Restaurant Spy - London

Shish, 2-6 Station Parade, London NW2 4NH

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:46:05 +0000

Address:
2-6 Station Parade, London NW2 4NH

Review:

It's kebabs gone posh. Shish in Willesden Green, adjacent to the Tube station, is one of 3 Shish outlets that have garnered popularity amongst locals and critics alike. At £20 per head, it's not a cheap meal, but it's definitely worth the pounds. The spinach borek was crisp and fresh, although a little oily but the mains are definitely the highlight of the menu. Skewers of meat and haloumi cheese with potatoes, roasted capsicum and onions, next to a bed of salad and fries is done to perfection. And for dessert, don't go past the halva ice-cream with baklava.

Sakoni's 127-129 Ealing Road, Wembley, HA0 4BP

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:59:38 +0000

Address:
127-129 Ealing Road, Wembley, HA0 4BP

Review:

Look to where the locals go and head to Sakoni's for cheap, filling and mouth-watering vegetarian Gujarati food. Populated as it is already with sari, jewellery and Indian grocery stores, Ealing Road is packed with locals who pop into Sakoni's for their spicy masala dosas, burning hot chai and crispy bhajiyas.

If you don't mind being packed into a corner in a clinical and sometimes dirty interior, its well worth it for the food. In fact, sometimes, it adds to the authentic Indian experience.

Café Pacifico,5-6 Langley Street, London, WC2H 9JA

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:48:52 +0000

Address:
5-6 Langley Street, London, WC2H 9JA

Review:

I've been here twice and have not been impressed. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't completely unhappy about the whole thing, but I don't think this place is the best Mexican you can get in London, a claim that's made by a lot of reviewers.

The rice is soggy, and the dishes are bland and flavourless, definitely not what we have come to expect from Mexican food.

The staff aren't that friendly, and it is expensive, for what it is. You can definitely do better than this, I just haven't found it yet.

Night Star-Mangal Ockabasi, 149 Holloway Road London N7 8LX

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:08:34 +0000

Address:
149,Holloway Road London N7 8LX

Review:

Another pre- Arsenal match, feeding and watering stop on the greasy Holloway Road. Why does it always look as if the pavements need a good hosing down and a steam clean? The restaurant is the usual set-up of revolving kebabs in the front takeaway part and long queues of punters on match days who prefer the sidewalk eating experience. The inside is fairly basic-tiled floors and formica tables. However the star of the show is the charcoal grill man (there must be a name in Turkish) who sits at the barbecue, expertly rotating the kebabs, and chops, and chicken fillets, like he's playing an instrument, and shouting at the staff.

Phoenix Bar, Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:08:54 +0000

Address:
Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY

Review:

I went here for lunch. This bar, which is at the western end of the palace, must have one of the best dining views in London. Through the large windows you look out across the terrace, with its wrought iron lamps and wooden tables and the whole city is spread out before you, the Gherkin and Canary Wharf clearly visible, until it all vanishes into the mists of North Kent. The inside is almost as good. It is spacy and wooden with a high ceiling and a central bar with mirrored pillars. Tables are marble with metal chairs or wooden. The music is terrible. Sort of sub techno garbage when I was there. Next door there is a huge (and silent!) palm court with sphynxes, fountains and full size palm trees towering into a vaulted sky-lit roof. There are about a dozen tables, maybe less. I had a coffee here the other afternoon and had the whole palm court completely to myself. Talk about a hidden gem. It was wonderful.

Il Bacio 178-184 Blackstock Road Highbury N5 1HA

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:14:45 +0000

Address:
178-184 Blackstock Road Highbury N5 1HA

Review:

Pre match Arsenal v Blackburn on Monday last, I was determined to steer clear of my usual Haddock 'n Chips or a Fat Harry's Hot Dog standing up in the street. So I opted for this rather swish and surprisingly genuine Italian 10 minutes from the Emirates Stadium. I got there about 6.45 and the place was heaving. Had I booked?''No.'' Oh dear ,not sure if we can fit you in'' said the waitress. Anyway I was seated within five minutes and was pleasantly surprised.

Wild Honey, 12, St. George St, London, W1S 2FB

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:45:07 +0000

Address:
12, St. George St, London, W1S 2FB

Review:

Well I'll start by saying a very big 'Sorry' to Jim. It was my friends birthday celebration, and I talked him out of going to Langans (which has less than favourable reviews - food is naff and it's all a bit 'old boys club' for me - plus once told 'footballers eat there', I was convinced to avoid it like the plague) to go to much talked about Wild Honey, in London's Mayfair. It had, incidentally, just won a Michelin star and I was very anxious to try it out. Unfortunately, the only thing it had in common with Michelin is that it left me 'tyred'.

The Vincent Rooms, The Victoria Centre, Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PD

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:39:37 +0000

Address:
The Victoria Centre, Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PD

Review:

This was the first time I’d ever eaten in a restaurant that describes itself as ‘a laboratory’. The Vincent rooms is/are part of Westminster Kingsway College, a place where diners act as willing guinea pigs for student chefs and waiters. Now, when I go to the dentist I prefer to see a person who has been fully trained and has a few years’ experience under his or her belt. But food is different and I thought it might be nice to visit this place and check out the ever-changing menu of excellent sounding food, devised by the student chefs. After all, that Jamie Oliver fellow was trained here.

Little Bay, 228 Belsize Rd. London NW6 4BT

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:03:07 +0000

Address:
228 Belsize Rd. London NW6 4BT

Review:

Little Bay is one of those restaurants that appear in lists - secret London - best bargains in London - 'restaurants for those in the know' type lists. Unlike a lot of them Little Bay really does deliver. It is a bit out of the way, in a sort of no-man's land between Kilburn and its posher neighbours and is in a fairly innocuous little parade of shops. Inside it is anything but innocuous. It is not very big and looks like a cross between a pantommime set and a Turkish bordello. I have never actually been in a Turkish bordello but I imagine they would look a bit like this. It is mysterious, atmospheric and candle-lit, there is a lot of red, gold and wood around and there are secret looking balconies to the left and right and facing you, with little staircases leading up to them. We sat in a discreet table for two tucked away under a balcony and felt as if we were in our own secret world and should probably start plotting something. But in a good way. Tables are wooden with Sylvan scenes let into them. The whole effect is quite decadent but in a cosy Bohemian style.

Seven Fish, 24 Thurlo St, Kensington, London SW7 2LT

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 12:57:20 +0000

Address:
24 Thurlo St, Kensington, London SW7 2LT

Review:

This place is a real find. Smack in the middle of one of the poshest parts of Kensington it is charming, unpretentious and most important, reasonably priced. Even the lobsters. Only open a few weeks it is a fairly small fish restaurant and is designed to look like a Meditarranean seaside cafe. There is a sea mural on one wall and the others feature fishing nets, some containing some rather surprised fish. A marlin (I think it's a marlin) is suspended from the ceiling, over a brass rail. Tables and chairs are wooden, the tables with gingham covers. There is a bar/food preparation area at the back.

Café Rouge, 6-7 South Grove, Highgate, London N6 6BP

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:26:14 +0000

Address:
6-7 South Grove, Highgate, London N6 6BP

Review:

Twice recently I’ve been out with a friend, and they’ve suggested Café Rouge. The first time was the Hampstead branch, half an hour before they closed, and they didn’t have much food left, or much enthusiasm for serving it either. We paid over a tenner each for lamb chops and some lukewarm pasta in gloopy sauce with about four mushrooms. We shovelled it down because it was only minutes to closing time, and anyway we were hungry. It didn’t seem fair to make a judgement under the circumstances, there are many restaurants which won’t even sit you down at 10.30pm.

Tower Tandoori, 74-76 Tower Bridge Rd, Bermondsey, London SE1 4TP

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 22:30:58 +0000

Address:
74-76 Tower Bridge Rd, Bermondsey, London SE1 4TP

Review:

I don't think Americans really get curry (mind you, why should they? It's not exactly part of their history). So I've got a new idea for a TV 'reality' show. Americans have to go into an Indian restaurant (or maybe any restaurant) and having read the description, order something straight off the menu without fuss, bother or calling the manager to discuss it. I've never seen them manage to do this. Points are awarded for each dish they manage to order and actually consume without fuss. I was entertained in the Tower Tandoori by an Amnerican woman asking for a vegetarian Vindaloo or something of the kind. At length. It could have been a short film. The waiters were extremely professional and very helpful and her needs, whatever they eventually were, were met. But it was certainly more exciting than Big Brother.

The Brilliant, 72 Western Road, Southall Middlesex

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 10:01:31 +0000

Address:
72 Western Road, Southall Middlesex

Review:

The Brilliant has been a Southall fixture for over 30 years, and I have been coming here regularly for fifteen of these. It aims to do traditional, family style Punjabi cooking in a restaurant setting. Recently the influence of the owner's daughter has added a number of "healthy options", where there is less use made of ghee.

The strengths are in the main course curries and in several of the starters. For example Methi chicken has tender chicken in a rich, spicy sauce with fenugreek. On the starters, aloo tikki is a dish you only seem to see n Southall: chickpeas, tamarind, yogurt and coriander, which work well as a combination. The chicken starter dishes are excellent e.g. methi chicken (cumin) or malai chicken tikka, or butter chicken if you don't mind the calories. The naans are OK but no more that than, but the romali roti is excellent. Vegetable dishes could do with a being cooked a fraction less to retain more texture, though aloo chollay (mainly chickpeas with a few pieces of potato) works well. They actually make the desserts here, including excellent kulfi and halwa. It is very much a family atmosphere, with groups of ten or more commonplace.

Applebee’s, 17 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, London E11 2PU

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 14:09:30 +0000

Address:
17 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, London E11 2PU

Review:

On Saturday 05/05/07, I booked a table for 7 people for a birthday celebration.

Whilst the service was quite good, the same cannot be said of the food.

Portions extremely miniscule and each plate was unnecessarily overly decorated.

The food was undercooked and tasteless. The wine was extremely expensive.

The menu was priced in accordance with a London restaurant. The whole experience

Olive, 10 Hornsey High St, London N8 7PB

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:12:15 +0000

Address:
10 Hornsey High St, London N8 7PB

Review:

Finding ourselves in Hornsey High St at around lunchtime today, we chose this place at random. As we walked in I overheard a conversation between a customer and a waiter.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, are you a vegetarian?" she asked.
"Well, I'm not now" he replied happily, so I don't know what was going on there, except he went on to say its was great food, but he would never finish it all. Three frocked priests in the centre of the room were also struggling.