Skylon Restaurant

Sunday lunch 5 April 2009. Overpriced (especially drinks) and disappointing. In 20-odd years of using restaurants in London, I don't think I've ever sent food back, but the venison starter here went back because it was completely tasteless. The salmon which replaced it was better, but the crabmeat which supposedly came with that wouldn't have filled a teaspoon and the dressing was vinegary. Main course Provencal fish was also a small portion, though the sauce with it was good. Fellow diners assured me that the beef was good (this had a £5 supplement). Chicken dish was colourless. Nothing was beyond warm-ish in temperature. No option to add any green vegetables or salad to anything. Desserts were adequate. A varied cheeseboard, but several pieces served by the staff had to be replaced because they were so dry. When the bill came we wanted to deduct some of the service charge, but staff came back saying they couldn't take off only a part of the charge (in other words, it's all or nothing). (We took it all off, settled with a card, then left an amount in cash.) Whatever has changed since this was People's Palace, it certainly isn't better.

My partner and I chose Skylon to celebrate our anniversay and were impressed with both the views and the knowledge of the staff, particularly the sommelier.

I was, however, disappointed to learn that on my recommendation, a friend and her boyfriend had a disappointing visit recently. After reporting sight of a mouse in the dining area, tehy were offered a 20% discount and advised that “it was only a very small mouse” and that these things “should be expected” so close to the river.

As much as I enjoyed my visit, on the strength of my friend's experience, I won't be going back.

How can one restaurant get it so wrong?!

Located in one of London's cultural homes, Skylon has the potential to be one of the capital's culinary institutions, creating and serving innovative and well executed food to reflect the exhibitions and South Bank Centre's heritage.

Skylon fails on all accounts to provide anything close to what one might describe as a decent restaurant in the capital. I would much rather wrestle a pigeon for a hot dog than ever go there again.

The menu is not innovative in the slightest, and it is a wonder that with her culinary skills and experience excellent chef Helena Puolakka could not come up with better. The food when it arrived was as bland in looks as it was in taste, and with each course one hoped that there would be some improvement, but alas there was no reprieve.

The service was abysmal. The staff rude and as plain in terms of personality as the food they were serving up.

The impression Skylon is trying to promote is that of excellence, that it is as good as those culinary bastions in the capital Tom Aiken, one of Gordon Ramsay's many restaurants, Chez Bruce, the list is endless. Insead you are provided with a an extremely weakened version of what one would expect. An atmosphere and ambience more like the cafe found on the platform of east croydon railway station, except with less life.

Move on Helena, before the shackles of this disasterous restaurant taint your good name anymore.