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?
Babur, London
‘Worth making the trek across town for.’ You know what that means? It means ‘located in South London.’ Why do so many reviewers make readers feel that when you cross the Thames heading south the map should be marked ‘here be dragons’ and illustrated with drawings of 4x4s being consumed by sea serpents?
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.
Back to Benares
Following a fire which closed the restaurant for three months, Douglas Blyde books into Benares, Mayfair.
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.
Bar Boulud, London
Already critics have been raving about Bar Boulud, although that’s probably all part of the backlash against the kind of food that Blumenthal has so far championed. Now people, who a year ago would have sneered at you loftily for liking a burger, are actually saying they prefer nothing better than meat in a bun.
Bavarian Beerhouse, Tower Hill
You can tell a lot about a person from their sense of humour, and while, naturally, I take great pleasure in witty wordsmithery and ..., my funny bone belongs to sauce. So when I saw that the new Bavarian Beerhouse is located in Crutched Friars, I confess that I allowed myself a small, but heart-felt 'oo-er'.
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.
Benito's Hat Mexican Kitchen, Covent Garden
Operation Burrito: A visit to the new Benito's Hat Mexican Kitchen. It's already got plenty of foodie fans but what's all the fuss about and are the Burritos really that good? Read on to find out!
Bibendum
I rang the restaurant upstairs and said ‘Hello I’m eating oysters downstairs and its freezing and making me sad. Can I come and have lunch in your nice warm restaurant please?’ And the man said ‘Yes but you have to order in the next six minutes because the kitchen closes at 2.30.’
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 Bruno Loubet, London
I wasn’t in town the first time round when Loubet was doing his thing at Bistro Bruno and L’Odeon, but I’ll certainly join in with the ‘welcome back’ chorus. Just as long as the chef keeps busting out dishes like the Mauricette snails...
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.
Boaters Inn, Lower Ham Road, Kingston upon Thames
Some things calm the soul, just make everything seem a little bit better, . And after a tortuous journey involving two trains and one bus we found one on the outskirts of Kingston; a stretch of the Thames which on a dry, late Spring evening was picture perfect.
Bob Bob Ricard, Upper James Street, London
Bob Bob Ricard is a great place to eat, you could simply go there and experience the Zakuski and ice cold vodka, or other small plates, with vodka shots or other drinks, alternatively choose from their a la carte menu which has items to suit all pockets. We had a great time there and will definitely go back. We loved it and are sure you will.
Boisdale of Belgravia
While Boisdale says it’s in Belgravia, it’s also two minutes from Victoria Coach Station. But why quibble with this old Scottish establishment, destination cigar lounge, whisky bar, jazz club and comfort to wealthy barflies?
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 Joel
Despite criticism of the building it occupies, Brasserie Joël provided an authored insight into La Belle France, as Douglas Blyde found out...
Brasserie One
A very good lunch and perhaps the most resounding reason being that everything is just right. The cooking is good, the dishes are well thought out, the atmosphere is spot-on and in all the feeling is that, for a lunch, Brasserie One is just right and definitely more enchanting than squashing into the nearest franchise chain outlet.
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.
Busaba Eathai
Busaba Eathai is a welcome addition to the surrounding area of the West End, littered with tourist-driven junk food stops and dodgy pizza and kebab outlets that the health and safety inspectors have clearly turned a blind eye to.
Byron, Upper Street, London
Now, I'm not the most literary person, but two quotes came to mind about Byron, the first when I initially heard the name, and the other one a little while after we got there. Call me obvious, but my immediate reaction was to think of Lady Caroline Lamb's description of Lord Byron as 'mad, bad and dangerous to know'
