THEGAYUK

Tag: Four Star Restaurant Review

The latest Four Star Restaurant Review from THEGAYUK.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Arabica, London – fresh, delicious and very very good food

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Arabica, London – fresh, delicious and very very good food

    ★★★★ | Arabica, Kings Cross, London

    The Kings Cross neighbourhood continues its renaissance with more and more shops and restaurants opening up, and with new apartment and offices sprouting up like weeds. Also new to this area is Arabica. 

    Arabica, situated on a corner facing the establishing and pleasantly calm, green space known as Lewis Cubitt Gardens, is slightly away from the hustle and bustle of Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square in this rapidly developing area. 

    One of six branches in London, Arabica brings food, ingredients and more from the Middle East to London for food and flavours that are delicious and flavourful. The Kings Cross location, open only for four months, is one large room with an open plan kitchen with bar and is a sleek and calm environment with service and food to match. Anyone from a single diner, couples or larger groups would feel comfortable at Arabica, with seating arrangements appropriate for all.

    Open seven days a week (the Borough Market location as well), Arabica is open for brunch, lunch and diner. It was the brunch menu that we tried, and we were treated to a combination of dishes which brought a potpourri of smells and flavours to our noses and tastebuds. 

    The Arabica Fry Up (£10) was just that – Rookery farm eggs (cooked over easy soft), house-cured lamb bacon, beef sujuk, roasted tomato, chestnut mushroom, Za’atar (Persian) bread, served in a small frying pan, and is one delicious dish. The beef sausage and the lamb bacon (rather like mini lamb steaks) were very very good (though a bit too salty), with watercress in the pan to give the dish a bit of colour and zest. While not 100% filling it’s perfect for those who like it all but don’t want to feel too full and bloated.

    The Turkish-Style Fried Eggs dish was simple yet flavoursome (£9). Fried Rookery farm eggs with roasted peppers, aubergine, tomato, herbs, and crispy shallots was a bit similar to the fry up, except substituting roasted peppers, aubergines and shallots for the meat, and with parsley sprinkled on top for the green look, with a serving of beef sujuk – slices of a mildly spiced beef sausage – were an excellent accompaniment to this satisfying and tasty dish. Very seasonal and very good. 

    But the stand out dish was the Moorish Buckwheat Pancakes. A snip at only £7.50, the three large pancakes were amazing. Topped with sweet caramelised bananas, salted date honey caramel, with roasted pecans generously sprinkled on top, and with orange blossom cream which brought together tastes that were very delicious. The pancakes have a great flavour and texture (buckwheat) that make them so very very unique with each mouthful as satisfying as the last. Highly recommended. Other brunch choices include the Breakfast Pide and the Halloumi & Herb Tortilla (both £9).

    The Turkish Coffee was thick and aromatic as hoped, with the cardamom flavour clearly and pleasantly evident from first to final sip. The Turkish Delight served alongside this was a lovely touch, and among the best I have sampled, with pistachio nuts and pomegranate molasses providing a sticky, chewy treat, which was not overly sweet.

    Perhaps a visit for dinner is in order just to be able to eat dishes from the Hot Mezze selection (Steak & Bone Marrow Pita and Lamb Kibbeh are some of the highlights), the Clay Oven choices (Babaganoush Man’Ousheh and the Lahmacun – Turkish pizza with spiced lamb), or the Charcoal Menu (Berbere Spiced Cauliflower, Beef Shish, and the Chicken & Pistachio Shish), as well as the Vegetable and Grains section which all sound very very delicious and very very healthy.

    The cocktails, though we didn’t try any, also sound amazing, from the Turkish Delight (Vodka, hibiscus liqueur, strawberry & rosewater jam, vanilla aquafaba – £9) to the Pomegranate Margarita (yummy – £11), or the Halva Daiquiri (Dark rum, fig & hazelnut liqueur, ginger syrup, lime, tahini aquafaba, walnut bitters – wow – £12) or perhaps the Turkish Coffee Martini (£10) which will no doubt blow your socks off.  

    The selection of fresh, delicious and very very good food are some of the reasons I’d go back to Arabica, whether the Kings Cross of the other restaurant locations (Borough), Selfridges (Food Hall) or to the Market stall locations (Borough again, Southbank and Real Food Markets). Great service, beautiful looking food, and a generally warm feeling all over are other reasons I’d go back.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Other Side Fried, Brixton, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Other Side Fried, Brixton, London

    ★★★★ | Other Side Fried, Brixton, London

    Fried chicken was all the rage in 2019 – will it be just as popular in 2020? Well Other Side Fried (OSF) is trying to make sure this will be the case.

    With five locations in London, including two in Brixton, they are all about fried chicken – just what it says in the name! Buttermilk – dipped chicken is offered in several burger varieties. In my quick visit there one Saturday afternoon to the flagship restaurant in Brixton (not Pop) – the Honey Butter chicken burger stood out on the menu. Loads of pickles and lettuce under the chicken with bacon on top – was – to borrow a well-known phrase – finger-lickin’ good! It wasn’t that large considering the price –  £8.45 – but it was delicious thanks to the smoked honey butter sauce. My friend had the Bacon Cheese chicken burger with OSF special sauce – at £7.45. Other burgers include the Classic, Buffalo, Garlic & Mayo and Vegan – all priced between £6.45 and £8.45. What makes OSF chicken burgers taste better than KFC? The quality for one, and secondly the taste – OSF are original, and good.

    The order of fries were very good – they were of the small-sized variety. I asked for no salt so that I could taste them as they should be tasted – plain, but they came salted – oh well – but were cheap (£2.45). The Dirty Tots were superb. A bit pricey at £5 – they were topped with bacon bits and delicious ranch/hot sauce but weren’t hot at all. We thoroughly enjoyed these and ate them all up.

    We tried the Garlic Butter Mayo and Smoke Honey Mustard (superb) dips to go with our chicken and fries(a must at 50p each). If you want bacon or Parmesan cheese these will set you back £1 each. Beer, wine (pending liquor license approval in the main branch) and soft drinks are available as well.

    If you find yourself in either Camden (Camden Lock Market), Leicester Square or Peckham (Peckham Levels), you’ll find their other locations. They are smaller so there are less menu options but the quality of food is the same throughout all the locations. The original location is right near Brixton tube station – you can’t miss it – it’s all glass – and an ugly orange inside. Too bad loud rap music was on play – not pleasant for this small 16-seater location. And unusually it was not busy at all when we were there at Saturday lunchtime.

    Thanks to OSF – it looks like the fried chicken craze is here to stay – though I’d still stay away from Chicken with waffles – it’s so so wrong!

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Fafa’s, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Fafa’s, London

    ★★★★ | Fafa’s, Central London

    For the perfect, Pita , Mezze or Salad in the West End, you can’t beat Fafa’s

    Open only for four months, Fafa’s is on the cozy corner where Neal and Monmouth streets converge to face Shaftsbury Avenue. It’s a busy intersection and it’s easy to walk past Fafa’s, but please don’t. Pop in and you’ll be rewarded with very good food with prices that are very affordable.

    If it’s a quick meal you want, Fafa’s is perfect. The food comes in three choices: Pita, Salad, or Mezze box. The Pita options are falafel and meat or fish. I tried the Short Rib, with harissa and beetroot. It had a bit of a zing to it but it was a nice portion of Short Rib stuffed into the pita, very good and good value for £8.50. My friend had the Falafel Mezze Box which included several ingredients including aubergine, broccoli, beets, cauliflower, tabbouleh, and a bit of chilli. At £7.50 it’s a good deal if you’re not starving but need food prior to a show or an event. Chicken breast, grilled shrimp or Fafa’s burger can be added for a small supplement to the mezze box.

    Pitas are offered with several options including chicken liver with caramelized onion, chicken breast with tahini, Fafa’s Burger, tahini and aubergine, grilled shrimp, harissa and tzatziki (both at £8.50), and roasted salmon, harissa and tzatziki (£9). There is lots of variety to choose from!

    There are also salad options. Goats cheese, beetroot and pesto salad (£ 8), halloumi salad as well as chicken tabbouleh salad (both at £8.70).

    The yummy sides include Sweet Potato Fries with Tzatziki sauce, (ask for no salt to taste the real flavour of these), the Halloumi Strips with Harissa. These were absolutely superb and cooked to perfection – I’ve never tasted Halloumi Strips as good as these! a must. Other options include Fries with Beetroot Ketchup, Roast Vegetables, and Falafel and Tahini.

    Fafa’s has the best selection of drinks I’ve ever seen in a small cafe – it’s mind boggling with so much to chose from. Non-alcoholic choices include Char Tea, Square Root, Crooked, and Belvoir, to alcoholic drinks such as Eden Mill, Nice (wine), and Metroland (beer) – excellent selections.

    You can’t beat the location, the food, and the prices at Fafa’s.co.uk. Don’t rush by, go in and you will be pleasantly surprised.

    www.fafas.co.uk

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | PF Changs, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | PF Changs, London

    ★★★★ | PF Changs, Central London


    There are two words that I would use to describe PF Changs Asian Table restaurant – absolutely delicious.

    Serving authentic pan-Asian food, and it is, no doubt, one of the best of these types of restaurants in town. Let’s get right to talking about the food. My main course – Grilled Asian Marinated (for 24 hours) Rib Eye was the star dish of the evening – and was great. Perfectly cooked, nicely-sized portion, uniquely sliced with a delicious side of wasabi mash, it was good enough to make a grown man cry – it was that good (and reasonably priced at £19). We were also given a mistake dish – a dish we didn’t order but somehow landed on our table – the Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs – and they were simply divine!

    Four pork ribs – slow-braised, with a nice slather of savoury BBQ sauce, absolutely moist and tender and finger-lickin’ amazing! Sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with a side of garnish, they were succulent – an excellent mistake dish (a great deal at £11.25)!

    My dining companion had the Grilled Asian Salmon – served on a bed of asparagus with red pepper slaw. It was a moderately-sized chunk of salmon, but a bit dry where the marinade did not come through in the flavour and served with a grilled lemon, (£14.25). To go with our main courses we had the Wok-Seared Tempura Cauliflower – slightly undercooked but still good and excellent value at only £4.25.

    Our starters were quite amazing as well. I had to have The Original Dynamite Shrimp. There were ten or so tempura-battered shrimp in a spicy Sriracha aioli with a sprinkle of spring onions. The texture was amazing as they were crunchy and were nicely presented in a large cocktail glass – but were a bit too spicy for me – which the menu nor the waiter mentioned. My friend opted for the Handmake Pork Dumplings (£8.50) – four which came with a drizzle of soy & chili mash. They were very good.

    We started the night off with cocktails. My Asian Mojito was refreshing as it contained a mix of pineapple juice, honey, lemon and sparkling green tea – ah – a very very nice combination (£7), and it came with a never seen shisole leaf. They, unfortunately, didn’t have my first choice – the Pink Paradise Cooler. My friend had the Tom Collins – an old-style drink with Gin, Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup, Soda and Lemon Oil (£10). Lots of other drinks on the menu that I will try next time I visit (yes, I will definitely go again). And I will go back not just for the main courses or starters but also for the desserts – they were amazing!

    The Kaya French Toast was absolutely stunning! Brioche bread topped with caramelised pineapple, maple syrup, kaya jam and whipped coconut cream – it’s better than it sounds! We were so full but we managed to finish most it! Dare I say it is a bit better than the American version of french toast – there I said it. Also pretty amazing were the Banana Spring Rolls. A bit hard to describe – they were four puff pastries with vanilla sauce and a smattering of berries along the edges with caramel drizzled on top, with ice cream (or sorbet) smack dab in the centre. The presentation on this was gorgeous and the taste even more so. Both desserts get five stars from me.

    It really helps in deciding what to eat or drink as the menu comes with pictures. I wish every restaurant would adopt this idea.
    The location of PF Changs couldn’t be more central – a minute’s walk from Leicester Square and the tube station. It’s not a massive restaurant – and the night we went (on a Sunday), the place was packed all the time. Even after ten p.m., people were still coming in – on a Sunday night! A mostly youngish Asian crowd all seemed to be very much enjoying their meals and their time there. I have to say it’s a fun place to be at and the hostess was absolutely lovely and cheerful. I highly recommend a visit.

    ADDRESS:
    10 Great Newport Street

    London

    WC2H 7JA

    OPENING TIMES:
    Sunday – Wednesday : 11am – 11pm

    Thurs – Saturday : 11am – midnight

    https://www.pfchangs.co.uk/

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Circolo Popolare, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Circolo Popolare, London

    ★★★★ | Circolo Popolare, Central London

    Circolo Popolare is one of the hottest newest restaurants in town, with people without a reservation queuing outside in the hopes of getting a table. If they ever get inside, they’ll be enveloped in a room full of warmth and colours so alive they’ll feel like they’ve stepped into a restaurant in the Mediterranean.

    Walking into Circolo Popolare is a wow moment. Hundreds of liquor bottles line both sides of the walls in the main room – which is very vivid and bright. Tea lights and greenery hang from the ceiling, while past the kitchen towards the back there is another beautiful room to explore – with an olive tree in the centre. Circolo Popolare has to be one of the most beautiful restaurants in London. But how’s the food?

    Me and my dining companion had a very hard time choosing what to eat, and while it’s not a huge menu, we just didn’t know what we fancied. The cocktails were an easy choice – we could’ve ordered several but stuck to just one each. The Lemoncello Spritz was absolutely divine. With just the right amount of Absolut vodka, a couple dashes of Limoncello Amalfi, Prosecco Cinzano, maracuja, and peach, with lemons aligned on the sides of a large wine glass – it was stunning and delicious, and I highly recommend it (£7). My friend had Look Me in The Eyes – a drink served in a cheeky novelty mug and held a blend of three rums, almond hibiscus syrup, Triple Sec, lime, and maracuja. It had a kick thanks to the rum but it also had a sweet fruity flavour (£9).

    Of the 8 antipasti starters on the menu, we ordered two. We thoroughly enjoyed the Crudo Crocante – 3 small lettuce cups with Cornish sea bass, confit tomatoes,  dehydrated olives, lemon, baby herbs. The menu states they are a must – and they are. Nice and chilled – with a delicious vinaigrette dressing sprinkled over – it was a nice combination of food in a dish that’s not too filling and a bargain at £7. We also tried the Pizza Fritta Montanara – a smallish dough bread stuffed with tomato sauce with Parmigiano sprinkled on top. Delicious and moist, and it complemented the Crudo. The Frittatina (Mac and cheese bites) looked interesting – but seemed too cheesy, The Sam Daniele Ham and the Magic Mushroom Bruschetta looked like other very good choices.

    And choice is the keyword for the main course options. Pizza, pasta and hot skewers of meat or fish (Dalla Griglia) are there. The pizza selection is not super sexy – I opted for the Animal Lover pizza which happened to be cheeseless. It was moist and had a healthy topping of aubergines, mushrooms, red peppers, vegan pesto, and taggiasche olives, but there was nothing really special about it. My friend had the Straccetti di Vitello Dalla Griglia – one very large skewer loaded with veal, sweet potato and mushrooms served over nicely browned potatoes and grilled courgettes – at £17 it’s definitely worth its weight and was very good though the veal could’ve been cooked a bit more. My friend did not finish it which I took as a bad sign.  Pasta choices on the menu include lots (perhaps too much) creamy and cheesy dishes, but I hear the Crab me by the Paccheri is the best one (Thick-cut home-made paccheri pasta with crab, red gurnard, mussels and tarragon – £20).

    For dessert almost everyone seemed to be having the Circolo Sundae – a huge sundae with XXL gelato, cookie chunks, churros, brownies and home-made whipped cream – and it is large and comes adorned with a sparkler on top – it better with a £16 price tag!

    I opted for something a bit more simple – the You Make Me Crumble – basically apple crumble – but it was served cold which I wasn’t expecting. Was is pre-made and had been scooped right out of the refrigerator? It was not worth £7. My friend had the Banoffee Pie which was a much better choice. The mascarpone whipped cream on top was luscious – a divine dessert at £8.

    The dishes are served in beautifully coloured plates full of different patterns, while the staff are as nice as  they can be, managing the crowds who are constant on the weekends, and some people come in just specifically to take pictures – though not many are able to sneak past the two (!!) check-in counters.

    The menu is quite colourful as well, and special attention must be paid to the Big Boy French Toast on the breakfast menu. It sounds absolutely wonderful (fluffy brioche, raspberries and raspberry coulis with mascarpone whipped cream) and a steal at £9 – which I am very much looking forward to eating later in the year. The French Toast is also served on their brunch menu, along with their other breakfast items Eggs Alla Fiorentina and Ricotta Pancakes.

    Circolo Popolare, which can be rightly described as a sunny Sicilian trattoria, is a lovely place to while away the time pretending you’re in sunny climes (not many windows in the restaurant help with this fantasy), but main dishes could be a bit more tasty and fulfilling.

    Circolo is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch with friends, and dinners under the starry ceiling.

    https://www.bigmammagroup.com/en/trattorias/circolo-popolare

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Hunters Moon, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Hunters Moon, London

    ★★★★ | The Hunters Moon, London

    A restaurant and pub that immediately makes you feel at home is The Hunter’s Moon in Fulham.

    With its rustic and inviting front pub and the warm and cozy restaurant in the back, The Hunters Moon has comforting food and good drinks to match its vibe. Founded by Oliver ‘Ollie’ Marlowe and  Hubert Beatson-Hird, and only open for over a month, the word is out and The Hunters Moon is filling up on sundays because of its very delicious and very affordable Sunday roast. It’s excellent value for the money because the roasts (Butter Roast Cornfed Chicken, Stuffed Gloucester Old Spot Pork Belly, and the Treacle Cured Sirloin of Beef) come with a sizeable helping of roast potatoes, a massive Yorkshire pudding, green beans and gravy. The Pork Belly was plentiful, nesting and curled up on the plate waiting to be eaten. The Beef was cooked to perfection and was very good – with a dollop of carrot purée and horseradish, with cabbage – and at £18.50 and £21.00 respectively great value for the money. Visually and tastefully impressive.
    We tried a couple of the starters because they sounded very unique – and they were! The scallops were simple divine. Sitting on ponzu dressing (very citrusy), with radish and ginger and whipped avocado, it was the dish of the evening – a beautiful lush color and a perfect blend of ingredients – served cold – and unique and absolutely delicious! And at £10.50 worth every penny. Also treat yourself to the oysters (6 for £16.00). Mouth watering, taste of the sea, and very good. Both starters were very light and were perfect for the big meal ahead.
    There are four sides you can order if you’re really hungry, I would recommend the stuffing – sage, onion and chicken liver – was just divine – and complemented the roast (£7.00). Also good was the smoked bacon and cabbage – a great combination and not too heavy (£7.50). The carrots were wonderful as well, nice and soft and the sprinkled with thyme on top to make them extra special.
    And for dessert, if you have any wits about you you’d order the Lemon Tart. It’s wonderfully tasty and thankfully not big in size – but every bite of it is ecstasy. Highly highly recommended.
    We decided to try something different to drink with our meal. We had the Digby brand of their lavender pink Brut. I have never seen this on any menu before and it was sweet and not too bubbly – excellent quality – all for £11.50 a glass.
    People are raving about The Hunters Moons Roasts – but there are other items on their other menus, where they geniusly keep it simple, with Cod, Grilled Plaice, and Beef Wellington and Veal Chop (to share), and of course burgees at lunchtime. The meat here is of the finest quality and comes from the local source of Macken Brothers Butchers of Chiswick. But must importantly, and besides the food, you feel like you’re at a home when at The Hunters Moon – it’s just so cozy and warm, and the food so delicious, and the staff very very friendly, and if you meet Ollie you’ll instantly like his boyish charm and personality.
    Whether you’re brunching, lunching, dining a deux or hanging out with friends over after-work drinks, The Hunter’s Moon is the place to be and to be seen this autumn.

    86 Fulham Rd
    South Kensington, London
    SW3 6HR

    02039042270
    info@huntersmoonlondon.co.uk

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bloomsbury Street Kitchen, London

    ★★★★ | Bloomsbury Street Kitchen, London

    Lower Bloomsbury Street has finally come alive with the opening of the new restaurant Bloomsbury Street Kitchen.

    In the restaurant space in the Bloomsbury Hotel that used to be Steak & Lobster, and a whole host of other boring restaurants that just weren’t exciting, Bloomsbury Street Kitchen changes all that.

    Part of the Street Kitchen brand (others include May Fair Kitchen, Monmouth Kitchen, Leicester Square Kitchen, and Peter Street Kitchen (Manchester)), Bloomsbury Street Kitchen serves contemporary Japanese and Mediterranean small plates in a very cool and contemporary setting, with staff who are attentive, international, and very knowledgeable about the food.

    As you walk in, you are enveloped in an olive tree-adorned entrance, into a room that is beautifully designed, sleek, comfortable, and oh so cool. And this also describes the food. The small plates come in all sorts of varieties and flavours, in different categories such as Starters, Fish and Seafood, Small Plates and Salads, Signature Gyros, Japanese Flat Tacos, Bincho Grills, and Sides (these are the categories we ordered from), but there are a few others as well.

    One of my favourite dishes of the ten we ordered on our Thursday night visit was the Zucchini and eggplant chips with tzatziki (a steal at £5). Eight piled high, deep fried, the tzatziki had a twirled cucumber in it – and was absolutely divine, and great value for the money. The Oven-baked lobster and king prawn with parmesan crème and chilli herb crust was beautifully presented in a seashell, had a nice golden brown crust on top, but was a bit too rich, but at £14 it’s a right price.

    The Crispy-spiced Lamb Bites from the Small Plates menu were very good.  Similar to empanadas, the dish included 6, not spicy at all, but a bit pricey at £9. The Crab and asparagus salad with dijon mustard and lemon mayo from the same section of the menu was absolutely delicious. A fairly large portion, the mustard and lemon enhanced the taste of this dish (£9) as well, and it was very very unique.

    We also ordered the Slow-cooked glazed lamb shoulder with chilli fries and lemon feta yoghurt from the Signature Gyros menu – at £9 you get two gyros, medium sized, that are tasty. These are not quite a main dish, but the lamb was delicious. The Japanese Flat Tacos, however, are not tacos at all but tortilla crisps (4 in total for each order) laid out flat with a topping. We had the Tuna sashimi with truffle ponzu mayo (£7) and the Seared beef tenderloin with wasabi and shichimi mayo (£9). The seared beef literally melted on our tongues (but was a bit salty) while the tuna was chunky and good. Next time I would skip these and order other dishes. I would also skip the Bincho Grill choices (King Prawns and Baby Chicken). We ordered the prawns which were smothered in chilli and cumin and were very very spicy. Two sticks with two each – it comes to your table in a bincho (hibachi) grill – so expect lots of smoke! But for what you get it’s not good value for the money. Instead throw in a couple of the side dishes – specifically the Chilli and sake flamed tender stem broccoli (£5) – very very good.

    There are loads of cocktails to choose from. I had the Rosé Sangria which included San Salvatore Rosé, Malfy Rosa gin, RinQuinQuin, Hystérie liqueur, strawberry, raspberry, lemon and nasturtium (£10.50).

    Beautifully coloured, tasty, and refreshing, it made for a nice start to the evening. My dining companion had the non-alcoholic Pineapple and Cucumber drink. While a bit too tart, the green in color cemented this as a healthy option. Other unique options include Lychee & Elderflower Martini, Kyoto Sour (whisky, ginger, apple, citric cordial, yuzu, rosemary and egg white) (£9.50), Hoba Smoked Old Fashioned (Diplomático rum, Laphroaig whisky, Mozart Black, umeshu, chocolate bitters and hoba leaf smoke (£11.50), and other wonderfully-flavoured uniquely different cocktails.

    Bloomsbury Street Kitchen also has a Vegan Menu, and a lunch and pre-theatre menu, A Christmas Day menu (at £95), and a New Years Eve menu (£75). The restaurant is centrally located, minutes away from Tottenham Court Road Station, and accepts reservations here:

    Bloomsbury Street Kitchen is an excellent addition to this dreary area of London. Come for the unique selection of drinks and stay for the unique selection of dishes, and atmosphere. There is a DJ on some nights, but it’s not loud and gives the restaurant the cool vibe that will make it last.

    T: +44 20 7666 2044

    E: reservations@bloomsburystreetkitchen.co.uk

    9-13 Bloomsbury St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3QD

    Breakfast

    Monday – Saturday: 7am – 10.30am

    Sunday: 7.30am to 11am

    Lunch

    Monday – Saturday: 12pm – 2.30pm

    Sunday: 12.30pm – 3pm

    Dinner

    Sunday to Thursday: 5pm – 10.30pm

    Friday to Saturday: 5pm – 10.45pm

    Pre-Theatre

    Monday – Friday: 5pm – 6.30pm

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Hayden, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Hayden, London

    ★★★★ | The Hayden, London

    There are lots of pubs in London that serve food but only a small handful where the food is excellent. The Hayden is one of these.

    The Hayden is serving classic pub and is well worth the trip to Westbourne Grove. Their menu is a superb take on many classics, but of higher quality.

    The slow-cooked BBQ Ribs were perfect! 2×6 pork ribs (12 in total) where the meat literally was very easy to tear off from the bone with a fork (no need to get your fingers messy), was very succulent, tender, and came with sumptuous bourbon BBQ sauce (tasty and yummy), and were the best ribs I’ve had in years. The ribs came with a large bowl of skin-on fries and a small salad for a bargain £17. I have been craving ribs for a long time and these filled the bill! My dining companion had the Pan-Fried Sea Bass. They were two smallish chunks served over tomato & mascarpone sauce, with asparagus and saffron braised fennel, and for him, it was a nice summer dish – not too heavy and no bones which made it easy to eat (£17.50). A man at the table next to us had the mouth-watering looking Sirloin 8oz steak – it was nicely grilled and nicely sized – and he looked like he was enjoying it (£19.50)!

    We actually started the meal with, I failed to mention, starters, and both were just perfect. The Original Popcorn Shrimp, well cooked and plentiful, served with sweet chilli sauce, is highly recommended (£9). Very tasty and very good quality. The Pulled Chicken quesadillas – four, nicely-sized, browned all over and not too cheesy (mature cheddar), with a few jalapeños (not spicy), and a side of guacamole was a large portion, (and cheaply priced at £7), and was also very very good.

    At times cocktail menus at pubs all blend into one, however, The Hayden has a special cocktail that will satisfy your thirst and knock your socks off! You have to, have to, try the Chora (it’s NOT on the online menu but on the drinks menu at the pub). It’s a beautiful-looking vodka drink made with lime juice, egg whites, cinnamon & almond syrup (producing a luscious foam froth) with Skinis Mastiha Liqueur (white Greek spirit made from resin). The Chora was just divine. The little flower on top of the foam added to the beauty of the drink (it was almost, I say almost, too beautiful to drink). Very sweet, beautiful burst of colours, delicious, refreshing and superb to say the least (£10.50). I also had the Watermelon Refresher (£7.50) and it tasted more icy and watery then watermelony (is that even a word)? My companion had the Red Pinot Noir with his dinner, he said it was fine, and a small glass is nicely priced at £7.25).

    Now on to the desserts. My companion is an expert at cheesecake – and he simply devoured his. It was light and lively and a nice size, served with raspberry jam (£5), while I had the Eton Mess which had chunks of strawberries and chunks of meringue. It was cream heavy which I find most desserts are (£6). I long for the days when I will see healthy desserts (fruit dish & sorbet anyone?). Desserts are always creamy, dairy, and very full of chocolate, but the desserts at The Hayden were again, very good.

    The Hayden has a cool pub look; dark interiors, with plenty of tables, a nice size fireplace – and a private area if you have a semi-large party and want some privacy. The night we were there there were lots of customers with American accents – I guess being in the vicinity of Notting Hill it’s a bit of an American enclave. But the pub is not just for locals. It’s on a strip where there are lots of cheap dining options (Nando’s is next door, Tinseltown Diner a block away, and a Gourmet Burger Kitchen across the street). Just bypass these and go directly into The Hayden.

    I guarantee you The Hayden will have better chicken (Half corn-fed Rotisserie Chicken @ £16.50), better burgers (various types at between £14.50 and £16.50, with skin on fries), and The Hayden will sure beat the diner food they serve down the road.

    And if you go to The Hayden Mon-Wed, you get 30% off your food. Or there is a set menu Mon – Fri until 7 pm where you get 2 courses for £16.50. And there are 2-4-1 cocktails from 5-7 pm Mon-Wed and Thurs & Friday 12 noon to 7 pm.

    There is plenty on the menu at The Hayden to keep wanting to go back for more. It’s a cool pub that’s also a perfect spot for drinks at the bar – but eating there is a must. With very staff, a trendy but not too trendy vibe, and great food and drinks – what more from a pub could you ask for?

    https://www.haydennottinghill.com

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The National Cafe, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | The National Cafe, London

    ★★★★ | The National Cafe, London

    Tucked inside the National Gallery is the National Cafe which is serving amazing food at realistic prices in a very very central location.
    Peyton & Byrne’s venture is a definite winner. The food is what you’d expect from a restaurant company that also runs The Wallace Restaurant and The Keepers House in the Royal Academy of Arts. The menu runs the gamut from British and modern European dishes – It’s food that is stunning, original and healthy.

    The National cafe now has a new all-day brunch menu that’s affordable and delicious. Available every day from 9.30am right through to 5.00pm, the menu is perfect whether you are checking out the gallery or just passing by the building, it offers something for everyone, from vegan food to something a bit sweeter if this is what you fancy. Toasted almond pancake with berries and maple syrup or Avocado on sourdough toast with organic feta, chilli and tomato are what you’d typically find on brunch menus, however, go for something different and sumptuous and you will be pleasantly surprised.

    I can’t rave enough about the Summer Courgette Fritter, grilled halloumi, fresh basil and orange dressing. It was stunning, radically different and absolutely delicious. Meat-free, it’s a dish that bursts with flavours and is very colourful. It’s topped with bits of carrots, celery, onion, and littered with sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and the orange dressing gives it the zing that is so unique. And it’s a dish that could hold you over for the rest of the day – it’s that filling. I highly recommend it. Also radically different is The National Reuben Sandwich: salt beef, cheddar, gherkins, sauerkraut, Russian dressing on Rye. While on the small side and not as filling as the Fritter, the ingredients are all nice and compacted in between the bun. At £11.50 it’s not cheap but where else can you find a dish like this on a London menu?

    In addition to the brunch menu, there is also lunch and dinner menu – served from 12:00 to 2:00 – that, while a bit limited, also includes dishes that are very good. Among the items on the menu include a beautifully tasty Cold Tomato Soup – their version of Gazpacho. It was one of the best I’ve ever had (£6.50). Also, the Burrata, Isle of Wight tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil was of good quality but a bit on the pricey side (£9.50). Items on the menu include Chicken Kiev (£14.50), Ribeye Steak (£15.50), and Chicken and Avocado Salad (£10.50/£15.50). Sides to go with the mains include Chips, Broccoli, and Polenta Chips – all at £4.00.

    If you still have room for dessert (I didn’t), definitely try the Jaffa Cake (dark chocolate cake) – a circular dessert topped with powdered sugar and coconut and comes with orange sauce.

    The National Cafe offers up a very popular Afternoon Tea, which at £22.50 per person (£31.50 with Champagne) includes the usual sandwiches, scones and cakes, and of course tea.

    The interior of the cafe is not much. Dull grey walls don’t provide much burst of colour to the room, while the carpeting is the same. And many people use the door of the cafe (facing Charing Cross) as a passageway into the museum, so expect lots of people traffic to flow by, bypassing the bar on the right and the dining room on the left as they walk in. It’s also a bit unclear where to check-in when you arrive, the day we were there no one was there to greet us. But the staff, once you are seated, are top-notch. They cater to your needs and explain the dishes to you as they put them on your table.

    The lovely manager explained to us that the menu changes along with the exhibition, so come September there will be a new menu. But in spite of the actual look and feel of the restaurant, the food is top-notch. It’s amazing quality at realistic prices, and it’s central location doesn’t hurt.

    https://www.peytonandbyrne.co.uk/venues/national-cafe

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Pasta Nostra, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Pasta Nostra, London

    ★★★★ | Pasta Nostra, London

    Excellent tasting homemade pasta and very very reasonable prices? It’s Pasta Nostra.

    Only open for a couple of months, Pasta Nostra, located on a strip of Old Street between the station and Goswell Road, in an area that sorely needs good and good valued places to eat, is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood.

    It’s not a very big restaurant (though in the summer there is a conveniently locatedoutdoor space right next door), but the food is big – taste, portion and enjoyment! I highly recommend the Orecchiette dish. The pasta, in the shape of a very small ear, is green in colour because it is basil pesto and green beans mixed with potato. It’s absolutely delicious, and at £8 for a reasonably nice-sized dish, is a starter-priced but main course fulfilment! The Pappardelle – 12-hour braised oxtail and tomatoes, is also absolutely delicious, with the ragu lamb amazingly tasty and tender, the pasta fresh fresh fresh, and not too cheesy parmesan – perfectly priced at £12.

    The starters are also amazingly reasonably priced – so we decided to order three of them. The best of the three was the Watermelon, Mint and Feta Salad. At £5, it was a steal as there was plenty of watermelon while the mint gave it a zing, and just enough Feta to not overpower the watermelon. Excellent! Also worthy was the selection (9 slices) of three different types of Salami, and served with a Salame Bun, which was different but very good – and all for a mere £5! My dining companion wanted to try the Suppli – and I am glad he did! It was a large ball of dough with nice a nice crust of crunchy bread crumbs and stuffed with mozzarella and tomato rice – also £5, and a great deal for a dish we had never heard of!

    One can’t really eat ones way through a menu, but I wish I had the stomach and hunger for it because at Pasta Nostra there were other dishes we would’ve liked to have tried, including the Tortello Carbonara (with crispy cured pork cheek) and Bottonoini (filled pasta with mussels in a tomato sauce). I was very tempted to order the starter Gazpacho, but one of the ingredients was chilli, and the night we went was officially the UK’s hottest day ever, so I didn’t fancy eating anything spicy! But we did fancy dessert, and it was the Sicilian Cannolo(tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling). Yummy! One for £4 so I would recommend ordering two! Give the Tiramisu a miss – it’s served in a coffee cup and it’s too much cream, too much dairy, and just too much.

    Pasta Nostra has a nice menu of drinks, including the usual Italian specialities of Negronis and Campana Spritz, along with wines, beers and soft drinks. It’s a nice small modern-looking restaurant with a small bar in the front and tables in the back and upstairs with a great £10 takeaway special (pasta, sauce, and dessert – though the pasta is uncooked). Pasta Nostra is on a mission, according to its website, to make the best pasta in town. Well, I say they are on their way to a great start! I’ll definitely go back!

    https://pastanostralondon.com

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Uli, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Uli, London

    ★★★★ | Uli, London

    One of the most beautiful restaurants in Notting Hill is serving up Pan Asian food at very good prices.

    Uli, just 2 minutes walk from Notting Hill tube station, is very recognisable by its glass-enclosed front where once you walk in you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into another world. Dishes such as Triple-cooked Dover Sole with asparagus, garlic and spring onion; Crispy shredded chilli beef, Moo Shu pork, chicken or tofu, among others, give you food choices that are much better quality than what you would find in Chinatown. The night me and a friend went for dinner on a late July evening it was raining, so unfortunately the rooftop was closed – but that was fine because we felt cozy and warm and were well taken care of by the very friendly staff and manager, and treated like VIPs.

    For starters we had Peppercorn salted prawns (very good but for six a bit pricey at £12), Asparagus with black bean, chilli and ginger (fresh and wonderful – £9), and Chicken Gyoza (good – 4 for £7). The starters are a bit pricey – so choose carefully.

    The Sweet and Sour Chicken (£13) with Egg Fried Rice (£5.50) was nothing exceptional and was just as you would expect. We also had a bowl of delicious green beans (not on the menu!), crunchy, and just like the asparagus, a bit spicey, but very very good.

    The Crispy Aromatic Duck was the star dish of the evening. Nicely well-cooked, and served with pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and an amazing-tasting Housin duck sauce. The duck was well done – a bit crunchy, and tasteful, and it comes in three different price levels (£16 – 1/4; £29 – 1/2; and £48 – whole). Highly recommended.

    If you chose to have a cocktail, please go for the Lychee Martini – vodka, vermouth, lychee – and is sweet and delicious. Their Expresso Martini, however, did not have the flavour or kick that I’m accustomed to. If you are not a cocktail lover, try one of their many beers or Sakes, or wines which come from a variety of European countries.

    Desserts are in abundance but after all the food you’ve eaten you will want to something not too heavy. The Mochi Ice Cream (£3 per piece) is light, delicious, and is wrapped in a rice coating over the ice cream – just perfection.

    Uli, which is the Chinese word for tranquility, is just that. Soft music, sleek tables and warm-looking plates, great international staff, an upper middle class clientele the night we were there, all adds up to a dining experience, that while not a destination place, is a perfect place for the local area. And when you do go there, pick a seat along the windows in the atrium, so cozy and nice you’ll never want to leave. I didn’t.

    https://ulilondon.com