THEGAYUK

Tag: London Restaurant Reviews

The best and gay-friendly restaurants reviewed in London and the surrounding areas. Reviewed by our team of experts from THEGAYUK.com

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bala Baya, London – A real find!

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bala Baya, London – A real find!

    ★★★★★| Bala Baya, Southwark, London

    A real find in the restaurant scene is Bala Baya. It’s a real find because it’s tucked away in a spot hard to find and it’s a real find because it’s extremely delicious. 

    A few minutes walk from Southwark tube station in the revitalised railway arches now chock a block full of restaurants and a couple of small theatres is Bala Baya. 

    Top-notch Israeli food cooked with care and to perfection is delivered to tables with grace and elegance in a space that is uniquely designed to make everything just perfect. 

    There are many choices on the menu but the best value is the set menu where you’ll share 7 dishes at £42 per person where each dish is so unlike the others.

    The Chickpea Hummus (£7 on the a la carte menu) is an excellent blend of mixed spices, pine nuts (superb and plentiful), pickled chillies (for that extra kick), with tomato pulp, and served with two fluffy and very soft pitas. Just superb overall. The Mackerel & Harissa (£13), a dish I would normally never order, was an unexpected delight thanks to the combination of the Sharon Fruit (variety of persimmon), mustard cress and tomatoes which gave the dish a nice zing! While the mackerel was, of course, very fishy, the non-fish portion of the dish pushed it over the edge into delicious category. But what was more than delicious was the Wild Tomatoes dish. Very large (£10) and with each ingredient superb, it consisted of Mooli (white root), pickled red onions, Manouri cheese (similar to feta but cooked and better-tasting), and coriander with blackberry vinaigrette to top it off. Superb, zingy, and beautifully presented, with all the ingredients a great mix. It’s a dish I could eat every night! The Cauliflower & Roe (£13), while not as fabulous as the Wild Tomatoes (it’s hard to beat), consisted of a large cooked cauliflower with harissa, sweetcorn black pepper and cured fish roe on top of acidic vinegar, which, along with the harissa, gave the cauliflower a minor kick but it was an excellent texture. Next up was the Crispy, Sticky and Crunchy dish (£11) of chicken thighs – and all four pieces were of the name, with bitter orange, harissa, kimchi, butternut squash puree, hazelnuts sprinkled on top, and sumac.

    While the Kimchi was too spicy, the combination of the rest of the ingredients gave this dish the perfect taste. But what was to come after just topped everything: the Cheeky. It was Ox cheek (a nice round portion, and slow-cooked for 3 hours we were told), with a large aubergine resting comfortably on top, and plum tomatoes alongside with the entire dish swimming in beef and date jus. And if this sounds mouth-watering it’s because it was! A dark brown dish, with the plum tomatoes giving it colour, it was large enough for us to share, but to be honest I wanted more of this dish even though I was getting full! Superb. It’s £18 on the a la cart menu by the way. 

    Too full is an oxymoron when you know there is dessert still to come. And we had two from the menu: the Burnt Babka and the Malibu Malabi. And if they both sound delectable it’s because they were! The Babka (dough baked into a golden brioche-like bread with added chocolate and hazelnuts and plums) reminded me of a cinnamon bun but with much more flavour. I absolutely loved this dish – and it was up to standard with the mains we had just devoured! The Malabi was coconut, orange blossom, mango, citrus fruit, sumac and rose all compacted into a glass dish.

    My dining companion loved it but I was very happy with my Babka! Both desserts are also on the a la carte menu (£9 and £8 respectively).

    As mentioned previously, the tasting menus are a bit better value than the a la carte menu. The other tasting menu is £53 per person – you get one more dish but this menu does not include the Cheeky nor the Wild Tomatoes dishes – which were two of my favorites.

    As for drinks, it’s a given that Bala Baya has a drink for everyone. Cocktails are fine, with the Flying Camel a standout (Ketel One, Cointreau, grapefruit, sumas and rose), but I need to go back and try the Champagne Martini (yummy!), the Pomegranate and Ginger, and (!!) the Peach (with peach liqueur, lemon and prosecco). The wines are a good value, at two pages you have your pick of white, rose and reds, but as Bala Baya is an Israeli restaurant, your best bet is to jump in with both feet and go for the Israeli wine.

    Chef Eran Tibi, a descendant from a Middle Eastern family, successfully brings his family’s cuisine to London. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu and the kitchens of Ottolenghi, the Roundhouse’s Made in Camden kitchen and founding Executive Chef at Zest@JW3, Eran’s passion and creativity are apparent in every one of his dishes.

    It’s a slick, cool two-story restaurant with the downstairs in full view of the open kitchen but it’s upstairs where you want to sit. With an overhang of plants in the back, to the high ceilings and the floor to ceiling windows at the front, it’s a very comfortable environment where the tables are not too close to each other. And it’s under the concept of Desert Bauhaus, with interiors designed by the award-winning architect Afroditi Krassa. The wait staff are superb, attentive and very nice, and there is nothing bad to say about this place. It’s just perfect, like a lazy Saturday afternoon on a Tel Aviv Beach. 

    For bookings click here

  • 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 | Xier, London – A feast for the eyes and tastebuds

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Xier, London – A feast for the eyes and tastebuds

    ★★★★★ | Xier, Marylebone, London

    Behind the frosted glass windows and the outdoor flowers around the entrance is Xier – a restaurant that is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds – a feast so unlike any other I have ever eaten.

    Entering the cosy looking restaurant on Thayer Street in Marelybone, we were led upstairs to a brightly lit room – rather posh I would say. This is where the Xier experience starts. From there we were taken on a culinary journey, led by a very knowledgeable staff who all knew what they were serving, from the exotic drinks to the even more exotic food. We were guided by them through a 10-course tasting menu accompanied by a selection of wines and cocktails chosen to enhance the food and the experience. And what an experience it was. The food was very different yet extremely delicious!

    Herewith is a breakdown of the 10 course meal we had (the courses on the menu are subject to change according to seasons and what is available): 

    1.) French Kiss. A glass block with literally a red kiss on it, made up of passionfruit, pistachio, and fennel with Japanese pumpkin. I imagine that this is exactly what the color red tastes like if it were food. And what an explosion of taste! It’s the best kiss I’ve had all year (thankfully the year is still young!) This is served alongside:

    2.) Kabocha (Japanese squash) Crispy Pancake topped with black truffles (delicate and delicious and to die for!) and chestnuts resting on a bed of pumpkin seeds (not to be eaten). It was small but sumptuous. Then came

    3.) Orkney Scallop Crudo, Cured Duck with Caviar swimming in an absolutely stunning Soy Dashi (Japanese stock soup) and Malabar sauce (sprayed) served, cleverly, in a large sea shell over a bed of black rocks. And to top it off, to get the full effect of the dish, a bowl of moss is delivered with liquid nitrogen poured onto it, releasing an earthy-smelling vapour across the table, the perfect accompaniment to the rich flavours of the dish. It’s one of the many actions of the evening that is very theatrical which enhances the experience. The scallops were just divine, as was the sauce. All in all an incredible dish and perhaps one of the best dishes I have ever eaten! The scallops literally melted on my tongue and the tiny bits of black caviar were just heavenly. 

    4.) Rose Cured Salmon, Foie Gras, Kumquad, Yuzu and Hazelnuts topped with coriander leaves and passion fruit puree, with beetroot was next. Hard to top the scallops, this small block of salmon – one of Xier’s signature dishes – where the salmon was solid – was a extreme combination of flavors all packed into a very small portion – yet it worked very well. Next was

    5.) Gyoza dumpling (consisting of edamame beans) with hints of pepper, ginger, shallots, and spring onions – to be eaten with chopsticks – and served swimming in a stunning red cabbage tea – which was so unique and flavourful that one was not enough. Bravo for this dish – it was divine.

    6.) Cleanser. Time for a break from the food. A Mandarin granita with Blue Curacao sorbet in a small glass cup served on top of a bed of ice in a white glass bowl on a white glass plate was just what was needed to clear the palet for what was to come next – more incredible food!

    7.) Black Cod in Caramel Miso, Walnuts, Pistachio, Celeriac & Pear. The cod was so delicious, cooked well done on the outside yet tender and moist on the inside. Xier’s second signature dish – it was beautifully cooked and served with Burnt Kiwi leaf oil and celery Pear Puree. This was preceded by the amazing

    8.) British Beef Cheek and Pickled Beetroot, on top of Collard Greens and topped with Bone Marrow. The Beef – sourced from the UK – was tender, moist, and literally falls apart on the dish and on your fork. And the red wine grapes au jus is just icing on the beef – the best beef I’ve had in many years. This was the last of the main courses and it was a high to top all highs!

    9.) Swedish Cheese and Fresh Fizzy grapes were a nice delicate touch to wind down the meal. This is served alongside small ginger bread snaps with three jellies that consisted individually of white wine, red wine and walnut & pear. So many tastes – your taste buds will thank you! 

    10.) The final course was, of course, dessert, called Sweet Pleasure on the menu. And these were normal portions, but we realized bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. Four desserts were delivered to our table – Chocolate passionfruit Mousse (funny looking but with delicious banana crips); very good banana ice cream; an unusual chestnut parfait on a bed of blackcurrant sauce with mandarin segments and topped with a nice hazelnut cracker; and a small slice of pear cake. The mousse wasn’t our cup of tea, it didn’t have a great taste, and the pear dish was too sugar-coated, but credit is given for the mousse – it was unusual, unique, and visually appealing. 

    Drinks come at price – of course. You can choose to have the wine & Cocktail Pairing for an additional £85 or alternatively the Deluxe Wine Pairing at £190 extra, or better yet just order drinks from the drinks menu separately. One drink I recommend is the Mango Tiki served in a pineapple tin cup. Mouth watering with rum, papaya, mango with orange juice and topped with Mango foam. Stay away from the Apricot Tai – too too sweet. Of course Xiers’ wine list is very very extensive – too many to mention here, but my dining companion had a Vodkatini – which he very much enjoyed – as well as a few glasses of wine which were all very very fine, even though the pour was small. 

    In each and every bite of the food we can taste the hard work done in the kitchen to prepare, cook, and serve all these amazing dishes. Xier, the first solo venture from Italian Chef Carlo Scotto – has rewritten the rules on fine dining with Xier. The menu is from his culinary experiences, with aspects of his travels through Europe, Scandinavia and especially Japan, which you can tell had a huge influence on his skills as a chef.

    I had commented to my dining companion about halfway through our meal that I felt the courses were too small and that I would probably need more food on the way home, well that was not the case after the tenth course. We both were comfortably full and were just taken aback with the whole experience.

    Open for only one year, the room has clean lines, is very minimalist, stylish yet very much on the quiet side, with the excellent staff hovering about to make sure you know what you are eating. They do explain, in lots of detail, when the food is delivered what you are about to eat, otherwise you’d have no idea. Downstairs is XR, which offers prestige A-La-Carte dining. So it’s up to you to decide what you prefer. But the ten course tasting menu is just absolutely divine, and worth every penny of the £95 you will be charged. And with this menu being changed from time to time – it will be interesting to know what type of dishes Scotto will be dreaming up next. But guaranteed they will be amazing and out of this world.

  • 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 | Other Side Fried, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Other Side Fried, London

    ★★★ | Other Side Fried, Brixton, London

    Fried chicken was all the rage in 2019 – will it be just as popular in 2020? Well, The 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 was 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 Smoked 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!

    Find out more: http://www.othersidefried.com

  • 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 | Jidori, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Jidori, London

    ★★★★ | Jidori, London

    £72 for 10 dishes, with one dish better than the next, with cocktails? Where does one find a restaurant like this? Japanese restaurant Jidori, that’s where.

    Now with two branches, one in Covent Garden and one in Dalston, Jidori is a yakitori restaurant (skewered chicken) whose name is taken from a special breed of free-range chickens renowned for their flavour and freshness – and after having eaten there, I can attest that Jidori’s chicken is just simply flavourful and delicious. But Jidori is also more than just chicken, they have lots and lots of other incredible dishes, starting out with their House Pickles dish. How can pickles be so good and different? Well, Jidori’s comes beautifully presented and also includes mushrooms, cauliflower, white radish and carrots – a very good selection and a steal at only £5.

    On our visit, I and my dining companion had bits and pieces from the varied menu, including the Karaage from the small plates menu. These were four nicely-sized chicken wings (more meat and less bone) which were deep-fried in sake and ginger, cooked with katsu bread crumbs, and were just absolutely sumptuous, with a mustard and mayo dip that only added to the flavour. These were absolutely delicious (£7). Another star dish that was so unlike anything I’ve ever had before (no chicken here!) was the Tuna Tostada. It consisted of tuna, avocado and jalapeño on top of a crispy fried rice shell, and where the tuna was not very tuna-tasting, but overall it was an amazing blend of food and flavour in a small package – highly recommended (£9). Dish number 4 was the Gyoza (prawn or vegetables) dumplings (£6), onions sprinkled on top, with a black vinegar dipping sauce. These were your standard run of the mill dumplings and the least overwhelming of the 8 dishes we tasted, a bit pricey at £9 but they were still very good.

    From the Kushiyaki menu (poultry and non-poultry items, skewered and grilled) we had the Nasu – Miso glazed aubergines on a stick, with sesames and onions sprinkled on top, were gentle and good and a nice dish to have in between the chicken dishes (£4.5). Dish number 6 was the Tsukune (Yakitori) – minced chicken with egg yolk as a dipping sauce. The chicken here (two pieces – both on sticks) tasted like meat as it was in the shape of a sausage – very good and very different, and very hardy (£5.5). Also from the Yakitori menu, we had the Momo – 6 small chicken thighs – 3 on each stick – which were flame-grilled and had a distinctive flavour and were just absolutely juicy, moist and the miso and coriander added quite intensely to the flavour – these are highly recommended at a bargain price of £5.20. Dish 8 was a side of the Rice, egg yolk, sesame & nori.

    Desserts were not to be missed! For something a bit different go for the Ginger ice cream with miso caramel and, to give it a twist, sweet potato crisps and sesame seeds on top – very yummy – and I was a bit jealous as my dining companion had ordered it :(. We didn’t try the Milk pudding, strawberries, shiso and cucumber granita but I had the Yuzi & lemon sorbet with unpasteurized sake – very refreshing on what was a very very hot day.

    Also refreshing were the drinks. The Ginger Ninja was what was desperately needed on that hot day – it was a blend of gin, fresh ginger juice, yuzu and Asahi beer. Yellowish in colour, the mixture of the ginger juice and beer was just perfect (£7.5). My dining companion had the Umeshu Spritz. He likes wine so he enjoyed it which included Japanese plum wine, Aperol, gin, ume bitters and soda. For me, it had a strong wine taste but for him, it was just perfect (£6.50).

    Also perfect is the restaurant itself and the waitstaff. As we didn’t know what to order as most of these dishes we had never heard of before, the waiter gave us his suggestions and we went with them, and we were glad we did! The restaurant is cosy in a Japanese sort of way with several rooms and floors (in Covent Garden) with plenty of space for singles, couples and larger parties, with a Karaoke room that is available to hire for groups of 8-12 where Jidori offers a tasting menu which covers a lot of the Jidori classic dishes, plus use of the room, powered by Lucky Voice (for 2.5 hours) all for £40 per person. On weekends they offer 2 sittings per evening of 6.30pm – 9pmAND 9.30pm – midnight. On weeknights, they offer one sitting per evening.

    The Dalston branch has a bit of a different menu but no doubt the quality of the food, and the prices, are just as good as Covent Garden. Jidori is excellent value for the money, and where the food is different yet delicious.

    https://www.jidori.co.uk