Review Duck and Waffle

It's not often you enter a lift and press the number 40. You might expect the subsequent journey to be quite a long and a jumpy affair. You would be wrong as the lift at Heron Tower travels at lightning speed and transports you to the 40th floor in no time, where the restaurant Duck and Waffle awaits you and your guests.

We made this journey on a cold Sunday evening recently and sadly, will probably not too soon again.

As you turn the corner, you are immediately greeted by a rather odd open bar area with limited seating where you can try some rather nice cocktails while enjoying almost 360 degree views over London. My Dark and Stormy cocktail served in a bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag was novel and very nice, but overpriced in my view. We were told that no window seats in the restaurant were available, but when we were eventually led into the dining room, pretty much every window seat was empty, so I guess they like to save them? The menu is not vast and I was disappointed that the BBQ spicy pigs ears were not available which is a bit strange considering they are a permanent fixture on the menu. Maybe the pigs decided to keep their ears. The kitchen is open and is situated at one end and its nice being able to see the many chefs in action. However, I found the food here to be quiet average which is a shame after all the hype and the whole roasted Shropshire chicken was seriously overpriced at £32.00 for such a small thing. The portions generally seem very small bearing in mind the big prices and service is a bit lacking in the restaurant itself and also in the bar waiting area. Everyone seems busy, but we waited ages to be asked if we wanted more drinks and also for the chance to order any food, which is worrying as this was early evening and the restaurant was quite.

I can see why this restaurant would be popular due to its location and wonderful views, but with so many great restaurants in London, they really need to think about their pricing and service to keep the customers pressing number 40 in the lift, instead of 38 where there is a rather nice alternative.

Review Tomata, Sani, Greece

Squashed Tomato

Greek cuisine we are told represents as a whole Mediterranean food and shares characteristics from Italy, the Balkans and Turkey, so looking at the menu from this established and popular restaurant, I am happy to see that being reflected and perhaps more.

We have just been to the very popular restaurant "Tomata" overlooking the marina at Sani resort, Greece. I'm excited as I note this little establishment has received many awards, including being voted one of the top 25 restaurants in Europe and serves modern Greek Cuisine . As we wait for our table, I notice on the wall a large photograph of a squashed tomato which reminds me of a picture you might pick up at Ikea on a Sunday morning and then realise when you get home, you actually have no room to hang it and wonder why on earth you bought it in the first place? A bit seventies for me and how about a hand painted version by a local artist instead? It's not always easy to get a table as dining is generally limited to a small cluster of tables outside and this has become a very popular restaurant amongst the many guests who are staying at one of the hotels surrounding the Sani marina.  But we are lucky tonight and are immediately handed some nice freshly baked homemade bread wrapped in parchment paper and settle down to admire the splendid yachts in the marina just a few feet away. We start with Asian duck rolls which are extra crispy after being deep fried and served with a  sweet and sticky hoisin  sauce coating to the soft duck inside and  accompanied  with a nice tomato and avocado salad and a generous tangy lemon dressing. Three large grilled prawns come with a wonderful aromatic and punchy  dense sauce. All very satisfying and slightly worrying as we need to get through another two courses still.

The wine list is varied enough although some bottles are slightly pricey, but we opt for a nice crisp Gris de Noir on recommendation  from our lovely waitress and just perfect for our starters. My main of a mushroom risotto is good and served with  a subtle truffle infused oil and some fried mushrooms to enhance that earthy quality. The menu also offers a pork leg and as we discover you get just that, well a pork shank, tender and collapsing from the bone immediately it receives a prod from a fork and served with some rustic wedges on the side.

Does food taste better when you are on holiday? Well, there is no mistaking, you are generally more relaxed, have more time to enjoy your meal and perhaps can dine al fresco rather than sitting in a large featureless restaurant, so possibly you may feel more inclined to appreciate your food, but one thing I know,  we left here very happy and sure we would have felt the same, holiday or not

As we depart, I notice a  small kitten siting on the wall purring and hoping for some scraps. Sorry moggy this food is just too good to give away - you will have to try somewhere else.

Review - Yoshino, London

Sometimes you stumble upon a good restaurant quite by chance, other times by recommendation or occasionally through just old fashioned searching. To find Yoshino in this way, would be quite an achievement. Perhaps if you had been out for a night on the tiles in Piccadilly and found yourself lost and just at the right time happen to peer upwards you may notice the discreet sign above your head, but otherwise no chance. To ask me for directions and receive some kind of coherent response would be like asking me to explain the string theory of physics while standing on one leg, after downing a bottle of super strength Sake . Basically it’s near Piccadilly Circus, halfway down a tiny side street which contains no other businesses, off Vine Street, which is off Swallow street and near the rear service entrance of Le Meriden hotel, Piccadilly. There how clear was that.

The Yoshino web site appears to be under construction in part, but it does state "Healthy, Beautiful, Original Japanese Cuisine" and I agree completely with those five words. You do not need to be an expert fishmonger from Billingsgate to notice the quality and freshness of the food served here, which was absolutely first class and presented in a modern and creative way with the elegance and grace of a Swan Lake production. Service was exemplary by the beautiful and by coincidence, healthy looking staff. It's a slightly odd restaurant in terms of internal lay out with some plain looking seating outside, a few tables and chairs on the ground floor next to an ad hoc take way sushi counter and seating upstairs for maybe 30 people. We sat upstairs in a pleasant but basic setting, but the real star here is the food and I would highly recommend this if you are a sole diner or with friends. In fact, I felt with the quality and presentation of the food, this place could choose to be all swanky and swish and double its prices, but thankfully they have not chosen that route and  my guess is the Japanese like their restaurants to be homely rather than resemble a DHS showroom. 

 The menu which is written  on a paper place mat is in both Japanese and English ( a good sign) does seem to leap about a bit in terms of pricing, but there are some good set menus which start at just £10 and rise to a heady £60.00. The prawn tempura I had was wonderfully crisp and came in a generous sized portion. My miso soup had a large prawn's head floating on the top ( I guess from my prawn tempura) which added some real depth of flavour and the Sashimi salmon salad was presented in sort of woodland fairly setting kind of way. Desserts are very limited, but with an unusual green tea ice cream choice and even a tiramisu?

Go if you can find it, but keep it to yourself for a while.

Who needs a bar?

               

                Review - CoCoa Boutique - Luxury Artisan chocolate tasting box.

We all love chocolate, but the problem with bars of chocolate is you are restricted to one flavour or texture so when I was asked to try these, it was a resounding yes. By coincidence we had a big family event coming up, so there were lots of different eager tasters on hand of various ages.

               

This box of chocolates really does offer something different. It's comprised of no less than 15 different choices so something for everyone. My favourite was the dark chocolate coffee beans, or was it the Pamela? No, nothing to do with a certain big busted woman, but a cassis-pear ganache  with a dark chocolate casing and with a rainbow of colours topping. Yum! What a pleasant change to not find the usual boring and predictable chocolates, but instead some new flavours and a brilliant and yet simple idea of a small handful of the buttons, chocolate and honeycomb pieces and those lovely coffee beans.

The kids loved the milk chocolate buttons and the ladies the pink champagne truffle. A box of chocolate makes an ideal gift and this is one I am sure this one will always be gratefully received and hard to resist. Who needs flowers when you can munch on a box of such elegant treats. The box itself was solid and had an expensive feel to it, although I thought its rather plain appearance  could do with some work.

Review - Waterside Inn, Bray

We are off to the Waterside Inn at Bray and thank God for satellite navigation systems. You punch in a postcode and hey presto, it guides you to your destination without any fuss or blazing rows over some inadequate map reading  and it even bleeps a warning system if you come near one of those nasty speed cameras. However, following my experience in high end dining, I have an idea for satellite systems! They should also contain  a new warning system, one that warns against pending enormous expense. Maybe instead of the voice announcing, "turn around where possible , it should say Bleep, Bleep "Unless you are travelling with your bank manager turn around bloody quick!" 

Bray itself has been called a foodie heaven whereas others say this sleepy village has the ability to break any man or women financially in a matter of hours. Maybe the local Bray Village Council should erect a sign, which  instead of  suggesting you slow down and abide the 30mph speed limit, should state  "Beware - Serious risk of poverty".

 We have been told the 3 star Waterside Inn now open for an impressive 40 years is expensive so our little piggy banks lay in pieces on the floor at home and we come with bulging wallets. The satnav leads us down a pretty  lane with picture card cottages and at the end of the lane, we find a charming looking restaurant full of character and sitting right by the river.  We are welcomed by the smart and friendly doorman and met with a smile from Maître Diego Masciaga whose genuine charm will warm any diner. He offers his hand to welcome us and we offer ours back, but still clinging with the other to our wallets like two school children gripping their mothers hands on the first day of school. We know we will have to surrender them up at some point, but for the moment we are still flush.

The weather is fine so we are led onto the terrace where we enjoy two glasses of very expensive Champagne before dinner and admire the passing boats with their well-heeled occupants  who all  seem to know the staff and wave and shout various greetings. We love this perfect setting which reminds us of a Miss Marple murder mystery film set and how very English it feels. Those in the know, organise a short trip along the river on the restaurant's own boat and enjoy their champagne chugging along the water. We are given our own tray of exquisite and very tasty hors d oeuvres and  settle down to watch the smartly dressed diners as they arrive, many it seems are on first names terms with the staff and some looking like film stars themselves, but I am pleased there is no stuffiness here which is all too common in some fine dining restaurants.  Again, credit to Diego as I fear without him, things could take a more serious note.  In fact the whole process of arriving, taking pre dinner drinks on the terrace and siting for dinner is extremely well practiced and works like clockwork. Staff and there are many, are just a tiny bit too attentive and as there are so many, you struggle to get any relationship going with anyone in particular. We did feel our wine waiter was a nudge away from being too pushy with the 1000 odd wines this restaurant stocks and was intent on making sure we finished our bottle of Sancerre before our mains arrived, so he could then offer some suggestions on a red wine. If we come again, we would be ready to nudge him away and nip that in the bud immediately.

So after a scan of the delightful menu, we both opt for the tasting menu aptly named "Le menu exceptionnel". Needless to say, the food is quiet exceptional and my hand picked Devon crab with a marinated prawn, melon and fresh almonds  is a real stand out dish.  Service was slightly rushed to begin with and a request to the waiter that we wanted to be given 15 minutes before our mains led to a raised eyebrow and "I will have to check with the chef" comment. We were given a 15 minute break, so thank you and I guess my slightly over duck was a consequence of this request. The food served here is very French and traditional in presentation, although I convinced that with  Alain Roux's ability he could  adopt  more  modern approach if he wished to. I personally now favour more lighter dishes then I did some years ago and many younger diners are finding their love of food from a city awash with establishments that serve food in tapas and sushi size portions.  The foie gras with chicken breast was lovely, but uninspiring for me and just lacked something vibrant and with more texture than the crisp vegetable salad served with it. Again with my duck breast, I felt it just needed a lighter touch and fresher presentation. With the word French in mind,  the dishes are what you expect and who am I to comment otherwise, but I would like to see some of these dishes given a modern touch. I am sure their loyal customers would be happy to give some feedback and this may help in the transition which is no doubt enviable at some stage.

We finish our coffees with treats back on the terrace and reflect on the evening. This is truly one of the best restaurants this Country has, not because of the great food, but the whole ambience and character of the place leaves you feeling very content. We look at each other and both say "We have reached our destination!"

 We head outside clutching our wallets. They are now empty, limp, skinny affairs and I am hope the few coins remaining will be enough for the bus fare home, but for the moment, who cares! 

 Le restaurant exceptionnel!

Review Yazu Sushi

Just when you think you have discovered all the good foodie places around London, something pops up and grabs your attention. I have our dear Boris Johnson to thank as I was recently peddling along on my Boris bike admiring the shops along Oxford Street when I decided to take a left into Mayfair and a short while later discovered a little gem of a place which comprises just a few discreet streets and alleys where you can get a decent pint and also find some very interesting and varied food from a number of establishments

Apparently it’s a bit of a secret. Well the secret’s out and it’s called Shepard Market off Curzon Street. You won’t find any shepherds with their flocks or Collie dogs, but the history page from this little area’s  own web site says  it used to be a site of a regular and somewhat lively fair during the seventeenth century and later, was redeveloped with the addition of a theatre in 1880 to encourage, let’s say a more refined class of citizen. This is Mayfair after all and you can only imagine what kind of fairground rides they were!  In fact, and rather ironically it later led to the famous writer and Politian Jeffrey Archer to once meet a lady with some special skills here which unfortunately, turned out to be a rather life changing and expensive encounter.

Now it is the home to a handful of good pubs and restaurants and one very tiny Japanese’s restaurant called Yazu Sushi. When I say tiny, I mean small. I could probably carpet the entire place with my fluffy bath mat and still have enought left for some nice ear muffs. Small in such a way that you can almost feel the whoosh of chef Gana San’s Sushi knife as you clamber onto to one of the few and rather uncomfortable stools that surround the little conveyor belt. It’s a classy joint in an unassuming way, but this is the “heart of Mayfair” as the locals call it and no doubt, demand no less.

On the day I visit, it’s just me and a few other lunch time workers. Service was very good and friendly and I am sure this is consistent even when they have ten customers!. I was warmly welcomed not only by the polite waitress but also the chef who suggested I try the fresh sea bass prepared with a hint of smokiness from his still smoking blow torch.  What a delicate and wonderful dish and I am impressed by how much the simple element of smoke adds to sea bass. Prices are very “Mayfairly”, so don’t take the local rugby team, not that they would actually fit in but if you are looking for some really fresh and inventive sushi, this may well hit the spot. The dishes on the belt tend to be very fresh salmon nigiri and some excellent maki rolls, but portions are quite small. The chef seems very able and I am sure will be happy to rustle up any of your favourites and maybe even show you his flaming blow torch.

Review - Golden Union, Soho

I must admit, I generally like my fish naked. Well, maybe sometimes with a little pickled ginger skirt, a dab of wasabi on the back and a small soaking of soy sauce to season, but usually nothing more. So when I get invited to this big and lively fish and chip restaurant, I've got a ping of guilt. My haddock is wearing a rather fetching and  beautifully puffy and crispy overcoat of seasoned batter that makes my usual plate of fish seem like a bunch of giggly cat walk rakes!

I am at the Golden Union fish and chip shop in Poland Street, Soho and it's a Friday, so I am ignoring my internal friend the healthy one and have ordered my favourite haddock and chips. Our nice and friendly waitress brings my ice cold beer (it's a licensed chippy!)and takes my order so I Sit back and take in the surroundings. I could easily be sitting in any chip shop in the fifties as the decor is frightenly familiar and rather comforting. Bring your parents or grandparents and with the smell of malt vinegar in the air, they will be feeling waves of nostalgia in no time. The tiled walls and Lino covered tables really set the scene. The fish we had was good and served  with some fresh lemon to squeeze and a sprinkle of parsley. The chips are just as I want them to be with some small crunchy ones. My only niggle is the fish could have done with a short time to rest so any residual oil could completely drain off, but it's very busy and this place is awash with a mix of trendy Soho types and tourists, the latter no doubt curious  to see what this fish and chip thing is all about. I am sure they will not be disappointed and I am nearly inclined to say never again to naked fish, but I miss naturalism!

Review - Galvin Bistrot de Luxe

Too close for comfort?

Okay the tables are a little to close for some and if you are hoping for any kind of private discussion, then this is probably not the place for you. However if you are looking for a real taste of France, then I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation. The decor is very French bistro and service attentive. My risotto with broad beans and poached duck egg was sublime, but maybe slightly over seasoned of all things. My companion's Dover Soul skillfully removed from the bone by our very French waiter by our table was a delight to watch.

Prices seem just right and I would return, but please give us some more room!

If Harrods did hotels then Sani would be it.

Review - Sani Beach Hotel, Greece.

Greece has many things to offer and two which spring to mind currently, are a shaky economy and a holiday resort that makes you love this Country and it's people. Choosing your annual holiday is a crucial decision, you have one chance. Get it wrong and your loving family will make you wish you are back at work where your growling boss breathing down your neck will suddenly seem appealing. There are so few holiday resorts where guests keep returning year after year. At Sani they do. As I sit enjoying a breakfast of smoked salmon with ultra fresh scrambled eggs and freshly squeezed orange juice overlooking the crystal clear seas of the Aegean I am surrounded by happy looking families who are all saying they come here every year. I can see why and I am here for a second time myself.

If Harrods did hotels then this would be it. The service is outstanding, attentive without being obtrusive and staff are genuinely happy to be working at Sani and this makes a big difference and creates a lovely atmosphere. In fact, you leave with the feeling that you have just been visting very good friends. A perfect place for families and couples alike, a sort of Centre Parcs with bells on. We are half board and can take advantage of their dine around scheme. Sani is made up of a combination off four different areas all centred around a lovely harbour with bobbing yachts, a few swanky cruisers and some chic boutiques. There are various restaurants dotted around the harbour where you can choose to eat and you either select three courses from a set menu as your evening meal option or go Al carte and receive an allowance off the bill and 15 euros each in our case. It's as simple as that. What makes this resort so perfect is the variation available and the freedom it offers. Of course you can still choose to eat in one of the hotel restaurants where the food is equally nice and ideal for families with younger children. We tried both.

The beach is spotlessly clean and a pebbles throw away from the hotel and it's large swimming pool. In terms of evening entertainment there's plenty of choice, although fairly low key. The last time I visited there was more live music but this is the only real change I can see and I am really pleased with the improvements they have made. There are plenty of activities for everyone but for me, just relaxing on the terrace with a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc wondering what to order from the lunch menu is enough actively. Yes, maybe a couple of tweaks could be made here and there, but my wife and children are smiling, phew, so for this year again I got it right, but then the risk of getting it wrong was always zero - thanks Sani!

P.S Our favourite beach and bar was the Bousoulus bar and the quickest way to access it is by taking the small sandy track to the left as you come out of the front of the hotel. They also have a white knights beach party on Wednesdays which should not be missed and don't forget to wear white!

Review - The Company Shed

Any restaurant with the word “shed” in it’s name perhaps needs to offer something extra as the reference to shed for me generally reminds me of my 6 x 4 rickety one, full of cobwebs and broken garden equipment and somewhere I only venture a few times a year when the powers to be demand a neatly trimmed lawn. Well, no need to worry as this shed and it is just that, has much more to offer.

I have been here a few times and am never disappointed. In fact, I would say the whole experience feels even better this time, although I have a nagging feeling that someone behind the scenes is concentrating more on the figures. Set in a somewhat forgotten seaside town of Mersea, Essex, it feels like I am on holiday in the seventies as we stroll along the promenade past the yacht club and passing two very nice pubs. The pier is full of Scouts fishing for crabs and having a lovely time. In fact, the Company Shed was opened over twenty years and has evolved into a real gem. On the day I visit, there are families, tourists, groups of friends and couples. Naturally seafood is the order of the day and we as most diners are, order their seafood platter at a reasonable £11.99 per person. But first, we try some lovely fresh looking jellied eels. They are just right and ideal to get us in the mood. The portion size is a bit tiny, with just five pieces in our tub. We then move on to two freshly cooked lobsters. These really are beautiful and cooked to perfection and I may even venture to saying the best I have ever had. Our platter for four arrives and is laden with fresh crab, prawns (shelled and shell on), green lip mussels and some smoked salmon and Mackerel. Whilst the crab is excellent, we are a bit disappointed by the prawns, especially the peeled with their limp appearance and texture and perhaps previously frozen and we feel they have been added to bulk out the dish. In fact, why would we want both peeled and unpeeled prawns when the counter is awash with such gleaming fresh fish. You can order extras and separate dishes, but when we attempt this, sadly they have sold out of the scallops we ask for.

However, it’s a lovely experience and a surprising cosy place. We are told to bring our own bread and drink and see other diners laden with dressings, mayonnaise, pepper mills and all the little extra things we have at home for our seafood dinners. They even have a large shelve full of glasses for you to use and this only enhances the “at home” experience and is surprising appealing.

If you do intend to visit allow plenty of time as there  is a no booking policy and we had to wait two hours for a table, so an ideal opportunity to try the nice pubs here and we are nearly tempted by their very appealing food menus. Overall Mersea is growing into somewhat of a foodie place so good news for all.

Martin Miller's Gin

Martin Miller’s Gin

If you happened to pop into my local pub last Friday , you may have spotted of a group of men standing around chatting, drinks in hand. Nothing unusual there. However, if you looked closer you may have seem they were not clutching pints of lager or real ale, but  instead glasses filled with Gin and Tonic’.

I am pleased to take the credit for this transformation from burly large man to sleek, sopshicated modern man. Acquiring a taste for Gin and Tonic sadly generally comes to most of us in our more mature years and not until many agonising years of weak and insipid larger.

I recently tried a new Gin on the Market called Martin Miller’s gin and boy this was rather nice. It has a very distinct flavour, rather herby and certainly something that I have not experienced before. Apparently it is distilled using a very old and traditional process similar to Whisky and it tastes like a premium gin that I am sure will gather many followers, burly or not.

Review - Wahaca

 

I was a big fan of Thomasina Miers when she was sweating it our on Masterchef and knew she would go on to great things.Secretly I felt she was miles ahead from day one of the various amature cooks the show picks from it’s 20,000 odd applicants. Now as Co- founder and chef of Wahaca a fast expanding empire, she really has embraced the food journey. So when I recently found myself at Westfield Shopping Mall in Stratford and a whole array of food choices to tempt me, I just had to try her food. Most of the food outlets are situated inside the shopping Mall so a bold move on Wahaca’ s behalf to take the outside unit especially as on the day I visit, it’s pouring with rain. Admittedly it’s situated next to the route to the Olympic stadium and other venues, but I guess only time will tell how good the decision on location choice was. My companion and I are met and welcomed as soon as we enter the door by a very pleasant lady who happily leads us to our table. The outside sign says “ Mexican Street Market” Frankly, once inside, I think it should say “messy kids creche” .I’m afraid I am not a fan of the interior and it’s design. There is pretty much graffiti scrawled everywhere and multi coloured seating and I feel it just lacks any authentic atmosphere or warmth. From the outside, again it’s very confusing what lies within and it’s only the familiar signage that tells us it’s a restaurant.

Our waiter gives us a run through of the menu options taking care to circle with a coloured crayon (it’s that kids creche thing again!) what dishes we can choose as small plates or nibbles. We opt for a dish from the Nibbles section of Guacamole, after reading it’s made using their secret recipe and is served with tortilla chips. It’s nice and has small pieces of red onion, but lacks a bit of seasoning or any citrusy tang. The tortilla chips taste fresh and have a nice crunch. We then choose tacos with British steak and a chipotle salsa which is excellent with just the right heat for me and with some super tender steak. This is followed by a Tosadas with some nice fresh herring and a chicken taquitas, again enjoyable. We also order a chicken burrito with the optional cheese extra. This is nice, but it lacks enough chicken of all things and could perhaps be served warmer as the flour tortilla could do with heating first. The service is attentive and food comes out fast, perhaps too fast. We order a carafe of Sauvignon Blanc which comes with two large tumblers, resembling something the kids might drink squash out of and not ideal for drinking a white wine and our wine soon becomes warm. However, I see there is a nice selection of beers and Tequillas which suit the setting and vision much better.

Overall a nice lunchtime meal, but nothing Olympian.

Review Restuarant Lingo

I've been lingoed!

I'm sitting comfortably in a lovely Japanese restaurant called Lingo in Lower John Street, just off Regent Street. I've been greeted warmly, served efficiently and with a big smile (this can be a rare thing with Japanese establishments). 

 

I have just finished their Lingo bento box and have been munching on crunchy vegetable and prawn tempura, garlicky vegetable Gyoza, a selection of Japanese pickles, a bowl of fluffy steamed rice topped with black sesame seeds, fresh plump tuna and salmon sashimi, numerous pieces of sushi, a nice miso soup and now some fresh orange to finish. In front of me is the bill and it says £16! Have I been transported back to the seventies where a loaf of bread was 30p and everyone smoked Five Park Drive. Did I stumble through a worm hole and end up in Poland (food's very cheap there!). I am not complaining and neither are the other customers seated around me.

 

This really is a great find and a gem. You can even order take away and this option is being welcomed by a steady flow of office workers coming through the doors. It's small upstairs, twelve covers with a couple of chairs out front but I see there is downstairs seating. I am sure that will soon fill up.

 

Feeling happy and contented I sit back and enjoy my Jasmine tea. My guess is this is a family run organisation and I want to be part of this family! 

Review - Old Windmill - Hanningfield, Essex

I used to be a customer of the Old Windmill many years ago, so when we had the chance to visit with some friends recently, I was looking forward to the evening. Now one of the Brunning and Price pubs, so run by people who know what they are doing and seemingly with a growing collection of old quaint pubs and good for them. The Old Windmill we are told has been a public house since at least 1799 and recently restored by B & P, it really does have a lovely character and feel to it and I am impressed by the finished product.

We had booked our table of four a few days earlier for 8.30pm and when we arrived somewhat earlier, it was nice to find that our table was already available for us. We were shown to the seating area in an alcove to the left of the bar and where a large fireplace resides. Sadly, for us, it was unlit and indeed the whole area was really too cold. I can only guess that the thin single glazed windows are part of the listed building and must stay, but they are certainly no good for keeping out the chill. So it was just a question of trying to keep warm. I noticed other customers keeping their coats on and maybe that should have been a clue for the Manager Jules, although she was on top of most other things. 

The menu is quite extensive, too much for quite a small country pub, but has the usual country pub specials. Hang on what's this I see, Salmon Laksa on the menu, chicken thighs with asian salad, tempura prawns, so someone knows their Asian food and has clearly travelled and experienced with such an Asian influence showing. It really is a challenge just to read through the many dishes on offer. There are some good starters to pick from, a selection of "lighter dishes", which include crab linguine, a ploughman's quiche or even a brat wurst hotdog! In terms of mains, we are looking at no fewer than 19 choices. This worries me slightly as I am hoping all the dishes are cooked from fresh ingredients, so a big ask with so many options. Anyway, we opt for some Olives and a bread selection to try and warm us up and then choose home cured salmon for starters with some tempura prawns with a mango and chilli starter. The salmon is excellent and served with a very fresh and nicely dressed beetroot salad and a slice of buttered toast. The prawns are okay, but the salsa is a bit scarce and lacking any chilli heat. The olives come with the starters rather than before, so we quickly cancel the bread. Our mains arrive looking beautifully presented, but my pea and broad bean risotto, although has a nice favour, is really quite dry and lacks the smooth almost soupy texture which is important for any risotto. Although I can only manage a a small amount, my plate was removed without comment. My friends Salmon Laksa is again lacking in any real heat and the broth somewhat disappointing. My wife's burger is however nice and moist and served with some big chunky home made chips. We are not overly impressed with the food and perhaps being one day before the Easter holidays, their saving the chef for what will no doubt be a busy weekend. If we were judging on presentation, it would be near top marks, but the food here just lacks something special and maybe an experienced hand tonight?

We skip dessert, but share a cheese plate. This comes with some nice fresh celery and a date chutney. At £8.95, it is slightly overpriced we feel. We are getting to 11pm and our waitress is clearly keen to get off as she appears no fewer than three times to see if we have finished our cheese board and by 11.15pm, we are pretty much the only customers left. Sure enough the last bell goes, an odd experience when you are sitting down for a relaxing meal . The service overall is good, but it's a bit hit and miss ordering food and drink at the bar with no specific area set aside for food orders and staff seem pressed to keep up with customers, some who were getting a bit anxious with the delays. I'm excited briefly to see my favourite ale, landlord by Timothy Taylor is a special on the board, but unfortunately, it's not available. Otherwise there is a nice selection of real ales and drinks to choose from.

I would return, but perhaps more for a lunch or a sandwich rather than a three course meal and only if I had a thick jumper with me!

Review Nara Soho

On the wall next to my table is a short simple message. “Please do not try and lift the table as it is fixed to the floor – thank you”

Okay, so you can guess that I am not back at Nobu with all the celebrities, but instead I’m sitting at Nara in Soho which serves offers both Korean and Japanese food and yes, I just manage to resist the temptation to try and lift the table? Quite frankly, all 12 tables in this long and thin restaurant are big heavy wooden things. Each table has six big solid wooden chairs surrounding it, like something from a Korean wedding banquet and you need Popeye muscles to move anything here. If you have six to a table, it would be a cosy experience, but thankfully on my table, there is also a sole diner. Do I start a conversation? What shall I say? In the end, I do the English thing and nod and then return to my table lifting warning.

I order from the fairly short menu and pick the sushi set menu B. This refers to twelve pieces of sushi as opposed to eight from the A choice. My set menu begins with a lovely fresh and crisp green salad with a nice soya sauce type dressing. It’ really quite Moorish. My sushi then arrives and comprises eight pieces of salmon, two of prawn and two of Squid. I guess if I had opted from menu A, it would have been simply eight pieces of salmon? However, it’s fresh and enjoyable. The Miso soup which arrives with it is nice, but not hot enough.

The service here is very efficient and pleasant and the prices surprising cheap for Soho. Just a total bill of £12.90 which includes my Korean beer called “Hite” added.

I imagine during the evening this restaurant is very popular and provides good food for many a Korean clientele. I see they even do take away, but I think next time I will maybe try some other dishes, a man can only eat so much salmon!  

Review - Kulu Kulu London

I have been a regular at Kulu Kulu for a few years now and used to find it ideal for that quick fix of good quality Sushi at reasonable prices. Hey, they even throw in green tea here, which you help yourself to from a large tea urn at the back of the restaurant.

It takes many years  to train and become a sushi chef and then only those who are capable and skilled enough will be allowed near any fish. So on my last visit here, I am somewhat disappointed to notice large rice mounds travelling past on the conveyer belt with rather odd shaped pieces of fish precariously balancing on top. It should not be a question of just any Tom, Dick or Harry having a go, otherwise we shall lose that whole appeal of Japanese food we love so much. The skill that only comes with many years practice, the  simplicity of Japanese food is why we are seeing new restaurants opening weekly. On the whole the ingredients used seem fresh enough, but I question of the quality of the salmon used during my busy lunch time visit. I am not keen either to see the chefs receiving take-out orders only for them to promptly  remove dishes from the belt to box up for that takeaway, leaving us diners with even less to choose from.

The service here is always good, but they seem short staffed with the waitress doubling as that and working the till.

I will return soon, just once to see if there have been changes, otherwise there are plenty of other fish in the sea.

Review – Nobu Berkeley Square

What three things makes a great restaurant? Well great food for a start springs to mind, outstanding service perhaps and reasonably priced food. Well two out of three is not bad. I’m at Nobu Berkeley Square and some of the prices on the menu remind me of the winning amount being paid out for picking five correct numbers on this week’s lottery.

As I enter this restaurant from Berkley Street and hand over my coat to one of the two very welcoming ladies at the desk, I then feel slightly awkward as I am then left to my own devices. Naturally they must have assumed that I had been before and I cannot bring myself to disappoint them so I hover for a moment and then head off in the opposite direction.  I am sure they would have been more happy to show me where the actual restaurant was, if I asked, but deep down somewhere inside me,  I just feel that I do not qualify for that extra special customer service. I’m told they often have many celebrities here and personally I doubt if they are left to wander the ground floor alone. Nevertheless, I’m a big lad and make my own way and soon end up in the downstairs bar. It’s quiet vast and I imagine has a real buzz about it at the weekend, but sadly it’s completely empty on this Friday afternoon I visit. By chance, a fellow diner appears who is in the same predicament and asks the barman where the restaurant is. He points to the stairs so I head up and as you reach the top  you make somewhat a grand entrance at the main desk and from now on, the service is impeccable.

I sit at the sushi counter with a another couple and have the chance to watch the chefs in action. The whole operation is very well oiled and efficient and their preparation of the ultra-quality fish is seamless with very little communication needed. Clearly everyone knows their role and the wheels of fish preparation just roll effortlessly.

I order on recommendation the Nobu Bento box and a nice glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc. My waiter is keen to check I have no food allergies and I feel tempted to tell him, fish as a joke, but do not have the courage as I am sure he has heard it all before.

My bento box arrives and is placed in front of me and the lid is removed with a certain amount of ceremony to reveal two layers, one of hot food, the lower of cold.  On the top layer I have before me, tempura rock shrimp, black cod and spicy garlic rice with warm vegetables as my hot option and some nice sushi, sashimi and a salad for the cold section. I am also given a nice miso soup. The waiter indicates that I should go with the hot dishes first to enjoy them at their best. Of course, presentation is first class, but unfortunately, placing a lid on top of crispy tempura has the effect of immediately making most of it soggy as the steam created diminishes that super crunchy tempura they do so well. Happily, not all of my tempura is soft. My black cod is beautifully cooked, but again I wonder if the skin which is left on should be crispy or was crispy originally?. It is good  and still has that distinctive cod taste . The vegetables are just al dente and the garlic rice is outstanding. My lower section of sushi and sashimi is super fresh and very moorish.

The price was £33.00 for the bento box and perhaps a tiny bit overpriced, but maybe not so much as my glass of wine at £8.50 for a small measure, but hey it’s Friday and I now know my way back to the entrance all on my own.

Overall a wonderful experience with exemplary  service and I can see what the fuss is about.

Review of Moshi Moshi Liverpool St

How times Have Changed.

This is a quote from the website of this Japanese  restaurant and although extracted from a review made by the Evening Standard , 16 years ago, it is my thought exactly as I sit at the sushi counter on a Friday evening.

I speak with some experience as I have visited this Liverpool Street venue many times on my way home over the last few years. It overlooks platforms 1 and 2, so for the commuter could not be better.

Sadly I find the service and sometimes the quality of food is rather lacking. I encountered similar problems on a previous visit but could not bring myself to write about it, like some love sick school boy who cannot accept that the girl of his dreams does not love him anymore.

I’m with some friends this evening and although it’s a Friday  this restaurant is still quite. I count around 14 customers and 7 staff so by my calculations service should be good? We are shown to the seats on the far side and free to pick from the dishes on the conveyor belt. Except this conveyor belt resembles that at Asda’s on a Sunday evening, empty! Okay, there’s a handful of rather sad looking dishes, the ones that nobody ever wants to pick and a few salmon plates. The waitress  brings us some menus, These have seen better days and I order four spicy tuna hand rolls in an attempt to bulk out my hungry guests whilst we examine the menus.  A short while later the waitress appears. “I am sorry but we do not have much tuna so you cannot have your hand rolls”? I try not to smile as she says this while behind us the sushi chef is admiring his nice chunk of tuna. Okay, let’s change that order for four Loch Duart salmon and spring onion hand rolls. So away she goes and a short while later the chef hands over four Salmon Maki rolls!

We soon get the bill and when I remind the waitress that although she had given us four menus to look at, she had not actually come back and asked us if we wanted to order anything, she could only apologise. Maybe she had been busy  searching for that tuna?

How times have changed.

Review - Nizuni London

“Shinsen” means new and fresh in Japanese and sadly the tuna sat in front of me as part of my set sushi meal at Nizuni was not exactly that.  This smallish restaurant sat in the middle of Charlotte Street London is almost a sprat amongst the other big names in the same road,  Roka, Pied a Terre to name but a few. Accordingly, it needs to really be something special to draw the trendy crowds that frequent this street. I could not manage to get beyond the home page on their web site, so have entered somewhat blind to the vision and menu.

However, I was immediately won over by the service, attentive, smiley and just what you need on a drizzly rainy January day. I see that most diners here are office workers out for that Friday special lunch that we all look forward to at the end of the week and following four days of ham and cheese sandwiches. It seems the bento boxes are very popular here. Perhaps too popular. For really good quality Sushi, it helps to have a high turnover of orders.

The small green salad I am given is fresh and nicely dressed and my miso soup, although just warm, is comforting enough. With so many Japanese restaurants popping up and offering good fresh food, you do need to stay on top of your game and I felt a little let down here. In terms of prices, they pretty much match the other set meal costs I generally pay, but things need to freshen up and dare I say, portions large up before I head over again.

Review Harvey’s PX Sherry

“Will you marry me”

Don’t worry, I’m not proposing, but reciting a saying that many of us may say or hear only once in our lives. Of course many people get to say it again and some even many times! What is clear, when we do have the opportunity to say these magic words, we want it to be as romantic and special as possible.

As we know Valentine’s day is the perfect time to pop that special question to your loved one or a nice reason to get together with your partner and enjoy maybe a special meal or evening out. We are in a constantly evolving world and becoming much more adventurous with our food and drink choices. Whilst champagne and lobster still does the trick, we are all looking for whole new experiences. To this end, we are a nation that has suddenly discovered the delights of sherry, it’s cool, even my daughter loves it!

I am not talking about popping round your grannies and digging out that dusty bottle of sherry lurking in her walnut drinks cabinet, but a nice bottle of Harvey’s PX, a rich, lusciously sweet dessert wine made from dried Pedro Ximénez grapes, giving it a delicious concentrated flavour of raisins, liquorice, black treacle and chocolate. Chill and savour like a dessert wine or drizzle over some cold ice cream. It will add that something special to your meal.

This is a leap year and tradition is in a leap year it is sometimes custom for a woman to say those special words. So ladies whether you are planning a special meal or even asking for your loved one’s hand in marriage, enjoy the moment with a glass of this rather special sherry and you never know how the evening will turn out. What is certain, your granny will not hesitate in telling you how cool she was years ago!