Nik ventures where the pretentious food bloggers dare not – a chain restaurant! Here at Spaghetti House, hidden away beneath the mountain of dishes on offer, he finds a tasty crab special, big enough to fill a man for lunch and for the rest of the day.
But why should they? Why do chains always have to get a bad rep? A coffee shop on the South Coast – no names mentioned – is being harangued because it’s a bigger chain now than it once was. Too often in the world of food success is attacked, not triumphed.
Anyway, we won’t start that rant all over again.
Spaghetti House isn’t somewhere I’ve eaten before, I’ll admit. Then again, I don’t usually review places I’ve eaten in before. It wouldn’t make sense really.
On an almost warm and sunny day, sitting upstairs at their Goodge Street branch, I can’t see how anyone could dislike this restaurant. Views of the busy street below, yet relatively quiet inside and with a cold glass of decent wine in hand (I forget what), it’s a perfect way to spend an afternoon.
We shared starters at my request. An excuse to sample a range of dishes, I said. Removing the possibility for food envy (or worse disappointment), is what I actually meant.
Okay. I said I wanted to share; however, once the squid arrived I pretty much ignored the other two dishes.
For the mains, we stuck to one per person. A pizza, a plate of various meats and crab linguine – the dish I was sent here to try (only available until May 31st!).
Well, actually it’s not. That’s my biggest criticism of chains – a desire, driven by men in suits with no taste buds, to please everyone all the time, every time, at any time. Money, money, money! Ching, ching, ching!
Scrap the burger and I might believe you’re throwing maximum effort into the rest of your food.
And there was me saying I’d avoid rants today.
The meat plate was very interesting indeed. I had low expectations, yet this was two different meats – beef and lamb – cooked well (and by that I mean pink and tender) and served up in a way pleasing to the eye. Well done that chef! Surely not a dish sent down from head office.
After the crab, we were gone. I think we dug at a pudding, but really three courses was just too much. Wine down, lunch down, we crawled to the pub (The Newman Arms, if you’re asking) for a post-meal pint, or digestif as the French call it.
Later that day I lost at least £15 on the dogs – a better investment would have been another bowl of that linguine.
Spaghetti House has 12 restaurants across London. The crab linguine runs until the end of May.