London

Akoko, London, 2/19/26

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exterior – 21 Berners Street, London, GB W1T 3LP

Akoko is a medium-sized place serving West African food created by Chef Aji Akokomi.  They offer the same tasting menus at lunch and dinner with a shorter one also available at lunch.  There was one supplement of caviar on goat cheese cream which we ordered one of to share.  Wine or non-alcoholic pairings are available as are cocktails and wines by the bottle and glass.  We chose to try a couple of their cocktails to go with the slightly spicy, well-seasoned food.  The long space ends in an open kitchen with 6 seats at the counter, which we were lucky to get.  The only problem with counter seating is the noise of the vent hood when combined with the background music, could get to be too much if the place fills.   We were there when it opened so it wasn’t too difficult but some of the very friendly staff were soft spoken.   It’s an attractive space and good food but not as spicy as I would have expected but then the British don’t like it too spicy.   The meal starts with a ritual hand washing, for which they bring around a bowl and water to your seat.  They do have one Michelin Star. Continue reading →

Noble Rot Soho (update), London, 1/27/25

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exterior – 2 Greek St, London W1D 4NB, United Kingdom

Nobel Rot was visited by Frankie and us about one year ago (click here).  The restaurant where we had a reservation had electrical problems and so closed for the day and we decided to repeat since our visit last year was so wonderful.  It was a different day though so it wasn’t nearly as magical.  This visit we sat upstairs which was cozier and had nice murals painted on each of the walls – one of the street where the restaurant is located.   Small marble tables were set closely opposite bench seating lining both walls.  A small bar/service area was at one end.  Curtained windows to the street added little to the lowered lighting of the room.  No music was in the background and the menu was printed daily.  Service was fine but the food did not measure up to last year’s.  It’s still a fine place for a casual meal but it didn’t have the lick-the-plate quality I remembered. Continue reading →

Scott’s, London, 1/27/25

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exterior –20 Mount St, London W1K 2HE, United Kingdom

Scott’s has been in business since 1851, serving British fish and shellfish with seasonal favorites in the Mayfair area.  Founded by a fishmonger John Scott as an oyster warehouse it evovled into a seafood restaurant.  The first 100 years it was on Coventry Street before moving to its present location in 1967.   The story goes that Ian Fleming, a regular in the 1950s, conceived of the idea of “shaken not stirred” for the James Bond series here.  Many celebrities have dined there including Steven Spielberg, Michael Caine and King Charles and Camilla, to name a few.  In 2005 Richard Caring bought the place and did an extensive renovation.  It’s a large place with a formal feel although there is no dress code.  The space is divided into many section with chairs also available at the long marble and brass bar.  Dark wood surrounds the large white cloth-covered tables, some set as banquettes.  Frosted glass covers the windows to the street but it is still quite bright.  Art is on the walls, no music is in the background and the service is first rate, as is the food.  They serve many classic dishes and if you want seafood, it’s the place to go. Continue reading →

Mountain, London, 1/26/25

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exterior – 16-18 Beak St, London W1F 9RD, United Kingdom

Mountain  was a medium sized place in Soho by Tomos Parry, with a large open kitchen in back.  The bar counter also had seats and there is bar on another floor.  Opening in July 2024 it’s a fairly loud place packed with people and loud music with a beat.  The small, close light wood tables were below exposed ductwork and a wide plank wood floor.  Noise panels were in the ceiling but between the kitchen, people and music it was a struggle to communicate.  With the lights dimmed, the vibe is casual with paper napkins and metal columns obstructing the traffic flow.  Photos were on the wall, they have one Michelin star and a huge wine list.  The service was helpful and friendly and didn’t seem to care that we were older than most of the other patrons.  The menu was comprised of various-sized dishes meant to be shared and that is what we did.  We started with one of their many cocktails and then moved to wine.  The food was mixed. Continue reading →

Dorian Restaurant, London, 1/26/25

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exterior – 107 Talbot Rd, London W11 2AT, United Kingdom

Dorian called itself “a bistro for locals”.   It was a long place featuring a wood fired grill.  There was a long counter with stools and a few small cloth covered tables near the front.  The tables are additionally covered with a piece of paper, probably because dishes are meant to be shared, and this makes for a mess.  They had a couple of uni-sex bathrooms with crazy tile work, distorted mirrors and “crapper” toilets, so don’t miss those when you go.    Exposed duct work and lots of stainless steel in the open kitchen behind the bar provided a show for the counter and the throbbing music kept those of us at the tables entertained.  There was a fantastic aroma when you entered the place and friendly, helpful servers gave it a fun vibe.  They have one Michelin Star.  The menu is composed daily and all a la carte.  The beef, which they are known for is a UK hybrid aged 60 days, below the restaurant.  There were a couple of specials offered, including a chicken skewer appetizer and suckling pig main.  We got the former as we were there to try the beef.  The wine list was much better than last nights at SOLA.  I would easily recommend this place when you are in London. Continue reading →

SOLA Soho, London, 1/25/25

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entrance – 64 Dean St, London W1D 4QQ, United Kingdom

SOLA was a small place, about 8 tables, featuring Victor Garvey’s California cooking.  It has one Michelin star and opened in 2019.   Bench seating backs up to plants and windows on the long wall of the restaurant.  A couple small tables are opposite next to some wine cabinets and the end has an arced banquet.  Large round tables are covered with white cloths and brown leather placemats with the starched napkin held in plaster hands.  Music was in the background.  They offer one tasting with optional wine pairings (two levels).   We ordered our own wine but the wine list is very small and oddly chosen and the wine glasses quite clunky.  The wine and cocktails are all badly over-priced and the Old Fashioned we started with was very sweet.  Staff were all friendly but the vibe seemed odd to me.  Nothing was bad but nothing was outstanding either. Continue reading →

Cornus, London, 1/25/25

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entrance – 27c Eccleston Pl, London SW1W 9NF, United Kingdom

Cornus opened in August of 2024, independently owned by David O’Connor and Joe Nairne.  Executive Chef Gary Foulkes offers a changing menu of British and European seasonal produce.   It’s a large place on the 4th floor of a modern building with curtained windows on 3 sides.  The high ceiling is lined with black electrical conduits and music is in the background. They have a lovely terrace for dining when the weather permits and a long marble-topped bar in addition to the many white cloth-covered tables.  Some bench seating is along a low wall dividing it from the bar area   They also have a private dining room available.  We were there for lunch when they have an a la carte menu as well as a 3 or 6-course tasting menu.  We chose the 6-course menu with our own bottle of wine.  It was eerily empty but the server assured us that dinners are more popular.  Service was nice but I was surprised at how slowly the food came out, considering we were one of 3 tables – our lunch took almost 3 hours.  Portions on the tasting were on the large side but the food was so good you ate it anyway.  I recommend this place but go hungry.  (Note – they were awarded one Michelin Star in the 2025 guide) Continue reading →

Row on 5, London, 1/24/25

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entrance – 5 Savile Row, London W1S 3PB, United Kingdom

Row on 5 was on Savile Row but in this instance ‘Row’ stood for the “refinement of work”.  Chef/Owner Jason Atherton was joined by Spencer Metzger as Executive Chef to present a 15-course tasting menu divided into three acts,  meaning moving to different rooms.   I’m not sure if they offer wine pairings but they had a book about 4 inches thick of wines available and they are displayed in several areas.  We started with a cocktail and had a bottle of white with dinner and a glass of red for the meat course.  Opening in Nov. 2024 each area has been decorated with no-expense-spared luxury.  The ‘journey’ starts downstairs with snacks.  The various seating options are in a room with a bar, small kitchen, views of a wine cellar and plaster hands holding ‘special’ wine bottles.   The main courses are an elevator ride upstairs, where staff insists on carrying the lady’s purse, and seating was around the perimeter, a counter and a few center tables.  At the end of this service, you and your purse are taken back downstairs, either by stairs or elevator for the last treats and after dinner drinks.  You receive a copy of the menu when you take your seat upstairs but it’s minimal.  This is one of the many places that have promised to send a more informative menu via email and fail to do so – a pet peeve of mine.  They are definitely trying to get some Michelin stars when the new ratings come out but mis-steps like this don’t help.  They certainly served beautiful and tasty foods with lots of service during your evening.  You should check it out and let me know what you think. (Note – they were awarded one Michelin Star in the 2025 guide) Continue reading →

Muse by Tom Aikens, London, 1/24/25

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building – 38 Groom Pl, London SW1X 7BA, United Kingdom

Muse is the restaurant where Chef Tom Aikens returned to fine dining in a 23-cover 2 floor Georgian townhouse.     Opening in 2020 he was quickly awarded one Michelin star.  The menu focuses on memories of his personal life and culinary career with a seasonal emphasis.  He primarly serves foods from local and sustainable sources.  The building was in a residential looking neighborhood with a lovely reception room, bar and small kitchen on the arrival floor.  Upstairs was the small dining room and 6 counter seats facing the kitchen where he actually cooked our lunch.  The menu offered 2 tastings and a couple supplemental dishes using Urbani truffles and/or N25 caviar.  (The menu has a cute pop-up of the building in the middle.)  We chose the shorter tasting, no supplements and our own beverages rather than the available pairings.  Another one to put on your list when in London. Continue reading →

Aulis London, London, 1/23/25

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exterior – 16 St Anne’s Ct, London W1F 0BF, United Kingdom

Aulis serves only 12 guests per night at a Simon Rogan restaurant in London.  The brand also has chef’s tables in Hong Kong, Phuket and Cartmel.  Opening in Nov 2017, it was awarded one Michelin star in 2024.  Chef Charlie Taylor has been running this kitchen for 4 years and was certainly talented but also quite personable.  The restaurant is open Tues through Sat for one dinner seating and offer an additional lunch service on Fri and Sat.   In a small 2 room setting the entry room was for pre-dinner drinks and snacks and the second room held the curved Italian slate chef’s counter where dinner is prepared in front of you, with much of the produce coming from Rogan’s organic farm in the Lake District.  Music was in the background and art was on the walls.  The pre-dinner room had a variety of seating options whereas the counter had comfortable chairs nicely spaced at the deep curving counter.  As the evening went on guests begin to talk to their neighbors as well as the chefs to make a convivial atmosphere – helped by the relaxed interaction between the several chefs.   It was a wonderful experience with fabulous food,  which I would heartily recommend you try. Continue reading →

Core by Clare Smyth (update), London, 1/23/25

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exterior – 92 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2PN, United Kingdom

Core was last visited by Frankie in 2018, just nine months after they opened.  They have made some changes to the interior, especially the bar, since that time and won a 3 Michelin star rating in 2021 as well as numerous other awards.  Some of the staff, including Chef Jonny Bone and Restaurant Director Rob Rose, are still there which maintains the excellent level of food and service you receive there.  They offer a selection of tasting menus with some supplements and wine pairings available.  It’s a bright and airy room which is now adorned with a hand-sewn copper thread on the painted walls that matches what is on the menu and the signage.  The unclothed round tables are well-spaced on a wood floor with round rugs and some curved bench seating.  Two doorways look out to the large kitchen and the chef’s table directly in front of it.  Some cabinets with books and objects are in the periphery and now a large serving table is next to the support column.  The changes in the dining room are subtle yet elegant while the bar, Whiskey & Seaweed has seen more substantial re-decorating.  It is a lovely space with tremendous food and excellent service – definitely go if you can. Continue reading →

The Ledbury (update), London, 1/22/25

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exterior – 127 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AQ, United Kingdom

The Ledbury was last visited in April of 2018  for a lunch and in Nov. 2014 for a dinner, on this blog.   It’s now been elevated to a 3 Michelin star rating under Chef Brett Graham’s direction for the last 17 years and now with Chef Tom Spenceley running the kitchen.  They offer 6 or 8 course tastings at lunch but only the 8-course in the evening with optional wine pairings.  Rennovated in 2022 they made many interior decorating changes to the dining room as well as reduced the number of seats from 55 to 45 to make space for a center serving table.   Dried plants hang from the ceiling in the lowly lit room filled with shades of beige.  The pedestal tables were set with fine white linens and table decorations that coordinated with the ceiling ones.  Staff are attentive but not intrusive and go the extra mile in service.   We were delighted to find one of the fine servers we met last year at Da Terra now working here and Chef Graham helping present many of the dishes and taking time to visit with guests.  Each dish was presented with in depth descriptions that I’m afraid I missed much of or can’t decifer my quickly written notes.  Trust me that all was good with lots of flavors and textures in the dishes.  Go if you get a chance and can afford it.  (It will set you back 275 pounds or about $340/person and then there’s the cost of beverages and service.) Continue reading →

The Devonshire, London, 1/22/25

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exterior – 17 Denman St, London W1D 7HW, United Kingdom

The Devonshire has a pub called the Public House downstairs (known for its perfect pint of Guinness) and then the two floors above feature a wood grill restaurant and seating.    Having been in Soho since 1793, they dry age, butcher their Scottish beef on site, and offer locally caught seafood.  They are open 7 days a week and the grill is on the second floor.  We were in the quieter third-floor room (they do have an elevator) with many small white cloth-covered tables filling the room.  Brown paper was on top of the cloth, windows were on two sides letting in the sunshine, curtains cover some of the walls which do have some paintings, no music was in the background and carpet was on the floor.  Even filled, the room didn’t have a noise problem.  At lunch, they offered a 2 or 3 course set menu as well as a full menu.  Wines were available by the glass and bottle and they also have a reserve wine list.  It appeared to have a good mix of local people as well as tourists and service was efficient and friendly.   It was a good value for London with the set menu having generous portions and additional vegetable sides being reasonably priced.  Nothing was bad but nothing blew me away though.  It was a perfect first meal when you’re jet-lagged and waiting for your hotel room to open so you can crash a few hours.  I’m sorry I didn’t get to try the pub downstairs – it was very lively. Continue reading →

Andrew Edmunds, London, 1/27/24

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exterior – 46 Lexington St, London W1F 0LP, United Kingdom

Andrew Edmunds Restaurant was established in 1985 in ‘old Soho.’  In an 18th century townhouse they offer a relaxed seasonal menu for lunch and dinner.  Unfortunately in 2022 art dealer and restaurateur Andrew Edmunds passed away at the age of 79 after a short illness.  The restaurant had developed a following of journalists and bohemians in this romantic dining place.  Known for high quality and simple, seasonal food, his wife Bryony pledged to keep the place running.  The very small place was packed with paper covered tiny tables and had a handwritten copied menu.  The wine list was amazing for a place this size.  The lights are lowered, no music was in the background but conversations filled the air.  The service was friendly and efficient and it did have a wonderful atmosphere.  The food was good but not remarkable – it was homestyle and reasonably priced.  Having heard about it for years, I’m glad we chose to spend one evening here. Continue reading →

Da Terra, London, 1/27/24

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building – 8 Patriot Square, London E2 9NF, United Kingdom

Da Terra means of the Earth and is a sleek modern restaurant under Chef Rafael Cagali in the Town Hall Hotel building in Bethnal Green.  Two rooms have large round tables covered with elasticated tablecloths with art on the walls.  Music was in the background, sound panels are on the ceiling and a finishing kitchen is on the end of one room (main kitchen downstairs).  Decorations vary but you’ll see lots of Mutant Ninja Turtle characters, one of which shares a name with the chef.  According to our server chef was teased about his chubby cheeks as a child in São Paulo and nicknamed ‘turtle’.  Then the Turtle characters came out and a friend sent him a Rafael and it took off from there.  He opened Da Terra in 2019 and within 8 months it had its first Michelin star.  They were awarded the Second Star in 2021.  The restaurant offers a blind tasting for which you will receive a menu at the end.  At lunch, they offer a slightly shorter tasting and we chose that avenue.  It was a lovely meal with fantastic, welcoming service and very artful beautiful food.  Chef Cagali was there and brought out several courses, explaining the culinary connections to his upbringing in Brazil adapted for Britain. Continue reading →

Humble Chicken, London, 1/26/24

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exterior –54 Frith St, London W1D 4SJ, United Kingdom

Humble Chicken is a 18-seat tasting counter with a changing menu from Angelo Sato and John Paul.  Chef Angelo Sato is inspired by his Japanese and European roots.  He moved to London at 17 and 10 years later in 2021 he opened a Yakitori bar.  It was so popular that in 2023 he elevated the concept to a tasting menu only and named it the Humble Chicken.  Well paired is Aidan Monk, Restaurant and Beverage Manager, who runs the counter operations and selects the pairings.  While young Chef Sato is personable, Monk made the evening a special event.  Seatings are staggered at 6, 7:30 and 8:45 and the timing didn’t lag to make everyone finish together.  Instead people were coming and going at the L-shaped granite counter while music pulsed in the background and soft globe lights illuminated the food nicely.  The front of the place is all windows to the street which I’m sure attracts some visitors.  The menu was on the counter but you do receive a clean copy with a tea bag at the end of the meal.  This place had good food, some great, and shows much potential in the composition so I’d recommend you try it.  Relax on the comfy seats and you’ll have a wonderful evening.  They have one Michelin star. (Note – they were awarded two Michelin Stars in the 2025 guide) Continue reading →

Ikoyi, London, 1/26/24

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building – 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA, United Kingdom

Ikoyi combines spices of the sub-Saharan West Africa and British beef, fish and produce.  The very modern dining room has about 9 round tables and one separate party room for up to 6 guests.  Overhead are metal blinds that curve down the side of the room opposite the open kitchen.  The rich woods and soft lighting are what you’d expect from this 2 Michelin star restaurant.  Soft music was in the background as the show in the kitchen took place. One thing you’ll notice is that the heat lamps are missing – food is made and delivered quickly to the table.  Service was impeccable in the very comfortable room.  They serve only a tasting menu and usually at lunch it’s a shorter menu but on Friday everyone gets the full dinner tasting.  It’s a surprise with a menu given to you at the end of the meal.  It was a fantastic tasting but be ready to be there several hours and it is on the pricey side.  If you can swing it, put this one on your list. Continue reading →

The Quality Chop House, London, 1/25/24

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exterior – 92-94 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA, United Kingdom

The Quality Chop House celebrated 150 years in 2019 and now also have a butcher shop next door.  Long been a ‘meaty’ restaurant they have worked to make the menu contemporary while using the best suppliers in the British Isles they can find.  The room you enter has the famous booths with their straight backs that are reminiscent of church pews and the second room has conventional small tables.  The dark wood and happily talking guests made it feel very pub-like.  An old linoleum floor sits below the high-painted tin ceiling.  Windows to the street add a little to the low lighting as do candles on the tables and mirrors on the walls.  The second floor must be where the private dining room is.  Service was super friendly and the menu changes with availability.   It was a great evening and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants very good food prepared simply and traditionally.  One snafu we had were some scent sticks located directly behind our table but they were happy to move them. Continue reading →

A. Wong, London, 1/25/24

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exterior – 70 Wilton Rd, Pimlico, London SW1V 1DE, United Kingdom

A. Wong, short for Andrew Wong, is named for the chef/anthropologist.  With a 2 Michelin star rating, they serve dim sum at lunch Wed. – Sat and “Taste of China” dinner Tues. – Sat.  According to their website, it is the first and only Chinese restaurant outside of Asia with 2 stars.  The place is spread around an L-shaped counter with tables on either end and some outside tables available when weather permits.  The large wood tables are well spaced and we were the recipient of their one table that is embossed with 2 Michelin stars.  This is a real source of pride to them as you’ll find Michelin men statues placed around, even in the bathrooms.  There are tons of people working here but the service felt hovering.  The dim sum menu is on the table when you sit down and they ask you to submit your whole order, although you can add later so that was strange.  The items are charged per piece, except the Peking Duck which was to be shared.  Overall the food was very decorative but not special enough to merit the pricing.  I thought they would have more individual sauces to go with items but instead, you have the container of hot sauce and some mild fish sauce which you can use on everything.  The Char fun did come with a sauce that we elected to keep and use on other items.  It was a disappointment in that I thought it might be more unique. Continue reading →

Evelyn’s Table, London, 1/24/24

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exterior – 28 Rupert St, London W1D 6DJ, United Kingdom

Evelyn’s Table is in the former beer cellar (or basement) of a 3 story building.  The street level is the Blue Posts pub and the top level is a wine bar with snacks.  Evelyn’s does 2 seatings for a tasting menu every night but Sunday and you have priority seating, with reservation, at the wine bar before or after your tasting.  We got a spot an hour before our late tasting and the bar supplied us with nuts and olives to eat with drinks.  The staircase is narrow leading down to the 12 seat counter, led by Chef James Goodyear.   Chef’s French training is integrated into British produce and Japanese techniques in the evolving menu.  They have a one Michelin star rating and provide you with a menu for the evening.  I found the seating uncomfortable and the diners were a wild mix.  Yes, we were the seniors there but one member of a young couple never removed their hoodie and the unaccompanied woman next to me kept her phone close to her face all night.  The 3 chefs gave nice explanations to the food but the rest of the interaction was with the girls who cleared and served.  While the food was not bad I would not call it great either.  I hope the weirdness of the evening didn’t affect my impression but I can’t really recommend this place. Continue reading →

Bouchon Racine, London, 1/24/24

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exterior – 66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP, United Kingdom

Bouchon Racine is the restaurant above the Three Compasses pub and was inspired to be a French-style bistro.  It’s a small place that offers menus created by Henry Harris with seasonal daily offerings.   Opening about a year ago it got Harris back into cooking after his restaurant ‘Racine’ closed in 2015,   It serves hearty fare that wasn’t prepared with tweezers.  Harris had done Michelin-style cooking and wanted to present French classics with’ indecent amounts of butter and cream’.  The place has 2 rooms, one the inner portion and the other the conservatory overlooking the street below.  The menu is on a moveable chalkboard and the tables are covered with white cloths.  Pictures are on the walls and music is in the background.  Dinner reservations are super hard to get but lunch is a little easier, so try for a lunch there.  Staff are helpful and friendly and the food is terrific. Continue reading →

The French House, London, 1/23/24

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exterior – 49 Dean St, London W1D 5BG, United Kingdom

The French House was a restaurant on the second level above the pub with the same name.  It has a long history dating to 1891 when it was opened as “York Minster” and has always been popular with artists and writers, like Francis Bacon and Dylan Thomas, to name a couple.  In 1984 the name was changed to “The French House” and today it only has about 7 tables and 2 seats at the counter.  Reservations are a must and the handwritten menu changes daily and there were a few chalkboard specials that are limited in number.  The small room was fairly bright with windows that overlooked the street below.  The walls are covered with photos and the tiny tables are set with white clothes and napkins,  The staff were super friendly and the food was outstanding.  I’d put this place on your list to visit. Continue reading →

Ritz Restaurant, London, 1/23/24

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hotel – 150 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9BR, United Kingdom

The Ritz Restaurant was located in the Ritz Hotel which dates to 1906 and was built to be the most luxurious hotel in the land.  No expense was spared on its opulent interiors and furnishings and royalty and celebrities have dined there.  You can read more about their history if you want, it’s star-studded.  The elegant dining room was under Executive Chef John Williams who loves to highlight seasonal British ingredients. The floor-to-ceiling windows shine light on the marble columns and widely spaced, floor-draped large tables while the formally dressed staff meticulously attend to the diners.  At lunch they offer a 3, 5 or 7 course tasting with wine pairing available and you specify your preference when you make the reservation.   We opted for the longest and were happy with our choice but know that it will take 3.5 – 4 hours.  Also beware that they have a rigid dress code that is enforced.  We had read the fine print, so knew about the rules but this place really takes it seriously.  The doorman at the front didn’t even want to let some people in due to their attire.  They do not allow jeans or tennis shoes and require ties and jackets for men.  It’s the sort of requirement I’ve seen from other places and then you get there and you see plenty of jeans and sneakers.  This place takes formality to heart so know that before you go and you won’t get hassled.  We had a lovely afternoon and the staff were all super friendly; it didn’t feel stuffy or pretentious.  Most importantly the food was fabulous and beautiful.  They do have a one Michelin star rating. (Note – they were awarded two Michelin Stars in the 2025 guide) Continue reading →

Noble Rot, London, 1/22/24

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exterior – 2 Greek St, London W1D 4NB, United Kingdom

Noble Rot was a restaurant by the people behind the wine magazine of the same name. There are 3 different locations all serving slightly different food.  We went to the one in Soho which serves modern European food and wines and opened in 2020.  We were on the first floor but there is a second level about half its small size and a private dining room on the third level.  It was fairly dark lit by ball globe lights on the walls and had no music in the background.  Art was on one wall of the long space and the opposite one had mirrors.  A series of bench seats are along the wall with small marble-topped tables matching them.  The ceiling was low and carpet was on the floor which kept the noise level pretty good considering it was packed and turning tables on a Monday night.  We were there to try their roast chicken and the server pointed out that it takes about an hour to prepare so we ordered that immediately and then settled in to pick some starters to fill the gap.  It was a fabulous evening of seriously good food served in a cozy environment. Continue reading →

Kiln, London, 1/22/24

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Exterior – 58 Brewer St, London W1F 9TL, United Kingdom

Kiln was a medium size place serving spicy Thai dishes cooked over coals.  As you enter there was a long counter, the first part of it faces the bar and the second part looks at the cooking area.  Downstairs were additional tables and the bathrooms.  If you go with 2 or fewer people, sit at the bar as downstairs was rather spartan.  However, conversation for 4 is tough at a counter.  Diners line up to await the opening and it is popular.  The coals were heated to red hot and then placed in various-sized metal containers and the cooking pot/pan was placed on top.  It was a fun show but also fairly warm, which was nice for a cool London day.  Music was in the background and the place was pretty bright at lunch.  Staff were friendly and helpful but the stools were close together and it’s not the most comfortable place to sit.  The food came out quickly and your counter space is limited so you can expect a quick lunch if you want.  It seemed like more of a beer place than wine or cocktails but they have full bar available.  The food was spicy, the server can advise you on which dishes will suit your palate.  They used as many products from Britain as they can source.  We ordered more than we could eat but wanted to try a good sampling of their dishes.  While I loved the full flavor of the dishes this place will not be for everyone. Continue reading →

Quo Vadis Soho, London, 4/28/18

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exterior
exterior

Quo Vadis is small place with about 8 tables in the dining room along with 5 stools at the bar.  Upstairs they have some party rooms as well as a private club space.   A couple tables are outside, if the weather cooperates.  One artist has provided graphics for their menu as well as doing large drawings for the dining room walls.  The tables are close and covered with white clothes and set with matching white napkins. A lower ceiling, no background music, lowered lighting and a large stained glass window that looks out to the street set a comfortable ambiance.  The place opened in 1926 as an Italian restaurant and in the 2000s became the cozy little place it is now.  The menu changes fairly regularly and it is only a la carte.   The portions are suitable for sharing and lots of sides are offered.  The staff are super friendly and enthusiastic.   Continue reading →

LYLE’S, London, 4/28/18

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building
building

LYLE’S is a medium sized one star Michelin restaurant that served only a la carte when we were there for lunch.  At night they do a tasting menu.  They opened in April 2014 and the restaurant was named after the chef’s mother’s maiden name.  It has a large open kitchen on one side of the space and windows to the street on the opposite side.  Pop/rock music plays in the background and the bare wood tables are set with un-cushioned chairs.  It’s a casual atmosphere with white brick and tile walls, concrete floor, exposed ductwork and some seating at the bar.  The menu changes daily.  The kitchen was happy to split dishes or have you do so at the table and portion sizes lended itself to sharing.  Service was friendly and helpful.   Continue reading →

Pollen Street Social, London, 4/27/18

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building
building

Pollen Street Social is a large one star Michelin restaurant that spans several rooms.  You enter in the bar area where there is a long counter and a few tables and the main dining rooms are just behind there.  The lighting is fairly dim, jazz music plays in the background, there’s lots of art on the walls, the main kitchen is seen through a glass and the dessert kitchen is open to the dining rooms.  It has some stools at the counter where one can come just for dessert.  Lots of windows look out to the street and the small tables are fairly well spaced, with some utilizing bench seating along the wall.  There is a hum of conversation in the room with noise making conversation sometimes difficult.  They have been open 7 years but service is still plenty attentive, helpful and friendly.  Pacing of the meal was nicely done.  They have a large a la carte menu as well as a tasting one.   We chose to order a la carte and split some of the dishes.   Continue reading →

Core, London, 4/27/18

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building
building

CORE by Clare Smyth is a medium sized restaurant that has been open since last August (about 9 months).  The casual but elegant feel of the place is enhanced by well spaced tables, some of which sit on carpet rounds that help absorb sound.  In addition the ceiling is in different heights with more sound absorbing material and thus conversation is easy.  The bare wood tables were set with lovely cloth napkins decorated with a tiny bouquet of flowers.  There were two larger round booth seats on one wall but most of the tables have their own comfortable chairs.  Another wall had some windows to the street, so in the daytime there was lots of natural light.  You enter into the well stocked bar area where there is more seating and walk by the glass walled kitchen on the way to the dining room.  No music was in the background but some art was on the walls as well as some bookcases with interesting objects and books.   Continue reading →

Roganic, London, 4/26/18

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sign on the street
sign on the street

Roganic is a medium sized place with a modern style decor that opened last January.  Their test kitchen restaurant, Allus, opened in the last of 2017.   The dining room is set with white table cloths and napkins and chairs are fairly comfortable. Modern wood features supply the low level of lighting and no music is in the background. The noise level is a bit high making conversation and hearing soft spoken servers difficult at times. Service staff are friendly and nice.  They offer two tasting menus only, with good pacing and portion control.  We chose the longer menu, started with a cocktail and then ordered our own wine.  The surprise menu is available in written form at the end of the meal (or you can cheat and look early). Continue reading →

The Ledbury (update), London, 4/26/18

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entrance
entrance

This was our third visit to Ledbury, a 2 star Michelin that opened around 2005, but the first visit for lunch.  At lunch they offer a full tasting menu of 6 courses as well as a set lunch of 4 items or a 4 course menu with choices for each course.  There are just 18 nicely spaced tables set with lovely white clothes and napkins along with a different object of art.  The wood floor and columns add to the serene room that has lots of windows and mirrors.  Fancy chandeliers add lighting but in the day the windows bring in plenty of natural light.  The noise level is non-existent but conversations still feel private.  There are a huge number of service people that are helpful, friendly and often smiling.  We chose the four course tasting where we picked our options and of course they added more to it.  Brett Graham is the The Chef but on our visit Greg Austin, Head Chef who has been the there for 9 1/2 years, was running the kitchen.  Regardless of which is there, this place is worth putting on your list. Continue reading →

The Clove Club (update), London, 4/25/18

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entrance
entrance

Clove Club is a large for a one star Michelin restaurant.  It has a main dining room that serves only the longer of two tasting menu options. We sat in the bar area that requires you to prepay for the shorter tasting menu but offers the option to upgrade to the longer menu when you arrive. Both menus are available in printed form. Bare wood tables and no clothes add to the noise level issues however when we last ate here we were in the main dining room and it was also noisy. Service is friendly and helpful and pacing and portions of the menu are nicely done. Wine pairings are available. We chose the longer tasting menu and ordered our own bottles of wine. Continue reading →

Claude Bosi at Bibendum Restaurant, London, 4/25/18

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building
building

Bibendum has been open for about a year and Chef Claude Bosi, previously with Hibiscus, already has two Michelin stars.  Fitting, in that the restaurant is on the second level of the Michelin building and heavily decorated with Michelin paraphernalia.  Even the exterior of the building has tires and the Michelin man incorporated into its design.  The first level is a casual seafood bar and has a tiled car mural around the ceiling.  The elevator lets you off into a far more formal dining area with 2 huge stained glass Michelin man windows.  The club chairs are comfy and set at tables draped with long gray clothes and huge matching gray napkins. American music plays softly in the background and dies out as the room becomes filled.  Natural light from lots of windows fills the room but some of the light coming through the stained glass can cast some different colors on your food.  The room has a nice feel and service is friendly and helpful.  The kitchen offers a set lunch option as well as a la carte service.  Most of the food was in a lovely French style.  We ordered a la carte.   Continue reading →

Kitty Fisher’s, London, 11/19/15

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Exterior
Exterior

A small two level restaurant where you definitely want to ask to eat in the cozy downstairs.  They are fairly busy yet the friendly staff makes you feel relaxed even though they don’t mess around in getting your order filled.

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Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London, 11/19/15

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exterior
exterior

A relatively small place with incredible old school service – like the guest gets a menu without the prices, purse stools and lots of napkin re-folding – it felt like a treat to be there with friendly not waitstaff that anticipated your every need. They have several choices at lunch with a large or Prestige tasting menu, an a la carte menu and a lunch menu.  The last sounded the best to us and was without a doubt the best deal.  They also offered a couple specials of the day, one being the aged parmesan sauce pasta with white truffles, which we added to our 3 course lunch.

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Rules Restaurant, London, 11/18/15

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Exterior
Exterior

This large place is all about the atmosphere which is very club like and cozy. It is the oldest restaurant in London opening in 1798 and has since been owned by just 3 families. Serving traditional English food and lots of game, it is decorated heavily and particularly for the Christmas season – when we were there. The food is nice but not spectacular but it’s worth a visit just for the history and to look around the place. Continue reading →

The Fat Duck, Bray, 11/18/15

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Exterior
Exterior

Located in Bray (a quaint village), about a 45 minute train ride out of London, the Fat Duck is now re-opened after a nine month hiatus in Australia. It consists of about 12 tables in a house. Heston Blumenthal is the chef behind the concept but is rarely on the premises. While on hiatus the restaurant underwent some updates, especially to their kitchen and wine cellar. They also re-designed the menu to follow a day in a child’s fantasy journey as Blumenthal would have it. It is a tasting menu, with accommodation to allergies and preferences, and no supplemental options.  All reservations are by prepaid “tickets” on their website. It is about a 4 hour meal, but ours lasted almost 5 as we had a trip to the wine cellar and kitchen tour.

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Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs, London, 11/17/15

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Exterior
Exterior

Bubbledogs is the front restaurant, serving hot dogs and champagne, that allows James Knappett and his wife to also offer the Kitchen Table, which is behind the main restaurant. They offer 2 seatings for a total of 20 people, with the earlier grouping starting desserts as we started savories. The menu is a tasting menu only but offers an optional 3 extra courses for 45 Pounds. They are well worth it and if anything were among my favorites for the night. They offer wine pairings which looked like nice pours with top-offs if needed but we selected our own wines. Continue reading →

St. JOHN, London, 11/17/15

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exterior
exterior

This is a good sized place but even with hard acoustics the noise level is good. The main dining room is a reservation seating but there area seats downstairs that seemed to be available to walk-ins. Just a couple servers worked the whole room with the assistance of a couple kitchen people bringing out food, and they really moved but managed to provide the diners with a relaxed feeling. Continue reading →

Hedone, London, 11/8/14

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in the restaurant
in the restaurant

A relatively new restaurant for London, the chef/owner Michael Jonsson has already received a Michelin star. It is well given considering the flavor content of this meal! The chef background as an ingredients expert drives him to obtain the finest and freshest ingredients possible.

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Fera, London, 11/8/14

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Sign at Claridge's
Sign at Claridge’s

Fera is in the gorgeous Claridge’s hotel in the Mayfair section of London and just opened in May of this year. Simon Rogan is the chef and co-owner but splits his time between here and 3 other restaurants he runs. We visited his first London restaurant, Roganic, on our last trip and loved the place, so we went with great expectations.

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Dinner By Heston Blumenthal, London, 11/9/14

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Dinner at Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel
Dinner at Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel

This restaurant is located in the lovely Mandarin Oriental Hotel and thus I’ve included a number of photos of the hotel reception and pass through to get to the restaurant. They set up a feeling of elegance for the diner and the restaurant did not disappoint.

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The Ledbury, London, 11/9/14

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Exterior
Exterior

The Ledbury was another repeat visit and I believe it’s gotten even better! It’s a fairly small place and offers a tasting menu as well as a la carte. You quickly start with several amuse bouche which were all quite tasty and nice bites of intense taste. The meal had a few blander spots but nothing bad, just not overwhelming.

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Gymkhana, London, 11/10/14

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Exterior
Exterior

This is a highly regarded Indian spot with some interesting twists on standard dishes. Not a large place it is almost impossible to secure an evening reservation, but they offer the full menu plus a lunch value menu midday. We did a combo with one lunch menu and several a la carte options with guidance from our server and reviews we’d read.

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The Clove Club, London, 11/10/14

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Entrance
Entrance

Sometimes the exterior just doesn’t tell the story, cause the outside window only hinted at the action going on in The Clove Club. It is a place that likes to serve often overlooked British ingredients, like cobnuts. They usually serve a 5 course menu and offer small plates at the bar but we asked for the extended tasting when we made the reservation to be able to taste a larger number of their products. We didn’t make the wrong choice here!

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