Restaurant Reviews - l
L'Anima, London
The Italian chef and man of the moment, Francesco Mazzei is cooking up a Calabrian storm at L'Anima, his city restaurant. But as Isobel Cripps 
finds out, sometimes all the PR hype and pre-conceived romanticisms can leave you feeling disenchanted.
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Why anyone would want to traipse out to East London to eat pompous self-indulgent food when Robuchon is in town is beyond me. At L’Atelier the balance of creativity with common sense and clear cooking skills is perfect, the room delightful and the staff, even when wielding fire extinguishers, cool and solicitous.
L'Avant Port
‘16 Euros to cross a bloody bridge?’ I shouted incredulously at the mec manning the toll booth as he gazed back impassively. No doubt the sight of a middle-aged Englishman having an apoplexy over the entrance fee to the Île de Ré was becoming rather familiar to him. He shrugged Gallicly. It wasn’t his fault that this time last year 16 Euros was equivalent to about £10 while now it was almost exactly £16.
L'Etranger
L’Etranger, I imagined, had been a destination joint in the 1980s, still humming on a Monday night in the noughties. This, I dreamed as D and I were led to our seats, was where Duran Duran might have been taken on the cusp of a record deal, or where Docklands’ mandarins with flinty eyes seeded the City’s birth.
La Stazione, Ryries Bar, Haymarket, Edinburgh
La Stazione is an Italian osteria/trattoria. It is sat immediately above Ryries Bar, an old Scottish pub that has been in operation since the 1860s, in a building that dates back to the 1749. La Stazione is a good local eatery, while there we noticed a number of tables occupied by tourists, like us, but it seemed clear that there were a good number of local customers, it is a popular place and rightly so.
Laya'lina, Knightsbridge
Laya’Lina is not budget-friendly by any means… I balk at the £5.95 price tag of a portion of chips, as not even Gordon Ramsay charges that much for fried potatoes! The presence of chicken curry and coconut prawn soup on the menu baffle me greatly, I may not be Lebanese, but I think it’s safe to say that neither are these dishes.
Le Bouchon Breton
It’s located on the first floor! I tell you this because otherwise, like me, you’ll probably walk around in ever more frustrated circles trying to find the bloody place. For some reason the revamped Spitalfields market sees no reason to include Le Bouchon Breton on any of their signage, at least not as far as I could see through a thickening red mist.
Le Bouchon Breton
With plush red seating and a well stocked high bar, it was the epitome of retro French glamour. Outside, little oases of botany separated deck furniture and a live band played gently in the background, all a part of the Breton's August jazz nights.
Le Cafe Anglais
Just moments from the Queensway drunks and suited career climbers (drunker still), Le Café Anglais occupies its own private entrance on Porchester Gardens. Lift ahoy up to the first floor (making it all feel a bit private members club) and you’re in.
Le Cafe du Marche
Inside Le Café du Marche you don’t feel lost, you feel right at home; this is a tranche of France that is as Gallic as surrendering without a shot. The walls are bare brick and you can scent the cooking on the air, something sadly lacking in restaurants where the trendy chef is cooking via Twitter.
Le Cercle
Le Cercle keeps a low profile, but the standard is consistently high and its ability to offer reasonably priced, streamlined and stylish food particularly at lunchtime is welcome. The people around Sloane Square may not be that strapped for cash, but those shopping around for bargains can always avoid cutting culinary corners by going to Le Cercle.
Le Colombier Restaurant London
It's not often I enter a restaurant and immediately lower the average age of the clientele by about thirty years. All around us glided silver haired, straight- backed gentlemen of ex-Brigadier appearance, accompanied by their good lady wives decked in the family jewellery. It was rather like entering one of the last books of A Dance To The Music of Time. Mark Members over there, Sir Magnus Donners at the door and to the side, balefully watching the throng, Widmerpool himself.
Le Coup Franc, Montbron, France
This is not Peter Mayle’s Provence and this is not the ‘wonderful little place’ that Giles and Samantha found as they toured the Dordogne last year, while Giles fielded emails from the office on his Blackberry and Samantha collected fabric samples for her shop. This is the France the French see – plain, simple, cheap and quite cheerful.
Le Garrick, Covent Garden, London
No one’s looking for Michelin Stars at Le Garrick; it exists to serve well-priced., well-cooked food in a cosy, clubby, environment. And it is very well-priced particularly at lunchtime with set menus. They’ve launched the Lunch Club which gives a 10% discount off a lunch bill to all members. Membership is free, so what’s not to like about that?
Leong's Legends, Bayswater
The dish of tongues is speaking and we’re playing deaf. S and I are trying not to look at the grey curls of muscle, the Sichuan duck tongues, that S has ordered. They are arch and taut, twisted in a last quacky screech and hold horror in their sinews. And they are cold. And, in the ultimate diss, they are sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Little Bay, Croydon
The thing you have to say about Little Bay is that their food is very good indeed, surprisingly good, remarkably good and, what’s more, it’s bloody cheap. You also have to say that the restaurants themselves are rather odd.
Locale, Balham
Locale Balham is one of a chain of five Italian restaurants around London, the Balham restaurant, on the corner of Balham High Road and Ritherdon Road has a modern but comfortable feel with well spaced tables. It is a good local restaurant, as the name suggests.
Lucy’s on a plate
Lucy owns a number of foodie businesses in the village and wider. Lucy's on a plate is a popular destination for both locals and visitors alike.
