starter – at £7.95 it was quite a steep price for just four, but they were good. His main course was the ribeye steak, which was cooked to perfection, accompanied by the delicately smooth peppercorn sauce, but at £21.95 it’s not quite a steal. As a side dish (what was I thinking?), I ordered the cole slaw which I thought would be a complement to the sandwich. It was a massive massive portion for just £3.95, but too mayonnaisey for my tastes. Deciding that we could not stuff our faces with banoffee pie, apple crumble, eton mess (you’ll have to go to VQ so they can explain it to you), brownie or drizzle cake, we both went for the fruit salad. It was extremely divine. Soaked in mango juice, with all sorts of fruit in a medium sized bowl, beautifully presented – one of the best fruit salads I’ve had in a very long time. Their drinks menu is just as diverse as their food menu. This includes selections of white rose and red wines, vodka, gin, whiskey blends, bourbons, tequila, rums, a great beer and cider selection, as well as hot iced and soft drinks, plus virgin cocktails. We had what was the best bargain on the menu – fruit smoothies – ranging from £2.95 to £4.50 – served in jam jars. I went for the Six-a-day, which included spinach, banana, melon, pineapple, grape and apple – delicious. My friend went for the Berry Boost, a selection of three berries. Great bargains for very delicious and refreshing drinks.

Having previously visited the Bloomsbury branch, which is open all night, every night, I’ve had the burgers and they are much better than the burgers you get at Five Guys or Shake Shack (and starting at £6.95 a better value as well). They come in several types from chicken to pulled pork to falafel, to of course beef. VQ Restaurants also have great pasta choices (Mac ’n’ Cheese, Penne, Linguine with Smoked Salmon, and Spaghetti Bolognaise), an excellent salad selection (Caesar, Cobb, Salmon Lentil and Quinoa, or the VQ Salad which includes pomegranate, feta, baby beetroot, butternut squash, mixed leaves, honey roasted pine nuts, dijon vinaigrette.

So a visit to VQ is a must, anytime – day or night. Their restaurants are relaxed, friendly and are really cool, all in central locations, and with very friendly and attentive staff. Hats off to Geoff at the Notting Hill branch. A very nice and smart young French man, he took very good care of us, who loves his job, and is perhaps one of the happiest guys in London. And that’s what a visit to VQ diner will make you feel, happy.

Reviewed by: Tim Baros

Address: Notting Hill – 24 Pembridge Road, W11 3HL –

020 3745 7224 –

7am every weekday morning (8am Saturday & Sunday) until 3am on Thursday-Saturday, 1am on Monday-Wednesday and midnight on Sunday
Bloomsbury – 111A Great Russell Street London WC1B 3NQ – 020 7636 5888 – 24 hours
Chelsea – 325 Fulham Road London SW10 9QL – 020 7376 7224 – 24 hours

Website: http://www.vqrestaurants.com

Star Rating: ★★★★★ (explained)

VQ Restaurants serve all-day breakfast / brunch, lunch and dinner, with cocktail serve as well

30th September 2016
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Pharmacy 2

Now open until 2am on Saturdays for ‘Summer Lates’

South of the Old Smoke’s river is becoming ain’t-no-thing-but-a-chicken-wing trendier by the week. The Tate Modern’s new pyramid Switch House has opened its awe-inspiring 360ᵒ viewing terrace; Canadian apparel brand Kit and Ace’s new boutique resides in Borough Market; and Damien Hirst and Mark Hix’s new venture – Pharmacy 2 (P2) – situated above Newport Street Gallery in Vauxhall (NSG), Hirst’s very own gallery exhibiting Damien’s personal collection from the likes of Banksy, Tracey Emin and Picasso. P2 hosts Saturday ‘Summer Lates’ night where the dripping-in-Hirst-decor eatery pumps out club grooves from 10pm until 2am with a DJ on the reins.

Nowadays, you can’t hit the south side of the Millennium Bridge unless you’re sporting a beard, spray-on jeans and a whole menagerie of flaming birds tattooed across the back of your neck.

Super-ish cool, hip and roughly happening kids that we are at TheGayUK – we thought we’d better slip into our skinnies and take a butchers.

Our first artist of call: Jeff Koons, whose work currently dominates the NSG. Obvs a fave of Mr Hirst’s, he owns the whole collection here bar two pieces. A giant Balloon Monkey, oversized mound of rainbow Play-Doh and Inflatable animals intwined in household objects and each other. Just imagine if Willy Wonka didn’t have a sweet tooth.

It was a long-term ambition of Damien’s to own a gallery and share his art wares – entry is free. Don’t miss Made in Heaven in the ‘no photos aloud’ room – see-no-evil emoji monkey.

Appetites dosed up, we sauntered up the Fun-House-esque spiral staircase to the restaurant and were greeted as if we were clutching a Wonka Gold Ticket – a hot-chocolate welcome.

Our waiter diagnosed parched palates and swiftly remedied with an Espresso Martini: Merlet c2 Café and espresso at £9 – and a Temperley Sour: Somerset Cider Brandy 3 years, Somerset Pomona Burrow Hill apple juice, lemon and egg white at £9.50. The martini was rich and aromatic with a firm head – just the medicine. Glüwein spices, ripe apples with zesty undertones made the West Country infused sharpener quite the positive anesthetic.

If the staff at our local Boots had half the enthusiasm and knowledge as well as following P2’s smart dress sense we’d look forward to lining up for prescriptions.

Our waiter administered direction – we started with Brick à l’oeuf de canard with rose harissa at £6.95 – do you remember when granny couldn’t get the Sunday Yorkshires to rise? A light half-frisby, crispy wafer pastry covering a runny egg – lively peppers and chilli from the harissa was the perfect cardiac-stimulant to complete the simple Tunisian plate. Tasty.

The next starter: Pockstones Estate grouse on Yorkshire toast with bilberries and chanterelles at £12.50. The cure of the night, and one that should be sold over the counter. The tender bird is infused with woody overtones and hints of sweet gamey partridge – fruity aromas from the mushrooms, and bitter but intense currant flavours merge beautifully to make the ideal antidote.

As you would expect from Damo, you’re surrounded by medicine cabinets, Hirst’s butterfly Kaleidoscope paintings and mosaics of pills – this is an adverse drug experience – beats any operating room. Capsule-ating – make an appointment with your GP.

The serum recommend to accompany our mains: Beaujolais “Vieilles Vignes”, Domaine de la Rocaillère, Burgundy, France, 2014 at £30.50. Hints of gusto Noël with savage strawberries and a modest oak bouquet – a sophisticated and well balanced bottle of plonk.

For our mains: Torbay monkfish tail curry with onion bhaji at £16.95, and Peter Hannan’s barbecued sugar-pit rib of beef with Lambridge Farm pea salad at £18.95. The fish was succulent and the aromas were infectious – but lacking in symptoms of India – basic vital signs of flavour. In some cases braised beef can cause nausea and vomiting – quite the contrary here. Hix knows how to cook cow. Once through the syrupy barbecue coating, you’re met with a pink and supple meat – a wholegrain mustard injects tart and completes the dish.

Throughout the evening a steady stream of well attired patients entered the premises – creating a natural buzz – no extra pharmaceuticals needed. Towards the end of our meal the DJ became the central nervous system bestowing a club/bar feel.

‘Summer Lates’ and Jeff Koons exhibition both finish 16th October. We prescribe a good dose of both.

Reviewed by: Thabian Sutherland

Address: Pharmacy 2 Restaurant, Newport Street, London, SE11 6AJ

Phone: 0203 141 9333

Website: www.pharmacyrestaurant.com

Star Rating: ★★★★★ (explained)

Every Saturday Newport Street Gallery is open from 10am-10pm (last entry at 9:45pm).
‘Summer Lates’ at Pharmacy 2 will run from 10pm-2am (starting Saturday 30 July) until the close of the Jeff Koons show on 16 October.

The next “late” is on the 24th September.

Pharmacy 2 is open all-day serving breakfast / brunch, lunch and dinner.

7th September 2016