The Summerhouse

A stunning venue on a sunny afternoon spoiled by incompetent management.

Table for 4 had booked at 1.30 for Sunday lunch. Left standing around until 1.55.

Asked for water with slices of lime and a filter coffee with milk on the side. The water and coffee arrived; the lime and milk didn't and had to be reordered.

There is no bread unless one has pita bread which is clearly ony purchased to accompany a mezze for 2 (which couln't be ordered for 3).

The two fish pies were short on fish and long on potato and were only part eaten. The waiter asked if they were ok and told that there was a disproportionate amount of potato to fish (1 prawn and 2 pieces of salmon).

The sea bass was delicious but (1) undercooked and (2) tepid.

The manager appeared. What might have been an apology was an explanation that the fish portion is standard; we had been given extra potato. We smiled politely. The man was clearly an idiot.

Eventually a waiter took orders for deserts.

Shortly before 4, the manager asked if we could vacate the table as it was needed for other diners. By way of apology, the two cups of tea and one cup of coffee were knocked off the price.

For the first time in a very long time 4 “foodies” agreed unanimously not to pay the “optional” service tip which had been added to the bill.

We visited The Summerhouse for Sunday lunch today, our first visit since last summer. Good news for Richard E… Things may have greatly improved since his last visit. We were almost put off from going, but decided we would check it out for ourselves.

A lovely warm afternoon, we booked a late table and decided on reading other reviews, not to get too hung up on a waterfront table. We had a friendly welcome from a vaguely familiar looking maitre d', and were shown to a table inside, which actually turned out to be a good spot, as the afternoon sunshine gave a lovely glow to the restaurant, and it was much nicer looking out, than the times we have sat at a waterfront table looking in. So that's my first tip. Don't fret over sitting at a water front table.

More good news; the food is still of a very high standard, three of us were dining, two shared the meze of hummus, taramasalata, tzatziki, halloumi, olives and pitta bread, my husband had prawn cocktail all of which were fresh and tasted fab. To follow we all chose differently one had fishcakes with poached egg and hollandaise on a bed of spinach, one had fillet of sea bream, and finally, the most amazing tagliatelle with prawns, chilli and garlic. I can honestly say the food we ate was really good, well cooked, well presented and pretty much to the same high standard we remembered.

The service was efficient, attentive and we were spared any napkin waving. Towards the end of our lunch we still hadn't worked out why the maitre d' looked familiar and asked him, it turns out he arrived just a couple months ago, and we recognised him from Worral Thompsons' restaurant Notting Grill. If the service we received was down to him, then I would say The Summerhouse is in a safe pair of hands, and Richard should give it another go, particularly as he liked it so much before. Perhaps they were going through some changes at the time he visited.

And the final bit of good news for Claire W, they hope to stay open this winter.

May 2011

It is always difficult returning to a favoured restaurant to find it changed. I went to the Summerhouse a couple of times last year are really liked its relaxed atmosphere and laid back nosh, as you can see from the review below.

How times have changed. I went again on a Bank Holiday Monday. We had a late booking, but arrived a bit early. The place was heaving. Nonetheless, we were seated straight away. I had asked, when booking, if we could get a waterside table, but was told that there was no booking for this, just turn up and see if you can get one. There were none free, but about 10 minutes after we sat down, a table at the front did come free, so I asked if we could take it. Alas no, others had bagged it. Fair enough, but why then 20 minutes later when we left, was it still empty? Had it been booked?

And yes, we lasted only 30 minutes here. I cannot tell you what the food was like this time, nor what the drink tasted of (not even the tap water) for we were ignored totally for 30 minutes. Not one single waiter (and there were many) found their way to our table. I have never considered waiving my napkin, Michael Winner like to get attention but, after half-a-bleedin’-hour of sitting there watching the surgically enhanced breasts at the next door table carefully take all the batter from her fish, eat the fish and leave the batter and chips, I now know why he does it.

I know I could have said something, but surely I shouldn’t need to? Anyway, when we heard the table behind us moan to the waiter about the 45 minute wait to get their starter, we just knew that it wasn’t going to happen. 30 minutes later we were sitting at the counter in Polpo supping on a Bellini. This is what I said a year ago about Polpo: www.squaremeal.­co.uk/review/Polpo/94079. Unlike the Summerhouse, a second visit a year later only underlines just how superb the place is.

ps as I cannot do a second, separate review with a new set of scoring, I have left the scores from last August about the food and value for money, and amended only those that I actually experienced this time, averaging out the overall and updating service to where it currently lies

August 2010

I am not sure that I fully understand what a “pop-up” restaurant is. Or why. The name “The Summerhouse by the Waterway” and the address “opposite 60 Blomfield Road” hint that this is a transient establishment. Like Selfridges' pop-up restaurant last summer, which was housed in a tent on the roof (a tent of Gerry Cottell proportions rather than boy scout), however, it would be hard to say that the Summerhouse is anything other than a permanent establishment.

Set in a leafy corner of Maida Vale, near Warwick Avenue tube station, this is a brick built, well; building. Ok, it has a clear plastic covered terrace directly on the Grand Union Canal, but it is has not just popped up, nor will it so easily just pop-off. Yes, with the plastic sheeting down, you can see why this might not be so alluring in the winter, but then the Dutch have no trouble with plastic covered terraces on the Amsterdam canals throught the winter, and this year, with the canal frozen over, it would have been a nice change from sitting in front of a fake fire in some anodyne gastro-pub.

Nontheless, we went on a beautiful sunny lunchtime, with the sun reflecting off the tesco bags as they drfted along, being idly pecked at by the coots that hang out under the terrace, clearly looking for their share of the food on offer. Unlike it's sister (or mother?) restaurant just down the road, the Waterway, there is nothing here between the terrace and the canal so, other than looking over the council estate, on a sunny day you could almost be on the Canal St Martin. Almost. On such days you can see why it is so difficult to get a reservation here at the weekend. Mid-week though, it wasn't too difficult and the place was only half full; various chapters of the local branch of the ladies-what-lunch brigade were in, all braying teeth, dyed black roots and leggings. Leggings? Don't these people look in the mirror? Yes, they were trendy once, but nobody out of their teens looks good in them.

The food on offer is standard, no frills fish, with a single vegetarian and a single meat option (steak, of course). We started with perfectly fine squid with a light, but still pleasent, tartare sauce; crispy on the outside, just the right side of chewy on the inside (the squid that is, not the sauce). The main course of fish and chips that we both had was also lovely; firm fish, crunchy batter, good chips. The fact that my companion had ordered the fish pie was a minor point, as the service was so friendly that it was easy to overlook this minor error. Starter prices hover around the £7/8 mark and the mains (other than the whole sea bass) are in their mid- to late-teens.

The wine list too is short and functional, some good prices but £71 for a rose? Please. I know that Domaine d'Ott is uber-trendy, but it is an awfully big ask, even for the self styled “finest rose in the world”.

A great place for a lazy Sunday lunch or, as in our case, a mid-week TBL, given that one of us was between jobs and the other was flying off that evening, so was technically on his way to Heathrow.

I am sad that The Summerhouse has closed for winter as this was my no 1 restaurant up until October. The food is outstanding and the atmosphere next to the canal reminds me of my home in Amsterdam. I hope that it does not change too much when it reopens this summer.

Finally went for dinner for the first time. What a great location! I understand why it is hard to get a table there, The view is amazing and that sea side restaurant feel takes you away from central London.
Great for a nice romantic dinner. The food is lovely and the service simple, friendly and professional.
Will definitely go back!
V

I visited the Summerhouse yesterday lunchtime with a friend. I reserved a table by the water. We arrived 10 mins early and the waiter pointed this out to us but said he would seat us. The restaurant only had 2 tables occupied. He sat us at a table inside, I asked to be moved to a table by the water was requested and he said that they were reserved. I said I had reserved on of the tables by the water. About 5 minutes later the waiter said he would move us, no one ever sat at the table that we had been put originally. We orered our meal, I asked for olives asking for them to be brought over before our meal. The waitress brought over our drinks, wine for myself lime and soda for my friend. The olives didn't arrive so i asked the waitress, explaining I wanted them before my meal, she went off to get them. Our meal arrived, with the olives, I said I didn't want them now, seemed like it was a hassle for them bearing in mind I had asked twice for them. The meal was lovely, friend had fish and chips I had sword fish. When the bill arrived we saw that the lime and soda was £3.50. Lemonade is £2.50 so couldn't see how lime and soda could be £1 more. Service charge was included, we put the money in the box,including a little extra and left it on the table. No one came to collect this, we sat there for almost 10 mins after receiving the bill. When we left the restaurant not one member of staff thanked us or said bye. Unfortunately I will not be recommending the Summerhouse or returning. shame as the food was very nice but the staff need to learn some manners and customer engagement.

A great new addition to the North London/Central London border. The place has a nice sunny feel and all it needs is good weather to make a worthwhile trip to this new fashionable eatery.