Babbo, London
Anita Pati gets into fine Italian dining but has to endure some psychotic career counseling for starters. Will the Ossobucco reveal its innermost secrets? Was the Scallop a mussel in its past life? Could Anita have picked a worse dining companion?
Delima Malaysian Restaurant, London
Tucked away on Southwick Street in W2, you’d be forgiven for not knowing about Delima, a new Malaysian restaurant. A few minutes walk away from the bustling hub of the Edgware Road and Paddington Station, the locale of this eatery may prove to be its secret weapon, along with its impressive cuisine served at affordable prices.
The Greenhouse, London
Antonin Bonnet has held a Michelin star at The Greenhouse for the four years he has been working there, and it is thought by many that he should have been given a second this year. It certainly fits the French two star mould – silently swooping waiting staff who pull out your chair before you have a chance to reach for it yourself; a seriously priced tasting menu (£80 per person) and a bulging wine list that includes such treasures as a double magnum of Château Lafite‐Rothschild 1er Grand Cru Classé from 1959, which will set you back a tidy £15,500. Certainly one for a special occasion.
Aubrey, South Kensington, London
Aubrey has a nice atmosphere for a hotel restaurant, cosy, intimate, leathery and old time. American tourists must love it. It seems a shame that it may only attract hotel guests because the food while not aiming to be an artistic statement is certainly what I like to eat on a regular basis.
El Pirata Detapas, Westbourne Grove, Paddington
What does the name mean? The Pirate of Tapas? Does the chef look like Johnny Depp and have a cutlass clamped between his teeth? Are the prices High Seas’ robbery? Do staff say ‘Ahh harr matey!’ in Spanish when chef calls a ticket? Who knows, what is certain is that this second branch of the Mayfair original is a modern tapas restaurant all the way from its cool interior to its Bulli boy food. Tapas reconstructed in a way that marks it out from the patatas bravas brigade so prevalent in London.
Enoteca Turi, Putney, London
Enoteca Turi is situated in Putney High Street, close to Putney Bridge, just a short walk from the main line station. As you enter the restaurant you are struck by its crisp but stylish homelike decor, it has a warm comfortable feel to it that is very inviting.This an excellent local restaurant, serving good regional Italian food and certainly an enjoyable place to visit.
Profile, Soho, London
Such is my sheltered life I didn’t know about Profile’s status as an iconic Gay club/bar/diner. I just thought the waiters were a trifle camp, but that’s like noticing air stewards are a bit fey. Picking up on the ‘vibe’ we tried to look like two butch blokes confident in their sexuality who just happened to fancy a burger and had popped into the nearest place.
Bella Vista, Blackheath,London
I do wish Bella Vista was a little closer to where I live, because it is just the kind of little Italian restaurant I would visit regularly.I wasn’t expecting our meal to be this good as there are so many poor-quality Italian restaurants in London that take advantage of our love of Italian food and perhaps our lack of knowledge of what authentic Italian food actually is.
Kiasu, London
“Our chefs are ANGRY chefs,” declares Elizabeth Seah of Kiasu with a big, irreverent smile on her face. “They’re really angry. Cooking at Kiasu means staying as faithful to the original dishes as possible, down to the very last detail – and that takes hard work
Adagio, Soho, London
A proper pizza is all about its base. Forget the telephone takeaways with their emphasis on ‘fill you up’ bottoms, which have more in common with old mattresses than they do with a real pizza. And as for gimmicks like stuffing the crust, what on earth is all that about?
Viet Grill, Hackney, London
It's a bit of a trek out to The Viet Grill - a tube to Liverpool Street, then a jerky bus ride up the Kingsland Road and into the badlands of Hackney. Apparently people do live out here though and when they tire of being artistic the Viet Grill is where they go to spend their dinner money.
Kenza, Devonshire Square, London
I can see why it appeals to the City crowd so much, with very few exciting restaurants in area, Kenza stands out and perhaps deservedly so. The interior design alone is well worth a visit. Well… it’s cheaper than a flight to Morocco, surely?
Empress of Sichuan, Soho, London
There’s a trend to big up Sichuan food right now. It’s all about having the guts to eat tripe, as well as the testosterone taste buds to take on fearsome amounts of chilli and the mouth-numbing effects of the Sichuan pepper itself. What helps the trend is that some of the better Sichuan restaurants are cheap and cheerful places that appeal to the post-backpacking, job-in-New-Media, type of person. What’s missing though is somewhere a bit posher, and located a bit more centrally, somewhere that we older chaps can take the good lady wife. The Empress fits that bill nicely.
The Narrow
The Narrow is amazingly well situated, set as it is, next to the lock that leads into Limehouse Basin, it has excellent views from the bend in the river, towards central London to the west and Docklands to the East. The Narrow are serving some very good food at reasonable prices, its excellent riverside views it is a great place for lunch or an evening meal.
Sauterelle
Service at Sauterelle was exceptionally good, mixed with a little theatre which was somehow right for the surroundings and the excellent food of head chef Robin Gill. This is a remarkably good restaurant and definitely one to visit.
Volupte Lounge
Volupte is an unusual venue. The restaurant and show area is in the basement of the building, its bold decor appears mismatched and incomplete in places, yet somehow coming together to create the impression of an era long since past. It is a place that should be experienced, whether for cocktails or other drinks, an evening meal with entertainment, or afternoon tea on a Saturday.
Aubaine, London
Invited to inspect a row of bottles on a shelf right behind me I couldn’t do it, not without imitating Lynda Blair in The Exorcist and doing a full 360 with my head. So the wife picked one. It’s a novel idea, but I think I still prefer seeing a wine list.
Whites
We had heard good things about Whites, since head chef Stuart Dove, took the helm last year. It is a remarkably good restaurant and we ate perhaps the best food we have had outside central London for some months. We would certainly recommend it to anyone who can travel to Steyning and could see it becoming a destination restaurant.
Caponata
As we reported after attending Caponata’s launch in early December its owners have created a cool contemporary venue. Two restaurants in one it offers a wide choice to its customers, with some very interesting dishes on the menus it is unsurprising that it is gaining popularity.
Bistro K, London
Football and fine dining – f-words that fit like fist and fur ball. So when, in the newly-opened Bistro K – plush, South Kensington deluxe – Anita Pati sees a giant sports telly slap bang in the wall, it comes as no surprise that the bar’s owner also owns the Olympique Lyonnais football team.
