Tag: Four Star Restaurant Review

The latest Four Star Restaurant Review from THEGAYUK.

RESTAURANT REVIEW | Kalifornia Kitchen, London

★★★★ | Kalifornia Kitchen, London

Do you want food that will make you look and feel beautiful? Well, according to Kalifornia Kitchen, their food will do just that!

Located both in Fulham and on Percy Street right off Tottenham Court Road, vegan chef and influencer Loui Blake has opened Kalifornia Kitchen, a restaurant dedicated to all things vegan and it’s already known as a vegan lovers paradise. Concentrating on nutritious and sustainable food and drinks, utilising the power of plants and abstaining from any animal products or harmful plastics, a visit to Kalifornia Kitchen will be good for your inner organs if you’re not used to this type of food. And if you are strictly a vegan then more than likely you already know about this place as it’s gotten rave reviews.

Extra nice but a bit confused staff made our visit on a Thursday night memorable. With no idea what to order, I threw caution to the wind and choose a few obscure dishes. The Banana Skin Tacos were amazing. Yes – banana skin was a bit of a substitute for meat, and we ate them up. With rainbow slaw & house mayonnaise and a delicious bbq sauce, this £7 dish is one I would order again. The Pickled Cucumber – spicy hummus with pickles and side crudite, and pita bread was also a delicious and yummy starter (£8).

The mains were also very interesting. I was torn between the Chickpea & Date Tagine or the Mexican Beans, so I had the beans (!!). At a whopping £14, the beans were basically black beans served in two courgettes (called on the menu ‘boats’) with very very delicious avocado and mango salad – different, very good, refreshing, however, a bit expensive.

My friend gobbled up the Classic (not Klassic?) Kalilfornia Burger. Served on a pretzel bun, it looked like a real burger! However, the flavour, though not for me, was a bit raw, probably only because it was vegan, and it was served with gouda, caramelised onion, red cabbage, romaine lettuce and a special burger sauce. Served with ‘normal’ fries that were extremely tasty, the dish is worth the £13.50 price. Spicy Kale Chips, though not very spicy, were strange tasting with its cashew cheese sprinkled on top of each chip before it’s baked – different. Perhaps an acquired taste.

Drinks are definitely something to rave about there. Very healthy smoothies, juices (with names such as Healing, Balanced, Immunity) are super tasty and you feel healthier the more you drink, with ingredients including quinoa, pineapple, tumeric, ginger, mint, etc…

I have to point out that other dishes on the menu sounded very tempting – including the Rainbow Bowl (cherry tomato, cauliflower couscous with pomegranate, activated seeds, roasted butternut squash, organic coconut yoghurt, fresh avocado and falafel), Butter Curry, and the Fish & Chips that would be good for a second visit.

We didn’t have a chance to try their dessert as the Percy Street location closed at ten on the night we visited, but we were too stuffed anyway to try the Matcha Cheesecake, Pecan Pie and the Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Dinner for two at Kalifornia Kitchen won’t set you back more than £60 (if you order starters and mains) – I’m not sure where you’ll find a cheaper vegan meal this central. The restaurant itself is beautifully designed with California style colours (lots of pink with whitewashed walls) with picnic style tables for a very calm, soothing and relaxed atmosphere. It does feel a bit like you are in California. There is an upstairs area that has the feel of great aunts sitting room. For a truly adventurous (for meat eaters) meal, Kalifornia Kitchen is a very unique and lovely dining experience.

https://www.kaliforniakitchen.co.uk

19 Percy Street W1T 1DY
Fulham Market Hall, 472 Fulham Road, SW6 1BY
info@kaliforniakitchen.co.uk
+44 (0) 207 504 4444
Opening Times
Tues-Sun / 11:00-22:00 (19:00 Sun)

24th June 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | STK Restaurant, London

★★★★ | STK Restaurant, London

The food at STK Restaurant, on Aldwych, is all in the name – steak, and it does it very well.

As part of the One Group, a global leader in the hospitality industry and the creator of the international restaurant brand STK, with locations all around the globe, including Mexico City and Ibiza, the STK name is synonymous with great cuts of meat – basically a meat lover’s paradise. With Sirloin, New York Strip, and Rib Eye, among others on the menu, you really can’t go wrong when ordering any of them. One

STK has a DJ playing from Thursday – Saturday, so if you don’t mind a club-like vibe with your meal, with music that gets louder and louder as the night goes on, then you’ll love it there. However, if you are at a large table then good luck trying to hear, and speak to, other people who are sitting right next to you.

But STK is worth the trip for the steak of course. I had the 350 USDA Grain Fed Rib Eye, and it was superb. Cooked medium well, to perfection, and a bit darkened on both sides, I was in heaven with every bite. It was so juicy that I really didn’t need the accompanying sauce (sauces from mild to spicy are on offer at no additional cost). And the old adage – you get what you pay for – rings true here. At £45, the Rib Eye is not cheap, and nothing comes with it, but it was worth every penny. Other meats on the menu include the small range (up to 250g including Rump Steak and New York Strip), to Medium (up to 350g including Fed Sirloin and Dry Aged Fillet) to Large (up to 600g including Fed Sirloin and T Bone) to Extra Large/Sharing (from 700g to 950g including Tomahawk and Aberdeen Angus).

My friend had opted for the Seared Salmon Fillet. At a relatively low £20, he said it was one of the best salmons he has ever had, and it was excellent value for the money because of its size, and it also came with peas in a Beurre Blanc Sauce and with bits of potato Gnocchi. The presentation of the food on the dish was actually beautiful, stunning actually. Other dishes on the menu include Atlantic Sea Bass, Corn Fed BBQ Chicken Breast, Pork Belly, among others.

Backtracking a bit, our starters were very good. I had the Compressed Watermelon Salad, a huge chunk of watermelon that sat on oil with creamed feta cheese on top sprinkled with what tasted like basil leaves – it was oh so different and oh so refreshing. My friend ordered the Kent Green Asparagus – four large sprigs with truffle cauliflower puree, hen egg yolk, and very tasty.

Sides were needed and wanted – and we ordered three. The Broccolini, with Chilli, delicious pine nuts & pecorino was very very good, as was the Green Beans covered in almonds. The Mushroom pot pie, rarely seen on a menu as a side, could pass for a main dish. For me, it was too milky, and I could not eat it, though my friend liked it.

Nothing really jumped out at us from the Dessert menu (there is always at least a couple that stand out at other restaurants), so I decided in the cheesecake, which was good, and with honey Kataifi and Coulis made for a nice touch. My friends Panacotta had a massive dollop of mango on top, which was a nice touch, and he absolutely loved it.

At the beginning we decided to have STK’s signature cocktails – so I went for the STK Sparkling Sangria – which was a massive drink with Moët and Chandon, St. Germain Mint & Lime Juice, and soda and I liked it so much it’s going to be my new drink of choice. The STK New Era had a strong taste of rum with added peach flavour, and it was a bit sweet for those who like their drinks with a strong kick. I also had a Martini Expresso like I always do and their version did not disappoint.

STK, while like a loud disco on Thurs- Saturdays, is so trendy it hurts. The room is beautifully decorated, with subtle lighting and beautifully designed furniture and a large dining room with an attached bar area on the Aldwych side of the restaurant. Sitting on the ground floor of the modern and stylish M Hotel, STK has excellent service (our waiter was managing several large tables at the same time and we never felt neglected) and is ideal for young and youngish cool (and preferably rich) people/parties.

STK is very friendly, with stylish decor, and the steak is just delicious!

17th June 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Harlem Soul, London

★★★★ | Harlem Soul, London

Harlem has come to Old Street – kind of.

When one thinks of restaurants in Harlem you think about soul food – food that can’t be found elsewhere in London. Food that is rich and delicious, southern comfort food (for example catfish, grits, cornbread, BBQ ribs, collard greens, buttered corn, okra, etc…). Well new restaurant Harlem Soul, on City Road and minutes from Old Street Tube Station, bills itself as ‘urban American dining to share a celebration of urban America with London.’ Their menu, based on American classics and NYC inspired fusion, is as close to Harlem-style food you’re going to get unless you hop on a plane to NYC and go to the holy grail of Harlem Soul food – Sylvia’s restaurant.

Harlem Soul has a massive menu that’s sure to satisfy your craving for this type of food – their menu has a good variety of typical Americana dishes that will, almost, make you feel like you are dining in Harlem. As you walk in you are instantly mesmerized by urban wall graffiti paintings by several artists, including world-famous NYC born Enrique Torres who used to, illegally, spray paint NYC’s subway cars. The murals are a sight to see; bold, colourful, ethnic, and just beautiful.

And now the food. If you are a fan of hamburgers, well, you won’t be spoiled for choice. Any and all combinations of hamburgers are at your selection. Their signature burger – The Harlem – is a doozy. Grilled beef patties, shredded short rib, mac & cheese, house pickle and thousand island dressing – it’s definitely a mouthful. And at £14 it’s a relative bargain considering all the food you’re getting. There are nine other burgers on the menu, so there is definitely something for everyone.

I, however, had to try the Buttermilk Chicken and Waffles. This dish seems to be appearing on lots of London menus – and having never tried it, it was the obvious choice for me, and I was not disappointed. The chicken was crispy, soft and moist (delicious), while the waffle was just about perfect after I drenched it with two cups of syrup. I would highly recommend this dish at Harlem Soul – and at £12 a bit pricey but worth it. My lunch companion wanted chicken wings, and boy she got them – 12 of them (£12). There were four different flavours; BBQ, Buffalo, Hot Harlem Sassy (hot sauce with onion and coriander), and Gochujang (red chilli paste with seven spice blends). Not a bad deal – at a £1 each – and they all come with delicious coleslaw.

We had to have several starters (all part of the job!). My friend really loved the Crispy Soft-Shell Crab – a substantially large portion served with lime creme fraiche & pickle chilli relish. I loved the Blackened Cajun Popcorn Shrimp – they were not quite blackened and could’ve been fried a bit more – but nonetheless, the large portion was very good, but the roast red pepper ketchup didn’t seem to be a perfect match for the shrimp. The Mac & Cheese Bites were just that – bites – five of them in little rolled up balls with the mac & cheese inside. All the above £7.50 each.

Tacos are not quite Harlem soul food, but this restaurant has them on the menu. We had the Braised Short Rib Taco – and the three we got (for only £8.50) were excellent value and they were excellent tasting. Served with BBQ sauce (a little dribble), and topped with a mixed bean salad and crispy onion – they were delicious as the short rib was tender and flavorful.

There is so much more to the menu – Mac & Cheese dishes, three types of nachos dishes, and salads, that multiple visits still wouldn’t get you through the menu.

Plus there is that all important drinks menu. There are cocktails that include all sorts of alcohol, from gin (The Harlem) to whiskey (El Barrio Fashioned), and scotch (Lodge Negroni), to rum (96th Street Mojito), and of course tequila (Soul Side), it’s a plethora of drinks that, after two, will make you tipsy. I wish I would’ve had the Jungle Iced Tea (Harlem Soul special mix, with sugar-lime and lemon) but I stuck to the non-alcoholic drinks menu (the New Yorker was just about perfect – Lime, Apple, Mango, Mint and Ginger Beer). Also, their Southern Quenchers (Fresh Lemonade, Classic Iced Tea, Arnold Palmer) look nice for a hot day (if summer ever arrives in London). Milkshakes are also a must – again in several varieties.

Harlem Soul is a two-story complex, with the main restaurant on the ground floor, and downstairs another bar with a large room that will be used for private parties, community events, all set to a soundtrack to urban rhythms of soul, funk hip-hop, jazz and R&B. They also host live music comedy, DJ’s, and urban poetry events.

Harlem Soul is as cool as its name, it’s food is delicious, and its central location means it’s worth a visit after work, and definitely on a weekend where you can try all of their delicious sounding cocktails.

9th May 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Halal Guys, London

★★★★ | The Halal Guys, London

The restaurants in and around Leicester Square are there mostly to feed people on the way to the theatre, movies, clubs, or whatever. But there is a new guy in town that will make your journey on to somewhere else quicker, friendlier, faster and more delicious.

The Halal Guys have arrived. Taking up a spot at 14 Irving Street (the street which shoots off Leicester Square that leads to Charing Cross and to the National Portrait Gallery) is where the yellow and multi-colored The Halal Guys is located. You can’t miss it – it sits next to the usual dull and unexciting restaurants that pollute this street. The Halal Guys bring something new to this area – it’s original and tasty and great value for your money – and you can be in and out in 30 minutes.

It’s simple how it works. Just chose whether you want a gyro sandwich or platter (choices of chicken, beef gyro, combo Chicken & gyro – or the vegetarian – falafel). Me and a friend were on our way to the theatre and dropped in, and we both had to have the Combo platter – how could you not! It looked like it had the best of everything – and it did! A ‘special’ yellow rice came with the dish, along with the assorted salad condiments, and the icing on the cake was the choice of sauces – we both had a bit of hummus, baba ghanoush and BBQ sauces, with plenty of pita bread. We also nipped a side of fries (purely just for sampling purposes!) and luckily found a table to eat. It all looked so much and too much and very good, however, after eating we both agreed that it was delicious! It gives a new name for fast food – but this is not fast food – The Halal Guys are street food – street food served quick, street food served very tasty, and street food that I want to definitely go back and try again.

It’s a very simple process, and you can add unlimited beverages, and Baklava for dessert.

From humble beginnings as a New York City hot dog cart to a world-renowned international restaurant chain, The Halal Guys story is the quintessential American Dream. The Halal Guys is defining a new, thriving segment for the restaurant industry: American Halal Food! The Halal Guys legend began in 1990, when the three founding partners opened up a hot dog cart on West 53rd & 6th Avenue in New York City. As the business grew, they recognized a huge demand from Muslim cab drivers looking for a halal food quick and cheap meal. That is when the famous platter of chicken and gyro over rice was born. And let’s not forget about the famous sauces! Fast-forward 25 years, five carts, two New York City restaurants, and millions of diverse customers served, The Halal Guys is growing yet again. Fans no longer have to be in NYC to experience The Halal Guys as they look to share American Halal Food all over the country and the world.

The Halal Guys are now expanding globally and can now be found, besides in their home base in NYC and all over America, but also in South Korea, The Philippines, and Indonesia. But London is lucky enough to have its first European shop – and I urge you to give it a try. The night my friend and I were there everyone looked so happy eating away, with the staff all very friendly and wanting to give you more sauce (I took more!). It’s perhaps one of the best places to eat at near Leicester Square, whether you are on your way somewhere or just want to have dinner before heading home – The Halal Guys will satisfy (and more) your hunger.

https://thehalalguys.com

5th May 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | BOWLS, London

★★★★ | BOWLS, Soho, London

One of the tastiest, and fun, and coolest restaurants in Soho is not on the trendy streets of Old Compton Street or Dean Street, it’s on that walkway called St. Anne’s Court. Most people use St. Annes Court for easy and quick access to Wardour and Dean streets. But next time you pass through St. Annes Court, look for BOWLS – and go right in.

Once you walk in you will be enveloped in warmth, with smells that you can’t quite put your fingers, and tastebuds, on. And once you are shown to your seat, you will feel like you’re in a friends house. All of this is due to owner and manager Zarifa Ragimova. Moscow born, she has really put her heart and soul into this restaurant, which is just over 2 months old. She trained at Le Cordon Bleu London, and her hard work here has paid off. Right next to the bar as you walk in there is a painting of her co-created by her boyfriend Will – it’s stunning. And further in you can see bowls on the main wall from all over the world, and heading downstairs there is a clever and stylish lit up guardrail, and downstairs the walls are painted in tropical style – beautiful! Oh, and let’s not forget the food.

BOWLS menu is a mix of Jamaican, South American, and Southeast Asian – a combination that really really works. Starting with the Painkiller Slush from their cocktail menu – it sure was a killer – deliciously so! With Gosling’s and Koko Kanu Original Jamaican Rums, orange, pineapple and coconut, this yellow looking drink, served in a coconut bowl, was ever so sweet and ever so delicious – the best drink I’ve had in a very very long time. My dining companion had the Bloody Marley – and while it was not an actual bloody mary, it was more of a cocktail, with white tequila botanical tea, bloody mary mix and lemon and tomato juice – and quite refreshing he said. Lots of other drinks to try, which I will on my next visit! £8.50 each.

The food menu is nice and concise, and not overwhelming at all. From the choice of six starters, we had the BBQ Jerk Chicken Wings (3 very large pieces – at only £5.50), with mango and spring onions, which was assigned a hot chilli symbol on the menu but was not very spicy but was finger-lickin’ good. The BBQ glazed pork belly bao – two – were very large, but a bit on the dry side. Perhaps a bit more BBQ would’ve made them tastier.

However, when it comes to the main portions – the Greedy Bowls – BOWLS excels. 5 mild choices, 2 medium choices, and 3 hot choices are on the menu. As I am a wimp, I had the mild Braised beef cheek. It sure was a cheek – a very large one at that, and was served with sweet potato mash (superb), sauerkraut and pickled carrots. The combination of all this was very clever, and wonderful. And while the beef was oh so tender and delicious, mild was just a bit too hot for me. I would’ve liked to have seen a non-chilli dish on the menu, but since Caribbean, South America and South East Asian foods are known for their spiciness – perhaps it’s not an option. My friend gobbled up his Laksa – a large soup dish with prawns, fish slices, tofu, and vermicelli noodles – which fell into the Hot category – but the hot spiciness level didn’t hinder him. He said this Singaporean dish was perfectly spicy.<

And for dessert, we had to try two of their three items on the menu. The Chocolate Truffle Cake was just to die for. Warm, very rich, and not too big, it was a nice large finger slice with a bit a fruit on top. And The Churros were just divine. Served with a wonderful white chocolate & raspberry dip, the dozen or so were crispy, warm and luckily not drowning in sugar – for a perfect finish.

Other dishes on the menu that might take your fancy include Tuna Poke, Zari- Pho- Braised Pork Belly, Homemade Broth, Soft Boiled Egg, Chilli, Thai Basil, Bean Sprouts, Spring Onion and Flat Rice Noodles, and Pan-fried Sea Bass or perhaps a Coconut Rundown Curry. Starters (Prawn Tostado, Butternut Squash croquettes, and Seared Tuna Salad) and sides (Cassava fries, fried plantains, kimchi and Truffled Courgette Fries) all sound oh so very good. Perhaps for the next visit.

‘BOWLS make dishes taste better’ – this is their tag line, and they are right. The food, from the starters to the main dishes, are served in varying designs and in bowls from large to small, and all pure comfort food. And the vibe is FUN! Having walked by the restaurant a few times in the past couple months, it’s constantly buzzing and busy – and with its central location, makes it a great place to meet friends after work as well as a nice weekend meal. You might also catch a night when the DJ is on the decks – all to make BOWLS extra spicy. I guarantee you will leave Bowls feeling satisfied, nourished and deeply contented, an experience that is good for the soul, and the tummy!

https://bowlsrestaurants.co.uk

27 St Anne’s Court,
Soho, London W1F 0BN
020 3146 0445

soho@bowlsrestaurants.co.uk

LUNCH
Monday – Friday: 11:30 am – 3:30 pm (last reservations at 3 pm)
Saturday: 11:30 am – 4:30 pm (last reservations at 4 pm)
Sunday: closed

DINNER
Monday – Wednesday: 5 pm – 11 pm (last reservations at 10.30 pm)
Thursday – Saturday: 5 pm – midnight (last reservations at 11:30 pm, Reduced menu available only between 10:45 pm – 11:30 pm)
Sunday: closed

11th February 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tom, Dick and Harry’s, Loughton

★★★★ | Tom, Dick & Harry’s, Loughton

Tom, Dick & Harry’s are not people you work with, or people you went to school with or who met at the local pub last year. Tom, Dick & Harry’s are actually the names of the three escape tunnels in The Great Escape. It’s also the name of a restaurant and bar located in Loughton.

With perhaps the nicest staff this side of Mile End, Tom, Dick & Harry’s (TD&H) is perhaps the place to be, and be seen, in and around the Loughton area. Just a few minutes walk from the Central Line, it’s also perfect for those who want to get out of London to try a new dining experience in an area where you’ve not yet been to. Granted, there is not a whole lot to do in Loughton, but visiting TD&H is definitely worth a visit.

A beautifully designed restaurant, intimate and cosy while at the same time with a metropolitan feel, TD&H offers an all-day destination dining experience. And the food is cooked and prepared by real professionals, people with a passion for food, and served by people who have a passion for their customers, who want their customers to enjoy their experience.

On the Sunday when we paid a visit, we were told by the chef that the menu changes daily, depending on what they can source from the local butcher or whatever is freshest and available each day. We were lucky to have on the menu the Sunday Roast club menu – for this is what my friend ordered. Roast Rump of beef (Angus crossbreed) was served with, of course, a Yorkshire pudding, horseradish, gravy, with the three C’s (cabbage, carrots and cauliflower), with huge potatoes – and it was a nice size portion. My friend absolutely loved it. While he enjoyed the meat dish, I had fish, which I hardly ever order – The Grilled Tuna Steak was very good. Perfectly cooked and sized, with spring onions, almonds, and greens – the Tuna was delectable, but it was the unusual, and extremely delicious tomato and pepper paste that won my taste buds over – wow! The entire dish was a perfect combination of everything, and with my side order of large potatoes, it was a perfect meal.

The starters, or as TD&H call them Nibbleinis, where there were quite a few choices, but we settled for three of them. My spicy chorizo, tomato and chickpea stew, was, as expected, good, but not very hot. My friend had the Fried crisp Cornish squid with togarashi pepper with lime, and on the side was a strange looking small bowl of squid ink in mayo (and sesame, lime and fish sauce), which was an average portion. Warning, the squid ink isn’t to everyone’s liking! We also sampled the nice Burrata (glob of cheese), salsa verde, with pine nuts, it was a bit heavy, but the pine nuts made it stand out. All the above were high priced at £8 each. TD&H also cater to larger parties where the price of carvery will vary according to size.

The dessert selection was all about creams, chocolates, and dairy dairy dairy. I had the Vanilla cream pears and blackberries dish, but the cream was too much – I wish there had been more berries and pears. However, the dark chocolate mousse, candied peanuts, with ice cream was very tasty. Both desserts were £7 each.

Have a read through their Signature cocktails menu. Specifically designed for the restaurant by its manager and drink connoisseur Gabriele, he has assigned names to various drinks. We had the Tom Hardy – “I liked you better when you were drunk” – which almost perfectly matched the actor’s personality. It was unexpectedly sweet what with vodka, grapefruit lemon, basil and brown sugar – muddled & stirred (£12). The Sex Bomb (Tom Jones) was just superb, with honey, honey cognac, lemon, and champagne, served in a wine glass (£14) – refreshing and went just right with the meal.

Wine must be taken with the meal, and TD&H have an amazing, but not quite overwhelming, wine list which includes whites, reds, champagnes and an amazing selection of Roses – wine that goes practically with every meal.

The early Sunday evening we were there the restaurant remained jam-packed, with a lively piano player off to the side playing very nice mellow tunes.

Everyone at every table looked happy – probably because the food and ambience were so good (even the man celebrating his 50th birthday party in the back looked happy!). But also credit to the staff, they were very attentive, took their time, were patient when asked questions, were always smiling, and were even concerned when the table next to us left more than half their food on their plate. It’s the kind of service that’s hard to find in other restaurants. Perhaps being in Loughton the staff are not as rushed and cold as most staff in restaurants in London are? Who knows. But TD&H may not particularly attract a London crowd, but it’s perfect and just right for the people of Loughton and it’s surrounding areas.

https://tomdickandharrys.co.uk
Open Saturday from 10:00 to 00:30
Open Sunday from 12:00 to 22:00
Book online or call 0203 327 3333 for reservations
153 High Road
Loughton
IG10 4LF
T. 0203 327 3333

9th November 2018
RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Jones Family Kitchen, London

★★★★ | The Jones Family Kitchen, London

The best Sunday Roast deal in Central London, and perhaps in all of London, can be found at The Jones Family Kitchen and The Jones Family Project. But first things first.

The Jones Family is two separate restaurants. The Project is in Shoreditch and The Kitchen is in Belgravia. The roast is luckily served in both places.

For a mere £18.00 for two courses, or £25 for three courses – the offer is amazing. For your money you get a schooner of beer or a glass of house wine, a choice of starter (Soup, Smoked Salmon or Whipped Goats’ Cheese), the choice of Roast (Chicken, and of course Beef, or the vegetarian option of Nut Roast), and the dessert options of Gelato & Sorbet, Anna’s Brownie, or Amalfi Lemon Tart.

A friend from NYC and I drifted in for a late Sunday lunch (3:00 p.m.) at the Kitchen (Victoria) in the recently renovated historic and hidden enclave that is the Eccleston Yards, a short walk to Victoria Station and an even shorter walk to the bus station. Luckily the location in the yards makes the bus station and the throngs of rolling suitcase tourists seem far away. We were greeted by the fabulous Olivia, who remembered me from my visit to The Project (Shoreditch – remember?) a few weeks before. She showed us to our elegant table in the back section of the restaurant which can only be described as industrial meets contemporary. With floor to ceiling windows overlooking the yards, there is plenty of light and character in the place.

Now to the food. My starter of choice, the soup, turned out to be pumpkin – I really love pumpkin in any shape or form. And their pumpkin soup, very seasonal, was just divine. Thick but not too much, a bit puree-ey, served in an earth tone bowl, and just about perfect! My friend went for the Salmon starter – which came with pickles and sourdough, served on a bed of rocket lettuce and accompanied with tomatoes and peppers – nothing to rave about but good enough. However, when we saw, and tasted, the Roast – boy were we raving.

Talk about an abundance of food. The portion was enormous! The Yorkshire pudding just about took half the plate (see photo), and it was warm and baked to absolute perfection. And the beef was superb. I asked for mine well done – and it was! Topped with a luscious BBQ sauce (and smelling delicious), the dish included roast potatoes, honey roast parsnips and carrots, greens, cabbage, broccolini, and some mash – we both thought Thanksgiving had arrived early at our table as these types of portions are served at Thanksgiving dinners. Needless to say, my friend could not finish his though I am happy to report I ate everything on my plate, and it was absolutely delicious.

Dessert really had to be done, and I was very satisfied with my choice of the Amalfi Lemon Tart with créme fraiche. Small, yet deliciously sweet, and I enjoyed it. My lunch companion was semi-happy with his Anna’s Brownie. Nice tasting sorbet and the chunks of brownie were good but the bed of rice pudding had no taste and was not really necessary. He did, however, have an amazing Bloody Mary (for an extra £8), while I thought their coffee was just right. Mimosa’s are also £8 extra, or perhaps an Aperol Spritz (£7.50) or a Lost Negroni (£10). I had decided to have the Sangria Sunshine, which was white, and included Soave, orange and peach, and was just so refreshing, and my friend also had to have one! It was actually hard to choose a cocktail as there were so so many choices on the menu.

Everything was just about perfect about our lunch, except for the service. It started out very very good, but since we had arrived at the near end of the Sunday lunchtime, as the time went on we noticed most of the wait staff tucking into their own Sunday Roast in the corner, which left one girl on the floor to wait on the quite a few tables finishing their meals.

Needless to say, our dessert took quite some time to be delivered, while a table of 8 which sat down after us received their dessert much much quicker. But this is a minor quibble to a restaurant that’s got pretty much everything going for it; location (either Belgravia or Shoreditch), great value, and excellent food. Thumbs up to the Jones Family – think they will adopt me?

The Jones Family Kitchen:

RESTAURANT

Monday– Saturday
Noon – midnight
Serving lunch: noon – 4.00pm
Serving our pre-theatre menu: 5.00pm – 6.15pm
Serving dinner: 6.00pm – 10.30pm
Sunday
Noon – 8.00pm
Serving roasts and other dishes: noon – 6.00pm
BAR

Monday – Saturday
11.00am – midnight
Serving brunch & lunch: 11.00am – 4.00pm
evening & bar snacks: 5.00pm – 10.30pm
Sunday
11 am – 8 pm
Serving roasts and other dishes: noon – 6.00pm

14th October 2018
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Delicatessen, London

★★★★| Delicatessen, London

Walking up Roslyn Hill towards Hampstead Heath tube station you’ll walk by a restaurant that’s always full, and why? Because the food is delicious and the portions are huge!

Delicatessen, open since 2010, is modern Middle Eastern/Israeli cuisine at excellent prices. This neighbourhood restaurant, which was totally full (include the outside tables) on a Wednesday night that we went, has filled a gap for food of this very high quality and taste in this area.

Chef Or Golan, who has worked in some of Tel Aviv’s most popular restaurants, was most recently a head chef in one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s self-titled restaurants.

The food at Delicatessen is influenced by Golan’s Moroccan and Lebanese grandparents, so what is cooked straight from the kitchen and sent directly to your table is a mish-mash of extreme flavour & tastes that are bold and wonderful.

The Sashimi grade bluefin tuna starter was a feast for the eyes and the tongue. Chunks of tuna served with fennel, avocado, anchovies and bits of bruschetta, among many other herbs and spices, are included in this massively huge dish, and at only £12, it’s a steal. Also good value for the money also delicious to boot is the Golden Cauliflower with tahini and smoked Chilli. It was served very warm and soft, oven-baked, and was a huge mound for a mere £8.

As if we hadn’t enough food in our starters, our mains were even larger!

My dining companion’s Ras el hanut Lamb Chops were definitely too big for his, or anyone else’s, stomach! Five large chops are served over bulgar wheat, sprinkled with lavender and various greens, and one certainly gets what you pay for (£33). What was missing was any form of sauce, as the wheat became dry – perhaps applesauce would’ve gone perfectly with the lamb. My Old Jaffa Lamb Kebabs were very good. Served with tahini, sehug spice and baby vegetables, three very large and long kebabs were nicely cooked and delicious. The dish could’ve used some starch – perhaps a few potatoes or bulgar wheat, but it was very filling for its £24 price tag.

What took me and my friend for a loop was the Kadaif tower dessert. Yes, it was a tower and served with strawberries and cream. What is a kadaif you ask? It’s shredded filo dough, and in this dish there is cream in the middle that makes it look and feel like a sandwich. And it was superb – and large – and did I mention extremely delicious? And at £8.50, it’s a no-brainer choice for dessert. We also shared the Handmade Moroccan cigars (basically baklava), filled with nuts, and served with an amazing tasting mint tea. But it was the Kadaif that was memorable, amazing and wow!

Please have the wonderful Instant B Cotes de Provence Rosé wine with your meal, it’s wet, with a flowery taste that goes well with the fish and meats served on the menu. Or you can have one of Delicatessen’s speciality drinks, including the Msc mule, which was vodka and ginger ale and was very very good.

The menu at Delicatessen is just simply amazing. And while the prices aren’t cheap cheap, it’s the amount of food given that’s generous. We sat next to a table of two who had ordered the Mixed Grill – it was actually a mound of meat, with chicken thighs, kebabs, lamb chops, mergues & rib eye steak all for a wonderful price of £75. It appeared they could not finish it, and I am sure the took the rest home with them which probably fed them for a few more days. I will order this next time I go to Delicatessen.

With an amazingly knowledgeable and nice staff, very good food, large portions, all in a nicely remixed from the hustle and bustle location – what’s not to like? I’m definitely looking forward to my next visit to Delicatessen – it’s that mound of meat that I’ll make an attempt at – can’t wait!

Home

Location:

46 Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead
London NW3 1NH, UK

020 7700 5511

Hours

Sun-Thu • 12:00 – 23:00

Fri • Closed

Sat • 18:00 – 23:00

23rd September 2018
RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Allegory, London

★★★★| The Allegory, London

If you like your boozy brunches, then you’re going to love The Allegory.

For 2 hours, (and £40 per person), you can drink four different types of alcoholic drinks while being served various sorts of brunchy type foods (nibbles are more like it) all in the confines of a cool trendy setting in a venue where staff are more than happy to continue to pour the alcohol before your two hours are up, when the time is up the alcohol stops.

The Allegory is in the section between the City (the very top of Bishopsgate) and Shoreditch in an area that used to be a sort of no man’s land (where now a 50-story residential tower is being constructed). It’s a part of town that used to be a bit lost, but you won’t be lost trying to decide what to have from The Allegory’s Garden Brunch menu because you get it all!

First, let’s start with the booze. Your choices are Pornstar Spritz (refreshing and beautifully presented), Bloody Mary (with a tomato, celery stick with a lemon inside and watercress), Peroni Nastro Azzurro beer (330ml) and Rosato Spumante (125ml) (served in a classy champagne glass).

And for the food? Does it really matter? You’re not really there for the food anyway! But for your FYI, the first course is a Grilled pink grapefruit with créme fraiche & Pistachios, and Greek yoghurt with honey-baked granola. The Granola was fine and served in a small oval shaped glass – a very healthy dish, but the grapefruit was very hard to eat as it was not precut by the kitchen – so in trying to eat it the pulp flew all over the place, including in my lunch companions face!

The second course was much easier to eat – Eggs Benedict and Eggs Florentine – classic dishes that need no explanation.

After the second or third booze round, (or was it the fourth – whose counting?), a small bench was placed on our table that would be the plate holder for the next and final course, but not really a course but more like a harang of nibbles. Buttermilk chicken, bacon & maple syrup with avocado, and fruit & honey – all served in small sandwich style, tiny but tasty, and adequate. We also received a bowl of Breaded mushrooms & halloumi. This is the type of food that lines the stomach, but it’s not necessarily gourmet nor fine dining. But as mentioned before, you are not here for the food, it’s all about the alcohol, and there will be plenty of it, and you will definitely get your money’s worth if this is your thing.

The Allegory

1a Principal Place, Worship Street, EC2A 2BA

OPENING HOURS:
Monday to Wednesday: 7.30am till 11pm

Thursday and Friday: 7.30am till late

Saturday: 10am till 00.30am

Sunday: available for private hire

3rd September 2018
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Plate, London

★★★★☆ | Plate, London

Who wants to have a heavy meal when it’s hot and muggy outside. Well, Plate restaurant offers a light menu that might satisfy you.

Plate Restaurant, located on City Road minutes from old Street station and in the flashy M by Montcalm Hotel, Plate, the first restaurant by acclaimed Chef Arnaud Stevens, adds to the re-invigoration of the neighbourhood by offering classy French/English dishes in a classy venue.

When you walk into the Montcalm, you enter into a world of elegance and sophistication. Head to the restaurant, located upstairs, and it’s even more elegant, refined, and luxurious.

With a long streamlined bar and tables facing both City Road, Plate has floor to ceiling windows and more tables near the kitchen in the back. We started out with cocktails from their lengthy cocktail list. My dining companion chose the Tom Collins, which was exactly what he wanted – a light and refreshing drink. My Mint Julip sounded good at the time, but the Makers Mark Bourbon in it was extremely strong and powerful – pow! But we were treated to an absolutely fantastic Plate’s Signature Bread Flight Platter. An amazing array of butters (caramelized onion, salted and balsamic), were coupled with three types of bread (marmite, mushroom – shaped like a muffin – and sourdough) – all the butters were divine! This dish is highly recommended. Also highly recommended is the Norfolk Asparagus dish – another amazing array of flavour, which includes bits of warm pork, shallots, and an egg on top, with yummy char-grilled asparagus. Also delicious and fresh was the Sourdough Chili Avocado – and both starters were priced between £7 – £8 each – bargain!

The mains are a bit thin on the ground. My Creedy Carver Chicken Breast and Thigh consisted of two small pieces of chicken, coupled with two long carrots and lots of kale – with sumptuous gravy. My friend had the Salted Atlantic Hake – served with baby leek and courgette with vanilla mash. It was served in a bowl-sized plate – so all of the food was on top of each other. My friend said it was good, not great. Both dishes were £16 each, quite expensive for what they give you, so not great value for the money. British Isle Rump of lamb, or the Red Kuri Squash Gnocchi, might be better options.

We were advised by the very nice and professional waiter Amman to order sides, and I’m glad we did. The Caesar salad was topped with a crusty parmesan crouton, and the Agate potatoes were smothered in Cremé Fraiche and dill, both under £4 and both very necessary!

For dessert I had the recommended Coffee Brulee. It was wonderful, sexy and delicious. My friend had the Caramelised Chocolate Mousse, which was less mousse and more clumps of chocolate, served with a nice soft passion fruit-topped bread. And the topper, however, was the delicious coffee – Musetti – a hard coffee flavour without being bitter.

For something more relaxed, Plate Bake and Bar – artisanal bakery by day, cocktail bar by night – is located just below Plate restaurant on the ground floor of the M By Montcalm. It is the perfect light and airy space to enjoy a coffee and cake or post-work cocktail.

Chef, Director and owner Arnaud has worked with some of the world’s most renowned chefs, including Pierre Koffmann, Gordon Ramsay, Jason Atherton and Richard Corrigan, and his unique style at Plate stands out.

Plate Restaurant is a lovely place to spend an evening with cocktails and food made with care.

PLATE RESTAURANT & BAR

At M by MONTCALM
151-157 CITY ROAD
SHOREDITCH
LONDON
EC1V 1JH

T 020 3837 3102
E reservations@platerestaurant.co.uk

http://www.platecatering.co.uk

RESTAURANT OPENING HOURS

Breakfast:
Monday to Friday: 6.30am to 10.30am
Weekend: 7am to 11am

Lunch:
Daily: 12pm to 3pm

Dinner:
Tuesday to Thursday: 6pm to 10.30pm
Friday and Saturday: 6pm to 11pm
Sunday and Monday: 6pm to 10pm

27th July 2018
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Ceru, London

★★★★☆ | Ceru, London

The sun is rising over D’Arbly street in the form of new restaurant Ceru.

On a street that is probably best known for the street that houses The Breakfast Club and it’s never ending queues, Ceru brings fresh and new light to this street that was once just a pass through from Soho to Carnaby Street and Oxford Circus.

Ceru, which means blue, is true to its theme in that when while you are sitting in the restaurant, it gives you a feeling of being in the Mediterranean, awash with bright colors and amazing food that mirrors the exact same type of food one can find from Cyprus to Syria and from Turkey to Jordan (Levantine – where the eastern Mediterranean meets the Middle East), with flavours that are literally out of this world.

Just by having a look at the menu you can tell that you are no longer in Soho Dorothy! Lots of pomegranates, mints, amazing salads, and meat with many spices, not including the amazing vegetarian options will mean that there is so so so much on the menu and that it will require multiple visits.

Our visit was on a hot and muggy night in July and we were ready for some fresh, and light, food. We had a sampling of all their dips – from the creamy textured and wonderful Hummus to the slightly zingy yet wonderful Ceru Hammara, and also the smooth Fadi (roasted zucchini, garlic, lemon and tahini), while the Pancar (Beetroot) is specific only to Beetroot lovers. Each dip costs £4.50 to £5.50 but please order the three dips in one dish at only £5.50 – a great deal to sample all of them.

The amazing Crisp Apple, Mint & Pomegranate Salad was to die for – literally. With its tangy lemon and olive oil dressing, it was a dish that was fresh, crisp, cool and perfect for a hot day – brava, and a steal at £6.00! We weren’t too overly keen on theSpice Battered Squid (£7) – our portion, while quite big, was a bit too chewy and not as well cooked as we would’ve liked it. But the Lamb Shoulder more than made up for it. Slow roasted for 5 hours smothered in 12 shawarma spices – it’s a meat lovers delight. It’s one slab of meat covered in pomegranate, fresh mint and pistachio sauce – and every bite was tender, flavourful and totally delicious. And at £11.50 – it’s a steal because of its enormous size.

If chicken is your thing, then, by all means, try either the Merguez Chicken (£10) or the Shish Tauk (£8.50), which was cubes of chicken breast, sprinkled with paprika and lemon, with herb yoghurt. While good, the paprika was a bit too spicey and the dish itself does not make a main meal. Luckily we also ordered a vegetarian dish – the Grilled Halloumi & Red Peppers with harissa dressing. We were told by the wonderful Karla to eat it as a sandwich, so we stacked up the pepper on top of the halloumi, and added a smattering of the dressing, and boom, it was delicious, bringing new flavours to our palates!

We could not have overlooked the side orders. My dining companion loved the Spiced Polenta & Feta Fries, with coriander and chili (£3.50) while the Orez Ceru rice (Arabic fried rice with crispy onions, sultanas & parsley) was the starch for our meal, and it might’ve been a bit too much as its a big bowl of rice – but delicious and different nonetheless.

In the cocktails department, we decided to go for unique and different. The Pistachio Meringue was definitely different – made with beefeater, pistachio, syrup, egg white, lime and cardamom syrup which my companion described as ‘liquid marzepan.’ I had the Turkish Delight – with Russian Standard, strawberry liquor, rose water and cranberry juice – it was sweet and berrylicious! And at only £7.50 each, these and all the other cocktails are good value as in most parts of Soho a £10 cocktail is the norm.

We didn’t partake in too much of the wine but had sips of the red Kalecik Karasi Turkish wine (which, we are told, is the bosses favourite). it was very grapey, while the Vranec Special Selecti Macedonian wine was full bodied. Other wine regions on the menu include Lebanon, Greece, including whites, roses and more reds.

And don’t worry about dessert as Ceru has got that covered. Dishes such as the Dark Chocolate Mousse (£4.50), Baklava (£5.50), Honey and Cardamom Panna Cotta (£4.50) and the yummy Galata Sundae (£4.50) are all delightful and yummy.

Ceru also raises funds for the World Land Trust, of which Sir David Attenborough is a patron, by offering BRITA filtered water for a discretionary £1 per jug. Donations go to the charity’s work in protecting and expanding Armenia’s Caucasus Wildlife Refuge that looks after critically threatened species exclusive to the region like the Snow Leopard, Syrian Brown Bear and Grey Wolf.

Ceru is healthy eating, with indulgent sharing dishes, an almost wholly gluten and dairy-free menu and lots of vegetarian and vegan options to choose from, in a setting that is rich and warm as it’s staff and food. It’s very very affordable as all the food and drinks we had came to a total of £91 – an excellent bargain!

Ceru is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Ceru Soho is the Levantine’s brand second site. The first branch is located on Bute Street in South Kensington.

CERU Soho

11 D’Arblay Street, Soho, London, W1F 8DS

020 3195 3002 | www.cerurestaurants.com

soho@cerurestaurants.com

T: @CeruLondon| I: @CeruLondon | F: CeruRestaurants

Monday – Saturday: Midday – 11pm

Sunday: 11am – 10pm

Weekend brunch served 11am – 5pm, alongside All-Day Menu

23rd July 2018