Wild Honey

Well Done

Attentive and warm reception, good service and a manageable well delivered menu. Will be back…

I think that Wild Honey is a lovely place for a meal. The ambience was great. Maybe a little dark but it was romantic, rustic and cosy – a perfect place on a cold autumn night. I think it’s a good place to have a secret rendezvous as well, seeing as how the couple at the next table were having a their getting-to-know-each-other date. Perhaps the tables were too close together because I found myself eavesdropping and listening to their conversation.

I enjoyed all 3 dishes that I ordered and I think I would return to Wild Honey again some time in the future for a casual date night with my significant other…

I am full of praise for Wild Honey and it only seems to get better. This was the first time I had been there since the minor refurbishments the restaurant undertook earlier this year and yet the atmosphere remains unchanged. One feels automatically enveloped in comfort, with the warm wooden walls, generous seats, well-spaced tables and a large mirror at the back (below which we were seated) creating an effect of wonderful spaciousness. The staff all had absolutely the right attitude, friendly and engaging yet discreet too. And, the food is superb: think of timeless classics with a twist of contemporary innovation. Although perhaps a bold combination, my soup comprising soft poached ‘Burford Brown’ egg, pink grapefruit, buckwheat and potato worked amazingly well with the acidity of the grapefruit acting as a perfect and refreshing foil to the more starchy potato. The overall effect was one of lightness, leaving me anticipating the main. The choice of veal was much more traditional, but also executed to perfection with the mash in particular acting as a good match. My dining comrades were similarly impressed with their options and a two-course lunch menu of this quality for £23 (or £26 should pudding be added) constiutes phenomenal value. The wine list also deserves mention and it is rare to see in a restaurant of this quality wines priced from sub-£20 a bottle. Our tempranillo ar £18.50 was more than adequate for the occasion, making the whole event not only enjoyable, but also very reasonably priced. The chocolates that accompanied our coffee rounded the event off perfectly.

The Olympics were on, central London was empty, and on a warm summer evening we went to Wild Honey with friends. Such a treat, the food delicious and service charming.

The menu had plenty of interesting dishes to choose from, and I started with salad of fresh goats’ curd, peas and potatoes – summer on a plate! The luscious puréed peas, minted potatoes and soft clouds of goats curds so good I was sorry I'd never had this before. Rabbit to follow was rich and tasty with a well flavoured stuffing. Dessert of wild honey ice cream with crushed honeycomb such a good combination, the ice cream really gorgeous with a proper hit of honey partnered with crunchy sweet pieces. All totally fab.

The room is all wood panelled and not an obvious choice for a long light evening, but we all had such a good time with great food and good company, and relaxed service.

I ate at Wild Honey last night and really enjoyed it. Soft poached egg with wild mushrooms and turnip tops was remarkably tasty for relatively few ingredients and the pear clafoutis I had for pudding was possibly the most delicious pudding I've ever had – crisp outer shell and soft, squidgy, warm sponge. I had cod and octopus in red wine for my main which was good but had less sauce than I would've liked and wasn't that hot – i think it just cooled down quickly as there wasn't much sauce and it was spaced out on the plate. We tried a bottle of white Rioja which was very crisp and fresh, and seemed good value. The total bill was a bit less than expected which was a welcome surprise. The only stand-out odd thing was the lighting – it's so bright! The waiter said that he feels it should be dimmed a bit too but the chef wants it bright so that we can see the food. I'm sure we could see the food in a more ambient light! The odd candle wouldn't go amiss but perhaps that wouldn't suit its quite masculine feel. Overall it was very enjoyable and delicious, interesting food.

My first experience of Wild Honey was exactly one week ago, a friend invited me and it was an experience that urged me to put up my own review of the restaurant. The food was simply sumptuous, from the succulent plaice, my first experience of snails to the delicious mouth-watering sherry trifle.
It was a wonderful evening and the staff of Wild Honey truly makes this eating experience fine. They are so willing to make an informal evening feel very special indeed and even though the restaurant was packed, all courses were well timed with great service in between; wine, fresh warm bread. By far my favorite dish was rabbit, very tender, great flavors to complement. My best side was the garlic gratin.
Overall a great evening and wonderful to meet the head chef: Colin. I'll definitely return. By the way value for money was excellent. This is a restaurant for all occasions. Kieran

Wild Honey is one of those restaurants you'll love going to, rave about in the middle of your meal, leave thinking why hadn't we gone there sooner- and then forget!

The food is superb, ambiance is noisy but polished. But it wasn't enough to make me want to go back, like I would for the Wolseley or Sketch. Something is too wooden about the interior for it to feel fresh & energetic.

A great food pick, but maybe not your all time favourite.

Crowd was 30s-50s, not really a personality in sight, all rather conservative.

The tables for 2 are squashed together and ours was right by the stairs down to the toilets and so close to the next table that it may as well have been a table for 4. The service was dreadful and we sat in front of our menus for way too long each time. When the food came, the portions were very small, given the high prices and it was lukewarm at best. I did eat mine as I was so hungry by that point and we hoped that things would improve. However by the time I had eaten half of it and it was too late to complain, my meal was actually stone cold and very unappetising.

Our new friends next door were then served scallops that were actually off.

We sat with our dessert menus in front of us for so long that we eventually decided to leave and go elsewhere. Equally, our neighbours sat in front of their used plates for just as long, while the staff seemed to faff about with no one really taking responsibilty for anything.
We asked for the bill and told the waiter of our complaints (as, while you would ignore one problem, by this time we were very fed up with having our evening ruined) He responded with a gallic shrug and not much else.
When we left the restaurant the coat check girls provided service with a sarcastic smirk.

All in all, the attitude here seems to be that as the as the restaurant is full because of the good reviews it got in the press when it first opened (no doubt by toadying to well known reviewers) that they don't need to bother being polite or offering any service at all to “ordinary punters”.
I would have liked to have given it no stars but that wasn't an option. We eat out in London a lot and this was by far the worst experience we have had for a long time.

For those looking for a quiet night, try a week night in January. Wild Honey's calm, wood panelled interior was a welcome relief from the sales mayhem on oxford street. Smoked eel, crisp deboned chicken wing and turnip may sound like a dogs dinner but tasted delicious due to careful balancing of flavours. The mains were also perfectly cooked. The portions are delicate but with the moreish bread on offer we didn't have room for pudding. The staff couldn't have been sweeter and we left very pleased with our evening.

This is not a place to sit back and indulge far from it .This is a well oiled machine that works on excellant value for money.The food is flavoursome but sloppy in presentation and at times gives the feeling of being rushed.
The service at reception is functional but not warm. In contrast the waiting staff are informative and efficient with total knowledge of the impressive cheeseboard.I would like to go again on a quieter night …if there is one