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.
Sake No Hana feels comfortable, intimate and not remotely pretentious like some of the other well known celeb-laden Japanese eateries (mentioning no names…) in the vicinity. So if you want great food, attentive service in an un-fussy environment than Sake No Hana is for you. But if WAG culture, drunk D-list celebrities and rude staff and generic service is what your after then head to Berkeley Street for your Sushi
In terms of value for money, if you go for one of the home dishes at My Dining Room you are onto a winner and the al la carte is fairly priced. The food was very good; the idea of sharing plates a quirky addition that make it worth seeking out. This style of eating is especially suited to occasions when you want to encourage group interaction; birthdays, reunions, mandatory work outings; anytime when you might be stuck for conversation or need to build camaraderie.
The steaks, we’re told, are cooked at 650C on a purpose installed broiler. I am never sure what a broiler is, it isn’t a boiler obviously, it must be some kind of super grill. The insanely high temperature is supposed to sear the outside in seconds, like holding the steak under the Space Shuttle during take off, while the inside stays good and tender.
This is a chance for us all to see a famous interior and eat in a dining room boasting Murano glass chandeliers, a decorative Georgian ceiling and an internal marble colonnade which leads onto terraces, with views over Hyde Park.
The prospect of dinner as a resident at a five star hotel restaurant is an occasion to anticipate. Unquestionably there is a danger of letting the plush surroundings cloud your judgement. However, if you are able to resist being influenced by the grandeur and keep your eye on the ball, then every so often you deduce that perhaps the hotel is not fully committed to fine dining.
Less than a 30 minute drive from central London, Incanto restaurant is located in the affluent leafy green suburbs of Harrow-on-the-Hill, a stone’s throw away from the prestigious Harrow school. Set in a former 19th century post office, the front of the restaurant is a delicatessen-cum-café with a few scattered tables and some window seating, attracting locals with its Italian produce and quick-fixes like Italian coffee, sandwiches and assorted cheeses and salumi.
How the City has changed… it doesn’t seem so long ago that the area around the Bank of England had just a smattering of shops and watering holes: these days, the penny has dropped that everyone needs to eat, drink and buy things. In these days of cookie-cutter shops and wine bars, The Anthologist are doing something different, something which has clearly taken a lot of thought and effort.
When I first heard of Aqua I thought it was an odd combination, bringing together two quite different cuisines, Japanese and Spanish, in one restaurant and of course anyone else would be forgiven for thinking the same. Aqua Kyoto is an excellent restaurant, the surroundings are plush, bordering on opulent and service there is second to none. We had a brilliant evening there.
With the RHS Chelsea flower show just around the corner, The Botanist is both aptly named and perfectly located for a pre or post show pit-stop and they have even conjured up some lovely cocktails to mark this year’s flower-powered festival and so it would be rude not to try them.
