Hush

I've eaten at Hush a number of times in the last ten years and unfortunately, each experience has been worse than the last. Initially this was a happening, chic restaurant that was worth its hype, but now it's just trading on its reputation and serving below average food at very serious prices.
My last experience, a month ago was typical. After a morning of shopping, I booked a table for 1:30 because the location was convenient. When we arrived at 1:25, we were told there would be a 5 minute wait and would we like to have a drink in the bar while we wait. Ok. After 20 minutes of walking past ignoring us, the waitress finally took our drinks order. At 5 to two, I approached the girl on the front desk who said that the table was now available. With armfuls of bags, and no spare hands, we had to ask the waitress to carry our drinks to the table. Her reply: ‘Just a minute’ and off she went. After another 5 minutes I had had enough. No table in the sunshine (despite its charmless interior) is worth this much hassle – and anyway I knew the food was going to be underseasoned and badly cooked, as usual. I swiftly made my way to the japanese across the street.

We chose to dine at the brasserie on the ground floor on an early weekday evening after having frequented both the bar and neighbouring venues in Lancashire Court. Upon arrival the brasserie looked liked it had the potential to serve up a good evening and we were promptly seated at our table. Service began swiftly and attentive but as with all not quite bar/not quite restaurant type venues as soon as the crowds horded in (mainly hedge fund types and socialites) the waiters were becoming difficult to spot. Luckily this happend after we ordered our mains, which came in good time. The Seabass Fillet with truffle dressing and artichoke lyonnaise appeared to be a nice dish but upon taste I realised it could have done with a little more seasoning and if an ingredient such as truffle dressing is substantial enough to add in the dish's description on the menu, than a little generosity on the plate wouldn't go amiss either. My fellow diner's risotto was so-so and could have done with a little more oomph as well as a few more grains on the plate considering it was the main option. Desserts were rich and chocolatey and wine selection was good too. Altogether an average dining experience in nice surroundings but still leaves me unconvinced on brasserie dining being an evening option. Something to also bear in mind is the price, we had the good fortune to dine with a 50% offer but had it been full price, the… More

I went with a good friend of mine to sample this restaurant after having heard so many good things about it. We decided to go to the Brasserie on a Friday evening to sit outside in the magnificent courtyard. The restaurant is a wee bit tricky to find but it's secluded and beautifully decorated. The staff were initially attentive and helpful, seating us outside and taking our wine order from us. After a rather prolonged delay our food order was taken. The staff appeared to become innocuous and robotic within moments of taking our order. Perhaps it had been a long day and perhaps they were tired, however, after witnessing my wine being deposited on an adjoining table we were then treated to luke warm wine served after our starters arrived. I ordered an Eggs Benedict starter, I was greeted with what can only be described as a value bap and some cheap cooking ham with a rather hard boiled egg. This did not bode well for what was to come. My friend ordered a small salad as a starter which included some small burnt bits of bacon and rather limp spinach leaf. My main choice was a burger, served with “hand cut chips” direct from McCains' microwave and an entire quarter of unwashed lettuce deposited on the side of my plate. My friend ordered mussels, the absolute highlight of a rather dreary experience. When we eventually received our bill from the nomadic waiting staff I was expected to pay for two… More