Restaurant Reviews - b
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?
Babylon Roof Gardens restaurant
It’s popular, this design trope of papering one wall with loud, geometric and rather 70’s patterns. Stick a Yes poster on the wall and it could be one quarter of my teenage bedroom. If anyone is going to do it in a restaurant though then Babylon Roof Gardens (prop. R. Branson) is the one.
Bangalore Express
Opened just a month ago, the unfortunately-named Bangalore Express in its hidden location belies its fab quality. This mid-priced, 80s-decor Indian restaurant is a real find if you can find it, but no one seems to have located it quite yet.
Beach Blanket Babylon East
It isn’t easy to fill venues on the industrial stretch of Bethnal Green road where Beach Blanket Babylon has hunkered down. Brick Lane’s melee bristles five minutes away. Commercial Road’s pencil moustache and cupcake brigade posture to the right. But despite the relative quiet on our Friday night visit, the punters seemed still to be loving it.
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.
Bellevue Rendez-vous
Cooking at Bellevue is Pablo Gallego while his partner Stephanie Gandon runs the front of house. A nice woman, but at one point she let out a thunderous unrestrained sneeze, something I recommend she doesn’t do when the AA Rosette inspector comes round.
Bengal Clipper
Tucked away in the trendy riverside passages of Shad Thames lies ‘Bengal Clipper’ restaurant, which in its 15 years of trading, has been awarded more accolades than you could shake a stick at.
Bingham Hotel and Restaurant
Having recently reported on site that the Bingham Hotel had won two BT Visit London gold awards, for ‘Best Small Hotel/B&B’ and for ‘Best Gastronomic Experience’ we decided we must go along and see what all the fuss was about. The Bingham certainly is a great gastronomic experience.
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.
Bombay Brasserie Restaurant
The Bombay Brasserie has only been open a few days following a large and no doubt expensive, refurbishment. The chairs look so spanking new that you (or at least I) rather regret wearing jeans and I discreetly check my rear for any protruding felt tip pens, chewing gum, cat hairs etc before sitting down. All around the walls memories of the previous interior line up - ancient black and white photos of Bombay life, mostly featuring well-fed Princes in their Raj heyday.
Brasserie St Jacques
The intention is there and the cooking by co-owner Laurence Glayzer, who has a fine pedigree of French cooking in top places, is assured. I spotted sous chefs from other London French restaurants by the door enjoying a late evening snack and I think that should tell you all you need to know about Brasserie St Jacques.
Brouge
Situated in Richmond’s fashionable shopping area, Brouge has been created out of the basement of a former cinema. Delivering great food and an exrensive range of Belgian beers, Brouge is well worth a visit.
Buddha Bar London
The Buddha Bar, whose giant model of Buddha sits among Dionysian excess, can seem like an oxymoron given the wise one's probable aversion to the demon drink.
Anita Pati sashays into the celeb’s favourite hangout to see what all the fuss is about.
Bumpkin London
It has taken me a long time to finally dine at Bumpkin, having made countless bookings in the past and had to cancel them for one reason or another. Having made it here at long last, it was perfect for a pit-stop for a comfort meal on a Winter’s day.
