Ristorante Semplice

The food is delicious and the chef clearly uses the finest ingredients. We had the beef ravioli and bucatini with rabbit ragout to start and both were rich in flavour. Mains were expensive, with an average price of £25. The rabbit with red wine sauce whilst tasty, was akin to a Tiny Tim portion. Veal with cep mushroom sauce was a much larger portion than the rabbit and was divine. Vegetables were available as an addtional option.

Desserts are overpriced and miniscule, although well executed. For £130 for two courses and a shared dessert plus the cheapest bottle of wine on the list with a bottle of still water, this is a good restaurant but not one to visit when either ravenous or on a budget. As an aside, the wait between courses (30 mins for starter, 45 mins for main and 25 mins for one dessert!) is unacceptable for a Michelin starred restaurant in the heart of Bond St.

Decor is tasteful, but nothing you wouldn't expect at any standard Italian restaurant. However, the toilets are classy.

I had an excellent lunch at Semplice recently. The menus were interesting and different. The food was excellent and the wine recommended by the waiter was also very good. We waited too long before we had to ask a member of staff to take our order and then waited too long for the food to arrive, particularly as it was lunchtime. Also the portions were a little on the small side. However, I could not fault the quality of the food and look forward to going back.

This is a favourite of mine for its slick and inviting design. Its dark wood walls and honey coloured lighting make it a pleasant place for lunch or dinner. Hidden down a side-street it is not known by many in the area and is a great place for a civilised business lunch or dinner away from the crowds of Oxford Street. The menu is traditional Italian with modern twists, and with mains topping out at around £18, is good value for the sumptuous surroundings and quality produce.

The food is always high quality and well executed, but does not tend to have a wow factor. Service is diligent but can be irritating with an awful lot of people not doing very much. They insist that the restaurant manger is the only one you can take your order while other staff members are free. This seems a pointless complication in what is overall a lovely place.