Mitzie8cake's review of Canteen Canary Wharf

Not having visited a Canteen before, I decided it was high time to see whether this latest addition to the Canary Wharf restaurant set was any good. Feeling a distinct need to eat some stodgy food on a cold and grey day, a colleague and I went down to try our luck at this usually busy restaurant. Luckily we were early enough and immediately eyed up the menu as we sat down.

The restaurant is very light and airy but seemingly lacks any atmosphere, it is in its very essence a canteen, so you can't fault it there. The menu is a Brit stodge lover's dream, with all the usual British fare from fish and chips to pie and mash. I opted for the veg pie and mash which came in a huge portion as I had suspected it would. Though edible, it did lack any real seasoning or flavour and towards the end became a bland combination of textures. Not quite the impact I was hoping for.

Friendly service and a healthy wine selection by the glass, make up for the food shortfalls. I can see the appeal of Canteen and the concept certainly works, but it also works better in restaurants such as the S&M Cafe chain and my local pub back home and at much cheaper prices. Good effort but more needed.